Ireland Adventure, Part 2, Counties Kerry, Cork and back to Co. Clare

NOTE: Please participate in my Irish Centered Quiz this week--it's at the right!

DAY5: Well, the luck o' the Irish wasn't with us today. We called the boater to make sure the trip to Skellig Michael was a go, and it was! (Our original plan was to go the day before, but weather made it impossible.) So we hurriedly ate our breakfast, checked out, got cash from the ATM, headed out the wrong side of town, quickly turned around and got going the right way towards Portmagee. We knew time was going to be tight, but we were confident things would work out. And then we got behind an over sized truck going only half the speed limit. Why not pass him, you say? Well if you've been to Ireland, you know why not. Because except for the rare dual-carriageway (I totally thought Tom and Jackie were calling them Jewel-carriageways), the roads are so tight! There are no shoulders and often the roads are truly only passable for one vehicle at a time. For example, every time a car was approaching this over sized truck from the opposite direction, they slowed to a complete stop and drove into the side bushes to avoid being taken out by this guy. So we were stuck. FINALLY the truck turned off and we gunned it as fast as we could. The clock was ticking but we were making excellent time. And we pulled onto the dock of Portmagee at 11:02...just in time to see them shove off into the water. I've got to give credit to my husband, who chased them, yelling all the way down the pier. But no cigar. I was disappointed to the point of tears. This was the ONE thing that T had really wanted to do. To be so close, and then not have it happen. And then to find out that 12 boats had taken off between 10-11am! Why did our guidebook only tell us about the last one?

Our plans were ruined, but sometimes spontaneity brings rewards too. I let T call the plans for the entire day, and he suggested we take a hike to a lookout point towards the Skelligs. We had a picnic up there and it was absolutely gorgeous...some of the best cliff scenes we'd seen.

I looked at the sheep and cattle grazing with this kind of view and thought, "You don't know how lucky you are. You could be in Nebraska."

It's funny because we spent so much time in the country, I kept smelling odors that made me want to check my shoes. Also, the sheep all have different colors painted on them. My first theory was to save time; this wool will all become blue sweaters. Then T almost ran over a few escaped sheep hanging in the roads, so we thought maybe the colors are to make them more eye-catching. I'm sure it's just the same as branding, but I like our theories better.

And speaking of smells, I really wish there was some way to document them. I really grew to love the sweet smoky smell of burning peat turf bricks. Mmmm.

Some of my favorite sights were of the endangered Irish older man. I love the caps they wear and their jackets or sweaters. I'm afraid they are a dying breed.

The second part of our spontaneous day was to get off and hike near the Gap of Dunloe and we continued around the Ring of Kerry. Wow. Wow. Wow. Breathtaking. T swears this is where the JRR Tolkien's books take place; the water is so black.

And then we ended our spontaneous day by eating at the best restaurant of our vacation, as we drove to Cork for the night. So, it ended up being a fine day, although I am disappointed about missing Skellig Michael.


DAY 6: We visited the famed Blarney Castle today!

Isn't it austere?

T and I each kissed the Blarney Stone, although my smootch was not properly documented:

But I have a question: did people used to LICK the Blarney Stone? I didn't want to ask before I kissed it, but some of the historical quotes say "lick" not "kiss". UGH. And Maggie, I'm now ready to hear the stories you were hinting at before. I didn't want to lose my stomach before I kissed it. And I'm still waiting for the gift to take root.

The Rock Close around the Blarney Castle was truly a magical place. There is the Witch's Rock--can you see why it's called that?

Apparently she gets locked in the rock all day, but can come out at night. Scary! The rest of the day was spent wandering around Cork--the odoriferous English Market, University of County Cork, and Fitzgerald Park. I guess after all the amazing natural and historical sights, modern city sights didn't strike us as very photo worthy (Sorry Roisin!)

DAY 7: Our final day was spent back near Shannon Airport, in County Clare, at a place called Bunratty Castle and Folk Park. By now I am ready to go home. It's been fun but I miss my kiddos and I really miss my bed! Make a note: Orthopedic mattresses = hard as a board and mighty uncomfortable.

This Castle was the only one we'd seen that was actually furnished. Of course not the original furnishings, it was supposed to be furnished in period pieces. I saw at least one anachronism, but I'll assume the rest was accurate. The coolest part about this castle was that it was an important one for my progenitors--the O'Briens!! They were one of the main ruling families 1000 years ago. When my dad told me we were descended from Brian Boru, the first High King of Ireland, I remember telling my grade school peers that I could have been a princess in Ireland. It seems I got the gift of Blarney a long time ago. Is this the throne I would have sat on?

Hope you don't have a problem with vertigo going up and down the tower steps:

The rest of the Folk Park was kind of like an Irish Village Nauvoo--with furnished homes and working shops. It was pretty cool though. We did bump into some Irish dancers there:

Oh, wait the real Irish dancers were at the Traditional Irish Night that we went to that evening. The food was only adequate for the price, but there's something about Irish music and the quickness of the Irish dancing feet that accelerates my heart and makes me so excited! If you are like me, here's some footage (no pun intended):