The Ring of Kerry

June 4

The internet situation here has not gotten any better. I have been trying to log on an write this email for 50 minutes. I can't even get to my address book without an extensive delay.

I also have found from talking to other people that the only planes that flew from the NY area either the 31st of May or the 1st of June were also delayed for various lengths of time. The only clear day appears to have been the 30th of May.

We had dinner here at this restaurant two nights, and breakfast for two mornings. These were all included in our tour and I have no idea what it would have cost. The breakfast was a normal Irish breakfast which we had at most hotels on the tour.

Dining room at breakfast - Killarney

At this one, there was a buffet where we could get fresh fruit juices, fruit salad or fruit compote, cereal, pastries, yoghurt, breads and preserves. The waiter would taken orders for Tea/Coffee, Toast or Cooked Breakfast which was "Grilled Limerick Bacon, fresh Tomato, Black and white Pudding, Pork Sausages" served with a choice of Fried, Poached or Scrambled egg. My grandson also had French toast.

Today we did the Ring of Kerry and the weather was beautiful - so clear and nice.

Looking across Dingle Bay to Dingle

My grandson thought that Dingle was a funny name. So he got a lot of fun out of looking out over Dingle Bay. The road is really close to the edge here and it is really a spectacular view

Dingle Bay

Buttercups

Grandson pretending to dive into Dingle Bay

I did not see any public transportation in the area. So probably the best bet for viewing Dingle Bay is either a coach (aka tour bus) or a rental car. People say that there are so many coaches lined up on the Ring of Kerry in the summer that you can't see the view. We were there early in June, so it wasn't so bad, but even so, we played tag with another bus through this area. The roads are quite narrow and have little shoulder, so the driver and guide on our coach were careful about how we crossed the road. For cars there are turn-offs.

It was hard to take pictures though because the bus was moving so fast and there were so many trees and bushes right by the road. Scott (a man about 40 who is with his mom and aunt on the tour) joked that he was taking pictures of all the sights with a bush in the front.

Grandson taking the photo out the window

My grandson and the other little children (9 and 10) were playing cards. I taught them a version of Crazy 8s - at least what I remembered of it.

Ogham (pronounced 'oh-am') is a primitive alphabet, sometimes called the Celtic Tree Alphabet, which takes the form of linear strokes cut into stone or etched onto wood. We saw a group of Ogham stones at Dunloe, 8kms west of Killarney on the R562 near Beaufort village. The guide told us that they were important, but I didn't really catch what the importance of them was. We didn't get good pictures of them from the speeding bus.

Ogham Stones from the bus

The internet information says: Seven of the eight Ogham stones in this group were discovered in a souterrain at Coolmagort in the nineteenth century and have been set up on this site close to Dunloe Castle. The tallest stone is 8 feet high. There is also a prostrate slab taken from the grounds of nearby Kilbonane church. These stones were originally the roof of a souterrain or underground passage which collapsed at the end of the last century.
Using them as lintels in underground passages protected them from the weather so that the inscriptions can still be read. I don't know what the result will be of setting them up like this.

We had a shopping stop at the Gap of Dunloe. Apparently a Gap in Ireland is what we would call a Pass. The Gap of Dunloe (Irish: Bearna an Choimín) is a very famous one - it is a narrow pass between Macgillycuddy's Reeks and the Purple Mountains near Killarney, Ireland - a distance of approximately 7 miles. The road is narrow and difficult for motorized traffic, so we didn't do it in the bus. We just looked at it from the shopping stop. The most popular form of transport for tourists is the horse-drawn Trap but sometimes people hike it or ride bikes. Our guide described Moriartys Gap of Dunloe Industries as one of the two places which C.I.E. tours recommended for shopping. It also provided us with an opportunity to use the restroom, and in my case to photograph some of the flower blooms and the mountains. My grandson bought his mom a mohair scarf for €29.00.

The first town we came to was Killorglin

House outside of town

River near Killgorlin

Church through the bus window

which is situated on the river Laune, an excellent salmon fishing river. The Southern Fisheries Board have organised joint development programs with local boards to make the rivers and lakes more accessible to Anglers. The Fishery boards also stock a number of lakes to ensure a successful days fishing. The river Laune boasts a run of Salmon and the river also drains the largest of the Killarney Lakes which is known for its brown trout. Please note a state license is always necessary for salmon angling. Licenses and permits are available from Regional Fisheries Boards, license distributors, tackle shops, hotels and guest houses throughout the county.

River with my grandson's camera reflected

River Laune from the bus

As we crossed the river, we saw a statue of a goat.

Passing the goat statue

We were told that the goat was the king of Puck Fair, a chosen mountain goat is borne in triumph and enthroned for two days. Why is a goat the king of the fair? Local stories tell that a stampeding herd of mountain goats warned the locals of the invasion by the Cromwellian forces! The festival has been welcoming visitors from around the world to join in the festivities for many a year. The festival is held each year from the 10-12 of August. The three days were named The Gathering Day (a horse fair), The Fair Day (a cattle fair) and The Scattering Day.

My first picture from the bus of Puck

We also saw St.James R.C. Church,Killorglin. The foundation stone for the church was laid in 1886. Services – Sunday, 12.00 noon

St.James R.C. Church

When we were in Bunratty, most of the houses had peat fires. The school teacher told us that peat is called 'turf' when cut. The cutting of peat for fuel began in the 17th century and continued at an increasing rate until the mid 20th century. Originally, most of this was cut by hand, and laid in the sun to dry before being burned. At the time of the famine, peat (called 'turf' when cut) was often the only source of fuel available.Now, machines are used to cut peat from the bog. Our guide pointed out this area where peat had been harvested from the bog.

Showing where peat has been cut

Area where peat has not been cut recently

We stopped at the Red Fox Inn mostly for a bathroom break

Bathroom and snack stop

and I spent my time taking pictures. We were warned NOT to go out of the parking lot onto the road to take a picture of the mountains because of traffic.

Edge of the area we were allowed into

Foxglove near the Red Fox

Scenery around the Red Fox

There was also the Kerry Bog Village and Kerry Bog Ponies available to visit, but neither was included on our tour.The Bog Village is "Ireland's only thatched village and is a National Heritage Award Winner".

Side of the Inn

Kerry Bog Pony advertisement

grandson getting back on the bus

I did not get to see the Kerry Bog ponies - I just saw the sign.The Kerry Bog pony almost became extinct. By 1994 there were only 20 ponies left in the whole of Ireland... the Kerry Bog Pony is quite small - almost like a Shetland Pony - About 10 or 11 hands high, with a distinctive dish or curved face, rather like an Arab. Breed colors are chestnut with flaxen mane and tail or livered chestnut with black mane and tail or grey and also bay.

The next town we visited was

Cahirciveen

River Fertha

photo from the road approaching Cahirciveen

which is connected to the Irish road network by the N70 national secondary route. Cahirciveen (Cathair Saidhbhín in Irish) - means "town of Little Saidhbh". Cahersiveen is an alternate spelling. Caherciveen has a population of 1294.

Approaching Carhan

From the bus, I was able to get a very blurry photo of the ruins of Carhan House

Carhan House ruins

where Daniel O'Connell was born in 1775. There is a bust of him next to the ruins. The guide told us a lot of stories about how great a man Dónal Ó Conaill (his Irish name), known as The Liberator or The Emancipator, was. He was Ireland's predominant political leader in the first half of the nineteenth century who championed the cause of the Catholic tenants and small-landholders and campaigned for Catholic Emancipation - the right for Catholics to sit in the Westminster Parliament, denied for over 100 years - and Repeal of the Union between Ireland and Great Britain.

Statue in Town

We also saw a monument to St. Brendan.

Statue sticking up as you approach by road

I was interested to find out that Saint Brendan is the Patron Saint of the United States Navy since my husband spent 20 years serving his country in the Navy. Saint Brendan of Clonfert or Bréanainn of Clonfert (c. 484 – c. 577) called "the Navigator", "the Voyager", or "the Bold" is one of the Twelve Apostles of Ireland.. He is chiefly renowned for his legendary quest to the "Isle of the Blessed," also called St. Brendan's Island. The Voyage of St. Brendan could be called an immram (Irish navigational story). The people who have a mail forwarding service for yachts have named their company St. Brendan's Isle.Saint Brendan's feast day is celebrated on May 16 As we approached Cahirciveen our guide told us to look out on the right for a modern sculpture of St. Brendan the Navigator in his coracle or curragh. Supposedly, this is the kind of little boat in which the saint travelled to America many centuries before Columbus. (In 1978 Tim Severin built a replica curragh called the Brendan in which he retraced this voyage, proving that it could have been done.

Statue to Saint Brendan of Clonfert

The town has a cathedral which is the only Church in the country named after a lay person (Daniel O'Connell).

Daniel O'Connell Memorial Church of the Holy Cross

Daniel O'Connell Memorial Church of the Holy Cross

Daniel O'Connell Memorial Church of the Holy Cross

It is Daniel O'Connell Memorial Church of the Holy Cross and it is situated on the river Fertha and on the slopes of Beentee Mountain. The actual construction works of the church, which dominates the town centre, started in 1886 and first Mass was celebrated in 1902. Large parts of the building are made of concrete. At the end of the nineteenth century concrete was a rather new material and the lack of experience with the material are noticeable.

Ring of Kerry farmland

County Kerry

We stopped for lunch at a most spectacular site, just west of Catherdaniel

View from next to the Inn

It was the Vista Bar. We were carefully ushered across the road so that we didn't get run over by speeding autos coming from the 'wrong' side for us.

Across from the lunch stop

Inn from next to the bus

The restaurant was a cafeteria type operation, and we seated ourselves.

Menu

Inside the Vista Bar

Cafeteria counter

Eating lunch on the tour

Gift Shop

I had a Shepherd's Pie and bread pudding (which were good)

Shepherd's €10.95l

Bread pudding

and my grandson had soup (which he didn't like), and chocolate cake (which he did).

Seafood chowder and chocolate cake

Looking along the wall

For the View

Picture taken after lunch

Ring of Kerry (seaside)

County Kerry

Church Steeple

They let us off the bus to walk around in Sneem. Sneem village comprises of two squares, North and South. A bridge in the middle of the village acts as a knot between the two squares. I walked out on the bridge to take photos. One of the photos I took was of the Sneem Tavern.

view of the tavern from the bridge

I also took a photo of the Riverside Tearooms which is one of the many various places where people can get something to eat or drink in Breem. The traditional tearooms have been run by the Breen family for many years and enjoy a reputation for fine food.

Riverside Cafe from the bridge

A book, Sneem, The Knot in the Ring, recounts the area's history. This book is also available to buy in various outlets in the village.

Stone bridge

Looking through the grid on the bridge

River and rocks under the bridge

Walkway along the bridge

My grandson and me on the bridge

River from the bridge

From the back of the bus outside Sneem

We had one more photo-op stop on Kenmare Bay

Taking pictures on the Ring of Kerry

Last photo op stop

My grandson taking photo above

and we got back to the hotel about 2. I went swimming after we got back while my grandson edited his pictures. I figured I packed the bathing suit, and this was the only place with a pool so I should use it.

I have big bruises on my knee and thighs - the thighs from running into the seat arms as i walk down the bus aisle and the knee from bracing myself on the trash can which is in front of me - I've been sitting in the back of the bus right behind the rear exit and there's a stationary trash can there.

Edge of the fixed trash bin

If i put my walking shoes on (which i do during the day, it pushes the fluid in my feet up into my ankles, and then it goes back down when I take the shoes off. But it is nice to have support from those shoes.

My grandson was bored this afternoon. I didn't take photos of yesterday's dinner, but at the second dinner, my grandson ate with Scott and his mother and aunt. I don't know what he had.

The second night I had the parfait of chicken livers, breaded veal olives and a chocolate dessert

Menu of one dinner - Killarney

Parfeit of chicken livers - Killarney

Breaded veal olives - Killarney

Dark chocolate Bavarian dessert - Killarney

He tried to go swimming after he edited his photos and we went to dinner, but the pool was closed to children at 7 pm. He did go to a music store and saw a Fender guitar that he would like, but did not buy it.

I also didn't mention that we saw a Corcoran business that apparently did kitchens, but I didn't see it in time to get a picture. [Corcoran was the last name of my daughter-in-law's great grandfather.]

The result of having the Marlton hotel in Killarney charge for the internet and having to go down into the lobby to use it is that I spend a lot of time on the internet for not very much result. After I did that, I went up and packed the computer (since I couldn't go on-line from the room).