Back again
9:45pm Sunday night we walk in the door. It’s been 10 days and a few thousand miles. Kristin, Kyle and I are returning from our tour of Western/Southern Ireland and are ready for bed. It’s about 3:00am Irish time and Kyle has been up all day. What a trip.
We flew to Shannon Airport north of Limerick and headed Northwest to Doolin where we stayed for 2 nights. Driving South we stop in Kenmare for 3 nights. Visits to the Ring of Kerry, Black Valley & Gap of Dunloe are all spectacular. Heading South, East we end up in the old harbour town of Kinsale for 3 more nights. This town has a rich history (as does most of Ireland) complete with tremendously well-preserved forts, castles, churches and ancient street patterns which make for interesting navigation, especially when the main drag is under construction. Heading North, we hit the Cork Distilleries Co. in Midleton and then it’s up to Adare for 1 night in a 250 year old mansion on a famous horse stud farm (there are horse graves in the back yard complete with horseshoe-shaped tombstones). Up early, some eggs and sausage and we’re off to Shannon for the 7hr 15min flight home.
Worn and weary we make it back with an arsenal of photos, stories and wonderful memories. Kyle did great and Kris and I just had a fantastic time. It’s good to be home. Please take a look at the photos in the Gallery, here.
Oh yeah, as of tonight, the Sox are out of first place in the AL East. .5 games back to the Yanks. Of course this happens now. Of course it does.
September 22nd, 2005 at 1:41 pm
Awesome pics. Do you remember any of the pitch-n-put par 3 golf courses near the Cliffs of Mohr? They had that huge shaggy grass and enormous bunkers right off the main winding road. Bronwen was a champ and did all of our driving. Did you rent a stick? Steering wheel is on the right side, so your shifter is on the left. NUTS. Gap of Dunloe looks so cool. Where is that?
September 22nd, 2005 at 1:51 pm
Yeah, I remember the Pitch ‘n Putt near there. We saw lots of golf courses all along our trip. They’re everwhere. Lots of khaki-wearing Americans too. We did rent a manual car. I drove the whole time (this was my second time in Ireland driving) and absolutely loved it. I got really good at it and would fly around just like the crazy Irish drivers. When in Rome… Gap of Dunloe is just West of Killarney National Park. It’s almost in the park. Most folks hike in, which is a great way to do it. We actually happened upon it sort of by chance driving East through the Black Valley. Absolutely remote and spectacular. Black Valley is so named because every resident died during the Potato Famine. Also the last place in Ireland to get electrical service. Wonderful.
September 27th, 2005 at 2:05 pm
IRELAND is BOMB!!