World Wide Webbs

2019 Ireland Revisited

Exploring Kerry and Meeting up with Friends from the Past.

Friday 6th September – To Dublin

We left from Heather’s at Hinstock and had a busy journey to Anglesey. The day had started sunny but it was cold with occasional showers.

We made our way to the Sue and Tim Clarke’s house at Llangoed.  Sue Clarke looked just the same and Lil their boisterous dog fitted in well. We sat out in the garden having a cup of tea until it got too cold. It was a pity Tim wasn’t around but nice to see how their garden had evolved and hear all their family news.

We left with enough time to walk on the beach at Rosneigor before catching the 8.15 ferry to Dublin. Smaller and very different from Brittany Ferries, more like the Dover to Calais Ferry we had used in the summer, the boat is busy with truck drivers and uncomfortable.

It docked on time and we made our way to the Wicklow Hills through the city centre past St Stephens Green  Although the car park we had identified above Loch Bray had an occupied car in it. we stayed and quickly made up the bed and were read for sleep by 1 am.

Saturday 7th September – Dublin To Clare

We could identify Lough Bray below us in the mist and just as we were setting off to walk down to it a couple of walkers told us that we could do a circuit of it by climbing up into hills. We walked down past the Lough and climbed at its furthest end up on to the ridge of hills above doing the circuit the other way around.

As we walked high around the lake, we met the couple who had been in the car park going the other way around. She was a tour guide from Wicklow and knew the path well, but I think they were surprised to see we had tried it.  

By now the mist had lifted and glimpses of the mountains appeared.

On our return there were more people around, so we moved on and stopped for breakfast on the hills before we drove down to Blessington.   

We then made our way through the countryside to Birr Castle.

We had been Birr Castle about fifteen years ago but much had improved since then and an interactive science museum had been opened which was very interesting.

We enjoyed revisiting the grounds, the amazing telescope and the hornbeam cloister garden which is quite unique.

Lunch in the cafe revived us and the science exhibition was good, but it was a bit sobering to find brass microscopes and a telescope just like ours shown as ancient artifacts!

We continued cross-country to Ennistymon stopping only for a coffee break on the Burren at Lough Bunny.

On our arrival at Sally Gardens we were greeted enthusiastically by Margaret, Gerry, Rossa, Sarah, Finn and Tara.

Other guests soon arrived including Margaret Hennessey and their Dutch friends Ank and Els. It was all most familiar.

Sunday 8th September – Ennistymon

After breakfast and guests had gone, with the help of their grandson Finn, we planted the rose bush that we had brought Gerry and Margaret. We then took Rossa in to work at Byrnes in Ennistymon using Gerry’s new electric car, which he was very proud of, and insisted we drove.

We wandered around Ennistymon for a while under cloudy skies, revisiting the Falls, and other familiar places.  When it started to rain, we got back in the car and drove to Liscannor and had a bowl of chowder in the Vaughan’s pub before going to Lahinch visiting the gallery and walking along the front – both ways.

On our return to Sally Gardens all was peaceful and we had a lovely chilled evening with Margaret and Gerry.

Monday 9th September – The Burren

After fond goodbyes we drove in the sunshine to Fanore where we parked at the end of the Boreen by the holiday cottages and walked up to Black Point. We climbed up past the old ruined stone castle and up to the cairn at Murrooghkilly. Here we ate lunch overlooking the Burren and Galway Bay.

Returning to Fanore we took the bikes off the van to get into the beach car park as there was a low barrier and had a swim. It was cloudy when we swam but the sea was warm and with OK waves it was lovely.

We travelled on to Doolin where we booked into Nagle’s camp site down by the pier watching the boats to the Aran Islands coming in and out.

Later in the evening we cycled up to McDermott’s bar which was buzzing. There was live music with the piper Blackie O’Connell and fiddler Eoghin Neff playing, apparently two of the best in Ireland. It was brilliant. We got back to van around midnight and slept well.

Tuesday 10th September – The Cliffs of Moher

We cycled up to the end of the track just above Doolin and set out on the path to the Cliffs of Moher.

It was raining as we arrived, so we went into the visitor centre. Janet had never been there before so she was pleased to have at last experienced it.

As usual there were loads of people on the cliffs but once back on the path the numbers dwindled.

Arriving back very wet we decided to cycle up to McGann’s Bar and have something to eat before retiring to a wind buffeted van.

As we went out to the loo later, we contemplated another music session, but cycling up to the village was not on as the very strong gusts would have us off our bikes in seconds.

We had an uncomfortable night as torrential rain on a gale force wind had started coming through the canvas upstairs on one side. During the night we decided to turn the van clockwise, so the back took the force of the wind, but it didn’t make a lot of difference.

Wednesday 11th September –   Visiting Kala and John

It was still windy when we woke, but dry and cold, so we put the bedding out to dry and sang happy birthday to Martin on the phone; 43 today!

After breakfast we walked north along the coast over the limestone pavement towards Pollsallock for a bit, before driving up past the old house at Tullygarvan on our way to Miltown Malbay. The house looked good with the area we plantedsixteen years before developed into thick woodland.

We made our way through the back lanes to a quiet and tidy Milltown Malbay bought some bread and other stuff for lunch.

We had lunch at White Strand before walking out to Cream Point and returning for a swim on the beach. 

After we had changed we drove down to Doonbeg to visit the Maloney’s at Rhynagonnaught. 

It was lovely seeing Kala and John again, we chatted over tea and then they treated us to a fish meal at the Long Dock in Carrigaholt which was really nice.

It was then back to their home where we talked some more before enjoying a night in a comfy bed.

Kala is retiring when she is 65 next year and John has just inherited his cousin’s run-down farm and working out how to maintain it and avoid tax duties. Dan had his final viva and presentation on Friday, which they were going to at Trinity with his long-standing girl friend called Onia.

Thursday 12th September – To Kerry

In the morning Kala went to work so we bid farewell to John and drove to Killimer where we caught the ferry across the Shannon to Tarbutt.

In the rain we headed south queuing through Listowel and then on around Tralee to Killorgan where we stopped for coffee. It was still raining as we drove west onto the Kerry peninsular.

Here the cloud was beginning to lift, and rainbows were illuminating their colours on the hillsides, pure Irish magic.

We had lunch overlooking the Dingle mountains accompanied by a coach load of visitors who had pulled into the layby where there was also an old guy making St Brigid Crosses for sale to the tourists.

As we went on we left the main road and followed the coast stopping at the little fishing village of Kells.

Proceeding west we arrived at Cahersiveen with the sun shining brightly and found the campsite at Mannix Point.

A great setting on the mouth of the Valencia river and we found a sheltered pitch side on to the water, amazing!

Washing done, supplies bought and well fed we enjoyed a spectacular sun set.

Friday 13th September – Valentia Island

After a cold night we cycled in bright sunshine to a small car ferry which took us over the water to Knights Town on the Island of Valentia.

 Here we looked around the Heritage Centre which had a lot of information on Transatlantic cables.

We then cycled East to the Radio Station and saw the tracks of a Tetrapod, the earliest record of when four limbed creatures began to leave the sea and live on land (a heavy metre long lizard). 

We were expecting the tracks to be bigger but even so they were interesting.

We returned to the crossroads and cycled south west high up through the centre of the island with spectacular views of the Blasket Islands and the Skelligs.  

Foilhommerum Bay at the western end of the island celebrated the landing of another transatlantic cable and a sculpture remembering Dancing at the Crossroads.

We crossed the bridge from the island to Port Magee and had a sandwich in a cafe watching people coming off the boat trips around the Skellig Islands.

We then returned along the coast to Knightstown. Passing the two more points where the Atlantic cable from Newfoundland came ashore in 1858 allowing messages to be sent to and from America.

We were aware that there was one to Cornwall at Porthcurno but not so many to Ireland.

Returning to Cahersiveen explored the town looking at the police garrison a ring fort and a street mural before buying some tea and returned to the site and had an excellent tea of fresh hake, rice and green beans.

The sunset was great but not as defused as the night before, yellower.

Saturday 14th September – The Skelligs

It was bright and sunny as we drove to Ballinskelligs for our ten o’clock trip to Skellig Michael that had been cancelled earlier in the week because of bad weather. The tide was low so and took a dingy out to the boat.

As we set off still uncertainty about landing because of the swell and as we left the shelter of the harbour it was ‘fair up and down’.

As we neared Great Skellig there were a number of small boats. Getting off wasn’t easy but all twelve of us made it.

Once at the bottom of the steps we were greeted by a guide and informed about the steps.

Once on our way up the sun came out and the views were amazing and at time sheer drops to the sea below.

At the top another guide told us about the monastery.

Apparently, monks from the desert order lived on the Island from 600 to 1200.

They built cisterns for water and a refectory, houses and small chapel all in the beehive style.

They lived by fishing and eating birds’ eggs, Vikings tried to destroy them but they stayed on although some were taken as slaves .

Eventually the climate cooled and it became too difficult to survive and they moved onto the mainland

A gap elapsed when there was only a limited occupation of the island until shipping expanded and two lighthouses were built, and four families manning the lighthouses lived on the island.

Now with some restoration they are a tourist attraction in the summer months.

The sea had calmed when we returned, and we sailed around the island and past Little Skellig where the thousands of gannets living on it had turned the rock white with all their droppings.

Back on dry land we visit the Priory the monks had first relocated to, now filled with graves. Another abbey was founded on Abbey Island at Darrynane to the south. 

We swam on the beach and visited at the ruins.

As the day draws to a close, we make our way back to the camp site where we eat steak outside before the chill gets to us and we withdraw to the van for carrot cake.

The camp site had a lounge with a peat fire which made a very nice place to read on a cold damp evening.

Sunday 15th September – Ballycarberry

There is no rush to get up in the drizzle, so we have a lie in. Later we cycle through Cahersiveen and over the bridge north then west into the townland of Ballycarberry which is across the river from the campsite.

We stop at Ballycarberry Castle, a huge ruin of fort, comprising an extended traditional stone tower house with great thick walls in state of collapse.

Here there were lots of visitors stopping off to look at the Castle

There was no access into the castle, so we viewed it from the tracks leading down to an old farmstead.

We then cycled on to White Strand past Cahergall Fort where in the car park a man was offering the opportunity at a price to be photographed with a goat that he had in the back of his van. There were lots of visitors to the fort, so potentially he had good trade

The beach at White Strand was sandy but not appealing at low tide, although it was good to have another different view of Valencia Island. This was yet another beach where transatlantic cables had been landed!

Cycling north we came to Cooncrome Harbour where the sight of a woman swimming encouraged us to put our togs on and swim.  There was low cloud and drizzly but not it was not too cold, in fact rather nicer than unexpected.

The cycle back uphill warmed us up but not enough to stop to view at close proximity the three renovated ring forts that were Cahergall Fort.

Back in the town we found a Polish café, the Hungry Monk, and had a hearty roast lunch.

Monday 16th September – Back to Clare and Meet the Neighbours

Packed up and left a wet site travelling back north searching for and failing to buy Kerry chocolates. As we crossed back over to Clare visibility from the ferry was clearer. We stopped in Kilrush and we’re reminded how unique Kilrush is architecturally. We then drove down to Cappagh Pier for a lunch of fried egg sandwiches.

We then visited Tullygarvan and chatted to a well looking Peter and had a cup of tea with Mary and Noreen. Mary had lost lots of weight but was in good form. Katherine has passed all her accountancy exams and is working for a n international accountancy firm in Dublin. Eileen and Noreen are both housekeeping in hotels in Lahinch.

Brendan and Karina were fine but Neleke was in bed suffering from gall stones, so we didn’t see her. We did the usual walk with Brendan over Clifden Hill.  It was wet and boggy but with amazing views, lovely when the sun came out.

Brendan then cooked and we chatted disjointedly with Karina who typical of her age would much rather be watching horror movies. However, art, surfing, and food sparked responses.

Brendan had done a grand job with the meal of Salmon, cheesecake and coffee ice cream albeit all left out for him by the elusive Neleke. It was good to see them but did feel a bit strange without Neleke’s presence. Leaving them we sneaked into Margaret and Gerry’s for a good night’s sleep in a cosy bed.

Tuesday 17th September – Breakfast at Hennessey’s

We sorted and tidied up at Sally Gardens before heading in a warm sunshine for Margaret Hennessey’s for breakfast. Smoked mackerel, avocado, boiled egg plus sausages was a treat and it was lovely to spend time talking to Margaret, admiring her room and art. As we left yoga friends arrived and they were off for a walk on the Burren.

We headed off to Corofin to have a cup of tea with Dick Cronin in his garden. He was in good form enjoying his retirement. But by then the heat from a hot sun beckoned us so we drove to White Strand and swam and had a stomp out to Cream Point. Because the tide was lower than it had been a couple days previously Janet found some sea urchins.

Back to Ennis for six o clock and a meet with Candace, Congela, and Dick which was lovely, especially for Graham. We had something to eat in the Town Hall restaurant in the Old Ground Hotel before heading to the Wicklow Hills and our original spot where we slept well.

Wednesday 18th September – Dublin

Awaking to a bright sunny day we drove up out of the shadow onto the top of the hills and had breakfast. We then drove east from Sally Gap to the coast in clear sunshine across the Wicklow Hills past Lough Tay. 

From here we went down to Dun Laoghairie, where we parked the car and caught the Dart into Dublin.

There was an amazing exhibition by the Spanish artist Sorolla at the National Gallery. His painting especially his beach scenes, many of them depicting children at play and catching people doing ordinary things were lovely because of his clever use of white and light.

Bowled over and not wanting to overdo the art we wandered in the sunshine down to Trinity and ate a sandwich sitting on the green with the buzz of students around us before wandering around the city.

Returning to the van we then cycled south along the coast White Rock to swim. Because of a one-way system the route took us up a very steep hill which wasn’t good. Luckily coming back we followed the coast back to Dun Laoghairie which was thankfully much more enjoyable.

We found a nice restaurant in a nearby park where we had a pleasant meal overlooking the park and the sea. The view felt a bit continental because of people sitting around and playing with their children in the hot sunshine … not at all Irish!

The boat sailed on time from Dublin Docks and Graham managed some sleep. Getting off the boat took longer than expected so we didn’t reach Heather and Paul’s until around 3 am. and went straight to bed.