It has taken me a while to get back "on the bus" so to speak on writing about our trip to Ireland for a variety of reasons but we're back on board and on the road again.As St. Patricks Day approaches I have a new found appreciation for the day itself as well as The Emerald Isle having stood on the ground Patrick did roam in the 5th century. As we left Galway, its Bay its swans and sailing vessels behind, The Burren and The Cliffs of Mohers's breathtaking natural beauty would stay with us on our way into Limerick, even sharing and creating some limericks on the coach on our way there with our touring group.We spent a night in Limerick having a bite and a drink while under the moon we got lost making our way back to the hotel but the river Shannon led us back to our bed for the night.
On the next day we were up at em early again after our hearty Irish breakfast we would be on the coach headed for the Wild Atlantic Way, the South West of Ireland, where Tralee, the Dingle Peninsula and Killarney awaited us. It is near there in Scartaglen where Mary knew her Cullinane clan had roots and a little adventure would unfold for us.
County Kerry holds many a twist and turn on the narrow roads and peninsulas that jut out into the Atlantic.. We would make a quick stop in lovely little Tralee where Liz our guide is from and a matchmaking festival is held annually that is broadcast all over Ireland to find The Rose of Tralee, also a beloved Irish ballad. From there we would move on to Dingle Peninsula where the quaint town of Dingle is found. We would have some fish and chips, shop and sight see here. We had put it in Liz's ear that we would like to go off tour if possible for a few hours to seek out some evidence of Mary's ancestors. She would not disappoint as she soon came back and had a connection for a driver to take us on our quest into the countryside.
Before that would happen we spent much of day learning taking in the splendid seaside scenery of Dingle and the peninsula it sits on. It was on this leg that we learned about Irish author/storyteller Peig Sayers and Kerryman and South Pole explorer Tom Crean whose stories I read on our return and are of incredible feats of hardship and survival. We would end up the day in Killarney where we would spend 2 nights.
Our excursion the next morning would take us to
Killarney National Park by way of horse and buggy. Beautiful park and castle located here.We would spend the afternoon back in Killarney shopping and taking in a pub with our new BFF's from Massachusetts who we met on our bus and we were surprised by our guide Liz who popped into the pub for an Irish coffee while we having a pint of the black.
The
next day we toured around the Ring o Kerry which hugs the seashore with many twists and turns, reminded me of Pacific Coast Hwy. 1 in California. There were the Skellig Islands, Waterville, home of a Charlie Chaplin mansion ,several amazing golf courses and back to Killarney where Mary and I had a driver waiting for us to search for grave sites.
Liz had arranged for a driver from the area to take us into the countryside, his name Patrick O'Leary. Mary knew that Scartaglen was where her great-great grandparents were born. So we wanted to see if anything could be found about the O'Keefes or Cullinane' clans. To keep this story short I will just say that Patrick was perfect for our late afternoon quest.
He grew up in this area and knew the back roads that Mary and I alone would of had terrible time to maneuver.He knew the Churches and cemeteries. We had a name of someone at a gas station in Scartaglen to ask for instead we met up with a young woman willing to take us to her house where her mother knew who was buried where. All of the Irish hospitality was on display here as they took us into their home offered us tea and told us where to look. One of the church cemeteries no longer existed but another cemetery in nearby Kilarscon they knew had OKeefes and Cullinanes. I swear they were burning the turf in their woodstove as Patrick and the 75 year old grandmother spoke Irish (Gaelic) to one another. so we thanked them and off we went to the cemetery.Patrick even helped us search and we found O'Keefes and Cullinnanes but not any Mary recognized as those more directly linked ancestors we were looking for.We headed back with a good story and a sense we had walked in areas that Mary's ancestors lived and roamed. As the sun set and Patrick telling us stories of his growing up and of local landmarks it was well worth time and money spent. We had dinner that evening in Killarney across the street from our hotel at a place Patrick recommended where we had a good meal and conversation with a couple from Cork about our US political situation and rock and roll. On our return to our hotel our BFF's were in the lobby having a cocktail and wanted to heat all about our trip to Scartaglen.
The next morning we woke to torrential rain as we all loaded in the bus after breakfast, only two days left of touring, We would begin the journey back to Dublin along the southern and east coastline. From here I am going to give brief tidbits of our last two days.
As we dodged colorful umbrellas in the rain I felt the humanity of the city and a vibrancy with the schoolkids standing on corners in their uniforms, tourists and Dubliners going about their business.All around us was historic Trinity College campus and the many museums and churches.
Our Irish adventure was coming to a close as we had just been establishing relationships with our coach mates from around the world.Our guide told of us a word "craic" that in Irish means fun. We had us some "craic" both on the bus singing Irish songs and off walking along the Ireland coastline.We will remember our time together far and away as we''d ever been, the kindness of the people, a deeper understanding of the melancholy but hopeful spirit of the Celtic sensibility that seems to be part of our American soul.
On the next day we were up at em early again after our hearty Irish breakfast we would be on the coach headed for the Wild Atlantic Way, the South West of Ireland, where Tralee, the Dingle Peninsula and Killarney awaited us. It is near there in Scartaglen where Mary knew her Cullinane clan had roots and a little adventure would unfold for us.County Kerry holds many a twist and turn on the narrow roads and peninsulas that jut out into the Atlantic.. We would make a quick stop in lovely little Tralee where Liz our guide is from and a matchmaking festival is held annually that is broadcast all over Ireland to find The Rose of Tralee, also a beloved Irish ballad. From there we would move on to Dingle Peninsula where the quaint town of Dingle is found. We would have some fish and chips, shop and sight see here. We had put it in Liz's ear that we would like to go off tour if possible for a few hours to seek out some evidence of Mary's ancestors. She would not disappoint as she soon came back and had a connection for a driver to take us on our quest into the countryside.
Before that would happen we spent much of day learning taking in the splendid seaside scenery of Dingle and the peninsula it sits on. It was on this leg that we learned about Irish author/storyteller Peig Sayers and Kerryman and South Pole explorer Tom Crean whose stories I read on our return and are of incredible feats of hardship and survival. We would end up the day in Killarney where we would spend 2 nights.
Our excursion the next morning would take us to 
The 
Liz had arranged for a driver from the area to take us into the countryside, his name Patrick O'Leary. Mary knew that Scartaglen was where her great-great grandparents were born. So we wanted to see if anything could be found about the O'Keefes or Cullinane' clans. To keep this story short I will just say that Patrick was perfect for our late afternoon quest.
He grew up in this area and knew the back roads that Mary and I alone would of had terrible time to maneuver.He knew the Churches and cemeteries. We had a name of someone at a gas station in Scartaglen to ask for instead we met up with a young woman willing to take us to her house where her mother knew who was buried where. All of the Irish hospitality was on display here as they took us into their home offered us tea and told us where to look. One of the church cemeteries no longer existed but another cemetery in nearby Kilarscon they knew had OKeefes and Cullinanes. I swear they were burning the turf in their woodstove as Patrick and the 75 year old grandmother spoke Irish (Gaelic) to one another. so we thanked them and off we went to the cemetery.Patrick even helped us search and we found O'Keefes and Cullinnanes but not any Mary recognized as those more directly linked ancestors we were looking for.We headed back with a good story and a sense we had walked in areas that Mary's ancestors lived and roamed. As the sun set and Patrick telling us stories of his growing up and of local landmarks it was well worth time and money spent. We had dinner that evening in Killarney across the street from our hotel at a place Patrick recommended where we had a good meal and conversation with a couple from Cork about our US political situation and rock and roll. On our return to our hotel our BFF's were in the lobby having a cocktail and wanted to heat all about our trip to Scartaglen.
The next morning we woke to torrential rain as we all loaded in the bus after breakfast, only two days left of touring, We would begin the journey back to Dublin along the southern and east coastline. From here I am going to give brief tidbits of our last two days.
- Getting to play Warren Zevon's song McGillacuddy's Reeks as we passed the hills they are named for on the coach from my Ipod.
- Stopped at Blarney Castle but we chose coffee and rolls and shopping over kissing the stone.
- Tour of Waterford Crystal facility in Waterford.
- Our group had its own cozy little concert in a 300 year old pub, Aggie's, in Dunsmore a seaside town, by a local musician. Had a Jameson and a pint of Beamish, one of the "other stouts" of Ireland.
- Night after dinner in Tramore we took a walk down to the seashore drinking wine with our BFF's and an Irish couple. The 80 year old Irish gent and I were singing Tom Dooley as the men dodged the waves as the tide was coming in and a hazy moon was rising above the Irish sea.
- On our Rocky Road to Dublin we toured a 300 plus year old woolens mill in Avoca, kind of a fitting end route after all the sheep we'd seen along the way.We had to at least get ourselves some scarves..
