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Dysert O'Dea Map & Guide
Very nice map except it is a bit off in some places. Well another day in Ireland and another day of sleeping in late. Double Doh!! We ate breakfast and headed off to visit a place called Dysert O'Dea. It is an area that contains 25 archaeological sites within a 2-3 mile radius and can be hiked.
We started off at the visitor centre that is the O'Dea tower home (castle). One needs to fortify themselves for rigorous sightseeing so we had a cup of tea and a scone before we started. The ground level of the castle/house is the ticket office and a tea room. This was also the servant quarters in its day.
The castle/house was a style copied from the Normans (French from Normandy) and was both a home and a fortress. We spent close to an hour there alone. It was quite fascinating. The entire house has been recreated to demonstrate how the residents lived. It also contains many artifacts in its historical and pre-historical epochs. They also have a video presentation that gives you an overview of the area, plus a map to guide your walk. Climbing to the top with the map is an excellent way to get a good picture of the whole layout.
We started
Dysert O'Dea Castle
Built between 1470 and 1490. It is quite imposing. the walk and then about a third of the way we realized we would be unable to complete the hike due to time limitation and I was starving. We cut the hike short and decided to head back toward the coast and have seafood for a late lunch. My stomach allowed to make it as far as Inagh. This is less than a village and more of a point at a crossroads. Irelands first micro-brewery is located there and they give tours. There are also two pubs there and we stopped to eat. Beth had “bacon and cabbage with mashies & veggies” This is ham & cabbage with mashed potatoes and vegetables. I will not confess to what I had but I will tell you that it came with vegetables and a potato and chips. Apparently the Irish believe you can't eat too many taters.
I should have had the bacon and cabbage. Beth gave me a few samples while she helped herself to some of my chips. I thought the bacon and cabbage was quite good...even if it did need a little bit of Tabasco or something else to give it zing.
We headed home and only had to
Another Castle View
It has been restored quite authentically and is not at all touristy. turn around once as a road that we were on through a wooded area appeared to have a stretch that was unpaved. Since we were no longer famished we stayed at home before heading over to the pub. It was about 9:30 when we headed next door to have a pint and listen to some music. There was a local woman tending the bar. She was helping Ann and Art since Saturdays are busy. It was 10:30 before people started coming in and I was starving again since we had dinner so early. We went back to the apartment and I made a quick rasher & scrambled egg snack. Now we were ready for a night of singing.
If you are coming to visit Ireland and you want to get an insight into the social culture of its people then you must head to the pubs. If you don't then you haven't really “seen” Ireland. We have been fortunate to have stayed in a small village and the pub next to us is one of the focal points of social life. Although the two other pubs certainly get their fair share of traffic (I've seen locals we met in the
St Tola's High Cross
12th Century cross and one of the best examples of its kind. other two), it appears that O'Keeffe's is the obligatory spot especially for the long term residents.
I think that is because the other two have wide screen tvs that broadcast sports and that makes them more like sports bars and less than traditional pubs. Consequently, the customers tend to be younger and the focal point is the tv. O'Keefe's, on the other hand, is very traditional. No tv and Guinness is the only beer served on tap. Also the pub is quite small. There is a larger smoking room but everyone hangs out in the front room.
The first night we went in we were asked if we could sing. We thought that they were humoring the touristas. Nope. They were serious. Since that night we have heard a variety of people sing. People sometimes sing along but most of the time everyone just listens and voice their appreciation. It feels like an Irish revival meeting in some way. Most of the songs are long without any chorus parts and usually deal with the tough lives that the Irish have led. Many deal with lost loves, emigration, English repression, and the famine. Many of them are sung in a plaintive
Church & Tower
Both date to 12th century and church is referred to as St. Tola's church. sad tone. It really makes you want to cry in your beer.
On the weekends there is usually music and people will call out for favorites and then singalong. The other observation I have is that people come into the pub very late (after 11PM) and we wonder where they have been. We've surmised that they have been at the other pubs then making the obligatory stop at O'Keefes. We added that to the long list of questions that people are more than happy to answer.
About midnight people are feeling lively and encouraging each other to sing. So thus it was that this particular night there was a guy (Joe) that greeted us and asked us where we were from. This is very much a locals only bar; they don't see many tourists. He had had a few but was friendly and wanted to know if I/we sang. After a while he came over and chatted with us again and then told me that I had to sing. He said, “To be one of us you must sing otherwise you will always be just a tourist.”
I don't wanna be just a tourist so I agreed to sing. I
Romanesque Arch
Early entrances were square before the Roman influence on architecture. figured the crowd was ready for something different and so I explained how in the Hispanic tradition men serenade mothers and girlfriends. Everyone hushed each other to listen me. I told Ann that I would serenade her and I sang “Volver, Volver.” The crowd loved it. Ann was especially pleased. We didn't leave the pub until 1:30AM and people were still there singing away. I expect to hear a call from The Three Tenors any day now.
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