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Published: December 11th 2009
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Days 3 to 4 have taken us right along the southern coastline. Within minutes of driving out of every major city we have hit lucious countryside which makes the long, long drives really nice. We were up and out of Wexford early to make a few pitt stops along the way. First stop was the Johnstown Castle and the clear but cold morning made for a perfect photography day. I was completley caught up with the mirror images of the Castle that reflected in the water and the colours of autumn in the surrounding gardens. It was built for the Grogan-Morgan family between 1810 and 1855 and was presented as a gift to the Irish Nation in 1945. The interrior is currently undergoing restoration so we were disappointed not to be able to discover if the inside was as beautiful as it's sourrounding grounds. As you drive into the grounds you are met with a Devil's Gate, an arched gateway with gargoyles that leads onto a very long gravel path lined with flower borders and backed by clipped hedges. The gardens are well manicured and royal peacocks wander like the kings of this 19th century castle.We spent some time discovering around
the lake lined with statues. It's all impressivness has left a lasting memory in my mind.
After a great morning we drove to Hook Head lighthouse. My canadian friend Rita was very taken with the beauty of the waves hitting the rocks but for me it was kind of another lighthouse like many I have seen along the east coast of Australia. We stayed for lunch where I tasted Ireland most well known fish, Smoked Haddock soup. YUMMO! and that made my Hook Head experience equally awesome ha ha ha ha. As always it rained everytime we got out of the car and while we drove the weather was perfect. Annoyingly, we quickly got use to layering up and inhabiting the car drenching wet.
That evening we had booked to stay in the City (or town) of Cork. The Hostel was memorable because the women who ran it had a pet dog that ruled the roost. She also had signs everywhere not to smoke but did so herself, hence the house stunk of the filthy habit. We snuck in a quick nap then got ready to hit the town for the annual Cork Jazz festival that we had unknowingly timed
quite well. What started as a few drinks led to an interseting night when we hit our second pub and met some local lads. They decided to take us on a Pub crawl. I can't remember their names for the life of me but they took us all over the place and they were really drunk which then encouraged me to do the same lol. We finished at 3am in one of Cork's popular night spots and they had a really fantastic band playing. The night actually ended on a suprising damper when one of the guys became rather angry with us because we would not come back to his house to 'continue the party'. Embarassingly the other guy picked up his drunken friend and they set off in the other direction. Minutes before this had happened Rita and I were commenting on how lovely and helpful this particular guy had been. I guess you can never judge a book by it's cover!
With much to reminise about the following morning we were up and out of the smokey hostel and impressivley we were the first ones to enter the Blarney Castle that morning. Built nearly six hundred years ago
by one of Ireland’s greatest chieftains, Cormac MacCarthy, it has been one of Irelands most iconic tourist destinations over the last few hundred years, it's greatest treasure. Very uncastle like it is made up of tiny dungeon style alley ways and rooms which lead to the very top where you find the Blarney Stone, the legendary Stone of Eloquence, tradition goes that if you kiss it, you’ll never again be lost for words. I actually thought it was luck so I probably should not have kissed it considering often I am filled with too many words! ha ha ha ha I was suprised at how high up you are and how far you have to lean back to kiss the stone but I did it with closed eyes, dangling hair and and an old man who probably enjoyed holding his hands around my waist. Eeeeeeewwwwwwwwwww!
As I write this I am really beginning to see just how much we really did in our day because after leaving the stone we drove to the west coast and made an afternoon pitt stop at Killarney National Park. Three hours of driving, of course, landed us in the park in the middle of
terrential rain. But well prepared by this stage we adorned our 5 pound weather jackets from Pennies (kind of a cheap cheap Supre) and began the hike. Killarney National Park is an expanse of rugged mountainous country, which includes the McGillycuddy's Reeks, the highest mountain range in Ireland which rise to a height of over 1000 metres. At the foot of these mountains are the world famous lakes of Killarney. The scenic beauty was unquestionable and I probably enjoyed the views more than Wicklow on our first day. The distinctive combination of mountains, lakes, woods and waterfalls under the ever changing sky gave the area a special feel. The lake had swans and the fields were soooooooo green. We stmbled across Muckross house and gardens. It was built for Henry Arthur Herbert and his wife, the watercolourist Mary Balfour Herbert. The building commenced in 1839 and was completed in 1843, 4 YEARS! Can you imagine waiting for your house that long these days. But walking down the path it is clear to see that it was well worth the wait. It's background is the Reeks which were covered in fog and the lake was so still I thought I could
walk on it and then we came to an overpowering Tower Wood waterfall. Four hours later we were back in the car, my jeans were soaked to the knees and we were off again to Dingle.
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