Blogs from County Cork, Ireland, Europe - page 3

After checking out of our Cork B&B this morning, we drove south to Kinsale, a town on a beautiful harbor that opens up to the Atlantic Ocean. We arrived about two hours early at our recently renovated vintage cottage — originally dates back to about 1840 — so we decided to take a long walk out to the historic Charles Fort. Toured the fort, strategically built to protect the harbor, then headed back and stopped for lunch at a cool neighborhood pub, Bulman's. Sharon’s cream of butternut squash soup was heavenly. Checked, moved, and settled in at our place high on a bluff in the Scilly neighborhood — yes, indeed, it’s pronounced Silly — then walked around town to get oriented, check out restaurants and pubs, and pick up a few breakfast and lunch groceries. Had ... read more

After a really rough night we were relieved to find conditions much smoother on arrival at Cobb. Some staff said it was the roughest weather they’ve ever seen, but all was calm and serene as we motored into Cobh Harbour. After a quick brekky in La Terraza we joined our coach on the dock for our 1 1/2 hour drive to Cahir (pronounced care). We also saw Lismore Castle along the way, the Irish Home of the Dukes of Devonshire. The 9th Duke of Devonshire was married to Fred Astaire’s sister, and she lived there until her death in 1981. We’ll be visiting Chatsworth, their English Home, when we return to England next week. First featured stop was a guided tour of Cahir Castle. This castle now belongs to the government because the last owner had ... read more

Today was our last full day in Ireland and we spent it at Cobh which is pretty much Cork Harbour, located 20 minutes away from Downtown Cork. Cobh of course was known as Queenstown in 1912 before 1916 independence and is most famous for the last port of call of the Titanic and the closest port to where the Lusitania was sunk by a German U boat torpedo in 1916. There is a memorial to the victims of the Lusitania in the town square and the Cunard building is still standing which is where the survivors were brought to. But tourism in this town is centred around the Titanic and in particular the 154 people who boarded the ship in Cobh of which only 44 survived. Amazingly the town of Cobh was visited by a huge ... read more

After a slow start to the day we eventually made our way to Blarney Castle, around a 20 minute drive from Kelvin and Olivia’s house. Blarmey Castle of course is best known for the Blarmey Stone which has the “proven” ability to bestow Eloquence on any mere mortal who puckers up to it. There is much folklore about the origins of the Blarmey Stone, some say it is a piece of the Stone of Scone given to Ireland by Robert the Bruce for providing 5,000 soldiers for defeat of the English at the battle of Bannockburn in 1314 but the best story is that of the Chieftan of the Castle who was going through some personal issues happened to come across a fairy in his garden who told him there is a stone in his castle ... read more

What a day of contrasts; from the cleanliness, orderliness and busyness of Killarney, to the ruggedness, wildness and coldness of the Gap of Dunloe on the edge of the Macgillycuddy’s Reeks (Ireland’s highest mountain range) with its fast flowing streams, numerous crags, lakes, waterfalls and zig-zagging narrow roads to Kenmare and its environmental and town beauty, Skibbereen on the banks of the river Ilen and surrou...nded by numerous small farms, Glengariff, tucked away in a thickly wooded slope right down to its inlet; Leap, a small fishing village, Clonakilty with its cheerfully painted buildings and with its numerous pubs through to Brandon and onto the old city of Cork on the River Lee, and sadly, its down-and-outs and rushing from here to there; the constant throughout the day … drizzle, low cloud and mist. The photos ... read more