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Published: October 16th 2006
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Fall is coming quickly to Ireland, with cooler nights and more frequent showers. There has been some sunshine also, but we're looking forward to warmer weather in India soon. We didn't realize that the rain and wind in Dingle were unusually heavy, until the locals explained that we were experiencing the western edge of Hurricane Gordon.
While waiting for the storm to blow over, we were able to get tickets for Dingle's Wednesday night concert series. The quartet included a local guitarist, a fiddler from Virginia, as well as Rita Connolly (a vocalist) and harmonium player Shaun Davy. We could tell we were listening to an all star group of celtic musicians when the guitarist just happened to mention that he had written one of Corey's favorite songs performed by Mary Black.
After a very wet ride back to Tralee (picture salmon swimming upstream!) we welcomed a break from cycling at the O'Riordan farmhouse in Mallow. Great uncle, Sean has passed the responsiblity of the farm to his son, Patrick, but the cows are still being milked twice a day and we were able to enjoy some the fresh milk with our afternoon tea. Great Aunt Noreen baked scones,
Concert in Dingle
Starring: Rita Connolly (vocals), Shaun Davy (harmonium), Gerry O'Beirne (guitar) and Rosie Shipley (fiddle) cupcakes and two kinds of soda bread for a feast that included six of the fourteen O'Riordan daughters, and grandchildren ranging from 6 years to two weeks old. The adults all enjoyed looking at a DVD of our wedding photos, especially the ceili dance.
From Mallow we took the bus to the busy seaside town of Bantry, where we rented bikes to explore the southern finger peninsulas. Before heading off we spent some time exploring the Bantry House, an opulent 19th Century mansion which some of you may recognize from the movie Moll Flanders. In one of the more ironic moments of Irish history, the owner of the house received his earldom in return for pledging to help the British crown in a battle that never took place. Irish rebels were heading for Bantry with assistance from the French navy, but the wind blew so hard that they were unable to land. Of course the Irish rebels eventually won anyway, and now the house is used as a B&B for wealthy tourists.
Cycling on the Sheepshead peninsula was idyllic postcard Ireland. From the winding country roads, we could see nothing but blue sky above and green patchwork fields
Patrick milking the cows
Patrick is married to Nelly and they have two small boys Sean and Padrag (Patrick in Gaelic). sprawling down steep slopes to the rocky coastline. Our first destination was the village of Kilcrohane, where the youth hostel is a rustic bunkhouse in the backyard of a local writer. The kitchen was the size of a small closet, but the backyard picnic table provided memorable views out over the bay.
A small handwritten advertisement then steered us to the Ouvan Falls B&B for their monthly ceili dance. We joined a group of about 70 local townspeople who ranged from early teens to early 70's. Everyone welcomed us to the dance floor and helped guide us through the steps. We soon realized that ceili dancing in Ireland is much faster, but we were pleased to find many of the sets either familiar or easy to pick up.
Our last cycling excursion took us along the Mizen Head peninsula to the Mizen Head Lighthouse, the most southwestern point in Ireland. Drizzling rain did not keep us from enjoying the cliff side walk from the information center with spectacular surf crashing on the rocks below. The lighthouse is no longer in regular use, but is being reconstructed as a museum piece complete with old nautical charts and other possessions
O'Riordans of Mallow
Bernadette, Tricia, Joan-Anne, Veronica and Noreen holding Bernadette and Joan-Anne's children. of the occupants.
By the afternoon the clouds were clearing again and the winding cliff side road back to Bantry provided us with a chance to look back at Sheep's Head to the north. Dunmas Bay, between the two southern peninsulas, is a favorite with fishermen and small boats due to the many small islands and protected coves. We also saw several areas are farmed. This aqua culture operation looked like a giant game board with white and blue buoys anchored in the bay.
To interrupt the long bus ride back to Dublin from Bantry we made a brief stop in Cork, long enough to visit St Fin Barre's Cathedral and the vendors of cheese, bread and other fresh produce at the covered English Market. Murphy's Irish Stout is now owned by the multi-national Heineken corporation, but the brewery headquarters for Murphy's remains in Cork. When we visited looking for a Murphy souvenir, the receptionist apologized that they no longer gave tours or even had a gift shop. Chris was rewarded with a complimentary polo shirt when he began to explain about his family heritage and Murphy loyalty.
We were welcomed back to Dublin by Jimmy and
Maura Markey, whose hospitality truly made Goatstown feel like a second home. On our final Friday in Ireland, they took us to our second ceili at the headquarters of the Irish traditional music association. We arrived just as the regular weekly music lessons were finishing and we were able to walk from room to room overhearing small group and individual lessons for fiddle, flute, guitar, bodhram, and melodian. Unfortunately the skill of the musicians far exceeded that of the dancers at this ceili, mostly international students from the nearby university who had never danced before. With a far less attentive crowd than we had at our wedding, the caller still managed to teach several dances and we learned new steps while practicing old ones.
After saying farewell to Ireland we've spent a few days in Paris, highlighted by the fresh baguettes, wonderful cheese, and famous art galleries. Wednesday we are off to India, where we will begin by exploring the palaces, markets and mysteries of Rajastahn.
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lee
non-member comment
loved hedgerows and dingle
pictures and diary bring me back to reality long forgotten . thank you for sharing . your sincerely , lee blackstock