How was Ireland?

Wasn’t I delighted that the Budget Car Hire supplied me with an upgraded version of my own Micra Alley. It makes such a difference to be familiar with the make when heading out from Shannon to Limerick. At least should I come off the Dock Road too late and have to turn back I’d have some idea of where the reverse gear is….not like last year when I had to go round in circles to point in the right direction!

Isn’t it great to be welcomed once again into my first cousin’s tip top accommodation? Fed and found and all needs cared for we chatted endlessly while nearly ten year old grand niece played contentedly with the toys.

Refreshed the next morning we set off:

“Do you see those big houses there on the left Codie? Well my dad, that’ll be your great granddad and his brothers, built many of those houses? Now look over here on the right, that’s where our cousin’s parents…my aunt and uncle had their shop. And did you hear Cousin reminding me that there is a sealed box under the altar in the big St Joseph’s church we passed last night on our journey? ….Well, because my father, and his brothers and their father built that church their names have been sealed in that box.”

Before we headed for the Kingdom we turned off the windscreen wipers at the Crescent Shopping Centre so that we could stock up on sun cream! Well we were on our summer hols.

The rain lashed down past Patrick’s Well on N20. It delved down as we got on N21.Luckily we drove through Newcastle West before the deluge descended and it was fine again as we negotiated round by Farrenfore in the Milltown direction and on to Killorglin but by the time we got on the N70 Ring of Kerry road to Caherciveen it delved. Windscreen wipers went like clappers and when we steamed up was I glad we were driving on the mountain side of the coast road rather than the other side with the sheer drop to the sea.

What a genuinely warm welcome we received from Irene, Noel and Carina Curran in their well run Harbour Hill B&B! Was I glad that we had chosen to stay there for the week.

“Now, what time would you like to have breakfast each morning?” enquired Irene. “Nine o’clock,” replied Codie, without hesitation. So that was that. We dropped our bags next to our beds and headed straight down to Joey’s for chips and a salad and then returned and barely unpacked before collapsing into our comfy beds. All the driving, navigating, playing ‘I spy’, composing and singing songs had succeeded in tiring us.

Each morning we were surprised by the guests we met at breakfast. French, Italians, Spanish, Bulgarians, English and even an Irish man! We both drank the orange juice. I had a fry because I had paid for it! Codie tried Weetabix and cornflakes, nibbled jammed toast and even an apple and a banana on separate days. How wee we going to coax her to eat more? Irene eventually won her over with mouth sized Weetabix with a chocolate centre!

Each day it rained and each day we packed our swim suits, towels, sun cream, camera, a change of clothes and of course our rain macks. Each and every day we played on a beach be it Kells, Waterville or Rossbeigh…the latter was our favourite because of Burke’s Activity Centre with it’s horse riding, crazy golf, and maze etc. The food was home baked and delicious and the staff so friendly there too. What’s more on that beach there was a recently built out door but enclosed playground with the kind of soft landing surface that put ones mind at ease as the children tried out all the equipment.

The waves, the sand, the seaweed, pebbles, rock pools and fresh sea air to fill your lungs. Imposing high lush green mountains and a vast wind whipped seascape. What more could you want?

Was it the likes of this that inspired the late John O’Donohue of Anam Cara?

We crossed on the ferry to Valentia Island and drove up the very narrow road to the Slate Quarry and back down by Portmagee where we watched the trawlers unload jumping shrimps and lots more. It was there that Codie and I discussed seafood and she agreed to join the long queue and try salmon at O’Neill’s at the Point that night. At 21Euros for the meal I wasn’t going to take any chances so we shared the falling apart, pink fish, flaky boiled potatoes and salad but the next night we had to order one each all be it that hers was a half sized portion.

Puck Fair was well advertised so almost in spite of myself we parked up on the road out of town at noon on the Sunday. Hoods up on our rain macks and with the aid of our Crocks we paddled up to the Killoglin town. There was music and stalls galore, loads of food outlets, a fairground and in the middle the tower on which the puck was to be crowned by a twelve year old virgin at six that night. Codie had a hair piece put in by Croatian women who was told to move on as she not purchased a licence. I was relieved to read on our programmes that the horse sales was over only to discover the well oiled traders were either celebrating or drowning their sorrows in a ill lit restaurant. We did however find a wonderful fresh salad bar across the round about.

After introducing ourselves to the delightfully beautiful and friendly Queen Aoife we chatted to her, took her photo, listened to a band and headed off long before the puck was crowned. Poor puck! I caught a glimpse of him two days later as we drove past Killoglin on our way back past Adare Castle and the thatched cottages to Limerick.

Waterville Golf Course Hotel was the only place I felt that lacked the real Irish welcome. Was it because the staff were revving themselves up for more important guests when we popped in for soup and a roll? It was only when we drove back that way to have fun on the beach nearby and saw the four helicopters that I guessed that was a feasible explanation. But then I suppose we can’t match the calibre of Tiger Woods or hierarchy from the Dail?!

Two days later on our night’s stop over en route to Shannon there were more welcoming cousins at home in Limerick! Aren’t we the lucky ones that we are always made welcome no matter what time of year we choose to drop in and catch up? There is always a genuine ‘Well how are things? and heartfelt exchanges and care. Isn’t it lovely to feel that you connected and belong? So many memories to share and tales to tell the next generations of relations!

We crossed on the ferry to Valentia Island and drove up the very narrow road to the Slate Quarry and back down by Portmagee where we watched the trawlers unload jumping shrimps and lots more. It was there that Codie and I discussed seafood and she agreed to join the long queue and try salmon at O’Neill’s at the Point that night. At 21Euros for the meal I wasn’t going to take any chances so we shared the falling apart, pink fish, flaky boiled potatoes and salad but the next night we had to order one each all be it that hers was a half sized portion.

Puck Fair was well advertised so almost in spite of myself we parked up on the road out of town at noon on the Sunday. Hoods up on our rain macks and with the aid of our Crocks we paddled up to the Killoglin town. There was music and stalls galore, loads of food outlets, a fairground and in the middle the tower on which the puck was to be crowned by a twelve year old virgin at six that night. Codie had a hair piece put in by Croatian women who was told to move on as she not purchased a licence. I was relieved to read on our programmes that the horse sales was over only to discover the well oiled traders were either celebrating or drowning their sorrows in a ill lit restaurant. We did however find a wonderful fresh salad bar across the round about.

After introducing ourselves to the delightfully beautiful and friendly Queen Aoife we chatted to her, took her photo, listened to a band and headed off long before the puck was crowned. Poor puck! I caught a glimpse of him two days later as we drove past Killoglin on our way back past Adare Castle and the thatched cottages to Limerick.

Waterville Golf Course Hotel was the only place I felt that lacked the real Irish welcome. Was it because the staff were revving themselves up for more important guests when we popped in for soup and a roll? It was only when we drove back that way to have fun on the beach nearby and saw the four helicopters that I guessed that was a feasible explanation. But then I suppose we can’t match the calibre of Tiger Woods or hierarchy from the Dail?!

Two days later on our night’s stop over en route to Shannon there were more welcoming cousins at home in Limerick! Aren’t we the lucky ones that we are always made welcome no matter what time of year we choose to drop in and catch up? There is always a genuine ‘Well how are things? and heartfelt exchanges and care. Isn’t it lovely to feel that you connected and belong? So many memories to share and tales to tell the next generations of relations!