Dublin - Ballinaclash - Cork

July 30, 2023

Dublin - Ballinaclash - Cork - Blarney

Dublin - Ballinaclash - Cork - Blarney 25th to 29th July

25th July Flight to Dublin - Left Erin’s and dropped the car (poo) off at Heathrow to meet up with Reg and Mary at the airport. The flight went well to Dublin, picked up another rental car, and headed to the air b&b, a managed apartment near Ranelagh (15 min walk), a small center in the City with shops, pubs, etc.

On 26th July did a walking tour of Dublin in the rain - a great tour guide full of all kinds of facts that I haven’t checked. Irish is taught in schools through all-year groups and has been forever, but only about 80,000 out of 6 million can speak the language. She told us a lot about the War of Independence and the civil war after that. The rain got heavier, and it's not usual to get harassed by the homeless or city drug users during the tours. They make a sport out of it. Ireland has many homeless in the cities; although you see a lot of wealth, there doesn’t seem to be much trickle-down, and many of the people we talked to were keen to discuss it. Good to have our first Guinness at lunchtime. Mary, Reg, and Maree went out to a local and listened to a bit of music for the night - excellent.

The next day the 27th of July, we went out to Ballinaclash to meet Joan, a friend of Reg’s. Had a good yarn to her, a cup of tea, and some scones. Joan showed us around her garden, and all the work she had done was very impressive. She then took up to a local Forest Park, Avondale - Beyond the Trees, which used to be an estate and then a forestry training center but nowadays is a recreational park with a very impressive tower. We spent most of the day with Joan, then back to the air b&b in Dublin. We found a castle and golf course on the way back and did a slow drive-by into the car park and back out again.

28th July, we headed out of Dublin along the coast to Wicklow, then on to Lismore, Cork, then the motel at Blarney - the home of the famous Castel and Blaney stone. We went out for dinner that night and all had a very nice Irish stew.

29th July We headed to Cork to meet up with Ed, a friend of Yvonne McSweeny's, for a walking tour that he generously gave his time for. Then down to Kinsale for lunch and a look around the back to the Blarney castle to kiss the stone. The story is that as a bit of a joke, and the Blarney stone is or was an old toilet outlet, and all the crazy tourists kiss it - the joke was on us if that story is to be believed! Likely I'd say! M

We then drove on to Dingle, where we had arranged to use Joan's batch for a few days.

Off to Ireland with Reg and Mary.

Walking tour of Dublin.

Maree giving St Patrick a tickle.

Trying a Guinness for lunch (Maree drank half of it after saying she didn't want one)

Our route for the few days.

The tower in the forest park.

Looking into the tower, and yes, there is a side.

View from the top.

On our way to Cork, we stopped at Wicklow where they had lifeguards on the beach.
Yes, there were people swimming - water freezing.

We also stopped at Lismore and looked at the castle from the river. Info here.

Meet up with Ed in Cork, a friend of Yvonne, and he gave us a walking tour of the city.
Great guy, very informative, and much appreciated.

Saint Fin Barre's Cathedral is one of two Cathedrals in Cork City. Ed told the story that the spires were donated by two competing businessmen, one a brewer and the other a distiller.