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Archiver > IRELAND-ROOTS > 2004-04 > 1081812527


From: "Kathleen Bowen" <>
Subject: My Recent Trip to Ireland, part 2 of 2 (was "Re: [Irish-Roots] HAVERLAND etc Enough already!")
Date: Mon, 12 Apr 2004 19:28:58 -0400
References: <001001c420e4$59548480$b05b5144@Main>


We drove along the seacoast for a good part of it, stopping in Wicklow and Avoca. When I lived in Annapolis, I frequented the Avoca shop there - the only one outside of Ireland, but the one in Avoca is larger and you can watch the weaving and stroll the grounds. The Vale of Avoca is stunning - very lush even in early April. I was in Avoca with my mother in May 1990 and amazingly it hasn't changed much despite being the placed that the well-known show Ballykissangel or BallyK was filmed. I bought some things and had them shipped home (Ireland is having a wee bit if a postal work slowdown in some places, so I hope my package arrives soon. Some postcards I mailed Sunday arrived today at my sister's in Maryland...) I took pics of the church and Fitzgerald's Pub but we didn't go in. As we were pulling out to go, two coaches (buses) pulled in - one had English tourists and we think the others were speaking German.

We arrived in Dublin about 1:30. We stayed in a hotel there, the Mont Clare and we go hopelessly lost tying to get there, finally getting great directions from a Garda. When we first arrived they gave us a room with one double bed which is not what I requested for the reservation, so they moved us to a larger, nicer room with two beds on the first floor at no additional charge. There is a very nice bar there (No. 1 Merrion). We walked over to Merrion square, then back over by Trinity college and down to Grafton Street (mostly the same shops found everywhere now: Laura Ashley, Bally, etc.) Jennie was ecstatic to see a McDonald's (there were also TWO Burger Kings) and begged me to eat there. I gave in. She and I had quarter-pounders w/cheeses, fries and cokes - and it did indeed taste just like the burgers, fries and cokes we have at McD's down the street. Sort of amazing, really. We then walked more and went over to St. Stephen's Green which was full of families and !
couples - it's a very lovely park with all sorts of interesting statues and sculptures. We then decided to go into the large St. Stephen's Green Shopping Centre, too (Jennie is 25 so doesn't care that it will be like America - she just likes malls!) Well, as we get there, Gardai were evacuating it and closing the doors and fire engines and more gardai (police) were arriving. We learned later someone set off the fire alarm. I wasn't disappointed :) After walking a bit more, we went into Bewley's, a landmark cafe on Grafton street, and I had a cup of tea (Clipper Gold, yum, and tea for one makes 2-1/2 cups) and Jennie had a mocha coffee. Wonderful and great atmosphere. We then walked back toward the hotel. I did stop in the Butler's Chocolate store and bought a very large box of assorted chocolates and truffles. (Oh- in Ireland they don't have all the variety of small Easter candies and bunnies and peeps and jelly beans like we do. Instead, there are large square boxe!
s or packages with very LARGE chocolate eggs that are filled with smaller eggs. Cadbury and Butler's make many of them. One named Malteasers seemed popular. I wanted the one based on The Lord of the Rings, but it wasn't feasible to travel with it. We did bring back a smaller Butler's egg - about 8" & filled w/praline eggs! You should have seen us protecting it on the plane back). We also bought several CDs at a Celtic Music Store (3 for 30 euros, we bought 6 - none of which we already had and with a CD player in the car...)

That evening we went to the famous Temple Bar section of town and we ran into three great 'lads' - all in their early-to-mid-thirties. They had all been to the states before. We chatted with them and hopped a couple of pubs. Real gentlemen and we had a great conversation. One, named Brendan, seemed very taken with Jennie and he seemed sad we went back to the hotel at midnight. We did sleep in to all of 9 a.m. then next morning (our latest time getting up the entire trip). Another great big Irish breakfast, this one including sliced meats and cheese along with the grilled Irish bacon (more like a fried ham), sausage and eggs and tomatoes....we never ate the black and white blood sausage, even in Clonakilty where they are known for them. Don't know why since I eat scrapple here~

On to Cashel - where we had the one less-than-good B&B experience. When making reservations, the B&B, Ashgrove House, looked and sounded great. First, we arrive and the husband greets us and advises 'the boss,' his wife, is out for awhile. He is nice and gives us the key and shows us to the room upstairs but no offer of a cup of tea or anything like all the others. There are also small toys everywhere and even a half-drunk baby bottle right in the reception area on the floor. it was basically clean as far as the bed and bathroom, but the lights and TV are quite dusty. It was also very cold in that section of the house (the original part built in the 1700s, but supposedly all modern conveniences). We wanted to go right to the rock of Cashel, so we dropped our luggage, locked our door and went. We returned a couple of hours or so later to find the husband had been in our room and OPENED the window in the bathroom!!!!. It was so very cold. We got ready to go to back o!
ut to walk around town and eat dinner. We made sure to ask the husband (Mrs. still not home) to please not go back in the room and to not open any windows in it. When we brought it up to his wife later that evening she looked surprised but didn't say anything. She later mentioned that her husband had retired within the past year and didn't know what to do with himself and I think that was an explanation for the window - but it stayed cold (Oh- almost all B&Bs and hotels are heated by radiators and they turn them on at like 5 and off at 11 p.m. Brrr for Floridians when the outside temp is in the 40s and the wind chill is about 20.)

The rock of Cashel (aka "St. Patrick's Rock") is awesome. We were buffeted by wind but we looked it over and walked all of the grounds. Dinner at a pub (Darven's) consisted of Shrimp scampi (they fried it and it was fine) and a sirloin steak which Jennie and I divided for a surf 'n turf. To warm up from the cold and wind, I drank a couple of Bailey's & Brandys. Warmed me right down to the toes :) We returned to the B&B to learn that our bathroom light bulb was out and the hosts (Mrs. now home but not very friendly) didn't have any more on hand, so they gave us a flashlight to use should we need to go in the middle of the night. Their young grandson was also there helping grandpa which explained the toys and bottle.

We woke up realizing it would be our last full day in Ireland. We were staying our last night at a working farmhouse in Quin, Co. Clare, about 15-20 minutes from Shannon airport. We wanted to see the famous must-see Cliffs of Moher, so we got an early start (had breakfast at 8 - food was fine). The drive was pretty and not too long. We drove directly to the cliffs first, arriving about 11 a.m. (of course, we stopped and took photos along the way). As we pulled in, It looked as if we would surely get a downpour in a few minutes and we were disappointed because the winds were even worse than the day before. Just as we got out of the car, the sun broke though and within a few minutes all the dark clouds were gone and it was gorgeous. We walked up the initial small climb and the wind was incredible, pushing us back with every step. I stayed at the lower portion and took a lot of photos. My knee was very stiff (sitting in the car and then the cold - it gives me problems !
in the best conditions), so I decided to stay put and let Jennie climb further up, just past O'Brien's tower, to get photos. She stayed up there about 40 minutes. She came back to tell me it is one of the most beautiful places she has seen on earth and that the pictures we saw and took could never do it justice. She has been to Hawaii and parts of Mexico, so this was high praise from her. There were more tourists there than we had seen in one place anywhere else, too, but not so many that it wasn't enjoyable. I imagine it's really jumping in June & July. Another thing - unlike the States, they put up basic walls and danger signs but you are on your own to be sensible. We witnessed idiots going right to and even sitting upon the edge despite the heavy winds and warnings. We were told that every year some people do fall or get blown off. It is certain death (600+ feet up there from the rocky ocean) and they won't go looking for you.

The farmhouse (Ardsollus Farm) is a working one and they have horses that compete in steeplechase as well as dairy cows. Our room was lovely and they had electric blankets (as did the first B&B, Glendine, a nice touch for us cold southerners). We came in and had tea and some chocolate-covered shortbread biscuits. We chatted for a long time with a couple of American sisters - one who lived further north in Ireland (her husband worked for a rental agency and was sponsored by the company to work there; she wasn't permitted to work in Ireland as an American) and one visiting the area from New York. We met many folks from NY while there, but all seemed to be from Rochester or Syracuse, never Manhattan or NYC. We also ran into Americans from Wisconsin, Nebraska, and California. There were also a lot of tourists from the UK and Germany. Quin is a small but lovely town. We also drove over to Bunratty, a pretty touristy place, but we decided to just go in the Creamery bar acr!
oss from Bunratty castle. For my last dinner in Ireland, I had a starter of the smoked salmon w/capers and sauce (and Cole slaw which comes with almost everything) and the lamb stew (wonderful). Jennie had Cajun chicken :)

We had bought a few things a long the way (okay a lot of things) so we went into a store nearby and bought another piece of carry-on to pack it all so we could check the luggage we had brought. We also bought the Easter egg and took that as a separate piece of carryon, as well as 6 pkgs. of Druid brand chocolate-praline eggs. Technically, we exceeded the carry-on limit and size, but Continental seems to be very lenient about that as we weren't the only ones.

We had one bad experience leaving. Apart from the 100s of photos taken with 2 digital cameras, I also took several rolls of conventional photos. I used 800 speed film and I was advised by the local developer that the x-rays definitely affect 800 speed film once exposed. I successfully had the film hand-inspected in Tampa and Newark coming over. I had also emailed in advance of my trip an operations official at Shannon airport asking if I could have 800 speed film handchecked and he replied that although they feel their equipment would not affect it, they would accommodate a request to handcheck it. So, as I go through security, we put the carry-on up and I take out the bag of film (about 10 rolls) and ask for a hand inspection. The lady inspector was very unfriendly and said it isn't necessary. I explained it's 800 speed film and my developer who will try a couple of effects said it must be handchecked. She hands it to another inspector and he does start to inspect i!
t. As he does so, I explain that I had even contacted an official at the airport by email and received a response that it wouldn't be a problem. He sarcastically asked me if I had a copy of the email, implying I was a liar.
Since returning home, I emailed the official back explaining what happened and he responded with an apology and an assurance that it would be investigated. We'll see.

I went on to duty-free shop (not so great with euro up against the dollar. The Bailey's was $2 higher than I pay at Sam's Club) and bought one more sterling silver ring. I forgot to get some of the smoked salmon :(

About the digital cameras and recharging -
I took two recharging units w/adapters (all of my recharging units were rated up to 240 v. so no converter needed for them!) and 3 batteries for my new Kodak digital camera and I only used 2 of the batteries and only had to recharge them about mid-trip (total of about 700 photos using 'best' mode). I also charged the AA batteries for the Sony digital camera the first night there and the two sets (4 total) lasted the entire trip (about 400+ pictures). I took 4 rolls of conventional film with my Canon SLR.

Ireland is incredibly beautiful and, for the most part, the people are extraordinarily hospitable. I did encounter a few slightly rude people. A couple of the B&B owners mentioned there is a bit of anti-American sentiment with the war in Iraq and to not take it personally. Many people took the time to provide thorough directions when we sought them and often offered to show us how to get to where we were asking (we would decline not wanting to put anyone out). The roads are very narrow and the 'national' roads are nothing like our interstates. Dublin was a nightmare, so we parked at the hotel (free valet parking) and walked and took taxis. We also took taxis in Wexford, although that was because we knew we would drink. Apparently, theft of and from vehicles is a big concern. I took the protection, although the lowest deductible available is 900 euros (and the euro was going about $1.25 the entire week), which is steep. Our car had a few scratches on the left side a!
nd on the mirror and we added none. They have slow lanes here and there and people pass much more readily (and they get over and signal you to pass very readily, too). In the many places the road is barely wide enough for a vehicle and people pull over or drive half-off the road or up on a sidewalk to let the other car by. when you do this for them, they raise a forefinger in thanks. It's universal throughout Ireland. I actually wish we had a slightly narrower car. Jennie and I agreed the model we had was not the best for determining exactly where we were on the left.

Winter gorse is a shrub in bloom all over. It actually blooms from November and lends some color to the winter/early Spring landscape. In May, the 'regular' gorse will also bloom in profusion. Daffodils were everywhere and they were so beautiful. Many homes had them in large dense groups in their yards. In some places near large cities, there are modern art sculptures just put along the side of the road here and there (no explanations or credit as to whose work, though). When you are near entering a town, road signs will appear reading "Calming Traffic 400m" or similar, which essentially is a slowdown warning. The English name of the town as well as the Gaelic name appears on signs at the beginning of each town as well as a blinking yellow light and an arrow pointing to the lane. As you leave most towns, a sign reads "Slan" which is a sort of Cheers salute I think. Additionally, there is a round white sign with a black slash indicating it is the end of the reduced sp!
eed limit. There is a pastoral scene at every turn. The drive up the eastern coast with the Wicklow mountains to your left is awesome. However, a clerk in Dublin advised us driving through the Wicklow mountains, through Glendalough, etc. is even more beautiful. The Beara peninsula, especially Healy's Pass, is awesome. Every county is gorgeous and has ancient ruins, castles, and natural wonders.

I guess you can tell I really enjoyed it. My daughter can't wait to go back. Sorry if I rambled.

Slan,
Kathleen

Ridge Manor, Florida
or
FTM Pages: http://www.familytreemaker.com/users/b/o/w/Kathleen-E-Bowen

Your daily life is your temple and your religion.
- Kahlil Gibran

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