The Ring of Kerry to Dublin

The Irish weather settled in for our drive around the Ring of Kerry.....which made it so much more "atmospheric" but not such good conditions for photos. The wild, rugged Atlantic Coast didn't disappoint. It was a bit hairy in places and some big tour buses coming the other way made it quite hair raising! But the countryside is lush and beautiful with hedges so close, narrow and high they seem to form a tunnel.

We ended up at Portmagee, the furthest point in South West Ireland where they landed the first Trans-Atlantic cable in 1858. This is the area also where Charles Lindburgh crossed the coast in 1927. They say he was so low they could read the numbers on his wing!

We decided it wasn't the day for touring so came back to town and followed up with Wendy's ancestry, the Hicksons, Blennerhassetts and Godfreys who seemed to own all the land. Landsdowne, the name of their huge estate, is a big name around here and even a major road in Dublin is named after the estate.

Found another ruined monastry and graveyard just out of town and up on a hill overlooking the river. They certainly owned all that they could see ....and more.
We've come to the obvious conclusion that the Irish are very well off for ruins!





After a short but very pleasant stay in County Kerry we headed up the East Coast to Cork to see the last view of his homeland that John Best saw before sailing to Van Dieman's Land in 1817. The rest of his family followed from there three years later and the Sullivans (my great grandfather's mother's family) came out in 1827......but of their own volition!

The island you can see in the background is called Spike Island.
It was originally a monastry, but from Cromwell's times, a prison. It was where the convicts were housed before sailing out of the heads behind the island.

Cork harbour is one of the best natural harbours in the world and is also the place where the Titanic sailed from in 1912. The recovered bodies are in a cemetary there and there is a museum and quite a few Americans in the area following the Titanic trail.
It is also where the survivors of the Lusitania came ashore when it was sunk bringing the Americans into the First World War.

The little township In the actual harbour is called Cobh (pronounced Cove) and is a very quaint little place...albeit with some very interesting history.
It was quite surreal reflecting on the very place my ancestors last saw before sailing off to the antipodes in tiny, leaky wooden sailing vessels.

Our accommodation in Waterford is an old converted coachhouse.....with its own castle ruins. The owner has done an outstanding restoration job. Twenty years of devotion.

The castle ruins in the garden date from 1248!

We are now in Dublin, in the heart of the city, and our last night in Ireland.
They certainly value their arts and are proud to show off their culture. We were impressed with the number of sculptures and statues...all over the place really.

I couldn't finish his book (too difficult) but the sculpture in the street was interesting.













Had a quick look around the centre of the city and after dinner before "high tailing" it off back to the hotel before the storm hit.

We weren't as fast as the huge rat that ran past us up the street though........what's that about "rats and sinking ships"?

Ferry crossing to Holyhead in Wales tomorrow.