Dublin, Kilkenny, Blarney Castle, Ring of Kerry, Dingle Peninsula, Slea Head, Cliffs of Moher, Donnegal Peninsula
A blissful two weeks exploring Ireland by car with Ally from 27 June - 12 July 1997.
Places visited
What we experienced
Photos we took
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| Cliffs of Moher |
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| Gallarus Oratory |
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| Blarney Castle |
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From Postcards
Wicklow
- We’re in Ireland after catching the night bus and ferry from London. Exhausting! Arrived in Dublin, hired a car (luxury after back packing) and drove through beautiful Wicklow mountains to a B& B. It’s fantastic to be with Ally – she’s also in 7th heaven.
Kilkenny
- We visited this lovely town – Ireland’s finest Medieval city with gorgeous castle and cathedrals. We climbed the round tower of St Canice’s Cathedral (see top left photo) – took us half an hour because we met a large Italian school group coming down!
- We arrived at this impressive hill top place in late afternoon and had a lovely walk. Ireland is more than living up to its reputation – great scenery with wonderful friendly people. I can see where Liz Twemlow inherited her sunny personality!
Blarney Castle
- Ally and I kissed the Blarney Stone today (see top right photo) so now we are officially blessed with the “gift of the gab”. Haven’t been able to stop talking since! It wasn’t easy – you have to kiss the stone backwards, suspended over a 100 feet drop for it to work.
Guinness
- Mother’s milk this Guinness – and so many pubs to drink it in! We’ve already visited more than I can remember. Great pub food too – especially the Irish stew. Ally and I camped last night and tonight – very cheap and convenient. We’ve borrowed a fantastic tent from Ally’s aunt. All we need is a mattress! The little red Mazda is going like a bomb. Ally sends her love and says hi.
West Cork
- We spent a day driving round the beautiful Beara Peninsula. Really remote (almost no tourists!) with very narrow, windy roads that follow the gorgeous cliffs and blue sea. Completely relaxing – except when you meet another car coming the other way! We stopped at Dunboy Castle, a derelict but very impressive ruin. Then drove to the peninsula’s most SW point – “Windy Point” where a cable car carries people (and sheep!) to Dursey Island. We stopped at a little restaurant where I bravely sampled black pudding (barley soaked in blood). Delicious if you don’t let the colour put you off!
Eeries
- Isn’t this a beautiful village? Every house is a different colour. We stopped at the tiny petrol shop. In Ireland, like Britain, you pump your own gas. Inspired by the town, I’ve decided to paint my house purple as soon as I return.
Glengarriff
- This is the town where we camped last night. Really nice camp site with its own pub and traditional music. It’s cool at night but my super down sleeping bag keeps us as snug as a bug.
Kerry
- Today we explored the Kerry Peninsula –more beautiful cliffs and sea with quaint villages every couple of miles (all with more pubs than houses). We gave a lift to a wonderful 70 year old local farmer who regaled us with hearty stories. Also visited an ancient stone circle and hugged the rocks.
Dingle
- This is the beautiful beach in Dingle that we lazed on for hours – soaking up some very welcome sun. The water was rather chilly so we didn’t venture a swim like some of the die-hard locals. The colour of the sea in Ireland is a magical turquoise and unbelievably calm – like something straight out of a postcard!
- We’ve been spending a couple of days exploring the Dingle Peninsula. The weather improved a bit so we got to laze on some gorgeous beaches. We also went on a boat trip to see Fungi, Dingle’s friendly wild dolphin who lives in the bay (has done so for 14 years) and loves people – frolicking with swimmers and boats. He gave us a great show – hard to believe he is wild and catches all his own food.
- There are some extra ordinary prehistoric buildings here in Dingle like this one – completely made of stone without any cement holding it together. Venturing inside is a real act of faith – you keep thinking it will collapse on you – yet stand it has since the 8th century.
Pub Life
- Ally and I are absolutely relishing the pub life here in Ireland. The weather has been rather cool and raining, so we sometimes spend hours soaking up the atmosphere (and warmth) especially on evenings when we camp! Pub food is fantastic – the Irish are great cooks – particularly of Irish stew – huge bowls of steaming mutton. We’ve also become addicted to Irish coffee – and of course, lots and lots of Guinness. Pubs are always full of friendly locals wanting to know our life stories and often there is fantastic traditional Irish music. All in all a very warm and social experience.
Crag Cave
- We visited Crag Cave on the way to the cliffs of Moher. Very impressive but not a scratch on the Cango Caves.
Blennerville windmill
- When I saw this I felt as though I was back in Holland. The Irish have lovingly restored this old windmill and we got to see all its internal workings. Tralee is famous as the port where 100’s of thousands of Irishmen launched off for America during the great potato famine in mid 1800’s.
Cliffs of Moher
- I saw some very impressive cliffs in Wales and England but none so spectacular as these – the cliffs of Moher in W. Ireland. They soar 700 feet above a seething sea, with indescribable views and a network of paths to explore. AN awesome experience is to get on your belly and wriggle forwards to peer straight over the cliffs onto the rocks and sea below – gives you an adrenaline high for days. Gramps, I don’t think this would be your favourite pastime!
- More views of the cliffs of Moher. The bird life here is awesome – guillemots, razorbills, puffins (all exotic sea birds I’ve always dreamed of seeing) next on the cliffs in easy view. I nearly dropped my binoculars over the cliff in my excitement.
The Burren
- We passed through “the Burren” on the way to Donegal – an extraordinary lunar like landscape of rocky outcrops with a bit of hardy green grass poking through there and there. The weather has become spectacular – hot, sunny and completely still. We spent the entire morning lapping up the sunshine at the Cliffs of Moher and now we’re heading north, visiting several of the beaches on the way. The water is cold but hasn’t stopped us from swimming. We’re feeling very summery and slightly sunburnt. You’ll be glad to hear we’ll be giving Northern Ireland a miss – all hell has broken loose there with the Orange Grove marches.
- More stunning coast line and scenery. It never seems to end. Fantastic beaches all the way – it’s so difficult deciding which ones to stay at – they are all so enticing. There are very few tourists here so we often have a place to ourselves. The locals are as friendly as ever.
Rosgull
- We’ve arrived at one of the most scenic peninsulas in all of Ireland – Rosgull. Exquisite beaches. The weather continues to be fantastic so we are in seventh heaven. The beach in the postcard photo was one of our “lazy stops” on our journey along the “Atlantic Drive”.
Our very own castle
- We stopped off at this stunning forest park on our long trip from Donegal to Dublin. We noticed an ancient castle ruin on one of the islands so hired a boat and rowed out to it. Beautiful, solitary and very romantic.
End of our trip
- Here is the complete journey that we’ve made through Ireland. As you’ve probably fathered, we had an awesome time. Ireland is a friendly and beautiful country that I could visit over and over. Of course, having Ally with me was a wonderful treat. I am really going to miss her in Israel.
- We spent our last day in Dublin. Tomorrow it’s back to London. I can’t believe how two weeks has flown! We’ve just got back from visiting the Guinness Factory to see how God’s nectar is brewed. Got to taste lots of free samples. Mum, Ally has put the book you gave her to good use – keeping a fantastic journal of our trip.
My Travel Notes
27 June
- Catch night bus and ferry to Dublin with Ally. Arrive at 7 am in morning. Then hire a nippy, little Mazda. Frank and Helen, of the rental company, very friendly - full of coffee and tips.
28 June
- Drive through the Wicklow mountains in windy weather to a luxurious B&B. Much needed sleep, then to a pub to watch Springboks lose (only just) to Lions. Heartbreaking stuff. Great lamb chop supper at pub. Relaxing evening walk through a forest park to a river.
29 June
- Drive to Kilkenny, Ireland's finest medieval city. Visit St Canice's Cathedral (climb the round-tower and meet Italian school group coming down and see nun's underwear) and view impressive castle. Then to Rock of Cashel in Tipperary - for a scenic walk around the rocky hill. Drive to Cahir where we camp. Pick strawberries, play tennis and pool with Dutch guys. ( I should take up tennis!) Tent brilliant (Ally showed how to put it up) but ground hard!
30 June
- To Blarney Castle where we kiss the stone, suspended backwards over a 100 foot drop - all for the gift of the gab. Wonderful derelict castle with warren of tunnels and rooms. Best Irish stew ever at Mackey's, then a sleep in the gardens. Drive to camp site at Glengarriff through scenic valleys. Guiness and traditional Irish songs at the camp-pub.
31 June
- Late rainy get-up. Terrible lunch of watery stew. But delicious pecan nd maple pasty from Spa.
- Drive along the beautiful and remote (untouristy!) Ring of Beara. Visit Dunboy Castle, a massive derelict mansion, and an old fort. Scout camp. Then to the peninsula's SW point (Windy Point). Views of cable car crossing to Dursey Island. Stay in B&B with gorgeous views of sea. To village of Allihaes for omelette supper.
- Impressions: radio announcement "sheepdog puppies missing", small town gossiping, narrow and windy lanes, villages with multi-coloured houses, pubs at every turn, great traditional Irish music, tall glasses of delicious guiness, sheep with colourful ink markings, wind and rain, friendly locals always waving and smiling, so proud of Ireland, craaking crows waking us up.
1 July
- A hearty Irish breakfast (including Black Pudding!) Then drove through Ring of Kerry - more beautiful cliffs and sea, with quaint little villages. Picked up Dan O'Shea, a sweet old farmer.
- Visited a stone circle and hugged the rocks. Energy buzz!
- Stopped for a read and pint in "Dan Murphy's Pub" in Sneem. Set camp in little town. Delicious roast pork dinner and Irish coffee in local pub.
2 July
- Late rainy get up. Weather grey as we drive to Dingle Peninsula. Lucky escape from bulldozer and bus. Walk on Inch Beach. Arrive in Dingle for a great Irish stew, followed by an afternoon of sleep. Then chicken supper from supermarket (yum!) and to local pub for Irish coffee, post cards and reading. Young musicians with their Dad. Fantastic pub.
3 July
- Weather much better. Try. Then great lunch from supermarket. Catch boat to watch Fungi, the resident wild dolphin. Most famous wild, friendly dolphin in Europe. Does not seem to tire of the incessant stream of boats that go out to vie for his attention.
- Then drive to see prehistoric huts of dry stone (venturing in is act of pure faith - altho some have stood since 8th century.) Then laze on the beach at Slea Head where meet friendly Zimbabwe couple. Then sit on cliff and admire view, To pub to relax and write postcards. (more Irish coffee!) Drum mad musicians spoil it a bit - all family banging away including 5 year old!
4 July
- Fantastic weather. Lazed on beach at Slea Head. To pub to watch Springboks beat Lions - 3rd time lucky. To Gallarus Oratory, an 8th century stone building. Cow dung on car. Started motion meditation again (3rd night) - really good.
- Amazing meditation on clifflet overlooking beach and sea under the stars.
5 July
- Drive to Blennerville Windmill and Crag cave. Then on to Cliffs of Moher - spiritual stuff. Lie on edge and peer over. Walk along cliffs and see Puffins through a telescope. To pub to read and relax.
- To delicious bistro for breakfast. Ally and I very close. To Cliffs of Moher to see birds through binoculars. Thick mist chases us back to camp to do washing and play cards at pub.
7 July
- Weather is awesome. Spend spiritual morning at Cliffs of Moher. Food for the soul. Sit with feet over edge of mighty drop, feeling refreshing breeze, watching the seething ocean and thousands of flying fulmars. Then drive over the lunar landscape of The Burren to Sligo.
8 July
- Drive through Donegal Peninsula. Stop off at beaches to laze in gorgeous sun. Relaxing day, very untouristy.
9 July
- We do the Atlantic drive. Eat seafood for lunch. Huge night storm - tent could easily have landed in a lake. Arrived back to find lakes after sitting in pub.
10 July
- Spontaneously visit a forest park, Lough Key Forest Park. We row out to an Island Castle where we make love. Height of romance. Feel spiritual beauty of Island. Camp en route to Dublin. Rope tugging contest.
11 July
- Arrive in Dublin. Visit Guiness Brewery.
12 July
- Catch bus back to London.
Ally's letter home (14 July 1997)
Dear Jill, Jo, Antony, Tony and Dorothy
We got back from Ireland last night with heavy hearts but were cheered up with a letter from Tony and Dorothy.
We had such a wonderful holiday. Ireland is the most magical country. I have again done a travel diary that I will send to you shortly, telling of all our adventures. The only benefit of being home is sleeping in a bed. The ground sure is hard when camping!
The scenery in Ireland is breathtaking. I am sure you’ve seen in the postcards that Graeme has sent. I could easily have spent a couple of months taking all of Ireland in.
There were two highlights for me. One was standing at the top of the Cliffs of Moher looking down. It made me feel so humble and put such perspective on life. The view restores the spirit.
The second highlight was visiting the Lough Key Forest Park where we were able to row across the lake and explore a ruined castle all by ourselves. Vines were growing in the arches of the windows and the rain was dripping through. We could imagine how all the rooms must have looked full of riches and warmth. It was so romantic and like a real life fantasy to explore one’s own castle.
Sadly it was back to work this morning for a two week post and after that, who knows? I am starting to get used to starting new jobs. I wasn’t even nervous, I could hardly believe it. I have to learn the names of 150 accountant trainees. Scary when at the end of Std 8 I still couldn’t name all 150 of my school mates!
Graeme is all geared up for his trip to the Middle East. He has gone to the Egyptian Embassy this morning to get his visa. Hopefully it won’t take too long as he flies out on Thursday.
We really miss not being able to come home and tell you all about it straight away and show you the pictures. Graeme and I talk about you often because we miss you all so much.
I will send the book and the pictures as soon as I can. I am using someone else’s email as I will not get one because I am only here for a short time. It will have the same format address, only the name is different.
Speak to you all soon and I hope all is well.
All my love Ally
Ally's Ireland Journal
Ally kept a journal in Ireland. It can be read at the link below.
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