Goodbye Bantry Hello Dingle

It was sad to leave our beautiful, modern accommodation in Ballylickey, near Bantry. We were packed up with the house spic and span by 8:30 and off driving on the wrong wide of the road towards Killarney and another look at Muckross House and grounds.

We enjoyed our tour of the Muckross Mansion with a sly and witty guide. They don't allow photos to be taken inside, but I found this one online.

This is the front hall of what was built originally as a country hunting lodge. The mansion was owned by two different families, but actually not lived in for very long. It was eventually given to the Irish country and is beautifully preserved and furnished. Each room was splendid. A particular claim to fame was the visit by Queen Victoria, for which they prepared for YEARS. She only stayed 3 nights and wouldn't sleep upstairs because of her fear of fire. Also, I think she was quite stout and I bet she didn't want to climb the stairs. Just saying.

Another great attraction on the Muckross grounds is a recreation of a farm village with half a dozen homes set on a mile loop road. They are various sizes and prosperities, complete with some animals and interesting women dresses in garb of about the 1930's that are baking soda bread on the fire, churning butter and who will tell you in beautiful accents about their life on the farm.

I was quite obsessed with learning about peat, which is what has been used for many years for cooking and heating. This was my first chance to smell a peat fire burning and to see dried peat stacked in the shed. Also, soda bread cooked on a fire is delicious.

 I credit my peat obsession with the many novels and biographies I have read that are set in Ireland. Maeve Binchy, William Trevor, Edna O'Brien, Roddy Doyle, Frank McCourt are a few of the authors I have read from Ireland that write about Ireland.

Our trip to the farm village and each house was through the rain. I can't say that I was ever bothered by the rainy days we had in Ireland. It was one of the things I looked forward to and added to the atmosphere.

One of the farms was large and prosperous with a big house and lots of outbuildings. This place would have had several full time employees. Some that had rooms in the house and some that slept in the barns.

Mark discovers that handy ear anchors keep his hood intact whilst retaining 

waterproofing capabilities and maintaining peripheral sight

We drove along the "Wild Atlantic Way" which was dark and stormy. I love a moody ocean.

We arrived in Dingle which has a reputation for charm and Gaelic speaking. It is taught in school and signs are always in Gaelic and English. This was a pretty little place.

At some point, a playful little dolphin adopted the small harbor as his home. He was named Fungie  (foon gee) and is a local hero. Fungie merchandise is everywhere. It reminded me of a series I watched as a kid, "Flipper". I can still sing the theme song..."They call him Flipper, Flipper, faster than lightning"

It would have been such much cooler to sing, 

They call him Fungie, Fungie, 

faster than lightning. 

No you see, is smarter than he. 

And we know Fungie, 

lives in a world full of wonder. 

Flying there-under, under the sea! 

Oh how I wished I could ship this cool truck home!

This is what happens when you shop with Carol and Yvonne

Much to my delight, I discovered that you can buy peat briquettes outside a market, just like you would buy charcoal briquets or firewood in the USA. 

We left Dingle, heading on to Limerick. Keith decided to take a scenic detour over a small mountain. It turned out not to be so scenic because as we climbed the road was completely enshrouded in fog. The lane very narrow with sheer cliffs on one side and no guard rails. Sometime there was no room for cars to pass, which meant backing up. I have no pictures of this adventure because my eyes were firmly closed and my teeth were clenched.