Monty's Travels

We started in Duncannon where we tried to finished up as much food as possible as we were heading to a hotel accommodation before the trek – no more kitchens. Our destination was Bray but we had time for a stop in Kilkenny to check out the castle and it was well worth the stop.  On route we did see other ruins and stopped for photo ops, but didn’t venture in.

Kilkenny Castle is the only tourable castle in Ireland that has been restored. It dates from 1260 and has had many renovations over the centuries. Much of the castle and gardens are restored to 1800 or 1900s.  The castle is home to many amazing tapestries, paintings, wall treatments and wood features.  We had a nice chat with a woman who was repairing a carpet which was to be re-placed in the drawing room walkway.  We were schooled on the differences between restoration, which she does not do, and repair. And as with many specialty crafts, it is a dying skill – she is one of the only ones in Ireland doing repair work. She was in her 80s and regularly alternates annual visits to Vermont with her sister – a very active lady. Hopefully the photos will speak to the beauty of her loving work.

After our tour, we had lunch at the Rive Gauche, voted Irelands most popular pub (at least according their assertion!).  So it was very apropos to have one of our fav’s; a Kilkenny in Kilkenny. Dan strayed slightly and had a Kilkenny-brewed Smithwicks. And to save our reputation, the waitress kindly gave Dan a Smithwicks beer glass ensuring that he didn’t have to nick one.

We managed to get into our hotel accommodation in Bray after a bit of a challenge finding somewhere to drop our bags. Mike and Dan returned the rental car to the outlet near Dublin and returned via train. Bray was the childhood haunt of our friend Margaret back in Picton and we had been given a brief overview of the town, although I expect it has changed significantly from what it was in her youth. We had a fantastic dinner with specialty cocktails at Daata Pakistani/Indian restaurant along the waterfront in Bray.

The rest of the gang were congregating in Dublin, with a plan for us all to connect tomorrow on the train as we head to start the trek. Let the mayhem begin!

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One of our pre-booked adventures was The Irish Experience sea kayaking in Wexford. For the first time, the weather was almost an issue. We rose to heavy fog and light rain but headed out regardless to our booking.  In the end it was windy and overcast but no rain when we paddled.  Wetsuits were included, and definitely needed in the Irish waters, although I did manage to put mine on backwards at first!  Once sorted we headed down to the launch site .  The most difficult part of the adventure was getting the kayaks launched.  They were 2 seater sit on tops, tugboats as Mike calls them. 

Dan and Suz went first and with the 6 foot swells reeking havoc, they tipped on their first attempt.  While he had packed it in a secure, water tight bag, Dan had failed to tether his phone. The waves and current were so strong that there was no way to find the bag, and so we had our first casualty of the day.  Eventually we decided to launch to the side of the beach where the waves seemed to be in a bit of a rip.  This time success.  We paddled along the coastline as the swells were large – about 5 to 6 ft.  First we paddled to a couple of small caves.  Then around Broom point towards Hook point.  The point further behind us was Crook.  In the 17th century as Oliver Cromwell was invading southern Ireland, he vowed to take Waterford by Hook or by Crook. Hence the origin of ‘by hook or by crook’.

Beyond the point we continued past several coves each with a local name, often with an associated story. 2 of them were Philips hole (self explanatory), and Cotton hole where local fisherman had been hired by an insurance company to reclaim the lost load of cotton from an American ship bringing it to the weaving mills here.  Then finally our end destination given the roughness of the ocean, we paddled in to Hells Hole.  It was the unfortunate spot where in the 1890s a ship heading back to Glasgow crashed.  Its engine prop was crushed on the rocks, then the sails tore due to the winds.  With no power, the 15-20 foot swells pushed them into Hells Hole.  Locals attempted to drop ropes to rescue the shipwrecked souls, but the winds thwarted their efforts.  All 25 crew and 18 passengers perished. 

We made our way back to the beach after a good paddle in the swells and winds. We almost made it without incident, but Mike and I tipped at the shore resulting in the second casualty, he lost a glove.  But alas back on shore a wonderful surprise! Graham found Dan’s phone! It washed up on shore several feet along the beach from where they had capsized.

Owen gave us all a warm cup of hot chocolate and we de-wetsuited in the sun which had just broken through. By 2:15pm we had successfully finished our sea kayaking Irish experience tour. 

Back at the bnb we all showered, beered, snacked, napped and played another round of euchre. We visited the Roche bar around the corner for dinner, then back for a round of Wizard and made plans for Thursday. Michael and I ended up in separate beds… even rooms…as the bed we started in was too short. So I went to the twin bed room. Well the accommodation was almost perfect…..

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Monday May 13 was a travel day. We left our wifi-less schoolhouse in Knocknabro and headed to our next stop in Duncannon.

Dan had been fighting a cold for a few days and finally had some proper meds.  We stopped at the Toy Soldier Factory in Cork.  They make the molds for models of all kinds and you can buy kits to die cast your own miniatures and paint them.  They also run workshops where you can cast and/or paint your own models – and they have hundreds to choose from. I bought 3 small premade diecast Christmas theme ones and a single tiny harp as gifts.

Next we were off to the Cork English Market. It is always fun to check out a local food market.  We picked up some food to round out a charcuterie board for dinner…olives, cheese, terrine and bread and a chutney.  We also checked out some shops at a nearby mall and picked up snacks at the Mark’s and Spencer’s.  Then by 5pm we were finally on to our BnB. 

We lucked out with (or strategically arranged for) another lovely AirBnB.  After getting some laundry going and unpacking the groceries we had a walk around the town and waterfront to check out the neighbourhood. Then back for a drink – including toothbrush activated Guinness – and crisps before dinner.  Yet again no Northern Lights, but at least we now had wifi!

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Sunday May 12 was Mother’s Day. Hmm… I just realized that Dan and Suz’s wedding backed onto Mother’s Day and our anniversary (June 18) backed onto Father’s Day!

We spent the day in Killarney Park hiking.  The day started with ‘Irish mist’ and even light rain .  It cooperated nicely however and got better all day and we were even treated to some sun breaking through.  The park is established around Ross Castle – a very stately building. We skipped the horse and buggy tour and chose the hike around the lake with a side trip to the waterfalls. The forest was full of holly trees with ivy vines entwined – now I know where the song comes from. It was all very green!

At a fork in the path we met two local women coming from the opposite direction who helped with which path to take.  We had quite an engaging conversation.  The more outgoing woman asked where we were heading and where we were staying and what we wanted to do afterwards.  When Dan started describing in detail where we were staying, but without remembering the name of the near by town, she finally told Dan “Ah jus stap talking will ya, I don’t care…I’m tryin to tell ya where te get a pint”! Very Irish – no beating around the bush, just straight to the point! She recommended the Lake restaurant…where they treat you very well even if you are ‘scrubby dressed’ (apparently she felt that relevant to us) and the views are spectacular.  She also recommended the cliffside walk with better views rather than the forest walk.  We followed her path suggestion and she was right.  We did go past the Lake restaurant later in the hike but decided that at triple the normal meal cost we would head into town for dinner. 

We opted instead for dinner at Cronin’s in Killarney and we were not disappointed! The owner met us at the door and despite being fully booked he managed to get us a table.  Our meal was 130 euro for the 4 us including dessert, and it was an excellent dinner. 

And I have to share this story. I had a funny run-in in the toilets with a a young girl who was in a stall with her Mum.  She said “Oh I can see my poo between my legs.  It looks like a carrot!  Why does it look like a carrot?” Then a couple of beats later…”oh now it looks like a caterpillar!! How did that happen??” I couldn’t stop laughing.  The mother was laughing…and trying her best to answer between chuckles… “It’s something to do with physics.”

Too funny! A perfect sample of what it is to be a Mother on Mother’s Day!

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May 11 was a Saturday, just as it was 39 years earlier when Dan & Suzanne wed. We spent the day doing the loop around the Ring of Kerry – another peninsula a bit further south. The recommended drive is opposite to the Dingle Way. This route is taken counter clockwise. At 8:15 in the morning the temperature started at 18.5c and it only got better – another glorious day.

We stopped at Rossbeigh Strand – the beach area opposite Inch Strand from the day before. Then back up the cliffs to rejoin the ring highway. Mountain Stage offers a wonderful scenic vista and we stopped for a view. I purchased a Brigid’s Cross (aka St. Bridget’s Cross) from a local roadside vendor. His son makes them from reeds. They are traditionally placed over the door of your home to ward off evil.

Daniel O’Connell memorial park was a nice little find when we stopped at a roadside viewpoint. It was alongside a stream with quaint bridges and fairy boxes. It was very peaceful and picturesque.

The Fish Market Eatery we were hoping to visit for lunch was not open until 5:30, so we took the ferry directly over to Valentia Island. We stopped by a graveyard which had the remains of the tower of a church within the grounds. I stayed by the car which was in a lane surrounded with gigantic rhubarb plants. Our next mini stop was down to the Valencia lighthouse down a very steep hill. Then to the tetrapod fossil footprints which were discovered in 1993. The exposed rocks are clearly very old as they dated to 350 to 370 million years old.

Finally a bite to eat in Portmagee where we had a bowl of seafood chowder – and a pint! It was getting late in the afternoon, but we had to make a stop at the Kerry cliffs which were well worth the visit. No fee to enter here and the views were possibly better than the cliffs of Moher. Basking sharks filled the bay and large cave far below us. The 1000 foot cliffs of shining black slate were spectacular.

It was 5 pm by the time we left the cliffs, not even at the 1/2 way point around the ring. So we sadly had missed closing hour of the Skellig Chocolate Factory. Once again Dan did an amazing job driving on the narrow, windy, steep roads – we are very spoiled! Next stop Waterville which is a favourite holiday spot for many including Charlie Chaplin in his day and more recently Tiger Woods. Around the ring we continued stopping for views and photo ops. We opted for a late dinner in Kenmare with the requisite pints and treated Dan & Suz for their anniversary. This time Mike and I shared wings and salad and sampled Tom Krean IPA – not as good as the Killarney IPA from lunch but good with food. We managed to make it back to our accommodation and the sheep before dark but again the northern lights evaded us.

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Our BnB in Killarney was lovely and remote, although a bit rough around the edges. Uta is a new owner, having just acquired this residence and we helped her learn about some of the details of the property. The internet was out the entire time we stayed despite her attempts at getting it resolved, and given the remoteness of the property we had basically no network or phones while we were there. The washer and dryer were non functional and needed replacing. The lovely assistant Lese helped us out with the water heating system and ensured we had sufficient towels and bedding. Despite the bumps, it was a very nice place and the sheep who took up residence on our lawns were charming.

After a yogurt, fruit, granola, and coffee breakie, we headed to the tourist info centre in Killarney where the girl was extremely helpful. We decided to do the Dingle Way and the weather could not have been more glorious. It hit at least 23c with full blue skies. Given the amazing weather for early May in Ireland, we made a stop at Inch beach where people were sunning, swimming, and surfing. It was a beautiful sandy beach, but with frigid water!

The drive offered stunning views at every twist and turn. We stopped several times to admire the view and get some photos. We stopped in the town of Dingle where we had our big meal of fish boxes and local ales. Across the street we discovered a small museum in a converted convent/school which Nano Nagel had started.

Born in 1718, Nano Nagel became a nun, and was an amazing woman. As a Catholic, she was not allowed to attend school in Ireland but was able to attend school in France. Upon returning to Ireland she felt the need to create schools for locals. By the time of her death in 1784 she had created 7 schools in county Cork, Ireland. In the 1960’s when education finally became publicly available, her schools were disbanded.

The museum was also home to 12 stain glass panels by Harry Clarke, renowned Irish glass artist from around 1900. He was instrumental in raising awareness of the skill and creativity of Catholic Irish in a time when they were looked down upon.

Next off to the Dingle Way loop. We passed endless sheep and lambs and fields and pastures divided by stone walls. Lush green landscapes all around, all very Irish . We skipped the ‘hold a baby lamb’ stop and unfortunately missed the sheepdog demonstration. But we did stop for the beehive homes which were dated from 2000-1200BC. They believe the site was a single family homestead. One of the roofs was incredibly still in place. As we made our way around the loop, there were more amazing views out to the islands and beaches below. One of the spots was the setting for a scene from Star Wars, Return of the Jedi.

On the way back we stopped in Killarney for groceries with hopes of getting a Guinness ‘nitro cap’ at the Tesco. Dan had purchased some special cans of Guinness which require a special cap to create the ‘on tap’ experience – but we later learned that they were not a big hit and the caps are now very hard to come by and quite expensive. But not to be deterred, Dan researched and learned that you can use an electric toothbrush to activate the ‘nitrous’ Guinness cans. It turned out to be a reasonable success and the beers did not go to waste along side steak and kidney pie for dinner!

We had hoped for Northern Lights as the solar flares were massive. Sadly between cloud cover and the large mountain behind us to the north we didn’t experience any of the glory. The sheep just continued to graze on the grass oblivious to the missed opportunity.

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Again in our fuzzy slippers and cozy robes we polished off the scones and this time they were also accompanied by fresh egg (supplied by Mary) omelettes. Our stay here was done and we couldn’t recommend Bridgie’s Cottage as hosted by Mary any higher.

The weather again was promising and by days end it was lovely. Our stop en route to our next BnB was Limerick where we were to visit King John’s Castle and Saint Mary’s Cathedral. Limerick itself was very colourful and full of character. We checked out the Treaty Stone on which the Treaty of Limerick was purportedly signed. The treaty was signed on the 3rd of October 1691 ending the Williamite-Jacobite War.

On the other side of the River Shannon, King John’s castle didn’t grab our interest, so we didn’t bother going in.

Replenished with a good meal, we were off to visit Saint Mary’s Cathedral. A funeral was about to commence, but Michael managed to sneak a few interior photos. Finally, back on the road Dan delivered us to our next AirBnB in Killarney.

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Wednesday, May 8 arrived cloudy and cool, although by 6 pm we were treated to amazing blue skies and warm weather. We had a leisurely start enjoying the tea biscuits and jams left by Mary – everything labelled of course! Suz and I took the opportunity to get some laundry done while Michael engaged in his favourite past time – he strolled around the neighbourhood and took photos.

After breakfast we headed to the cliffs. The route included a drive through corkscrew hill. It is a 12% grade for over a kilometer. I think driver Dan enjoyed every turn in the road.

At the cliffs we hiked from the visitor centre out to Moher tower at Hags Head and then back to O’Brien’s Castle. Sadly on the Saturday prior to our visit a young Belgian student had lost her footing and fallen to her death. Others have fallen to their death over the years, a couple while taking selfies… yeah…. There were many people trekking carelessly off the path and even over the guiderails to get closer to the edge. We did have to venture to the path with no guardrails beyond a certain point of the trail, but we were very careful not to get too close to the edge. We figure we hiked about 11km, so on the drive home we stopped for a well deserved pint in Lisdoonvarna. Then we filled up with diesel in Kinvarra ,where the classic old school circus was in town, for cheap gas.

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We rose for 7 am and fed the cats a bit more before heading out. Honey is a 16 year old male who is just lovely and Ginger is more aloof, but definitely food motivated. They sure know how to ‘milk’ the guests for special attention and food!

We were on the road by 9:30 to check out Montgomery heritage. We started at the 16th century church ruins in Killan but unfortunately the tombstones are limestone. Those that were still standing and not split were totally worn out. The most interesting headstone was in Gaelic and English – that of Sean MacCaba – aka Jack McCabe. He died on 30th Dec 1971 in ‘the cause of Ireland’ – he was one of the hunger strike protesters.

Next stop was the old church at Knockbride, north of the town of Bailieborough. It is now an Anglican church, but both Catholic and Protestants are buried there – a mixed cemetery. A ruined catholic church is still on the grounds beside the newer church. We found 2 Montgomery headstones – one for Mary Jane Montgomery and another for the Montgomery’s of Cxxxxx (managed to do a rubbing of the worn out headstone to identify that much). It was a very interesting cemetery and Michael met with the custodian and was able to get into the church. It was built in the late 1820’s – so after his ancestors left Ireland, but could have been attended by those who remained behind (if any).

We were also very fortunate to meet the vicar, Ian Horner, who had stopped by to use the facilities (lol!). We had a lovely chat with him. He has been to Edmonton and Vancouver when he was young and would love to return with his wife and children. She is South African however and that uses all of their vacation time and monies. There are currently no active members with the surname Montgomery, and he is new to the parish and area so couldn’t help much. He did refer us to Wayne – the local knowledge source – who was unfortunately not home according to his closed shed door that could be seen across the fields.

Next we were off to the town of Bailieborough where Dan, Suz, and I did some groceries while Michael headed to the local library. I always enjoy checking out the local grocery shops. There are always little (or sometimes big) things that are just a bit different and unique and beg you to try them out! We picked up breakfast, snacks and drinks but were unable to find a cooler bag. And Suz’s attempt at signing up for a TESCO discount card only resulted in a card which is good in Czechia! The blueberries were sadly bland, but the cheeses superb. The hardest decision was the booze! We passed on Muff Gin and went for Dingle (after several good laughs!) along with some whiskey and beer. When in Ireland, drink like the Irish after all!

Meanwhile, back at the library Michael managed to meet up with Carmel who is the VP of the Bailieborough Heritage Society. She was very responsive and helpful. She took a photo for her colleagues to prove how ancestry draws in tourism – a new spin in Ireland. She generously gave Michael a book about local history. Amazingly, we ran into another couple from Australia who were also seeking Montgomery connections! Michael exchanged info with them so that George can contact them. Their relatives were 2 sisters who went to Australia to hook up with their Uncle Henry (Montgomery). Very possibly a family connection.

Next stop was the oldest bar in Ireland – Sean’s Bar. The Guinness book of world records has validated their claim, and it is perhaps the oldest active bar in the world, but they have been unable to validate that claim. Roman bars were certainly older, but none are active continuously in the same location. We met a young guy from Australia who was a transportation fanatic. He will be checking out the Titanic Museum in Belfast, something we will sadly miss on this trip.

Finally on to our BnB, Bridgies Cottage, in Galway where we had possibly the best organized accommodation in existence! Everything was labelled – including every amenity imaginable. We were also greeted by the most scrumptious biscuits ever!

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