Kevin and Moya's 6-month ADVENTURE !!!

So on Sunday on the Megabus we got to travel to London and then train to Stroud in the Cotswolds where Anthony and his 2 sons Gabriel and Elliot live. Again a great welcome and a chance for Moya to reminisce with her brother. Stroud is a service town for the surrounding villages and as we had been in the area before it was a chance for us to unwind and also drive around the picturesque scenery that is the Cotswolds.  This included a visit to Prince Charles Charity Shop, Highgrove in the village of Tetbury.  We also lunched here in the grounds of an old mansion.  It was great to travel along the Slad Valley and have a cider at a little pub, the haunt of the writer Laurie Lee, author of  “A Cider with Rosie”.  Anthony is a great host and he and the boys were in good form.

On Wednesday Anthony drove us to Heathrow through a torrential thunder storm, so we could catch a train to London and meet up with Shelley and John. So our next boring blog will be from London. Remain in suspense until then!!

So on the 29th we caught a train to Leeds where Kevin’s nephew Martin, his wife, Morag and their three children Beth, Laurie and Robert reside. Another warm welcome. Kevin had not seen Martin for many years and had never met the children or Morag so it was a really good chance to catch up. Again they went above and beyond by taking us to Durham where we had lunch with Morag’s parents and brother, before we were taken on a guided tour of the city and its famous Cathedral. This Cathedral was built in the 11th century in honour of St Cuthbert and is the best example of Norman architecture, it overlooks Durham city and is truly magnificent. Although now Anglican, it was, like many older churches taken over by the Anglicans following the Reformation. After our tour it was back to Leeds so that we could visit Howarth, the home of the Bronte sisters. And a fascinating visit it was as the village is totally dedicated to the Brontes. After a stop at a hilltop pub to enable Martin to buy a beer for his uncle it was back to Leeds to prepare for our bus trip to Stroud, where Moya’s brother, Anthony, resides. Morag and Martin showed us a great time and their kids are marvellous even if they speak funny.

I might add the games at Croke Park in Dublin were great, the atmosphere huge. But in the end we boarded the Ryanair flight to Liverpool. Travelling Ryanair is fraught with tension as you wonder whether your bags are the required 15kgs and your carryon luggage within the required dimensions. We passed on all accounts although we did see a couple of people turned away with oversize carryons. Our friends Myles and Sarah actually live in Southport which is some 40 mins by train north of Liverpool, but with the helpful advice of the railways people we were soon happily ensconced at Southport. The railway people were so helpful that one even accompanied us to ensure we connected with the right train and platform!! Sarah had given birth to a daughter Kitty a few days before our arrival and the last thing they needed was extra people in the house. To the rescue came Sarah’s parents Phil and Mandy who offered us 6 star accommodation and that enabled Sarah to settle Kitty into a feeding routine etc. (Sarah wanted us to mention the breast feeding!) It also enabled Kitty’s brother, Finn, to get used to his sister (noisy bubba is his description). Phil was the perfect host and took us into Liverpool to view the sights especially the Anglican and Catholic cathedrals which are famous. Both are 20 century constructions. The Anglicans have constructed their cathedral in the classic style, it is huge. The Catholics have gone for a contemporary style and it too is most impressive. We have posted photos for your edification. We toured Liverpool as well and noted the rebuilding alongside the older style buildings. The next day we toured Southport, which is a seaside town, on our own. As it was Tami’s birthday in New Zealand we toasted her 35th at a local hostelry. We spent evenings with Sarah and Myles and had a thoroughly great time thanks to them and their parents, Phil and Mandy.

Sean and Gail arrived home on the Saturday and we spent the next couple of days quietly as they got over their jet lag.
On the Wednesday, the 4 of us drove north to the Boyne Valley to visit tomb sites that are older than the Pyramids by six centuries and Stonehenge by at least a thousand years. Although there are different sites, we visited Newgrange. This is a grass dome with white stone walls. It is a tomb dating from round 3200BC. Its passages align with the sun and on the shortest day the sun shines down the passage to light up the inner chamber. It was too much really. We next visited Monasterboice a derelict monastery, which boasts a number of spectacular crosses dating from the 6th century. We finally visited an early Cistercian Monastery, Mellafont Abbey which is also undergoing restoration. Another spectacular ruin. The caretaker told us that after the reformation and the sacking of the monasteries by Henry 8th that he only took the roofs of the English Monasteries but destroyed the Irish ones!!
On Thursday Sean took us both to the Chester Beatty Library which houses his collection of ancient scriptural texts and other ancient texts. It also housed an exhibition ‘Muraqqa’ a collection of Imperial Mughal paintings and texts. Most interesting.
Then on Friday we both spent time just wandering around the Temple Bar and shopping areas taking a few photos for our album. On Saturday, after watching the Aussies trash the Springboks, Sean and Kevin went to Croke Park to watch Gaelic football, and on Sunday we all went to the Hurling before boarding our plane for Liverpool on Monday.

We left Cork without kissing the Blarney Stone (Kevin certainly didn’t need to anyway) and travelled the motorway to Dublin. We detoured to the Rock of Cashel which is reported to be one of Ireland’s most spectacular archaeological sites. This is an ancient Abbey dating from the 4th century. St Patrick is reported to have converted one of the ancient clans here. It is certainly an awe inspiring sight as the rock overlooks the town of Cashel. It is presently undergoing restoration.
We arrived in Dublin that evening and after a meal ventured down to our local where we enjoyed an evening of song with the locals.

We said our sad farewells to Gail and Sean’s Kerry House to take two days to reach Dublin. Just after leaving our house we viewed a Staigue Fort. This is a circular stone walled structure which probably sheltered people in the surrounding district. This staigue probably dates from the 3rd or 4th century and is one of the best preserved staigue in Ireland. We travelled through Sneem, Kenmare and Bantry before arriving in Cork. These 3 villages each have their own individuality, with Bantry being particularly pleasant, as it is on the coast. Bantry Bay is also the home to Oyster and Mussel farms and these could be seen in the bay.
We overnighted at Cork. Cork is built on the River Lee and last Christmas was subjected to extensive flooding. It was founded in the 7th century by St Finbar who built a monastery there. As usual there is a history of struggles with the English, until William of Orange reigned supreme. Cork is famous as the last port of call for those Irish who emigrated during the Famine and subsequent years. It is a mixture of old and modern and we spent a great night at Clancey’s bar listening to the Irish music. The port of Cobh (Cove), an island on the Cork harbour, was the last port of call for the Titanic and also saw the survivors of the Lusitana.
Cork is the capital of County Cork, Kevin’s ancestral county, although the Irish tell me everyone claims Cork as so many people left Ireland from there!!

Although the day was overcast and showery we took off to Killarney taking the inland road from Sneem. You never get blasé about the continual vistas no matter how often you see them. This time we had the added privilege of going through part of the Killarney National Park. The road wound up through the Macgillycuddy’s Reeks to a pass, Moll’s Gap, and then down round Lough Leane where we stopped at Muckross House which is a 19th century mansion. The views around the Lough are stunning and the ancient Oakwoods equally so.
We entered Killarney which is a real touristy town. It is a very old town and dates back to the Neolithic period when copper was mined. It has a Christian tradition dating from the 7th century when St Finian founded a monastery. The town has many colourful buildings and we spent a couple of hours browsing and having lunch in a really nice cafe. Then it was home through Sneem the town of the world champion heavyweight.

The day dawned fine so off we went to explore the walks around our house. We chose to walk the Mass Path a track that joined the beach at the bottom of our hill to the Derrynane Beach. This is part of a Kerry Walk, a series of walking tracks that dot the peninsula. The Mass Path is so called because in penal times the catholics used to meet on the path at a flat rock where the priest would say mass. Children would be on the lookout in case the cursed English protestants would attack them. The path is now an easy walk through beach and bush. It takes about an hour each way and of course we stopped at Bridie’s for a beer and a fresh crab sandwich. At Derrynane Bay, a popular holiday spot for families, there is Abbey Island, which of course housed an Abbey. This is now a ruin although the graveyard is still used. The chapel at Derrynane House, the Liberator’s house, has a chapel that Daniel O’Connell added which is an exact replica of the Abbey chapel. It was a great walk even though it took a couple of hours and the final walk up our steep hill was a pain. We see people doing the Kerry Walk passed our place regularly. Walking is a popular pastime.

Skellig Ring is a Gaeltacht area (Gaelige speaking) at the tip of the Inveragh Peninsula It runs from Waterville through Ballinskelligs. It is a wild and beautiful area. Most of the signs are in Gaeltacht but that doesn’t seem to matter as you just follow the narrow windy road. Again there are archaeological sites. We also spied an old hotel that boasted, “Your next pint in New York.” There are views of the Skellig Islands where early Christian monks lived from the 6th to 12th centuries. Another spectacular area.
At end of the Skellig Ring is a causeway that leads to Valentia Island. This is an Island of rolling hillsides. There are also cliffs to view. The island’s main claim to fame is that it was the site for the first transatlantic telegraph cable. This connected the island to New York before it was connected to Dublin!! The link remained until 1966.
On the way back we stopped at Carersiveen for lunch and shopped at the local Supermarket, Walsh’s of course, Moya’s mother’s name!!

We are now well settled in our house with its magnificent views. We are enjoying the Irish summer(?) which has seen rain off and on most of the days we have been here. However, we have used the house as a base for exploring various parts of the Ring of Kerry. This is the road round the Iveragh Peninsula the peninsula we are on. The road basically travels around the coastline and there are simply the greatest views ever. We have explored the villages of Killorgin, Carhersiveen, Waterville, Caherdaniel, Castle Cove and Sneem. Names well known to you all. These are cute villages each with their own personality. Caherdaniel, for example, has a Wall of Honour on which are detailed sporting heroes of the area. Sneem, has a statue of the world heavyweight champion 1939-1947 who came from the area. Cahersiveen boasts the birth place of Daniel O’Connell, the Liberator, while Caherdaniel owns the house in which he was brought up, Derrynane House. The road can be quite hairy at times, narrow and bumpy, but there are parts that have been improved.
As well as the scenery there are also the hotels. We have visited the odd one or six. We had hoped to listen to Irish music but the World Cup put paid to that with most pubs carrying live coverage. However we have imbibed at the Scarriff Inn, our local, the Derrynane Hotel, O’Connor’s Beach Bar, the only beach bar in Ireland they claim. We have also tried pubs in Kilorgan, the Red Fox, and Sneem. All the pubs have their own personality. Bridie Keating’s Bar at Derrynane Beach is a case in point. This is a very small bar of just one room but they seem to be able to cram the whole of Ireland in there.
We went for a walk round the hills 10th, and on our way back met one of the neighbours who invited us in for a cup of coffee. He is a German married to an Irish woman and has converted an old house. He said he wanted to maintain the history of the house which he has done. An interesting afternoon.