I was a wee bit homesick for Ireland. Let’s call this one, “Guinness, Dear Guinness.”
Tag: blog
Go Fourth!
Double down on democracy, speak your mind, and honestly. Support a free press, and denounce those who’d silence
The Fourth Estate. A patriot is neither left nor right, but one who upholds the Constitution. Refuse to succumb
To the treachery of bluster and lies. We know better! Some have had their eyes clouded, others feel dismay,
Yet we are Americans. We believe in liberty, in justice, for ALL, and we will not be led astray by this sham of a leader.
Snapshot #189
There are areas in southwestern Ireland where the road signs are only printed in the Irish language. I’m calling this one “It’s all Gaelic to me.”
Poulnabrone
Without a doubt the most memorable side trip of our eight days in Ireland was a visit to the Portal Tomb or Poulnabrone Dolmen in County Clare. We drove out to the tomb on our last full day on the island while the men played golf at Lahinch. I’d almost despaired that we’d have no opportunity to see such a place, but the wait was worth it.
As we drove through the Burren toward the tomb the landscape took on an otherworldly aspect, with outcroppings of limestone competing with short grasses and bursts of wildflowers. Our driver parked the bus and a blast of cold wind greeted us, but didn’t deter us from scampering up the hill to the Poulnabrone.
The tomb is thought to have been erected between 2,500 and 4,000 years B.C.
I spoke with a gentleman who helps keep watch over the crowds of visitors. He said that vandals have found ways to carve initials into the stones, have removed small stones, and have even urinated on the tomb. I can’t imagine the callous disregard for something so ancient.
Snapshot #188
I took this one in the gardens at Doonbeg. It should be called, “Bee Irish!”
The Malton in Killarney, County Kerry
Our first few nights in Ireland were spent in the lovely Malton Hotel in Killarney. The hotel is within easy walking distance to the shops and pubs in the charming downtown area and most evenings we enjoyed a stroll to a restaurant for dinner and maybe a pint or two.
The Malton Hotel made us feel welcome in a faraway land. I highly recommend it, but suggest that you request a room with a larger shower. Some in our party, including Studly Doright and I, had tiny shower stalls while other couples enjoyed more comfortably sized ones. Our bathtub was luxuriously sized, though.
Peace, people!
Last Call
The golfers played Lahinch on Thursday while the women explored The Burren, a wildly surrealistic landscape dotted with an abundance of limestone outcroppings. I celebrated surviving the journey into the natural beauty of Ireland with an O’Hara’s pale ale at a pub in Ballyvaughn.
This was a terrific beer with a bit of a bite, and I enjoyed every drop. It was a fine beer to enjoy on my last full day in Ireland.
One final toast:
May the good Lord take a liking to you…but not too soon.
A Swig and a Miss
I suppose it was inevitable that there’d be a beer I didn’t fancy as much as some of the others. If I were better versed in the language of the brewing arts I might be able to explain why it fell short, but all that I can say is “meh.”
The Hop House Lager 13 I drank at Morrisey’s Pub in Doonbeg on Wednesday night didn’t thrill me. It wasn’t awful, but I had no desire to order a second pint. So I ordered a dessert with eclairs, ice cream, and chocolate sauce. It was amazing. Life in Ireland is pretty sweet.
Shall I offer a toast?
He’s a fool who give over the liquor,
It softens the skinflint at once,
It urges the slow coach on quicker,
Gives spirit and brains to the dunce.
The man who is dumb as a rule
Discovers a great deal to say,
While he who is bashful since Yule
Will talk in an amorous way.
It’s drink that uplifts the poltroon
To give battle in France and in Spain,
Now here is an end of my turn-
And fill me that bumper again!
Kinsale, County Cork
While our husbands played golf at Old Head on Sunday, the wives toured Charles Fort and the town of Kinsale.
Kinsale is a seaside tourist town with lots of little shops. Many were closed on Sunday afternoon, and our husbands sighed collectively with relief.
The city had hosted a regatta on Saturday, and plenty of sails still decorated the harbor.
We only had a wee bit of time there, and again, the husbands were happy.
Peace, people!
A Pint at Doonbeg
I didn’t plan to blog a beer a day, but it’s been one of the most enjoyable parts of my trip to Ireland. Trust me, I’m no beer expert, and I can’t pick a favorite, but that’s not going to prevent me from continuing the search.
It might be just my imagination, but I believe the bartenders’ faces light up when I ask about their local brews. I’ve yet to be disappointed in their offerings.
Last night was our first in a new hotel. We’re at Doonbeg in County Clare, so I ordered one of their two locally produced beers at dinner last evening: White Gypsy Blond, a German Hefeweizen beer by White Gypsy (Shelta Beer Co), a brewery in Tipperary.
It was an easy beer to enjoy, and I might have had a second glass just to be sure I liked it as much as I thought I did.
Here’s a toast to all our friends:
There are good ships,
and there are wood ships,
The ships that sail the sea.
But the best ships, are friendships,
And may they always be.
Praying for Eyebrowz 