Tag: County Kerry

Fungie, the Dolphin of Dingle 

“The Dingle Dolphin — or Fungie, the name given to him by the fishermen — is a fully grown, possibly middle aged, male bottlenose, Tursiops Truncatus. He weighs in at around one-quarter ton (500 lbs.) and measures in the region of four metres (13 feet).”

We didn’t see Fungie, but we posed for pictures on a statue of the dolphin whilst visiting the town of Dingle, County Kerry. That surely counts for something!

Visit https://www.dingle-peninsula.ie/home/fungie-the-dingle-dolphin.html for additional information on Fungie. Better yet, visit the Dingle Peninsula!

An Uncommon Memorial

When we toured the Ring of Kerry in County Kerry, Ireland, our bus driver pointed out a lovely church and told us it was the only Catholic Church in all of Ireland to bear the name of a person who was neither Saint, nor deity. 


This church in Cahersiveen, was named with special papal permission, after the statesman Daniel O’Connell, a lay person, who worked for Catholic emancipation in Ireland in the 17th and 18th century.


According to Wikipedia, “Daniel O’Connell (Irish: Dónall Ó Conaill; 6 August 1775 – 15 May 1847), often referred to as The Liberator[1] or The Emancipator,[2] was an Irish political leader in the first half of the 19th century. He campaigned for Catholic emancipation—including the right for Catholics to sit in the Westminster Parliament, denied for over 100 years—and repeal of the Act of Union which combined Great Britain and Ireland.”

Unfortunately, we only were able to drive by the church without going inside. More and more I’m realizing how much I need to return to Ireland. It’s almost as if I only purchased postcards without savoring the experience. 

Peace, people. 

Don’t Go Chasing Waterfalls

Don’t go chasing waterfalls, unless they’re in Killarney National Forest, then go for it!

Snapshot #197

We encountered some friendly motorcyclists when our coach driver stopped to allow us to take photos on the Dingle Peninsula. These gentlemen were from England. I’ll call this, “Watch for Motorcycles.” I’m sure my motorcycling friends will know what bikes the guys were riding.

Ross Castle, County Kerry, Ireland

No visit to County Kerry would have been complete without a trip to Ross Castle. Had we had more time we might’ve taken a boat tour of the waterways around the castle, but instead we walked the grounds. There’s nothing like a castle to stir one’s imagination. I almost expected a dragon to come roaring across the water to find a perch on the stone crenellations. 

The lovely Marsha!

Notice the slots meant for shooting arrows.


Snapshot #196

The Dingle Peninsula in County Kerry, Ireland, provided epic scenery around every turn in the road. And there were MANY turns in the road. 

Let’s call this one, “Let Sleeping Giants Lie.” Do you see him?

The Gaelic Muse

The Gaelic Muse

This lovely statue in Killarney pays tribute to the poets of County Kerry. I discovered it just a block from the Malton Hotel and asked the muse for a bit of inspiration. I’m a patient lass, but any time now would be good. 

Wouldn’t you love to know why Pierce Ferriter was hanged? Well, I looked him up on Google:

“Piaras Feiritear, better known via the Anglicized name Pierce Ferriter, was an Irish poet who also served as an officer during the War of the Irish Confederacy, 1641 – 1652. Piaras may have been born about the year 1600, the son of Eamon Feiritear, (Edmond Ferriter)a landowner whose lands on the far western part of the Dingle Peninsula had been the Ferriter family’s homestead for about 350 years when Pierce was born.

Much of what is known or surmised regarding Pierce Ferriter the man extends from his surviving poetry. His use of the Irish language, themes, and imagery indicates that he was a man of education, and probably well taught in both English and Irish. By account he was a harpist as well as a poet. The surviving body of work represents some of the finest Irish language poetry of his era.

Less is known of his personal life. Evidence exists that he was married and from this marriage, there is known to have been children: two sons and a daughter, Dominick, Richard, and Helen. We also know that Piaras was friendly with both the nearby family of the Knight of Kerry, who were Geraldines, and the more distant FitzMaurice family – also a Geraldine line. From the Lord of Kerry (FitzMaurice) he was favored with a commission to raise an armed company from his lands and neighborhood on the Dingle Peninsula. Pierce’s arming and leading of the local citizens was to be in support of the English Crown however, rather than going to war with the Kerry Catholics, he aligned himself with the anti-English forces, and brought his men to join in the siege of Tralee in 1641.

During the siege of Tralee Peirce was wounded, and his active involvement in the fighting after the fall of Tralee is uncertain. With the fall of Ross Castle in 1652, the war in Kerry was lost, and other defeats brought the war to an end in the rest of Ireland as well. Pierce Ferriter’s sons Dominick and Richard left Ireland as “Wild Geese” under agreements made by Lord Muskerry. Pierce remained at large for almost a year, and many of the folk tales and legends surrounding his abilities as a warrior emerge from this interval. At last, in 1653, Pierce Ferriter was brought in to Ross Castle under an assurance of safety.

After an unsuccessful parley was Pierce began his journey from Killarney homeward. Somewhere near Castledrum, he was apprehended by men dispatched by the erstwhile negotiator, Colonel Nelson, and brought back as prisoner. Pursuant to a trial of which no record remains, Piaras Ferriter was hanged, presumably for having been a rebel.”

I tried to find a sample of his poetry, but came up empty handed. I’ll keep looking.

Peace, people!

Snapshot #192 and a Question 

At our first hotel in Ireland I couldn’t locate the blow dryer. I looked high and low and finally called the front desk. The young lady who answered the phone advised me to look in the center drawer of the writing desk beside our closet. 

Sure enough, there was the blow dryer, its base firmly attached to the inside of the drawer. I’d forgotten that in the U.K., none of the electrical outlets in hotel bathrooms will accommodate any appliance other than an electric shaver. I guess I could’ve shaved my head and then I’d have had no need for a dryer.

Let’s call this one, “Thar She Blows!”

Question for my friends in the U.K.: Can you blow dry your hair in the bathroom? 

Of Sheep, Sheepdogs, and Shepherds

Five of the non-golfers toured the Ring of Kerry on Monday to take in the breathtaking scenery the county has to offer. One of the highlights was a stop at a sheep herding exhibition. 

Who knew there were so many different kinds of sheep?



The border collies never took their eyes off of the sheep even during the pre-herding talk.

The dogs were nothing short of amazing, and one of my fellow travelers said the demonstration made her realize that her own dog wasn’t very bright in comparison. Here’s a little sample from our visit. I tried to download a longer video, but wasn’t able to at the hotel. Watch the action up at the top of the screen.

I wish I could smuggle one of these dogs home in my carry on. They’d be handy for herding Studly.

Peace, people.

​

Another Day…

Another day, another beer! 

After a day of riding a tour bus and touring the Muckross House near Killarney, several of us found a small pub and enjoyed a locally brewed beer. I had the Killarney pilsner. It was lip-smacking good!


Here’s another Irish toast befitting the occasion:

Irish Quotes

I wish you health, I wish you well, and happiness galore. 

I wish you luck for you and friends; what could I wish you more? 

May your joys be as deep as the oceans, your troubles as light as its foam. 

And may you find, sweet peace of mind, where ever you may roam.

Peace from Killarney, County Kerry, Ireland.