Continued—The Gift of the Gab—Our trip to Ireland

Day 5 of Ireland Trip—Dingle Peninsula and Blasket Centre—a beautiful part of Ireland showcased in two movies, "Ryan''s Daughter" and "Far and Away." The scenery is wonderful. 

                                                    

We stopped at a lady's house known as "Old Mary." Her home overlooked the peninsula and there were old ruins and one of the Christian monastic beehive huts. (You can see one to the right of the house.) Their exact date of being built is not known, but it is believed they were tied to the Early Christian Period. Mary charges two euros to walk the land around her home and tour the ruins. She uses the money to visit her daughter in the states once a year.

Dingle Peninsula

Blasket Islands

Blasket Islands can be seen from the peninsula and have an interesting history. Two miles from land, they were inhabited until 1953. Check out this website to read the history of the inhabitants.
http://www.kerryholiday.co.uk/blaskets.html
After a lunch of fish and chips, we had time to shop and sample Murphey's Ice cream shop. I had Bailey's Coffee and Cream. Delish! Our guide said they had an oatmeal flavor that was very popular. I took a sample and it was very good, but coffee is my favorite.

The Yankee Clipper

Day 6 of our Ireland Trip—We visited the Foynes Flying Boat Museum and toured the Yankee Clipper, a flying boat that made trips from Europe to the States and other countries. I was amazed, didn't know such a mode of travel existed in the 1930s and early 1940s. It was here the first true Irish Coffee originated. After our tour, we learned the correct method (see earlier posting on recipe) and were treated to a glass. Google Foynes Flying Boat Museum and take a tour by viewing the pictures. They even had a honeymoon suite.

Irish Coffee—Cheers

Larry in the Pilots chair of the Yankee Clipper

After a scenic drive through Limerick to Ennis, we checked into The Temple Gate Hotel and at 2:30 departed for the Cliffs of Moher, a majestic wall of rock that plunges to the Atlantic Ocean. What beauty nature bestows on us. It's hard to imagine spots such as this exist.

We ended our tour with a banquet at Knappogue Castle with a fun medieval-style banquet. The lords and ladies, in full period dress, served and entertained us with spoofs, song, and dance.

We boarded our bus for home at 9:00 the next morning. It was much smoother sailing on our return trip.

Unfortunately, the few pictures we got at the castle were not good or nonexistent, but I'm getting some from a friend and will fill in as soon as possible.

Larry wearing his Tam

It was a wonderful trip, one of a lifetime, and now I want to see northern Ireland, Scotland, England, and Wales. I know—want, want want!

 

For a recipe to make authentic Irish Coffee, visit

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/original-irish-coffee-recipe.html

Thanks for stopping by.

Linda

www.lindalaroque.com