Chapter 27

Dun Laoghaire-Dublin-London

Sadly, we packed up our six suitcases and moved out of the wonderful apartment we had lived in for 5 weeks in Dun Laoghaire.  Our host Marie, was absolutely delightful, and we both said that we certainly had hold of a four-leafed clover to secure it. 
We moved into a hotel in Dublin, about a five minute walk for Philip to get to and from work. This was the up side as it was nearly an hour one way to work from the apartment.

Philip's work building in the background.  Train station half way, from hotel room.

We have been in Ireland for 9 weeks, and have been very lucky with the weather.  Only a couple of inclement days, and nothing to stop us touring.  The best summer in 20 years we were told!  Another four-leafed clover?
On our last weekend in Ireland, we decided to head to the "sunny south east", to a place called Wexford.  This two hour journey by train was picturesque, as the track hugged the coast for most of the trip. 

Taken from train

We had arranged a pick up to tour the area before checking into our accommodation, so it was nice to see Eugene's smiling face as we got off the train.  As we learnt, he was a career fisherman who now drove taxis and he was a local, so imparted much information and funny stories.  One such story he told about his life on the sea, was the time he fell overboard while working one shift during rough weather. As he was hauled aboard, he was asked by his sympathetic crew not "if he was OK", but "are ya wet"!  We thought that was hilarious and typical of the many Irish stories we have heard.
Our first stop was Carracloe Beach and Ballinesker Beach.  Probably unfamiliar to you just as names, but if you have seen the movie Saving Private Ryan, then you would have seen the cliffs and beaches in the opening scenes depicting Omaha Beach and the D-Day landings.
This stretch of coastline is quite untouched and pristine, with hardly a soul around and very similar to Normandy.

Next on the list was Tintern Abbey, located on a small river that flows into Bannow Bay.  We were told that when the Earl of Pembroke set sail to Ireland (c1200) from Wales, his vessel was threatened with shipwreck.  Whilst swimming for his life, he vowed to found an abbey wherever he could safely land, so now Tintern de Voto, "Tintern of the vow" is located here. Now we have been to both "Tinterns" - Monmouthshire, Wales and Co Wexford, Ireland!

About 500 metres from the Abbey in a verdant vale with beautiful wooded scenery is the Colclough Walled Garden.  The 2.5 acre garden was built over 200 years ago, but it was abandoned to nature in 1959.  Extremely overgrown, volunteers are now restoring the ornamental and kitchen sections using information found on historical maps.  Today, with its  brook, bridges, thriving vegetable patch and fruit trees it is a credit to these people.

The verdant vale

The walled garden

Further along this peninsular, on a point leading into Waterford Harbour, is the Hook Lighthouse.  This 800 year old striped structure is one of the oldest operating in the world. On the opposite side of the estuary is a town called Crook.  This is where, we were told, the saying.." By hook or by Crook" came from.

Titanic wannabee

From Hook to Crook

 We visited the National Famine Memorial near Westport, but here in New Ross, our next stop, they have built a replica famine ship.  The "Dunbrody" was a three masted barque built in Quebec in 1845 for the local Graves family.  It was fitted with bunk beds, and between 1845 and 1851 she carried passengers, trying to escape the potato famine, to North America for sums of £3-£8 depending on class.  6 sq.ft was allowed for 4 passengers.  Unimaginable in today's terms.  Or is it, with the traffic of people on the waters around the world.

The barque, with its captain

The captain, with its bark

The town of New Ross is most notable for its association with the Kennedy family.  JFK visited here in 1963 just before his fateful trip to Dallas.  He was visiting the simple rural farm cottage that his great grandfather Patrick Kenedy (note the spelling) lived in prior to him leaving Ireland as a famine emigrant.  The visitor centre was recently opened by Caroline Kennedy in June this year, and is filled with memorabilia and photos and stories.  The descendants still live in the cottage.

Cottage to the left, barn to the right

After 6 hours touring, we were dropped off at Rathaspeck Manor for the night.  Built in the late 1600's by the Codd family, it passed down through many generations, and was even in the hands of the Moody family in the early 1900's!  (Not my family)  They sold it to the ancestors of the current family who have ditched the cows and farm animals and made an 18-hole golf course on the surrounding land.  Rathaspeck roughly translates to Fort of the Bishop, as it was home to some nuns for a while.  We slept in what was Father Alberts room.......what was he doing there you ask?
The rooms were magnificent and the Full Irish breakfast delicious.  We have found out that a Full Irish is a Full English without the baked beans!
We were offered free golf after breakfast, so we thought, why not. 
I haven't played for 20 years, so the challenge was huge.  I went around in 71, which Pip said was "one under par".  However, we only played 9 holes...... don't think Rory McIlroy will have to worry.  And Pip has since told me its not a "zig-zag" game, or that you get extra points to put the ball in the sand or ponds. That was my mistake!

Rathaspeck Manor

Ready...aim...

Thwack... why didn't the ball move?

Before boarding the train to return to Dublin, we had a quick lunch in The Wexford Centenary Stores pub.  Music drew us inside, and we were delighted to see 7 guys playing mandolins, fiddles, banjos, tin whistles, accordions  and a couple of Bodhrans.  The folk singing to accompany it was melodic.  Our feet were tapping, but not in a Riverdance way! Good Craic.

Well, we have now packed up the six suitcases yet again, and are off to London.  I must add here that we have had a wonderful time in Ireland, and we both think one of the highlights has been the culinary experiences.  The wealth of locally sourced ingredients from the sea and land is represented in the many cuisines we have tried.  And, of course, Guinness, well thats a whole food group on its own!

Now back to family and friends, which will be nice. 

Till the next blog
Love Annie
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