Breathtaking Beauty

"We had driven to that coast
Through flowers and limestone
And there we were, toasting friendship,
Laying down a perfect memory
In the cool of thatch and crockery"
Seamus Heany

    

   Dingle town is a sensory feast. It is at the heart of a peninsula that steals hearts.

   Settlement began here in the 12th Century.  Eight centuries later it was one of the stars of a film. After seeing Ryan's Daughter, film maker Ron Howard shot Far and Away on the peninsula.

  Dingle has its own version of Irish rhythm and voice.

  Here is where we "laid down" some of that "perfect memory," Out of the Blue Seafood.
   Kay and Jack know this trail well. It was as they promised, a dinner that resides now on the all time great lists.

   Population of this port town on the Atlantic in the south west of Ireland is just a tick above 2,000, but as they say in sport, it plays much larger than that.

  Dingle is picturesque and authentic.

   Our hotel exuded that sweet and unique fragrance of a peat log fire to warm the morning chill.

   And thanks again to Kay and Jack's driving and navigation we were treated to the stunning optics of the peninsula. The greenest green I've beheld, running to the craggy or sand beaches of the bold Atlantic.  
   The Blasket and Skellig Michael Islands on the horizons and the coast that bears a bit of home.  

  Life on the Dingle peninsula is about the ocean. 

   Kay and Jack opted for a pre-famine cabin in the heart of Irish (Gaelic) speaking country.

   The Gallarus Oratory is an Irish story of its own. 1300 years old it sits near Smerwick Harbour.  It is dry rubble masonry, wherein the roof is a continuation of the rise of the sidewalls. 

  Vikings and Normans invaded this area and destroyed other buildings. There are several theories as to the purpose of this Oratory; marking a burial site, a chapel or contemplation setting, a place of hospitality, or something else?

   The twin craggy peaks of Skellig Michael are familiar to Star Wars fans, as filming was done here.
   Named for the archangel Michael, the island contains monastic remains including other Oratory meditation buildings dating from the 6th Century. There is a monk's grave yard on Skellig Michael. Irish myth holds that a superior race inhabited the island in pre-Christian times.

  Eask Tower atop Carhoo hill was built in 1847 to guide ships. 
   The Ring of Kerry, Slea Head and the entire peninsula offer a beauty that is almost beyond belief. 

   Charlie Chaplin used to holiday on the Peninsula near the town of Waterville which put up a statue.

    There is a particular stirring in the heart that we felt as we absorbed Dingle Peninsula. It is history, beauty, the culture, music and above all, the heart of the people. It became our Irish love story.

   As we planned our trip to Scotland we thought it wise to visit Ireland and catch up with Kay, Willie, Kay and Jack. What was to be a "brief" visit, extended a bit and allowed for  more. In fishing parlance, the hook was set. 

   As my life long friend Jim, who put us onto Dingle, said,

he's "ready to go back anytime."  Understood.

   Down the trail are a few more stops, including, Walking into another Pub--this one is unique in all the world!

    See you down the trail.

The Road to Dingle

    Dingle, on the southwest coast of Ireland, is one of those picturesque places that seems drawn from a fairy tale.

     The Dingle Peninsula, the Ring of Kerry, and Slea Head command a beauty that is without peer.  We have images to share, but first the road to Dingle offers majesty of its own.

   Glendalough in the Wicklow mountains, the home the hermit like St. Kevin, (remember the previous post-" ...and he threw her right into the lake...) offers scenic beauty and history. 

     The Round Tower was built about a thousand years ago. Few of these remain.

   The Bell Towers were used to call the Monks to prayer.

   One's perspective is enhanced when immersed in artifacts of the 10th century. The manner of construction, the endurance of the building, their role in a monastic life and faith, all play in your mind against the reality of the 21st Century.

     This part of Ireland offers natural wonder

 and a cultural history as well. 

   This Luggala estate was recently sold. It was the mountain castle retreat of one of the Guinness brewing heirs.

  He was a rock music patron and the castle hosted some of the biggest stars in the business. With its lake and surrounding mountains it is an extraordinary "retreat."

  Our journey from Dublin to Dingle was orchestrated, chauffeured and guided by Kay and Jack, both of whom are a wealth of knowledge and wit.

    Thatched houses abound in Adare, and we'll spend more time there in an upcoming post.

The Jaunting Carts of Killarney

     Muckross Manor on Upper Lake Killarney.

    It is an empire of green through Killarney and County Kerry.

 Inch Beach under brooding skies. 

     It is a green nation and speckled with vibrant color, both domestic

     and wild. The resplendent green vistas are dotted with a yellow. It is Furze, a type of gorse. 

     As Californian's Lana and I have become accustomed to having a green season, a gold season and the dry and brown season. Seeing the interior of Ireland and making the drive to Dingle gave us a chance to see why and how Ireland is considered Emerald. 

     It is a wonderful place on this planet to Tog Bog as one of the road signs read. I think it translates as "take it slow."

    Coming up-Dingle, the Peninsula, Slea Head and the Ring of Kerry.  

A Little Wildlife Adventure

     Soon, we continue our Irish travels to Dingle, in the southwest, a place not to be missed!

    Today we do a little wildlife spotting with grandson Henry.

     The elephant seals at Piedras Blancas on the

California Pacific Coast Highway caught his attention.

   "Nana" and he marveled at Zebras near the Hearst Castle at San Simeon.

   Even the wildlife seem mellow, as gentle we go into a new year and a new decade. I wonder if these '20's will roar?

    Wishing you well being and cheers as we continue on the trail.