Arrived in shannon on the Aer Lingus and Delta red eyes

Sunday 09 February 1997

Arrived in Shannon on the Aer Lingus and Delta red eyes, very early, Sunday morning.

Eighty punt, no sleep, it’s Sunday morning, and they’re smoking cigarettes.

Wiped out and on our way to the car rental. The congenial girl gives us a choice between a “space bus” and a Volvo 850. We choose the Volvo. We are unsure where to go next, but know we need a local spot to settle for the day. Bunratty seems nice and nearby. We pay £3 to a travel advisor to call a bed and breakfast, where we can go, “straight away”. Mrs. Darcy’s in Bunratty is our destination. We venture forth on the left side of the road with Bob at the wheel.

Can’t find Mrs. Darcy’s B&B. Feeling somewhat wacky but getting closer, and finally finding it after a while. Trying to adjust: it’s Sunday Morning.

Greeted at Mrs. Darcy’s by reek of cats, mold and moss: no heat and quite damp. No satellite dish or other amenities for us. Unpack our car, and leave to get some food at the Fitzpatrick hotel up the road from Darcy’s near the Bunratty Castle.

Crash back at Darcy’s for a few hours sleep, and we get up:

Talking to Malachly in the driveway as he sweeps the moss.

Time to check out Durty Nellie’s, A famous pub in Bunratty serving since 1620. Have some pints, and join the session with a 6 string banjo and piano near the serving window at the bar. Dad takes some pictures. Patrons arrive like the rain on the road in Ireland, quickly moving through the place, and then going elsewhere. We are soon hungry: the only place with restaurants is the city of Limerick up the Dublin Road. Head out in search of food.

Find an Irish mall near the busy roundabout on N21. (N21 is the Dublin road if heading north, the Limerick road if heading south.) See a pub with the “good food” sign, go inside, but No food served at this pub on Sundays. The proprietor send us across the roundabout, a few miles up the Dublin road to M.J. Finnegan’s: Food is outstanding.

Can’t find the tip jar at Finnegan’s, heading back through Limerick, stop at irish mall supermarket for liquid refreshments and irish snack food. Head back to Mrs. Darcy’s to rest awhile before evening activities.

Sunday evening at Durty Nellie’s. Local musician Noel at the piano playing by the serving window and crowds drifting in and out just like our afternoon experience. We find a spot in the other room while Noel is playing traditional music, he is subtle and phenomenal and around sixty years old. We find the flow and soon some seats closer by Noel, near the giant black stove. Bob requests some New Orleans music, that leads to Bob’s rousing Louis Armstrong improvisation. Noel’s wishful comment on visiting New Orleans, and his one time meeting with Satchmo somewhere in Ireland. Noel follows further with his brilliant dixieland jazz improvs.

Crowd is changing as the evening continues, and a group of Cockney soccer players arrive singing, cavorting, and drinking. Noel changes tunes to accommodate the Cockney Rebels. We join the revelry, but refrain from some of the English peculiar sense of humor (We only slowly became aware these guys were English).

As the Serving Window closes around 11 PM, we realize the English rowdiness is not welcome that much, although the locals seem to take it in stride. Anyway we split fast. Go back in the car discussing out next move on the journey.

Weather looks ominous for a few days, so we decide upon heading to Dublin for some Irish big city life the next day. Darcy’s is kind of a letdown, so we are not sure about booking other B&B’s.

Monday 10 February

A full breakfast episode starts with Mrs. Darcy. <scene missing>

Leaving with no regrets and looking forward, and stuck in Limerick for a while due to city traffic.

. The City of Limerick

New on-the-road words: no overtaking while in the diversion and watch the black spot on the roundabout with a rumble area ahead.

To Dublin Town

Approaching Dublin, we take entry from the south side. No street signs anywhere,

Stop at gas station, with window access only, with a weird description posted below the window.

The wind is whipping up, Dad stays in car, and we venture forth to the nearest pub.

Phone is broken in the small main bar, A large back bar is empty with a working phone.

Bob and Dan stay to ask the pubman for directions (stay away from Sean McDermott Street, Danger in the Streets of Dublin). Mike goes back to tell Dad what is happening.

<scene missing> Finding Castle Hotel

Late afternoon our first walk along O’Connell Street then, the first cab from the promenade at O’Connell Street.

Over the river Liffey and time for a late lunch upstairs at the Quays, only a few wrapped sandwiches available, but they are very good.

Have a cup of good coffee at Just Coffee somewhere in Temple bar, then take a walk back over the River Liffey, the half penny bridge, back to O’Connell.

Walking on O’Connell and looking for edible “take away “food for Dad. Find a street pub, serving roast beef sandwich on dry white bread. Get a pint of milk and a soda and return to Dad at Hotel.

First night in Dublin

Waiting for Godot, down in Dad and Bob’s luxurious room, the former entry to the Ball room. The cabbie is waiting, the cab ride to Temple Bar is £5 plus.

All of us go out to the Fitzsimons Pub. We see the old and the young set dancing, meet the 3 Norwegian and others, hear the tin whistles a’ blowing. Great fun.

Return in a cab to the Castle Hotel to retire for the evening.

Tuesday 11 february

“Mind your step” going down to basement, while the women sing “I’ll be watching you”, in the kitchen. Time for a full breakfast: a mountain of eggs, sausage, bacon, sausage, bacon, porridge, and dry white toast. Oh yeah, brown bread must be requested.

After breakfast, long walk time: down the pedestrian-only shopping area of Henry Street then around Dublin. To the music shop go the Texan, the Spaniard and the Dutchman. “Watch out for the hooligans”, says the music shop man. Sean McDermott Street, Danger in the Streets of Dublin?

4. Dublin City

Back over to Henry Street and hear the woman singing Bingo numbers outback of the dingy “everything for a pound” store.

It’s Pancake Tuesday, pancakes in the bakery windows 4 for £1 .

Saw an outdoor vegetable and fruit market side street off Henry.

Do some shopping for the families and our long walk continues.

Across the halfpenny bridge to the Temple Bar, finding Bad Bob’s pub and others.

Walk back again o’er the river to get Dad and go to the Bestof fish and chips for lunch. Fresh greasy haddock, Dan gets no lunch, Bob and Mike get stomach aches.

Dad and Mike in the Dublin bus terminal hanging around waiting for the next double decker tour bus. Rain settling in as Dan and Bob bring back shopping stuff to the hotel before the next bus. They run back to jump the tour bus, and its a couple of stops to Trinity college. We enter the college at the student union where brickwork is underway under the archway. We found the “Old Library”, where resides the Book of Kells.

Figure 5. Trinity College Museum

Get back on the bus again, the dampness definitely settling in. The muffled sound of the ragged blown 3” speaker, as the tour busman driving us crazy. It’s a long ride back to Parnell Square, which is near the Castle Hotel.

At the hotel, Dad takes a long hot bath.

Bob goes out to pick up some delicious irish pastries and cookies. (yeah, sure).

Later in the evening, we meet the owner of the Castle Hotel in the parlor with his protégée. The room is cheery and the fire is nice. The Castle Hotel, oldest in Dublin, says the owner. Owner says he is 43 or so he says. He Looks around 65.

Night life in Dublin

Take a cab to the Temple Bar for dinner. No food at the Quays, because it is too late, go around the corner to Eamonds. Food is good. Downstairs at Eamond’s, a band plays. Waitress says it is house music, but it sounds like heavy metal, after dinner we go down to the cellar to find a rehearsing rock band.

Go back to the Quays to see the “trad” music band: Pagan Celtic Reign; excellent singing and playing.

Bantering and talking with the Irish: Shona, Peter, and Liam. Also two nice German girls and a guy from Philadelphia who likes to talk.

Bob requests from the band: Country road “ West Virginia, mountain mama”. The place is rocking. The Quays closes at 11 PM, so we stop by Bad Bob’s pub: Pay £5 cover charge? Sorry, not right now.

Back in a cab having the ballroom knickers conversation with the cabbie. So its over to Barry’s Hotel to see the underground ballroom dancing. A few doors down from the Castle Hotel, on the Grand ________.

Down the strange underground passage to the window, Pay £6? No way. Very strange.

Back to the hotel to meet Paddy, a true Dubliner at the bar, on the night shift. His wife/girlfriend works both day and night shifts at the desk.

In the wee hours at the hotel bar. The barrel is dry, Paddy gets a new one on line, but the tap cleaning is not complete. Bob drinks bluish green Guinness, Yuk. Paddy’s wife agrees, and handles the problem. The Castle’s Guinness Stout is clearing.

The girls from Liverpool show up at the bar, ready to go out on the town at 1 AM. They sleep by day and party all night (They woke up at 10 PM ). Paddy gets them a large bottle of wine and they are off.

Bob gives Paddy a good cigar. Paddy says he will smoke it on Saturday night

Conversation turns to cigarettes, Silk Cuts and Players, the preferred smoke, and we have a few adventures before turning in.

Ash Wednesday

Figur6. City of Dublin

Our last full breakfast in Dublin, but we resist having some fat with our fat.

On the road, the rain here and there, and rainbows everywhere, as we leave the city. The long haul to Dingle is happily before us. Long time, stop and go action in Limerick traffic. But a nice lunch at M.J. Finnegan’s on the road. Dan has the Irish curry chicken. The ice cream is not recognizable and the pie’s not sweet, but solid scoops of mashed potatoes and “veg” are delicious.

Passing through, and heading into the southwest countryside and stopping for the group picture in Adare. Soon to be on the Dingle Peninsula, as we near the Rose of Trailee.

On the Road to Dingle

Alternate truck route into Dingle, but the beauty of the Connor Pass area is all around us.

Arrive at the roundabout in the village of Dingle. Benner’s Hotel on Main Street. No traffic wardens, says the desk clerk, park as you like. Weather is changing once again, wind is whipping, storm is brewing . Settle in before dinner at Benners’.

Benners is the best stayover yet, but the surly waiter/bartender/fixitman/cook/doorman is going turbulent. First overweight Irishman we have seen (heavy sweat fills his eyes), but then again its seems Dingle people come in more sizes and shapes, unlike the Dubliners who seem to be all the same stature.

Evening in Dingle

Time for dinner at the hotel. The chicken is lousy, the fish is good. Bob waits to pay the waiter/bartender/fixitman/cook/doorman (Bob tips well and waiter/bartender/fixitman/cook/doorman lightens up some).

We rush off to church for ashes. Storm is peaking, and it is a long block to St. Bridget’s ( Gaelic spelling ) on the hill. Service spoken all in Gaelic. Rain is pounding on the huge roof, we are soaking wet.

Run back to the hotel to change our shoes, and the boys head to a most famous Dingle pub. The “Little Bridge”, unpronounceable in Gaelic, Known to us as: “blaah, blah”. Small fire burning peat, locals arriving sitting on tiny benches by the fire to dry out.

Music starts 9:30, but the Italy/England match on TV at the bar must end first. Bartender favors Italy.

Good sounds (uillean pipes, bohdran, other traditional instruments) but the cigarette smoke settles in heavily. Need Air..

Go outside and the wind is still very strong, Bob and Mike go for a walk, Dan heading back to the hotel for the evening.

Blown around the village corner, we find O’Connell’s (Gaelic spelling) pub and seek shelter within.

Two girls in their upper twenties having a traditional music session. An upbeat pubman tends the bar. Soon the sly server is singing and pulling instruments out, left and right. Bob and Mike join the session, and do some “real American” numbers, as well as Golden, for Julia.

Soon returning to traditional music, pubman leading the band with a squeeze box, Bob joins in on guitar. Too soon it’s time for The Parting Glass.

Thursday 13 february

Shopping around Dingle town. At 8 AM Dan meets the 100 year old man with the extra large cans of Harp Lager and a story. More shopping and we’re off.

Across the Connor Pass. Too magnificent for words. The sheep on the hillsides, the narrow, winding roads. Beauty everywhere. See Bob’s video.

Round and round in Trailee, but we don’t see the rose or have a parking disc so cannot park. Quite a busy little town for a February midday. Mike drives on through chaos on the corner, watch your mirror, lookout for the curb. Oh, boy, oh boy.

Lunch in CastleIsland at the Good Table, one of the few small town restaurants we saw. The food is very, very good. The Texan leaves a large tip.

Figure 9. A Garden in Ireland

Heading for Adare right next to the golf links. Staying at the golf links hotel, nice resort type
place.

Bob and Dan head out to explore the links. Dad and Mike crash out in the rooms.

Later that night, Dad rips his hand on the brass bannister, hotel provides very strange band aids. Accident report required. A tort claim for some land on the Dingle Peninsula is contemplated.

Out to dinner at the only place with food, a very nice pub in Adare. But soup and scrambled egg and tomato sandwiches, not much to talk about.

Adare is a pleasant place, though. Watching Gaelic TV at the bar. Crazy quiz show in Gaelic with teenagers in a grotto set with a monk as host.

Couple of pints and its back to the hotel for coffee. We are the only ones sitting at the tables, on what looks like the dance floor, kind of inexplicable. We head back to the rooms for some rest.

Friday 14 february 1997

The last day in Ireland. Stopping by in Bunratty, near the Castle and Durty Nellie’s. A little shopping, and sightseeing. It’s all ending soon. Back to our arrival point, the Shannon airport; small regrets on leaving, but with a nice anticipation, soon to see the families. We had a great time, someday we want to go back.