Ireland 2026; Day Four

 

My daughter Annie went for a hike to Heather Lake in Western Washington yesterday.  

Also, yesterday, Bill and I drove down a country road in Ireland, which we had never traveled.  It's in the Black Valley near Moll's Gap in County Kerry. 

My goal as we drove down that road was, as always, to take pictures, most importantly, to capture some photos of the "bloomin' heather."

Like Annie, we enjoyed the journey and the beauty.  I found plenty of bloomin' heather along with a lot of other lovely eye-catching gifts of nature. 

Our sojourn to the Black Valley west of Kenmare took up some time as we waited for the Moos to be available.  We call it the cottage, and these days we live for the time spent here at the cottage in Kenmare.

It’s along Main Street, but it’s hidden from view, nestled in a quiet spot as part of the Purcell Gallery, owned by Rosemary, who’s an artist herself.

We have stayed in all three of Rosemary’s accommodations, and a couple of years ago when the other two apartments were not available, she offered us the Moos, which marked the beginning of our annual yearning for time spent here.  I

t’s quiet, it’s lovely and it offers us a chance to live on our own. We’re completely independent.  

We buy groceries, and we just sit back and relax in between our other adventures. Bill has just gone off to have the laundry done next door. 

 As I said to Bill this morning, there’s a learning curve for me as I slowly pivot into the realization that “there’s time, no need to be in such a hurry with every move."

I kinda like that revelation and am trying to exercise it as much as possible.

Anyway, we are here in lovely Kenmare, living at the cottage, for three more days.

Now, I think it’s safe to reveal that, Janice and Mark, our neighbors two houses up South Center Valley Road in Sandpoint, actually spent two nights just across the street from where we are now residing in Kenmare. 

They returned home to Sandpoint yesterday after a two-week visit to Ireland.  It was a trip for them that made Bill and me just about as happy as we’ve ever been on all of our trips to Ireland.

It was their first, and I can report that they were taken in completely by the magic of this place.  Janice is talking about the “next” trip.

Also, to keep them from being too homesick for Ireland, Bill attached an Irish National Flag to their fence, and they did kinda notice it when they drove into their driveway yesterday.

We are so thrilled that they were thrilled with their first Irish experience. 

You’ll see from today’s photos that we visited St. Patrick’s Well yesterday before leaving Clonmel in County Tipperary.   

https://tipperary.com/see-and-do-listing/saint-patricks-well/

Our desk clerk at the Talbot Hotel told us we mustn’t leave town without visiting the well. So, we followed her friendly orders and had no regrets.

It’s a lovely sacred place, beautifully and historically kept.  We’re guessing that David who lives in a house just up the road from the trail to the well maybe be the appointed guide.

As we were leaving, he came from the house, walking toward us.  When he realized we were leaving, he insisted on going back to his house to get a brochure. David exemplified the typical Irish; they bend over backwards to make sure that others’ needs are met. 

We also met a young couple from Brazil who come regularly to fill their big plastic bottles with sacred and healing waters from the well.

Such places are common around Ireland, and they date to pre-Christian times, serving as places of healing and for visiting.

It was a neat experience, amplified by the fact that Bill found a geocache on the grounds.

The adventure to the Black Valley and the visit to St. Patrick’s Well were both unplanned but greatly enjoyed, and that’s a common aspect of Ireland---just go with the flow and ya never know what you’re going to learn or see.

Two more highlights of the day:  we walked into P.F. McCarthy’s in Kenmare, and who was the first person we saw:  our friend Vince.  What’s really neat is that Janice and Mark also met Vince just a few days ago.

It sounds as if his sense of humor is still going strong.  Vince told us that when Janice walked in to the pub looking for a Vince, he pointed to another man sitting outside and waited briefly before revealing his ruse.

We love Vince and Mary.  They have been friends since one of our first stays in Kenmare. At the time, they ran the Rose Garden Bed and Breakfast where we stayed a number of times.  

Vince, a chef, worked at P.F. McCarthy’s for a while but now works in the fish industry. Mary has been going to school to earn her real estate license.  Wonderful people and dear friends.

So, I’ve muttered on for quite a while this morning because there is lots of time to do what we wish without being dictated by a schedule.

Pretty nice feeling AND again, the weather is gorgeous today. 

Happy Monday.  Enjoy the photos.

 

David made sure we had a brochure about St. Patrick's Well.  

He says he has never left Ireland and that the area around St. Patrick's Well has been just fine for him all his life. 

He does know that roads in the United States are wider than many country roads in Ireland.  He warned us to drive safely. 

I knew our kids would enjoy these two photos.  

On our family trips, we enjoy the convenience store stops where inside is a plethora of goodies from which to select for munching in the car. 

Iconic view of Kenmare, County Kerry, Ireland. 

Twas a very busy Sunday yesterday. 

I have often said how the Irish bend over backward to be of help.  

Last night when nothing on the menu looked safe for me and my colitis, the manager at the Kenmare Brewhouse asked a few questions and put together a special dinner not on the menu so I could enjoy myself. 

It hit the spot. 

We also enjoyed listening to some great jazz life music. 

Our digs:  we have a nice courtyard with some sculptures in addition to our cottage. 

To summarize:  it was a very good day, as is almost any day spent in Ireland.  

Ireland 2026, Day Three

 

It's the Irish countryside, and when you come to this country, to say there's an abundance of such scenes is a total understatement. 

It's all especially stunning when the sun is shining as it did for most of our drive from Kildare to Clonmel in County Tipperary yesterday.  

We enjoyed a rather leisurely drive to a place where we've never stayed before.  

I was amazed at the size of Clonmel.  So much of the time we drive along the outskirts and have no idea what lies down those freeway exits.  Kinda like the mountains of Idaho--you must drive the back roads to see the real story of any place. 

Bill and I love doing that, and I do draw a parallel between taking off down an Irish side road with heading up some mountain road back home.  

Always something new to see.  

So, we spent the night at the Talbot Hotel in Clonmel where weddings were happening and a comedian was stroking people's funny bones.  

We participated in neither, but we knew “straight away” that this hotel is a busy place. 

Our drive was sprinkled with some neat stops. One occurred at the Lord Bagenal Hotel at Leighlinbridge, not too far from Kilkenny.  When we stopped at a gas station to use the restroom, the clerk directed us to the hotel across the street.

What an experience, just to go to the bathroom! It’s an elegant place with lots of beautiful art and flowers and chandeliers and an amazing collection of horse racing/ eventing photos.

Willie Mullins, an esteemed jockey and trainer of Grand National and Cheltenham winners, often celebrates his victories at the hotel, so the collection is both historic and amazing.

I spent some time just sitting on a couch admiring the sun room and playing the “guest” role, even if I had just come to use the bathroom. 

Later, when we drove through Stoneyford, like clockwork, Fred Malzard happened to be outside his pub.  

This is the second such happening on our visits to this small berg outside of Kilkenny.  It’s as if Fred knows we’re coming to town, and he wants to be there to greet us with “Welcome home.” 

Fred is, indeed, a prince of a man.

We visited briefly with Fred, whose pub has won some national awards.  Then, we went on our way, stopping occasionally at churches.  

Yesterday was a day of mixed emotions because back home, family members were attending a funeral for one of our extended family members (my brother Mike’s brother-in-law Mike Thompson).

My mission yesterday was to light a candle in Mike Thompson’s honor.

Finally, when we arrived at the Church of St. Peter and Paul in Clonmel, the doors were open, and we spent some quality time inside the church.  I lit several candles because it’s been a sad time recently with the loss of friends.

Our hearts were in Sandpoint yesterday as well as Ireland, and we were sad to miss the service but glad to spend some time reflecting. 

Today we head for Kenmare where we’ll stay four days in a lovely cottage where we’ve stayed before.  We are looking forward to settling in and not having to pack bags for a few days.

Stay tuned, and enjoy the photos. 

Bill has begun his marathon of eating fish and chips through Ireland. 

The Church of Saints Peter and Paul in Clonmel, Ireland. 

The boys of hurling on their way to the deli. 

To my friend  and neighbor Colleen:  some of this tea will come your way. 

I love this photo, sent to me yesterday from home. 

It's part of our family who were in Sandpoint to attend Mike Thompson's funeral. 

Daughter-in-law Debbie, our son Willie, our niece Maureen, her mom Mary Thompson Brown, niece Laura, my sister Barbara, my brother Mike and my sister Laurie. 

We weren't all there, but the family was well-represented. 

RIP, Mike Thompson and hugs to his wife Corky.