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.