Off to the country,

Picked up the car at the airport, funnily enough the taxi fare to the airport was 18 euro, compared to 29euro in the other direction - strange. M went on about the rosary beads hanging from the mirror of the first taxi while the one who was cheaper was feckin this & feckin that all the way! Sixt car rental girl was red haired Irish girl & M insisted on getting a photo as first irish we had come across (this reasonably true as most in shops, tourist offices etc are from Poland or Eastern Europe somewhere.

Only way out of Dublin was on the M50 ring road and seemed to require a full round of it before any likely exit for Galway N4 which is funny because on the map it looks like we should have gone straight out left. In the end had to exit M50 & then come back on it to be on the right side for the N4 exit! Can only assume we missed it on the first round. We drove for quite a stretch on the N 4 before deciding to come off for lunch as no apparent freeway services. The country-side & town of Clane very picturesque, there was an Aldi in town so we picked up some of the biggestselling women's skincare in UK (for 4 euro!!!) and some Scottish spring water for the trip- also big bargain.  We had lunch in O'Briens cafe (an Irish chain) & witnessed for the first time the Irish penchant for serving potato crisps with sandwiches - they love their spuds! 

Potato crisps with wrap for lunch at O'Briens

Back on the N4 for Galway, but lots of fun getting off it for Kilfenora, (birthplace of my G GF) just couldn't get to it & the GPS useless as all the freeways  are new in last 4 years or so & maps are out of date, British Emily continually getting her knickers in a twist even when we came off the freeway she couldn't cope as the access roads had all changed as well & we couldn't get to the other side. In the end we had to go down to Ennis & come up again on R roads, went through Corrofin, the home of the notorious Antoinette, the self-proclaimed foremost genealogist in Ireland. Kilfenora when we got there around 6.30pm (work it out - we picked up the car at midday 6 hours to go 200 odd k) just like on google earth, found the pub & hostel - the only accomodation in town - basic but friendly, Orla Vaughan (In Co Clare pronounced Vah..horn) runs it & very Irish she was ..to be sure. These Vaughans may be relatives too as GG GM's mother was a Vaughan, but I didn't pursue it as they have so many relatives in the here & now, & don't appear to have much interest in the previous generations. We had tea at Vaughans pub next door, Orla's brother runs it, seafood chowder, very nice & were offered the choice of 2 white wines, one South American & the other Australian, trouble was it was McGuigans - that bastard, still chose it ,however as had to support Australian wines when we have the opportunity and believe me this does not occur often in Europe - all the cheapies are Sth American, most wine lists do have at least 1 NZ wine however, so how does that work? Appears to me Oz wine marketers are taking money under false pretences. 

Delicious seafood chowder in Vaughans pub Kilfenora, note accompanying chips

We chatted to the people on the next table, an older man & what turned out to be his two daughters, all so  so Irish. His wife had died 2 or so years ago, & they had two meals out together a week, one at Vaughans in Kilfenora & the other in a pub in Dooley. They had ordered roast pork which came with chips, large bowl of veg, plus big dish of mashed spuds as well (enough from 10 people) The man was wearing a little gold pin which turned out to be a temperance badge, no alcohol for 61 years, he had no gripe with alcohol as such, just what it did to families.

No alcohol for 61 years, doesn't look that happy about it!

Dublin Sunday 29th May & Monday 30 May 2011

O'Connell St,  Dublin

Straight into town Sunday am for breakfast at a place like Myers cafe (modern day version would be Ikea cafe) Place chockas of customers doing the full Irish breakfast, same as full English, on the way home from mass perhaps?

Purchased a ticket for the big green bus, valid for 2 days,  & did the first round, 1.5 hours, good live commentary, political of course. Pointed out GPO building in O'Connell St, which was used by the rebels in the 1916 uprising & you can still see the bullet holes; next - big statue of Daniel O'Connell, known as the liberator, he achieved emancipation for catholics in 1829 which gave them the right to preach & practice their own religion, speak their native tongue, gaelic, & sit in Parliament; Oscar Wilde's childhood house; ditto Duke of Wellington - who apparently was not proud of his birthplace, his quote "Just because one is born in a stable, it doesn't make one a horse" to which Daniel O'Connell replied that it did not preclude him from being an ass.

Statue of Daniel O'Connell, Dublin

Ha' penny Bridge over the Liffey, toll was halfpenny for 100 years

Lots of other stuff also, but on the next run we got off at  Trinity College & did a walking tour. Trinity College has 15,000 students, was built on land on order of QE1 in 1592, land had been a monastery which had been taken by daddy Henry 8th. Lots of anecdotes and stories, ie fellows (special professors) of the college have the right to walk on the lawn & graze a goat & bigest scandal in 1700's when 4 students threw stones at the window of an unpopular professor, he fired on them, but missed, so they went home & returned with guns & shot him dead.  They were expelled but not convicted as the judge ruled it was a student prank gone awry! Tour terminated at library for Book of Kells viewing, which was a big thrill also.

Fellow apartments building Trinity College

Next stop Dublin Castle & did the tour. This was begun in 1204 on order of King John, & was seat of English rule in Ireland, not much remains of original, just one tower, was burnt down & rebuilt in 1600's, interesting was the view of the English, as the civilising influence of the romans never reached Ireland they felt it their duty to do the necessary. (hence all the fun for the last few centuries) Apparently the Romans came & had a look, called it Hibernia - the land of eternal winter, & decided it wasn't for them.

State room in Dublin Castle

The Record Tower, only remaining tower of original mediaeval castle from 1200's

Another interesting anecdote was the statue of Justice on the gate, Not blindfolded - so justice not blind in Ireland, also facing into the castle, also rain drips onto one side of the scale causing them to be uneven. A ditty around town was "Statue of Justice, note well her stance, her face to the rulers, her arse to the people" or something like.

Statue of justice facing into Dublin castle grounds

SO cold had to warm up with Irish coffee

Very warming Irish coffee, .... it kept me awake, but worth it!

 It was quite late by this time, so headed to O'Neills for tea again, place was chockas again, chose lamb shanks & once again a meal for a giant

O'Neills Pub Dublin, operating over 300  years

Interior of O'Neills pub

Lamb shanks for tea

But big tea Ok as we walked it off on the walk home, past the Rotunda Hospital which had been pointed out on the bus tour & was, wait for it.... the maternity hospital!