Day One
Wednesday -
We didn't sleep much on the plane....... we arrive at Shannon Airport at 8:49 am.
The luggage made it!!! We think we're going to like this! Met some nuns from New Orleans....Mike's old school. That Good Karma is working for us. The weather is not what we expected. It is sunny and 75 degrees.We pick up our new snazzy red Opal Vectra and hit the road! You know, it's not easy driving on the opposite side of the road, and it's even more difficult if you're driving a straight shift and shifting with the opposite hand! Even though we were punchy, it was 9:30 am and we needed to make the most of our time. We leave Shannon and head for Limerick. In Limerick, we begin to get our "LEGS". We're doing great now...headin' south for County Cork!

Blarney Castle is our first real stop to visit and walk around....What a great place! The 83 foot high castle keep is all that remains of the 15th century castle...It is surrounded by a very beautiful park, with lake and gardens.

Up 290 small, curved steps you get to the top of the Castle where you get in queue to kiss the Blarney Stone! The stone is said to give the gift of eloquence to those who kiss it.

Here you see Mike kissing the Blarney Stone. The Stone should have kissed HIM!!! The stone is actually a part of the battlements(?walls), and you have to bend over backwards to kiss it. However, a guide will gladly assist. We're off to Cork, and then to Kinsale for the evening.

Cork is wild! It might have something to do with being there in the midst of rush hour...So, we don't hang around in Cork, but head for the shelter of our room at Mrs. McCarthy's SeaBreeze in the beautiful seaport village of Kinsale. We park and walk into the village. It is so colorful. It's quite a historic place, too. A major turning point in Irish history, the Battle of Kinsale occurred in 1601.

This is one end of the harbour, the tide is out. There is also a 17th century fort, a 16th century castle, and the place was home to William Penn, Jr., before he went to the New World and did something or other special. In 1915, the Lusitania was sunk by a German submarine just off the coast of the Old Head of Kinsale. LOTS of history....

In bed by 7:30, we get a wonderful night's sleep. Woke up briefly at 10:30, and it is still daylight.....must be a dream.