it seems the ongoing conflict in Ireland for the past 800 years spawn many stories, some which are not completely documented. Legendary Rodney McCorley seems to be one of them. But he was hung in 1800near the bridge of Toome in Antrim County in which Belfast resides. It isn’t really clear whether his grievances which turned him to rebel causes and joining a gang were caused by religious or economic issues. His father evidently was executed for some crimes and then they were kicked out of their house which was very typical of England the imperialism in Ireland. I came to this site where he was hung in 1985 while driving through North Ireland. I saw the sign entering the county of Antrim and it came to mind, “oh Antrim town oh Antrim town”. Then I recalled the other lyrics, “and Young Roddy McCorley goes to die on the bridge of Toome today “. So I went to look for that bridge and I found it. On one side was the place where Roddy was hanged and on the other side of the street was an English outpost complete Wiz high fences, barbed wire, bright flood lights and guns. What a contrast indicating a fascinating story. You’ll see the photos I took in 1985 down below.
Where Roddy was hung This is the site in 1985
This is where the England outpost wasThis is what it looked like in 1985The bridge The river Beautiful flowers near the bridge There is a museum and a pub restaurant in West Belfast dedicated to Roddy and some of the other brave Irishman who fought to unify Ireland under the Irish government. It’s dedicated to Roddy Some of the brave people who gave their lives for free freedom Inside there’s a nice pub
below you will see photos of some of the graffiti in the north
the southwest of Ireland has so many famous city names. You will recognize them as soon as you see them and you will want to go and visit. All of the small little towns seem to be very cute and interesting and it’s difficult to think that you cannot stay in every little town overnight unless you have many hundreds of days to stay.
Fermoy
this town is cute and probably worth staying one night but you can also just drive through even though it looks like there are a few good restaurants including a Chinese restaurant called Hong Kong where I ate and found good food. I stayed at The Square Townhouse which was very comfortable at the owner was very helpful. One thing you need to know about smaller private rentals and small hotels, there often is no elevator going to the upper level levels. The stairs can also be very narrow.
The bridge over the river Blackwater and the church in the backgroundThe small church at the intersection of four Rhodes just at the bridge. The intersection is a little bit confusing so be careful if you’re driving. The plum cherry trees were beginning to bloom
Cahir Castle
This castle like most other large castles in this general area of Tipperary were built by the butlersThe impressive outside walls with a mote around itThe area around the castle used to be part of the lands of the castle but now public parks the mechanism for drawing up and down the entrance entrance gateThe large dining area A few photos of some republican freedom fightersThis flag is one of the original flags to express the symbolism of the effort to kick the British control out of Ireland. The plow symbolizes the simple worker, the farmer and the stars symbolize aspirations. There is a famous play by Sean O’Casey, the hundredth anniversary showing which I saw in Dublin this year in the national Theatre, the Abbey Theatre where it was originally played 100 years ago.
in the 1800s a distant and unsuspecting Butler family member inherited the estates. But living in a drafty old castle in Cahir was not his idea of luxury so he built this cottage which was called “the cottage“. Later on other people mentioned it looked like a Swiss cottage and so that was kind of a nickname among other people. It is said that his wife never spent an evening in the Swiss cottage because when she was not there she could see there were lights on and it was obviously her husband entertaining some ladies privately.
This is Yew tree which is estimated to be about 1000 years old. They were grown to provide certain kinds of wood for bows and arrows and also used in monasteries because it kept the vermin away since the various parts of the tree could be poisonous to some animals.
Schull
I decided it was a good idea to just try the muscles by the seaside somewhere. They were very tasty and the food was a very high-quality. But the western style of cooking muscles overdoes them a little bit so they tend to be a little bit too overcooked.Deciding to go for a logger I thought it was a good idea to have a Moretti
I didn’t stay in Kilkenny but everybody recommended I should go see the castle at least. The town seems to be fairly touristy but it looks to be pretty interesting and I could recommend staying there a couple days. You might find yourself loving Kilkenny especially because there is a famous beer that comes from here that is very delicious.
The entranceway to Kilkenny Castle. It is obvious it is a main attraction here. There is a lot of parking though it’s difficult to find a space.The side of the castleThere are still ancient things to find under this site The view from the courtyard
These are some of the original wallpapersThe small dining room room People waiting to see the Lord, one of the Butler descendants This was a day room for relaxation. The lounge is actually a small bed for two people. The guides explained people at that time often slept sort of have sitting up for health reasons. I suspect since this is a cold and damp country there were a lot of potentials for respiratory issues. Setting up without allow the sinuses to drain properly and not into the lungs. This is the Moorish staircase modeled after something from North Africa as you can see.This was the waiting area for the main public who wanted a few minutes with the Lord or some high authority
Waterford Crystal
even though a Waterford crystal company has a very long tradition, actually almost as old as the US constitution, the current company was actually established by a fellow from the Czech Republic, Havel. The Czech Republic is also very famous for Crystal. All of the crystal here is handmade and a lot of it is custom designed and made for special purposes. You have to pay for the tour, something less than US$20
The opening times The beautiful clock encased in crystalThe pieces are created using wooden moulds. Different types of wood are used for different creations. This Behr was created using many different pieces. Here you can see the moulds used to create the bearThe Pebble Beach Pro-Am trophyAll of the production is on display for visitors The apprentices work for five years here and then they moved to design for three years. After that they become a craftsman. He is putting the red heart crystal into the mould to shape it. To hollow it out he blows on the other end of the long pipe. This fellow is grinding down the edge Checking the product for perfect perfection If there are any flaws that can’t immediately be corrected they are put in this recycle bin. This crystal is then melted down and used again. Cooling down the piece They use these pens to draw the design on the product The product in different stages of finishingThis is where they etch the final design The Waterford city CrestVan Gogh artwork One piece created when Obama visited the factory Interesting assortment of designed pieces
Waterford
The town clock Just an interesting old building My new favorite whiskey made at the same distillery as Jamison. This is an amazing league flavorful whiskeySaint savior‘s ChurchScreenshotA Panamanian saintMaybe this is my family’s hotel This is obviously an England royal buildingScreenshotReginald‘s tower originally created by the VikingsWaterford city at the inception. On the lower left you can see the tower at the corner of the two inlets. This is a good place to protect incoming trafficThis is an interesting name for a Turkish restaurant I did not know this famous poet also sold water
Ormonde Castle
One of the butler’s houses adjacent to a castleThe bedroom The Butler crest The guy who saved Elizabeth Family crest above the fireplaceThe attic was a space for the servants to sleep. The design is reminiscent of a boat. Actually it was boat builders who created this roof. No metal was used to join the pieces so that they would expand and contract together and not break. An old Mark of the castle
if you want to consider Bopping around Belfast I recommend you visit a few places that may be of interest. The Belfast Castle is mostly a venue for gatherings but it’s an interesting building from the outside and the garden is nice and it’s a great view of Belfast and the port. There are a few sites in the city. My interest was going to the bridge of Toome to visit, after 40 years, the place whereRoddy McCorley was hanged. I also visited the social club named after him which has a lot of history especially of the revolution and a nice little pub.
Belfast Castle Garden The castle from the garden It’s the beginning of spring so the flowers are starting to come out The castle from the northside A cruise ship in Belfast Port These are the people that owned the castle. There was some kind of defensive structure built here 1000 years ago by the Vikings and then the NormansThe flowering bushes and trees were very beautiful This could very well be a city crest but I did not look it up At this height it is obvious that this was a road for birdsThe old telegraph building The building itself
Whitehead
whitehead is about 3/4 of the way up to Larne which is the port for the ferry to the Isle of Man. Belfast became too expensive so I came up here for a few days. There isn’t much in this town but it’s a good place to just walk around by the seaside and relax.
My favorite Irish whiskey was Jamison but my all-time favorite was a bourbon. Then I was introduced to redbreast which is actually made in the same place as Jamison. This is an interesting and very flavorful, fruity whiskey and now my all-time favorite as a sipping whiskey Beautiful flowering plum I think I came to Whitehead for the coffee? Maude serves a delicious coffeeColorfull buildingsMore colorful buildings by the seaside. If you keep going south along this path you will find a trekking path into a natural preserve. There are a lot of birds here so will provide you with some nice natural music as you walk up along the hillYou can go down right by the water and pick out some nice round stones. They are very smoothThe Presbyterian Church I didn’t know that Knorr is now selling cups of wine. This is interestingInteresting ideas on ketchup I found Doctor Who’s tardis
in the southwest of Ireland, Tipperary, the Butler family was given control of the area by Queen Elizabeth I. This is just one of the castles in the area not too far from Waterford.
The castle from the approach If I remember correctly this is the Butler who saved Elizabeth from potential violence when her half brother became king. She was whisked away to Ireland for safety A copy of a famous book written by one of the attendees of the castle A commemorative cup of the bicentennial steeplechase race. A horse race from one church steeple to another church steeple of a certain distance which I believe is 5.7 km is called a steeplechase. This steeplechase, 200 years ago was the first one. Saint ledger is the name given to this fellow, not that he was a saint but he was the Lord of the area.The last inhabitant of the castle This Elizabeth was a close friend of the last inhabitant of the castle and wrote many books. When she sold her castle, very close to this one, she had built a small house for herself and she told her friends that it was the first time in her life she was ever warm. These castles are very cold and difficult to heatA famous architect designed this castle including this beautiful foyer glass window made up partly from the ends of bottlesA very unusual mirror. It is made up of 95% silver and that’s why it has not developed the tarnishing that mirrors tend to get overtime. It is said that the kids used to bounce balls off of it Most of the original furnishings were left
Dublin was a trading center established by the Vikings and later built up by the local people and of course, since it was close to England, the Normans and then the British. It’s an interesting town with almost as many pubs‘s restaurants in some areas. It’s a good place to spend three or four days and there was a lot to see. If you were interested in the history the Irish people are very proud of it is not only their ancient heritage but also how they gained their freedom from England.
Kilmainham Goal
this is the jail where they kept people to be punished and also temporarily housed before they shipped them to some other place in the world. This is also the place where the major organizers of the Easter rising in 1916 were executed by the British. Make sure to book this in advance on their website. In the off-season you have to book a few days in advance. During the tourist season it could be very crowded.
The courtroom where you start your tour and where judgments were made upon prisonersThis is the symbol of Ireland. Eire is the name of the country and it means “the land“. The English, be because they did not understand what the name meant, they added “land” to the name and therefore became Ireland.Here we go on the tour through the prison Walking through the narrow passages next to the cells The chapel were prisoners are allowed a service. There was one famous prisoner who got married the day he died here in this chapel. You can see there were very thick walls The inside of one of the cells This was a later addition to the old jail. This is the section where the Easter rising organizers were imprisoned. His history is in another photo blog. He was executed for participation in the Easter risingSimon was a rebel who was captured in 1921She was not executed but let out within months Thomas was executed also The execution of the organizers of the 1916 rebellion Eamon was not executed because he was also a US citizen. He was let out and went to the US to get support and then came back and eventually became the president of Ireland for many years.The outside of the New Edition This is the wall against which the prisoners were executedThe Hydra represents the five most heinous crimes
Trinity College
Trinity College is the main premium university in Ireland The main entrance to the university I arrived just at the graduation ceremonies The book of Kells is an ancient fifth century Bible which was rescued and preserved in the city of Kells and later moved to Trinity CollegeThe Bible is highly decoratedYou see the symbolism of the whirling circles with three items inside exactly the same as the Japanese symbol which I found very interesting in 1985 and I find it everywhere in ancient Irish art You can see here the old language which shows some letters carved on the left of the edge and some on the right and some going over the edge. They all represent different letter letters This is the library where every published book is kept. It has been added onto over the ages One of the original declarations of the Republic in 1916A very old map Showing IrelandThe different political districts in IrelandThis is called the Brian Boru harp but it was made almost 500 years after he died. This is from the 16th century And the oldest one found to date.
Sandycove and James Joyce
The author of Ulysses and Finnegan‘s Wake, James Joyce, was often staying in Dublin but he loved SandyCove. The tower he stayed in is one of his memorial spots and a very interesting place to visit. It’s just outside Dublin so a very easy trip.
The church in the town Saint Joseph’s Parish Beautiful stained glass window A memorial to James Joyce
Sandycove and James Joyce
You see the many smoke stacks from just one building. It represents the cooking ovens and the fireplaces in each of the roomsYou can see the tower in the distance on the right This is where James Joyce stayed for a while and the characters he met here are very much reflected in his book “Ulysses“.
The Dingle peninsula is a really amazing place and if you have time don’t miss it. It is so beautiful and it has so many interesting places to stop and see and learn. The town of Dingle itself is quite touristy but it’s fun to walk around this Port town. I stayed in the Base which is a hotel and it was much more than sufficient. To see music in the evening I went to the dingle pub and a nice thing was the local flavor of the tunes and the amount amount of fiddle music. It was really a great experience.
Tralee
St. John’s parish
the rose of Tralee it’s about a couple who fell in love, the woman far below the gentleman’s station in life and so of course the families wanted them separated so the gentleman’s family sent him off to war. The woman died before he could get back and she was his rose.
The rose of TraleeThis must be the place to go if you want to understand more about drinking.
this town doesn’t seem to be very busy and not very touristy but it’s a cute little town and maybe because it’s not so busy it would be an easy place to find accommodation and it definitely is worth stopping by during the day at least.
on to the Peninsula
the fairy Circle is actually a small circle inside a larger circle which you can walk around. It has not been extensively excavated and it’s on private land so in that respect it’s kind of interesting, left pretty much the way people found it hundreds of years ago. For a nominal fee you can enter the area and they give you some food that you can give to the sheep, the donkeys, the pigs and any other animals that happen by. The land is owned by a family of farmers. The father is 87 years old and has a heart problem so he doesn’t manage the entrance fee collection. Instead the granddaughter is there and she had her very young baby with her at the time. Have a chat with her. She is a very nice and interesting person. This is a fun place to go with the kids.
Sheep everywhere and interested in foodThey even have donkeys but you’re not so interested in you touching them The food that is dropped on the ground of course can be picked up by the birdsYou can see the small fairy circle just on the left why are you are standing on the larger circleFrom the top of the larger circle you can see the whole area enclosed in the large circle itself. In the center is the small smaller circle This site was closed at the time. I am pretty sure it’s on private land and the land owners were just not down at the booth to collect the fare at that time This is one of the cottages from a distance I didn’t go to this attraction since it only accepted cash and I didn’t have any Small money with meA nice view on the coast This is one of the forts and there is an entrance here to a space down below which requires stooping down and a flashlight This is the fort from the top Older buildings with new roofs Of course this one was just left to fall apart. People often take the stones from these older buildings Ocean view You can see the brown hills in the back and you wonder why they’re brown since there is so much rain, three days rain and one day sunshine. I was told by a tour bus driver that it must be a different kind of vegetation since it does turn green around June and JulyThis was obviously some ancient structure These islands are just off the coast and are not now inhabited. This historical museum was established to preserve the history, writings, culture, music and the language.The old writing I recognize these right away. They are sheep shears for cutting the wool off of the sheep. My grandfather had a pair of these and I use them to trim the grass edge at home every Saturday This is one of the old boats upside down built from a wooden frame and a canvas hull which made it very light at maneuverable and enabled the people on the islands to get to the mainland quickly or to go out and fish quickly and then get back quickly before the weather turned bad which can happen very suddenly.The flag of Ireland An old monastic structure This is one of the amazing places in Ireland, a Christian religious church made completely out of stone which remained intact for so many hundreds of years.This is the church The surrounding area Inside the church ceilingIt is out in the middle of farms I think they knew that I was a secret agent Music in the evening at the Dingle pubDick Mack’s pub was recommended to me since it is partly owned by a very famous musician of traditional Irish musicThey very kindly replaced the “chips“, french fries, with a saladA photo of the original owner of the dingle pub. The fellow on the right is a Brosnan, but probably not related to Pierce BrosnanI was a teenager when I got my first album of Chieftain’s music. About 10 years ago I saw them live in Arizona.
Donnegal is an interesting place for those who want to study or involve yourself with the Irish language. It is here that Patrick Pearse set up his cottage and spent his time with the people he loved to be with, the people who spoke the native language. It’s a very beautiful place that has such a varied scenery and landscape. There are many ancient sites to visit and the place just rings with history and legends and music. I was told that the English, when they wanted to keep control of part of Ireland. They decided Donnegal was something they could give back since it was a lot of land that was not very useful for agriculture. But there is also a lot of greenery here so you won’t be dissatisfied. You will hear Irish spoken from time to time.
inishmore
Beautiful rivers in this area How would you like to live on the Riverside A Celtic Cross with a tombstone in Irish. The letters are also adapted
Dungloe
There are so many beautiful beaches in IrelandWas I following this truck in order to get my daily share of ice cream? Some beautiful geology The ocean sides seem to be just so much fun and I understand the surfing is good This is the Donnegal flag A local church A built-in lawnmower This is an old tomb left as it is Nice fresh water
donegal Castle
In downtown Donnegal you will find the castle These are the two major families that occupied the castleOf course the old books were written in Irish, not English
continuing on the journey
Killybegs is just west of GalwayIn Kilcar I saw a fairy. People don’t say leprechaun in Ireland. They talk about fairies.I guess somebody from the US either came back or made a good contribution to the church A Goodwin tomb One of my favorites in multiple flavors The cemetery was the most organized I had seen. Here are the names of the people buried here and the location of the grave The EU, Ireland and Donnegal flags This place looks like an extension of Cornell College I should’ve had my haircut here Well, we know who owns the shop At the bottom you will notice some loyalty program called squid
Cavan
I wonder if Hugh is one of my relativesDrumlane AbbeyI was amazed to find a Tibetan Buddhist retreat in the middle of the countryside on the way to see a monument. This goat didn’t fare well. Mullaghgarve mass rockBut it was a nice view from the pathway An old knickknack museum near CavanAn old phone booth This photo was taken from my bed-and-breakfast room
Donnegal
This is a nice old restaurant Meanwhile, back at the castle Does this look like a comfortable accommodation?
Killybegs
Saint Mary’s Church The inside of St. Mary’s A very nice seafood soup Walking around I just thought this was a nice photo
I think every tourist to Ireland has heard of Guinness. They are one of the most successful beer brands in the world. They have a long history of creating a unique range of stouts which revolve around certain taste ideas. There is not only one Guinness flavor. If you’ve never been to a brewery I highly recommend visiting the storehouse tour. If you’ve been to several breweries I’m not sure how different this one will be. I have only visited maybe five different beer breweries in the world but I did not find this experience to be tremendously different than the others. But if you’re excited about Guinness then do the storehouse experience. You can also in addition or separately book the experimental beer tasting at the open gate brewery on Saint James Street. That is definitely a place you must go if you’re interested in Guinness, the company and the different flavors they have invented over these several hundred years.
Proof I was here. This is the gate to the storehouse experience which is the history and the information about the products. You have to go around this walkway here and at the end turn left to get to the entrance. It is not on Saint James Street even though the open gate brewery is. At the top you can see the round Guinness tasting room and pub which is a nice place to view the whole city. The entrance to the storehouse. They are self guided tours but you book a time to go in, get an initial presentation and explanation of the storehouse and then you walk around by yourself. The initial charter for the company The specific grain use for the brewThis fellow was very interestingly decked outNitrogen helps with the flavorShowing how they used to stack up the barrels for transportThe entrance to the tasting room A very fishy cyclist A view looking over Trinity CollegeYou can see Saint Patrick’s memorial Saint Patrick’s Monument it’s just off of Saint James StreetOutside the brewery you can get a horse carriage They are lined up to take you on a tour around Dublin This is the open gate pub which you really must visitThese are a list of the experimental beers they create and are not yet marketed. You pick three of them for the triple tasting experienceThey were all amazingly delicious I had tried the West Indies Porter before and it was interesting and OK You can see the mountains from which the water is drawn These are two beers which are brewed in Belgium
after World War II there were no functioning breweries in Belgium so Guinness went there to set up a brewery and it now makes two different types of beer in Belgium which are not exported around the world.
This one is a very thick and a little bit sweet flavor with a tang. It is an extremely delicious beer and one you must try but I warn you, this beer is twice the price of a regular GuinnessThis special export is also very delicious and very different from the standard Guinness. It has a wide range of flavors
this was only the second time I was in Dublin, the first time being 1985. Things have changed quite a bit but a lot of things have remained the same. I noticed quite an increase in tourist traffic.
I visited the custom house and also the immigration museum which gave me some very good information. The custom house, because it was controlled by the British government, became a target in the rebellion against British oppression.As you visit these buildings you will see the perspective of why there was so much pent up discussed for the rule of the country by England.The Irish were not a priority for the England government. This was an interesting display Irish immigration Museum This food was not bad. Instead of green peas they kindly replaced it with coleslawOf course I have to stop for coffee. Every place I’ve been in Ireland seems to have pretty good coffee. It’s not strong so you may want to request a double or triple shot to increase the flavor. Here you have three flags. On the left is the Dublin flag, in the middle is the Irish republic and on the right is the EU flag. This is a very interesting bookstore Saint Patrick’s ParkLook at the name of the building. It’s kind of a play on words. I wonder if an American Laundrette is any different than an Irish Launderette. Kelly’s HotelI thought this was an interesting display I didn’t know singer made a bicycle. You must visit the GPO I tried this and it was OK but I prefer GuinnessThe act of union might’ve been a response to a attempted overthrow of British rule in the late 1700sLove you from the bridge The custom house from the bridgeJust an interesting building Another interesting building This is an old company Interesting name for a pub Casinos and betting offices are everywhere Another view from the bridge The O’Connell statue.
This is the GPO with a symbol in front A piper is playing for handoutsThis is a full Irish breakfast. I always bring my own spices so it is filling Peter, a friend and myself at one of the very old pubs in Dublin. We drank a lot of course. There is this drinking game type thing called “splitting the G“. When you receive your Guinness you take the first big drink and try to leave the remainder below the halfway mark in the G of Guinness. I wasn’t trying to do this because I don’t think it’s the way to drink but it seems to be popular with some people.There are not that many people attending Catholic services anymore especially after the scandals following the 1970s. I just found these flowers to be beautiful
christ Church Cathedral
There is a Magna Carta in this exhibit area, one of the original copies. These two were trapped inside an organPart of the old church dating back 700 years This is the crest of the England monarchs. The words below translate “God and my Liege” . It’s in French because the Norman Viking descendants took the throne in 1066 as the Plantagenets, William the conquerorI don’t know what the significance of this image isSaint Patrick’s stained glass This is an original flooring The foggy dew is also a very famous song in Ireland about the rebellionInteresting architecture I decided to have something light at the pub where I stayed on the second floor 99.9% of the time the bartenders pour Guinness perfectly The music schedule at my pub which was Kennedy‘s in drumcondraI just decided to have some Indian food which was very delicious Of course a day would not be complete without gelatoI went to see several comedy shows. Craic his Irish for a very difficult word to translate but it encompasses enjoyment, entertainment, fun etc.Of course I had to visit Guinness. I didn’t find the brewery visit all that different from any other brewery visit though it had a lot of visuals and things for families to enjoy. The open gate pub is much more interesting and it’s on Saint James Street.These are experimental beers made by Guinness and they were all extremely delicious. They will not be produced unless the results of marketing surveys indicate they should. But I was impressed with the flavors and the quality. This is one of the beers available in Jamaica. It’s a different flavor than the one brewed in Ireland. Porter is a very different type of beerOf course I had to go see a music show with the guy down below as the main singer This was GaryOg who kind of specializes in rebel songs of the 18 and 1900s. He’s very famous in Ireland and I’m glad I went to see himI saw this play and it was a lot of fun but the week after that I saw “the plow and the stars“ which was here at the Abbey Theatre which is the national Theatre of Ireland and that play was on its Centennial production. It appeared first in 1926 and was about the people during the Easter rising in 1916. This is the theater before the
