Co. Cork

We stayed in Shannonvale just outside Clonakilty in West Cork. This is a good area to cover most of the West Cork area. There are a large number of ring forts and other neolithic sites in the area. We mapped out many places ahead of time, including Mizen Head, Baltimore, the Beara peninsula especially Castletownbere and Timoleague. Our first task on arrival was to visit Clonakilty for supplies and a look around.As we entered Clonikilty it became apparent that parking is at a premium. We slid in behind a exiting meat truck after watching them unload various cow parts from the back. We spent some time in the bookstores, and other small shops up and down the main street. We dropped off some laundry to be picked up later that day and then drove on to the Rosscarbery area just down the road. We had in mind to find a couple of sights in the area including Coppinger's Court, CastleFreake and the Drombeg Stone Circle.Returning cold, wet and hungry, we found parking off the street and paid a visit to O'Donovan Hotel. The bar was spacious and the food was very good. Judging from the music posters in the window, this is a hot spot in town. We noticed a poster for one of our favorite Cork musicians, John Spillane. We missed the show by a few weeks.Clonakilty boasts the The National Michael Collins Memorial Statue. It was unveiled by Liam Neeson on August 22, 2002. Neeson played Collins in the 1996 film Michael Collins. Collins was born in nearby Sam's Cross and was ambushed and shot on the way back from Bandon in the area. You can visit both sites. If you fancy a good read, pick up a book about Collins in one of the many bookstores in Clonakilty.Clonakilty is a mix of old Irish town charm with some modern touches. There are several Internet cafes and a bank machine near the Post Office.The Church of the Immaculate Conception is easy to spot and has some very nice stonework. A small river meanders through town and alongside the church. A picturesque stone bridge is a short distance from the church and on the other side is the Michael Collins statue.Clonakilty sausages are famous in Ireland and well worth a taste. Your milage may vary with the Clonakilty black pudding.

Quick Tips:

Parking is hard to find in town. If you park on the street, you risk losing a mirror or getting the side scraped. The streets are narrow and people park on both sides. You'll have better luck in one of the car parks in the center of town located on the side streets. Be careful about paying and parking in the right place, you don't want your car booted.Outside of town are the larger markets. These have better selection, lower prices and less charm than the small markets in town.O'Donovan's Hotel is a good place to stay if you're doing the hotel thing. The food and bar is good and it is a hot spot for music. You might be better off, price-wise finding a B&B or holiday cottage outside of town. If you're staying for a week or longer, the cottage will be your best price and you can cook if you'd like as they are usually complete with stove and refridgerator.While you're in the area, ask for a Murphys instead of Guinness. It is made locally and is just as good. It is just as black, and it tastes a bit different.

Best Way To Get Around:

If you're using Clonakilty as a base, you'll need a car to get around. Many of the sites are in more remote areas and bus travel won't do it. It is hard to get lost in the area as all roads end up in a town. Get a good map and you'll be fine.While in Clonakilty, find parking ASAP and walk everywhere. The town isn't big and you can cover distance more quickly on foot.Bikes would be a bit risky on the narrow streets in town. Outside the town it would be OK, but I'd worry about the large trucks on the winding roads. It is hard to see anything coming. The weather can also be cold, wet and windy.

We drove down from Co. Clare and made it through Cork easily. Apart from a wrong turn and short detour, made it to the Shannonvale Cottages near Clonakilty after sunset. Seamus, our host, showed us the cottage. It was rustic, charming and full of "fine" Irish craftsmanship.
Apparently these were restored stables, except now they held people not horses. The walls were stone and morter, and the upstairs and ceiling all of wood. The wood was loosely fitted to the extent that you could clearly hear and sometimes see anything going on in any part of the cottage including the bathroom. This included both floors and walls. In fact it seemed to be all the same tongue and groove wood. Fortunately the roof seemed to be of sterner stuff and kept out the elements.
The toilet rested charmingly on a single bolt and rocked you gently while in use. Unless the shower door was shut just right, it precipitated on the person doing dishes a floor below. The stairs were narrow, steep and fairly solid up to at least 100 pounds of weight. We didn't manage to break anything or the stairs, but they flexed and creaked alarmingly. I observed that the Irish were master stoneworkers, but seemed to be confused when confronted by wood. Much of the wood appeared to be carved rather than cut, giving the appearance of being worked by a family of beavers.
The beds were a variety of soft to the point of mushy mattresses and an interesting contraption of wood and rope with a thin mattress atop. There was some closet space and dressers and nighttables of varying vintage.
The furniture downstairs ranged from farm style table and china cabinet to leather overstuffed chairs and couch. The TV had fuzzy reception of about 15 channels, unfortunately it was the same 3 repeated 5 times.
The kitchen facilities were adequate and the stove seemed to work fairly well. The refridgerator was a mini, but kept the food cold. There were a variety of silverware, dishes, mugs and glasses that needed a good wash before use.
Outside there was a stone courtyard with plastic table and chairs. Laundry facilities were available in another building.
Overall, the place was comfortable and adequate for a flexible family or younger people. It was a bit rustic for my wife's mother, and the steep stairs were a concern for her. As it was the end of the tourist season, we were the only guests, and saw little of our host and family except for mornings as the children went to school.

Timoleague has two attractions we discovered. One is the Timoleague Friary, found near the water's edge near a stone bridge. The site is very well kept, with labeled rooms and a fine graveyard with some interesting headstones. Spend some time wandering around and imagine what it was like to live there. The view of the ocean inlet from several of the windows is beautiful and makes for some good pictures. There is no roof and this can be challenging during a storm as we discovered.
Look for the wart well in the friary. Supposedly dipping your afflicted parts into the water will cure warts. We didn't have any so we can't attest to its powers.
The place was infested with crows roosting on the walls and around the tower. I didn't see a lot of droppings, but be careful looking up.
Timoleague abbey was founded by the Franciscans in 1240 A.D. The abbey was built on the site of a monastic settlement founded by Saint Molaga in the 6th century. The village name comes from the Irish for House of Molaga, Tigh Mologa. The Friary was used up until 1629.

Up the hill above the town is the Timoleague Catholic Church (the church of the nativity of our lady) has triple stained-glass window by the well-known artisan, Harry Clarke. Beautiful mosaic and tile work abound throughout. We spent some time here exploring the grounds. It is well worth a drive up the hill to see both the church and the grounds. There is also a nice bell near the church.

This site is overrated, but worth a quick look if you have not seen a stone circle. The site is a short drive out from the town of Rosscarbery. There are other historic sites along the way, including the ruins of Coppinger's Court (if you can find it). Follow a map, directions, trial and error, or whatever best gets you there. Personally I'd recommend a map, Irish directions will only get you lost. Mind you getting lost isn't always bad, you usually stumble across something else interesting. When you do find the site, you'll pull into a small car park. Grab a spot, get a camera and some rain gear, you may need it.
Around the corner to the South is a small prefab building that may eventually be a visitor center. At this point its sole purpose is to extract several Euro from your wallet or purse. If you go in the off season, it will most likely be closed. Go through the gate and down the fuchsia lined lane. The lane is also used by tractors and cows, so watch your step! The lane takes a jog to the right and continues on a way. The site is a good distance, so be prepared for some walking that may not be suitable for older or very young folks.
When the trail ends you are looking out onto the Drombeg Stone Circle and the countryside beyond. Well, you might be looking out on the countryside, or just looking at driving rain and clouds. There is little cover or protection from wind and rain on the walk and in the clearing, so if the sky looks threatening, be prepared to run for it.
The stone circle is overly manicured and pristine. The dirt area was neatly swept and the grass recently trimmed. A nice view out to surrounding farms, cows, and fields was more interesting to us than the circle. In the center of the circle was a pile of coins, bottle caps, and miscellaneous garbage. Evidently this is the modern equivalent of a sacrifice. At least I assume so as dead people, cows and sheep were not in evidence. I guess we're cheap these days, as the coins were all 10¢ or less.
Beyond the circle is evidence of a Neolithic commune. Stone huts were probably used by Neolithic slackers communing with the mystic and nature during bad weather. The large cooking trough was used to cook pilfered cows, sheep or veggies depending on the prevalence of vegans in that time period. OK, maybe this is overly harsh, but the modern slackers had left quite a bit of trash about in their effort to get close to the mystical at the overly manicured Drombeg Stone Circle.
If you want to see a really nice stone circle, travel a lot further west to see the Ardgroom Stone Circle on the Beara Peninsula, and don't forget to pick up your trash and keep your pennies in your pocket!

We wandered through Schull later in the evening. We were tired, battered by wind and spray, and looking for some food and drink. We spotted the Black Sheep Bar in the town center. How could you not try a place with a name like that.

We entered somewhat bedraggled from the elements, but felt right at home. The interior is more a pub than restaurant. The inside is warm and comfortable, with a variety of tables and booths. It was fairly crowded as we entered, but we secured a table in the upper section against the wall. One side had chair seating and the other a padded bench running the length of the wall, shared by other tables. We got situated, grabbed menus, and ordered the usual pints for my wife and I and a whisky for mom. The menu was the usually pub fair with some interesting additions. Chicken pot pie looked good as did the fish and chips.

They looked less greasy, with less batter than the usual gloppy mess one sees in pubs. The food proved good with substantial quantity. The pints were good, and we ordered another round while we relaxed. Subsequent conversation was struck up with the adjoining table. It turned out our neighbor was a real neighbor. He was a local that had moved to the Seattle, WA area, and was down on a fishing trip to the area. We chatted about the Pacific NW, Schull, and his landscaping business. He was killing time before meeting his wife and son for dinner. You never know who you’ll run into in an Irish pub. Make it a point to chat with your neighbors!

The Black Sheep Bar is well recommended if you’re in Schull. Evidently there are good higher end restaurants in town as well, but if you want solid, fairly priced food and a good pint, you can’t go wrong. There is music as well in the evenings.

The morning dawned a bit grey, but we'd determined to take an excursion. We fueled up with eggs, Clonakilty sausage, and muesli, loaded up the car, and headed east. Our ultimate goal was the Waterford Crystal Factory, but we expected to get there in a leisurely fashion. We were not wrong, and quickly made a detour at Midleton to visit the Old Midleton Distillery. It was a bit more pristine inside and out than the Jameson Distillery in Dublin, and we went directly to the restrooms. These were by far the most clean, modern, and well appointed restrooms of our entire trip. Well done Midleton Distillery!

The distillery used to be a wool manufacturing business in 1796. Three brothers James, Daniel, and Jeremiah Murphy decided that the new purpose for the deserted buildings should be the manufacture of whiskey. Midleton boasted the world's largest still with a capacity of close to 32,000 gallons.

In 1966 The Cork distillers joined forces with their rivals Jameson and Powers, and together they formed the Irish Distillers Group.

The tour looked pretty much the same as the one in Dublin which we’d been on twice. We didn’t feel the need for spending about €9 each for a repeat performance and the glass of whisky at the end wasn’t appealing at that hour of morning. If you have not been on a distillery tour, it is fun and informative, so don’t let our apathy influence you.

After the urgent break, we took a swing through the gift shop and picked up a few items for gifts. There is an incredible amount of stuff with various imprints of alcohol related products available. Shirts, sweaters, glassware, and candy abound. We made one wise decision when we purchased a nice crystal whisky water pitcher for about a third of what it went for at Waterford Crystal. It is probably best to not purchase whiskey at the distillery unless it is a special bottling only available there. Most can be purchased for less at the duty-free shop in the airport. You also don't have to cart it around the whole trip either.

Took N20 out to Cork. Just off highway was a ruined stone something visible in the distance. A road sign said Mourne Abbey, so off we trekked to find it. Came to the first split in the road with no directions. Chose left and went a few miles, and could see the abbey through the trees and hedgerow, but it seemed to be getting further away.
Beautiful country around there as you can see from the photos.

Turned around and went the other way at the split. We definitely had to travel on "black" roads to get there, very bumpy (black roads on an Irish map mean one lane, paving optional). 30 minutes later, and much winding around we ended up at a farm. Brazenly, we drove through an open gate and parked.

Stepped out and over the electric fence lying on the ground buzzing and popping. Made a mental note not to stumble back across it. Great view of the valley below with sun shining, very blue skies, and fluffy white clouds. Lots of adventures roaming around what was left of the ruins. Cows were sheltering in part of the walls. It appears that this is not Mourne Abbey, that is elsewhere in the area.

We've been kindly informed by a reader of our journals that this looks more like Barrett's Castle also known as Castle More. There don't appear to be any other pictures of it on the web. According to the info about the castle it is a 13th century hall-tower on the site of an earlier enclosure castle. The official location is about four miles south of Mallow off N20. Situated on the commanding high elevation above the River Clyda. The walls are still standing, but from the manner in which they were built and the decayed condition of the building, it would seem that the castle was erected at a very early date. Possibly it’s the ruins of a 13th century hall-tower on the site of an earlier enclosure castle. The first of the Barrett family is said to have come to Ireland with Strongbow about the end of the 12th century. We guess that another attempt to find Mourne Abbey is in order next time around.

So here is how the expedition to Coppinger's Court progressed. We had purchased a book a few years ago by Simon Marsden called "In Ruins: The Once Great Houses of Ireland." It contains infrared photos and history of ruined castles, and manor houses in Ireland. Online, we found a listing of the directions to the various sites and wanted to visit as many as we could.

Coppinger's Court has a few interesting legends. The first is that the owner, Sir Walter Coppinger in 1641, told his servants to burn the place if he didn't return from a dispute negotiation. Evidently the dispute negotiation went well, because he forgot the orders and ate well and drank deeply and returned to home to find it in flames. Loyal servants, but also without a job. The second legend is that if you can get a line of site through three windows, it will point you to Sir Walter's hidden gold.

We headed towards Roscarbery near Coppinger's Court. We crossed a long causeway and ended up at a hideous looking hotel, and parked in their lot to access a map board across the street. Risking life and limb, I crossed the busy road to check out the sign in the pouring rain and wind. Using the wonders of modern technology, I took a digital picture of the map and we perused it at our leisure in the relatively dry comfort of the car. We established our relative location and directions and headed off for Coppinger's Court.

We drove the route and could see Coppinger's Court in the distance, but there was no road to it. It appeared to be in a field with no road leading up to the front. It was surrounded by rock walls and hedges. We drove until we came to a likely looking road. We headed in the direction of the ruin. No luck, we ended up where we started. We went further down the road and took the next lane. No luck, we ended up further down the original road. We drove back and started over and took a small dirt road. It ended at a farmhouse with a barking dog. We petted the dog and went back to the main road. At this point we gave Coppinger's Court a rest and went to see the Drombeg Stone Circle. This we found. It wasn't that great, see the review of it elsewhere here.

Encouraged by our success in finding the stone circle, but disappointed by it in general, we resumed our quest for Coppinger's Court. We took a road off of the route to Drombeg, but heading in the right direction. We traveled for a few miles along a wooded road. No luck. We ended up on a hill top that had a great view of the valley. We could see Coppinger's in the distance, but no road to it. Back we went. We ended up back on the main road we started on. We retraced our route back to the sign by the ugly hotel and tried again. We took the first road we saw and ended up back on the route we had just come from Drombeg. We continued on the road slowly and through the trees we could see Coppinger's Court (we hoped). We found parking along the road and loaded up with rain gear and cameras.

Passing through a cow gate, we walked down a overgrown stone wall through a pasture. The sky was dark and threatened a downpour. Coming out of a grove of trees THERE IT WAS!!! In all its dilapidated glory. It actually wasn't much to see, and the cows had made copious deposits all around. My wife and mother in law elected to return to the car, less than impressed.

I was determined to get some Infrared pictures regardless. I vaulted the stone wall (ok, I crawled over with the cameras and tripod), avoiding the cow deposits, and set up the tripod. The wind picked up, and the first few drops began to fall. I attached the camera, set up the shot, and attached the IR lens. Each exposure was approximately 30 to 60 seconds. I took a few shots, wiping the lens frequently. I then tromped through the cow muck and went through the ruins. The cows had taken up residence, and the inside was worse than the field. I exited out the back into a heavy rain. I trotted across the field, and turned a few times to take a quick shot. The backside was more interesting than the front, but the rain had become a downpour and I was concerned about keeping the cameras dry. I ran across the field and back to the car.

My wife had used the time to make some sandwiches of Irish cheddar and ham. We munched the sandwiches, washed it down with club soda, and opened a bag of Tayto chips. The rain was coming down so hard that driving was impossible. We waited it out and a half hour later, lunch secured inside us, we were able to retrace our route back to Roscarbery, and then to Clonakilty.

I'd highly recommend Coppinger's Court in good weather. There are many photo opportunities around the site. With some sun and clouds, the pictures would be spectacular. Otherwise, proceed with caution!

Ballyvourney in Co. Cork is a lovely little town on the way to Killarney. We didn’t actually intend to go to Killarney, but traveling in Ireland is like that. You end up where you least expect. We were minding our business, wandering along the countryside of Cork with no intent on entering Co. Kerry. We’d seen a few interesting sites, towns including a toy soldier factory.
We stopped in Ballyvourney as there is a nice stone bridge across a large stream running through town. We crossed the bridge, turned around and found some parking. The road was fairly busy for its size and we watched our parts and the cars parts as we got out and headed towards a fence by the bridge. No sooner had we started taking pictures than a loud thump thump sounded behind us. Something clattered along and landed a few feet away. No sooner had we registered the presence of a still rolling hubcap than we heard more thumping and clunking sounds. A car was limping along across the road and pulled into a drive. It was listing hard to the right and both tires were flat. We grabbed the hubcap and went to investigate. An American couple was out and examining the remains of two perfectly good tires. Not only were the tires shredded, but the wheels were severely dented as well. Pretty much a total loss.
Evidently the husband had grown tired of driving and in spite of the fact he was the covered driver and his wife didn’t see well, he’d had her drive while he took a nap. She did fine for a while, but as she entered the town she followed the road and was driving in the parking lane. Unfortunately the parking lane ended with a high curb and she ran over that with both tires. Her husband was rudely awakened and none to pleased with the outcome. Of course the spare didn’t fit the car, not that it made a difference with two dead tires.
The town had only petrol and no garage. The nearest garage was in Killarney.
We offered to take the wife into Killarney while the husband stayed to guard his golf clubs. Thus we found ourselves going into Co. Kerry, a good distance from our cottage. We arrived in Killarney, found a garage and got her sorted out. The owner was in a good humor (saw the Euro signs) and chuckled at the mishap. One got the feeling that it wasn’t the first time. He found two new wheels and set about finding tires. She arranged to have them do the work and we left her happier but several hundreds of Euros lighter.
We stopped to wish the husband well and told him his wife would be along eventually with the garage owner and tires. The owner of the drive and house he was parked in had come home and they were in conversation. He thanked us a bit more cordially this time and went back to his chat.
The moral of this story is don’t drive in Ballyvourney if you can’t see well, and stay out of the parking lanes or else your due for to be retired!

We didn’t really intend to go to Baltimore. It was just on the way to Mizen Head. Not directly, we did have to detour, but what a detour. This should be a primary destination, not an afterthought. My wife saw the signs and said she’d heard it was a pretty place. It wasn’t far out of the way, so off we went. The sun was shining, the sky mostly clear and we had nothing but time.

The town of Baltimore is a bit upscale and has some interesting history. The town was attacked by Algerian pirates in June of 1631. Two inhabitants were killed in the attack, and around a hundred people were captured and taken away as slaves. As the pirates had an Irish pilot from Dungarvan to guide them and those kidnapped were English settlers, some question as to the real motive exists. There is still a strong link to the sea with a vital fishing and boat tour industry.

The houses are neat and well kept, and the town is a major summer destination. The view along the top down into the harbor is very nice. O'Driscoll Castle or Dun na Sead looms over the town. We parked along the narrow road and walked to a restaurant for a pint or pot of tea respectively. (we also had to use the restroom). Public restrooms are not common but pubs are. It seemed counterproductive to go into a pub and buy a pint or tea to use the restroom. I suppose you could dash in and out, we did occasionally, but felt it a bit gauche and we’d have missed some great chats with the barkeepers. The view from the restaurant showed the harbor below with fishing boats readying for a day on the water.

After we finished, we walked down to the quayside. It is a steep walk down with a gift shop and various shacks to charter tour boats and fishing trips. I wandered further out onto the docks and watched the fisherman prepping the nets and cleaning the boat. They’d either been out all night or were getting ready to go out. The air smelled of oil, diesel and fish with a lot of salt air to dilute it. The seabirds circled around looking for snacks. Three large boats were idling alongside the dock while the nets were being hung out.

The gift shop proved to be a little funky place with a variety of hand made items and art from the area. The prices were reasonable and we picked up a few small items. We didn’t stay long, but this would be a good spot to while away a week. There were several good boat tours to the islands of Sherkin and Cape Clear.

We took off for a long drive from Clonakilty to Mizen Head on the Mizen peninsula. We had heard that the view was nice, but had no idea what to expect. We took the long route and traveled through Skibbereen to Baltimore arriving in mid-morning. (see Baltimore journal entry). After a short walk around Baltimore we drove up and further west to Schull. Schull is an interesting small town with winding roads and small shops. We stopped there on the way back for dinner at the Black Sheep Inn (see review). We drove through the town slowly, and then on towards Mizen Head.

The road is winding and narrow with very little traffic in early Autumn. Vegetation is sparse, and the road is dotted with small farms and ruined remnants of small houses. We finally came out along a high lookout over a bay. There isn’t a lot of room to pull off the road, but the view is well worth it. We took several photos including a nice panorama of the view from sandy beach to ocean.

Traveling further along led to the end of the road and the Mizen Head Visitor Center and Signal Station. In the car park is a large propeller from the SS Irada that sunk off of Mizen Head in 1908 during the building of the Mizen Head bridge. The lighthouse keeper and builders help haul the survivors up the cliffs to safety. The propeller was salvaged in 1994 and installed in memory of the multiple wrecked ships in the area. The plaque explains the history. There are good views from the car park for the less adventurous who don’t wish to walk out to the Signal Station. The view immediately to the sea from the propeller is spectacular. The waves crash into the rocks below and shoot high into the air.

The Mizen Head Visitor Center is small but interesting to walk through. It contains the history, wildlife information, models of the lighthouse and other information and displays related to the Signal Station. At the time there was no charge for admission. It has a small café with tea, coffee, drinks and snacks, a shop with various tourist items, and restrooms! Very important as there is little else in the area other than nature. You can purchase tickets to the Signal Station at the Visitor Center. The tickets are 6 Euro for adults and 18 Euro for a family. Make sure to look at the brochure to get a feel for the trek out to the Signal Station. It is not appropriate for small children or people who don’t like some walking and climbing. It is also not a good place for people who don’t like heights.

A ticket permits you to walk down the walkway to the Signal Station. It is a good distance away and a good ways down. You can see the bridge crossing over a deep chasm between the rock outcropping. First though you must navigate a series of stairs (99 to be exact though it feels like a lot more). They claim this is a 10 minute walk and it probably is for a spry person going down. I’d be willing to bet it is twice that coming back up. Watch your step as the stairs are narrow and you’ll be looking at the view instead of where your stepping. The stair could be wet in some conditions and the wind varies, but can be quite strong. Take time along the way to stop and view the cliffs and ocean. The ocean pounds into the rocks below creating spectacular jets of spray. If you’re lucky, sail boat may be offshore creating a picturesque scene against the sky and water. There are also dolphins, whales and basking sharks occasionally visible in the water below. Depending on the weather conditions, you’d probably have to have a pretty sharp eye to spot them. A variety of seabirds circle above, be careful when looking up.

Approaching the bridge you can see open ocean to the right, a deep drop into churning water below and rock walls narrowing to a rock wall to the right. The view to the right between the rocks let you view down the coastline to cliffs, pounding waves, white spray and green hillsides. If you don’t like heights, don’t look down as you cross the bridge. The metal grate is open and you can see water and rocks far below. The best view is to the right and it changes as you walk along the bridge. It is worth walking slowly and viewing the changing vista. It may be difficult to take pictures as the wind is quite fierce and the bridge can vibrate. I had difficulty in getting high enough shutter speeds to  make up for the movement.

After crossing the bridge, the path curves up and around to the Signal Station. The wind picks up considerably and anything that isn’t firmly attached is going airborne! There was a retired gentleman there to check my ticket. I can’t conceive of anyone getting out here any other way, but there you have it. I’d like the job when I retire. The walk would keep you fit! He also provided answers to questions and a wealth of knowledge of the area.

The first building is the Signal House. It contains signal flags, their history and usage and a repeating video. Most of the radio equipment and other instruments are intact and labeled with their function.

In the next building there is a recreation of the keeper’s bedroom and kitchen. There is a passageway that simulates being underwater with scenes, wrecks and critters. It is a bit cheesy, but well intended. The actual main room of the lighthouse had interesting displays of bird eggs, maps and other relics.

Now the real adventure! Walking back out and alongside the building takes you out to a narrow walkway. One the right is railing and beyond a sheer drop down into frothing surf as it crashes along a narrow channel back into the rock. The water looks like whipped cream and is constantly white and foamy. Out here the wind is intense and the spray is heavy in the air. The entire area is surrounded by railing and a narrow walkway goes out to a small viewpoint.

Only one or two people can be out here at one time and they’d better be close friends! If you’re going to be taking pictures you’ll need a cloth to keep the lens clear of spray. The sun was intense and cast a lot of light off the water. The water below is mostly white foam with large green waves surging in to dash against the rocks. Depending on how crowded it is, you can spend a few minutes or a half hour here before the wind batters you into submission. 

Brace yourself for the trek back. The walk isn’t bad until you cross the bridge and come to the infamous 99 steps. These seem to multiply on the way up into 199 steps. If you’re out of shape, the view gives you an excuse to stop often. After the steps the trail switches back and forth still rising until you reach the Visitor Center.

My wife had elected to stay with her mom at the Visitor Center, partially out of concern for her and partially out of concern about the height of the bridge. I tried to tell her what she’d missed, but it was difficult to convey the scope of the wildness of the view and surrounds to someone who hasn’t been there. The pictures just scratch the surface of the intense elements and power of the sea.

This is a must see for the adventurous traveler in the area. I’d recommend driving from Cork for the opportunity!

More information is available at http://www.mizenhead.ie/

Off to a Sunday morning adventure about a hundred miles from where we’re staying. A bit ambitious since we just arrived in Clonakilty Co. Cork yesterday after a good deal of driving. We’d promised that we’d have dinner with some folks we’d met last year in Castletownbere when we ate at their restaurant. My wife had struck up conversation with the daughter, had given her a Catholic School Girls Rule T-shirt that resulted in correspondence and an invitation to dinner this year. We’d arranged to show up around 1 to 2pm, giving us time for a semi leisurely drive.

Along the way we passed numerous picturesque sites from a stone bridge along a lake to a boat yard with a variety of boats in various states of dissolution. We drove through Drimoleague, Bantry, Glengarriff and then the R572 towards Castletownbere.

The drive towards Castletownbere follows the coastline. There is little development or buildings other than small villages and occasional houses. The Caha mountains rise to the right, and to the left the sun sparkles on Bantry bay.
We stopped for gas outside of Castletownbere in about the most expensive place we were to find out. Castletownbere is a small town right on the water with a thriving tourist and fishing industry. The town is very pretty with brightly painted shops and neat houses and streets. We parked in the town center square and walked over to Jack Patrick’s Restaurant. They appeared closed up, but a knock at the door brought them all out and welcoming us in. They had closed down on Sunday now that the tourist season was coming to a close, but had been busy none the less. A fabulous lunch of cold salmon, crab, and chicken sandwiches was brought out and we ate and got acquainted. We’d enjoyed the food last time we were here, but the sandwiches were a whole new dimension in Irish cuisine! After lunch they wanted to take us on a tour of the Beara Peninsula. We all piled in their car and made quite a load with the five of us. We headed back east and took the road to Healy pass. The car chugged along while the ladies chatted in the back and the men did the same up front. Between the Cork accents and American accents I’m sure there was something lost in translation, but the general meanings remained intact.

Somehow the car made it to the top of Healy Pass with three Americans stuffed full of sandwiches. At the top of Healy Pass we parked along the road and got out to admire the view. To the south you can see Bantry Bay and the winding road we arrived by. To the north is the Kenmare Estuary with several lakes in the foreground. In the distance is the lower part of the Ring of Kerry. The view in this direction had much more green patches and was quite a contrast. There is a small gift shop at the top of the pass and lots of information about the history of the area.
Back in the car we began the descent down the other side of the pass. The view on the south side has much more greenery and water. Eventually we came to a fork in the road. To the east is Kenmare, to the west is Ardgroom. We headed west and out along the coastline. We took some back routes and shortcuts that we couldn’t hope to remember let alone reproduce here. At some point we ended up along a high point on the coast. We pulled over and ahead was a small cottage nestled along the shore with a green sweep of mountain above and the sun sparkling on the waves. The view was spectacular no matter where you looked. I believe this was along the main road as we went on further there was a narrow gap between a house and barn that the road passed through. We were told that tour buses had problems getting through this spot because it was so narrow.

We continued on through spectacular countryside and ended up at the end of the peninsula. At the tip is the Dursey Island Cable Car, the only one in Ireland. It takes up to six people or one person and a cow, across to Dursey Island. There are only a few people living there, but quite a bit of livestock judging from their leavings on the ground. The cable car passed above churning water that looked like an impossibility to navigate with a boat. The water seems to swirl in from both directions and created what looked like whirlpools and giant swirling eddys. I think if I had to go over that suspended on a cable I’d soil the ground as well. We didn’t go over on the cable car. Either it wasn’t running on a Sunday or the operator was out for lunch.

We headed back and back around and back east on the main road. There are scattered houses throughout the hillsides, but the area has a very low population. As we went further east the population seemed to increase. We were taken to see Puxley Manor which was under renovation as a four-star hotel. Seemed a bit premature to assume the rating, but who were we to question? It had been in use up until the 1920s when it was burned by the IRA. Nearby was Dunboy Castle and this was of more interest as it was built by the O’Sullivans which is a family name on my wife’s side. The castle lies down a long drive past Puxley Manor. We parked and got out and a short walk led to a pile of ruins with a wonderful view of the water through trees and greenery. There are plaques on the wall of the ruins commemorating some deaths, but little else showing recent work. The castle was built back in the 14th century and must have been an important part of the community and landscape. It was accidentally blown up (how does that happen?) by Dermot O’Sullivan Beare in 1549 and then rebuilt. In 1602 the castle was attacked by the British in the Siege of Dunboy, eventually it fell, the inhabitants executed and the castle blown up again.

We took a lot of pictures, and my wife took a lot of teasing about the family and some of the black sheep therein.
Continuing on towards Castletownbere we took a sudden unexplained detour. We wound up a narrow, rutted road and at one point we thought we’d lost the entire exhaust system from the car. Evidently the car didn’t usually ride that low. I chalk it up to the sandwiches. Eventually we reached an interesting compound of sorts. We were told this was a Buddhist commune. There wasn’t a lot of information, it didn’t seem to be to active, but perhaps it wasn’t the tourist season for Buddhists. They had a great view out onto Bantry Bay. The drive back down the road seemed to be less intent on tearing the car apart. Perhaps we’d knocked down the high spots on the way up.

Castletownbere was a short drive away and we parked back in front of Jack Patrick’s. We trooped in and were taken on a short tour of the restaurant and butcher shop. Both were immaculate and well organized. Back in the restaurant, drink orders were taken and we sat back for more conversation while our hostess whipped up dinner. Their son wandered in just in time for dinner. Introductions were made and we got acquainted. In short order the table was loaded down with lamb, two kinds of potatoes, carrots, and peas. The food was delicious and we all tucked in. My wife isn’t a big cooked carrot fan, but was quickly converted and got the cooking instructions. We have them regularly now but they just don’t quite compare. Dessert followed and was equally tasty. Some relatives trailed in and more conversation ensued. It was dark by the time we said our goodbyes and waddled off to our car. It was about a 2 hour drive back to Clonakilty through dark lanes and a clear sky full of stars. We stopped at one point about halfway back to look up into the sky and watch the stars. The air was so clear that they appeared to sparkle. We arrived safely back around midnight and did a bit more star gazing and called it a day.

Dunboy Castle was of interest as it was built by the O’Sullivans which is a family name on my wife’s side. The castle lies down a long drive past Puxley Manor West of Castletownbere. We parked and got out and a short walk led to a pile of ruins with a wonderful view of the water through trees and greenery. The ruins are pretty much a pile of stones with a few doorways and partial stairs remaining. There is a good deal of greenery growing on the ruins giving it a very ancient look. You can wander freely over the area with no restriction other than common sense and respect.
There are plaques on the wall of the ruins commemorating some deaths, but little else showing recent work. There has been some archaeological work done in the recent past with interesting results, but no specifics on what was found. Evidently there is some camping allowed in the area, as we saw signs of small campfires in a few places. The ruins lie right on the water, and you can easily walk out to view the peninsula and bay from several paths radiating out from the castle. The water is quite close.

The castle was built back in the 14th century, and must have been an important part of the community and landscape. It was accidentally blown up (how does that happen?) by Dermot O’Sullivan Beare in 1549 and then rebuilt. In 1602 the castle was attacked by the British in the Siege of Dunboy, eventually it fell, the inhabitants executed and the castle blown up again.

Dursey Island lies at the south-west end of the Beara Peninsula. The island is separated from the mainland by a narrow stretch of water called Dursey Sound which has a very strong tidal activity. The water swirls in and is quite spectacular to watch. With only a few permanent winter time residents, the island is one of the quietest in Ireland area with no pubs, shops or restaurants. There is no accommodation on the island so unless you have prior arrangements or wish to camp, make it a day trip. Dursey Island, which is only 6.5km long and 1.5km wide, provides the tourist with some lovely walks and breathtaking views of the nearby West Cork coastline.

The island is about 15 miles from Castletownbere, but will take awhile to drive on the narrow roads. You’ll probably want to stop often to view the scenery along the way. Ireland’s only cable car was opened in 1969. It runs at about 250m above sea level, and the 250m trip takes about 6 minutes. The car can take up to six people at a time or one large animal. No cars allowed and you may have to share the ride with smaller animals. The cable car operates between 9 and 11am, 2:30 and 5:00pm, and 7 to 8pm. Different hours apply on alternate Sundays due to mass. Check locally for details.

The island appears to have been inhabited at least back to the bronze age judging from archaeological digs. Kilmichael church was built on the island built by monks from nearby Skellig, but little remains except stones now.
The inhabitants of the island suffered a massacre from the English under Queen Elizabeth in 1602 when many of the captured were thrown over the high cliffs on the island.

Dursey Island was home to Dermot O'Sullivan. He and his allies, the McSweenys, fought the English during the Desmond rebellion as well as the later Munster wars. Most of his sons were killed during the wars. He and his wife sought refuge in Coruna, Spain. He lived to be one hundred years old and he and his wife were buried at the Franciscan Monastary in Coruna.

Thirty years ago, after the collapse of the fishing industry, the government relocated the islanders to the mainland. The remains of the island's three villages can be explored, giving an insight into lives of the people at the time. The island is also well known for birdwatching and has many colonies of birds.