From Kinvara to Dingle, Ireland

Kinvara

In the countryside outside Ennis, there’s a fairy bush, and in order to not tear the bush down, the highway was curved away from it. It is reputed that most fairies live under the bushes (white thorn bushes)—always standing alone in the middle of the field.

Rafery (Raferty)—poet, local to Kinvara (was mentioned at the Banquet)

32 counties in Ireland—traditionally, Irish harps have 32 strings.
Hookers—such as in Kinvara—are boats. Dave the tour guide led us to believe that there were prostitutes in Kinvara—he kept saying “hookers” and at some point as the bus was about to cross a bridge, he said that there were some up ahead, and the judge Matthew started to say something about not judging someone by their profession (a little surprising, judging by his profession)…and Dave said, “There are a couple on our left!” And yes, they were boats. With hooks.

“75 People Killed on Limerick Roads in Last 4 Years.”
(Sign—no jokes about Irish drunks please.)

Adare

We just passed a golf course with big old oak trees and with a large castle ruin.
We shortly afterwards passed:
Lots of thatched roofs
I took pictures of a park—trees, a brook with a quaint bridge, and of course palm trees—you can get used to seeing them, even though it’s not what I would have expected to see in Ireland.
I shopped at the Black Abbey Shop across the road from the park.

"Off-license" means it's where you can buy your liquor and bring it home (instead of drinking it there, like at a pub)

Listowell

We stopped in Listowell for lunch, in Kerry County. It's reputedly a very literary location, although judging by the books I saw in the bookstore at the place where we had lunch, it specializes in Dead White Male authors. Really, just because the words "pen" and "penis" are similar, doesn't mean you have to have both in order to write.

I had lunch and was going to the Visitor’s Center Museum but was short on time, so I wandered around and took two pictures of the colorful buildings. Given how much we eat on this tour, it would make sense if I skipped lunch altogether; that's the meal that we have to pay for ourselves.

Dingle

Alpine House—Bed and Breakfast in Dingle

We had dinner at Fenton’s Restaurant, and they made me a really special dish, with many broiled vegetables mixed with couscous and spices and topped with slabs of grilled cheese, perhaps goat cheese. They specialize in seafood, and although three other people on the tour call themselves vegetarians, I'm the only real vegetarian; in other words, I don't eat any kind of meat, including fish.

Afterwards, we went to St. John’s Church and attended a folk music concert. An American, Harris Moore, played the dulcimer (which is not native to Ireland, but it works well with Irish music). He also praised public radio and played beautifully.

After pigging out so much, I had an upset stomach (resulting in diarrhea back at the B&B), so I didn’t go pub hopping like most of the group; Liz and I walked back to the B&B and agreed that it’s good to have a quiet evening off. (The concert was early, like 7 pm). If I had been feeling better, I might have picked up the CD of the singer—I would have liked to have heard what she sounds like when she doesn’t have a cold.