Heading West
Travelling West
After breakfast, we departed Kinsale and headed to Dingle. Our first stop was at the assassination site of Michael Collins at Beal-Na-Blath.
We then drove through the site of the Black and Tan ambush in Kilmichael on November 28, 1920 where members of the IRA killed 17 members of the Royal Irish Constabulary Auxiliary Division (Black and Tans) during the Irish War of Independence. The ambush occurred one week after Bloody Sunday in Dublin, where the Auxiliaries fired on players and spectators at a gaelic football match in Croke Park, killing 14. We then had a coffee break in Macroom. We had lunch and visited a stone circle in the tidy town of Kenmare. |
Herding Sheep
National Parks and Waterfalls
Arrival in Dingle
We arrived in Dingle and checked into our B&B. The group was split between two locations (which were right next to each other). We stayed in Milltown House, home of Seamus, the Irish Wolfhound. The group then had dinner at Goat Street Bistro. After dinner, Sean and I checked out a couple pubs.
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And Now the Rest of the Story
Cutting Crystal
Sean Daly is the master crystal cutter and owner of Dingle Crystal. He gladly welcomed us into his shop to show us how they design the crystal. He even demonstrated his cutting techniques - which consists of marking some glasses with grids and then free-handing the cuts. Sean is also a member of the Hell's Angles and a friend of U2's Bono.
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Slea Head Drive and the Gaelic Culture
Tim Collins, the retired police chief of Dingle, joined us as our local guide for our Slea Head drive tour. He was my favorite of our local guides. Our tour included stops along the drive for scenery shots, The Blasket Centre, Riasc Monastic Site, Gallarus Oratory, and Kilmalkeder Church and Cemetery. The fog may have taken some of the spectacular views, but it added its own dimension of beauty to the pictures.
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After Slea Head Drive, we had a group dinner at Global Village followed by a Traditional Irish Music Concert at St. James' Church. At the concert we got to hear songs in both English and Irish, as well as some traditional instruments. We then joined some other tour members for drinks at Dick Mack's Pub.
And now the Rest of the Story
Sean and I decided to have a nice leisurely day. We took a walk out to the lighthouse in the morning and we were able to spot Fungie, the dolphin, jumping around after a boat. We weren't able to get a picture as he was fast and far away. I spotted him first, but Sean also saw him, so I had someone to back up my story.
We then went back into town to do some souvenir shopping. We ran into a fellow tour member that suggested we visit the Harry Clark Windows of Diseart. We were very glad that we took his advice. They were spectacular. Clark's windows were installed in 1922.
We then visited Murphy's Ice Cream shop before relaxing prior to dinner. We went to John Benny Moriarty's for dinner. We had enjoyed our ice cream so much in the afternoon, that we decided to go back for round two. We then joined our group for a music concert at the Dingle Music Shop (Siopa Ceoil an Daingin). We were treated to an Irish Coffee at intermission. After the concert, we enjoyed a couple of drinks with some tour members.
We then went back into town to do some souvenir shopping. We ran into a fellow tour member that suggested we visit the Harry Clark Windows of Diseart. We were very glad that we took his advice. They were spectacular. Clark's windows were installed in 1922.
We then visited Murphy's Ice Cream shop before relaxing prior to dinner. We went to John Benny Moriarty's for dinner. We had enjoyed our ice cream so much in the afternoon, that we decided to go back for round two. We then joined our group for a music concert at the Dingle Music Shop (Siopa Ceoil an Daingin). We were treated to an Irish Coffee at intermission. After the concert, we enjoyed a couple of drinks with some tour members.