#corcomroeabbey

Today we start out of Galway, but will make our way down to Portmagee, on the Ring of Kerry.  First stop?  Doolin.  

The last time I drove to Doolin I was with my other best friend MJ.  She drove and there were some concern for the roads, so knowing that we were coming all the way from Northern Ireland, I skipped staying here for two nights because I didn’t think I could make that trek a few days ago.  I’m so sad that I did, because the roads weren’t that much of an issue and I believe in the dark we would have made it fine.  You live and you learn.  Doolin seems more Tammy’s speed and I think she would have enjoyed it more.  To be fair though it is hard to enjoy Galway tired and Scotland and Ireland have beat the hell out of our bodies.

Along the way to Doolin we stop off by a couple sights including Dunguaire Castle (it isn’t open and we have a boat to catch so must be on our way) and Corcomroe Abbey, where we meet some lovely ladies, tending the cemetery.  They later school me on how my friend Padraic’s name is pronounced (according to them it is “pour rick,” but in the area of Ireland that his family is from it is most assuredly how they pronounce it “pawd rick.”  We thank them for their time, wish them well and then leave.  

The funniest thing happened though on our way out.  We pulled over to look at some cows and they all came charging at Tammy.  I nearly died laughing.

We toodle along on down to Doolin, by the gorgeous countryside and then eventually see the Matchmaker Bar.  Tammy has been droning on and on about this thing and there it is.  A.  Real.  Thing.  

We finally make it to Doolin and stop into music shop where we both buy Irish harps (and a tin whistle for me) and then to Gus O’Connors pub to have a couple of beers before heading to the dock to get on the boat tour of the Cliff’s of Moher.  I choose my namesake beer, the “Cute Hoor.”  We still have about an hour (so we think).  We of course buy more pub shirts.  Told you this was becoming a thing.  We head down to the dock to only find we are two hours late.  After some teasing from the boat guy he finally lets us know that he is letting us on the next boat.  I give him a hug and thank him. 

We head down to the dock and get on the boat only to discover a naked man over on the rocks.  We joke that it is the spirit of Tam’s dad Phil (a.k.a. Father Dowling).  First his name was Phil Callahan.  Don’t ask why we call him Father Dowling.  Second Phil has gone onto the next world, but the reason this joke happens is that he notoriously used to mow his lawn in his speedo.  Still this object we saw on the rock I know what his spirit following us into Ireland.

We head out to the cliffs.  My first trip to the cliffs was walking them, which I do recommend more than the boat ride.  For one there are sooooo many people on the tiny boat and getting a good view, especially in full sun is very hard.  Still they were very pretty and I’m happy we saw them from this angle.

Next onto O’Callaghanmills.  This was a town in Ireland that Tammy’s people migrated to.  It really is a little bit of nothing in the middle of nowhere (Tammy’s actual clan is from a town called Mallow in County Cork), but still we drive through.  It literally takes 10 minutes to drive through it both ways.  Not much to see we head onto Bunratty Castle.

Bunratty Castle is boring as hell.  Save yourself a trip.  it is the Silver Dollar City of Irish Castles.  There are castle ruins with more character than this place.  Unless you are bored or have children... avoid at all cost.  The off road redeems itself somewhat as we stop off for a beer and then a silly mood ring before we get on the road.  So much for us not spending money on stupid stuff like we did in high school.

We head quickly down to the Ring of Kerry.  I will drive about 1/2 today and 1/2 tomorrow as we will be staying in a town called Portmagee which is on the southwest side of the ring.  Before we make it we stop off at a delicious pizza restaurant called, “The Oratory,” in Cahersiveen.

Now the Oratory is gorgeously designed from an old church in ruin.  The lighting is exquisite and well done.  More importantly the pizza is delicious.  I have difficulty choosing from a more traditional pesto option and a peach and gorgonzola option.  The lady lets me know I can do both.  I later find out that I should have trusted my instincts and gone with the entire pizza being the peach option with gorgonzola and drizzled with a balsamic reduction.  The pizzas are also Napolitiano style which I’m a sucker for.  How did I ever tire of these things in Naples?!?!  Tammy ends up buying a painting of Skellig Michael Island which we will be visiting tomorrow.  She likes the moons in it and meets the artist who happens to be dining in the restaurant..

We move on.  We have about 30 minutes to go until we get to Portmagee, and I would be remiss in noting that I’m a little nervous about it.  There aren’t tons of lights on the ring of Kerry.  

We manage to get down to the turn to Portmagee just as the sun disappears.  The next few minutes are sheer nervousness as it is pitch black on a single track road in the middle of nowhere in a country that we are foreign to.  I however manage.  We park and head inside.  We get situated and head of course to the bar for a couple of beers.  We strike up a conversation with the bartender and a fisherman from the area.  He tells of the dog races that he participates in.  We are discovering this is a bit of a thing for a lot of people in the area.

Corcomroe Abbey In Co.Clare