Ireland Day 3- Fionntrá to Blarney to Kinsale

“To strive to seek to find and not yield” 

Today we putted around Dingle and Ventry Beach in the morning.  I started the morning off with some porridge with a shot of Bailey’s, breakfast of champions.  I might have to start making this myself when I get back home.  We stopped at the Slea Head Famine Cottages to get a dose of history.  The grounds served as a memorial to remind people about the famine tragedy, when Ireland lost about 2 million people as a result of death and emigration.  It was definitely a little eery walking around and into the peasant cabins, seeing small remnants about what life was life back in the 1800s.   

Pepe made himself right at home in the old horse stable…

Speaking of horses, Ray and I had an awesome opportunity to go riding on the beach in Fionntrá or Ventry Strand.  We pulled on our boots and strapped on our helmets and we were off.

 I am so thankful that my husband put up with riding a horse for an hour just because he knew how much it would mean to me, plus riding on the beach has always been a dream of mine. 

Pepe joined in on the fun too…

 Although it was cold, it was still so fun.  Oh and it started down pouring right as we were getting back... but then the guide allowed some of us to gallop around the pasture and we all know that I could't pass that up (even when it is absolutely raining cats and dogs!). I came back to the barn completely soaked, but I loved every second of that ride. Felt great to feel the wind at my face and the stomping of hooves beneath me.  

After riding we hoped in the car and drove a short distance before stopping for lunch.  Come to find out that the place we randomly stopped at called the South Pole Inn was originally started by Tom Crean.  (Remember the beer I had last night?).  Also learned that this Tom character was quite the explorer.  He went to Antartica 3 times and was on the ship “Endurance”.  He did more expeditions than Shakleton and Scott.  Pepe had to get a picture with this man…

 And I love the quotes we found on the benches near the statue.  

Next on our list, the Blarney Castle.  We hustled over to there and made it just in time before closing.  The castle grounds was absolutely huge, with numerous things to see and hour long walks through gardens or along a river.  Needless to say, we didn't have time enough to see everything there, but at least we were able to climb up into the castle, crawl through some crazy labyrinths, tip toe through the Poison Garden and stroll through the Rock Close.  

 Here Pepe stopped watch some moo-moos out in the field from one of the castle windows.

 And of course, we all had to kiss the Blarney Stone…

-Videos of Ray and I to come...But here is Pepe in action.

Even the Blarney Castle showed us some love too…

 Oh and by the way, this whole time, we had no idea of where we were staying tonight.  We figured we’d just wing it.  Being that it was now 7pm when we left the castle, we decided to head over to the town of Kinsale in West Cork.  I should also mention that Ray has really taken to this whole driving on the opposite side thing.  What once seemed so odd, now just seems, well, the norm, even though I still find him walking to the passenger side (driver side door in America).  He has figured out how to play off his mistake by just seeming like he was going to open my door for me (which I know is baloney since he never opens up my car door… ever!) The town of Kinsale is known as the ‘Gourmet Capital’ of Ireland and has plenty of restaurants up and down the streets of the harbor.   

Pepe definitely enjoyed his local Kinsale lager and 

some brown bread at dinner.