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Welcome to Ireland - Part 1
Our view, that there are
many greater destinations than Ireland to visit first, proved to be unjustly
ignorant and wrong.
Both the scenery and the
people of Ireland are splendid:
The southwestern regions
of Cork, Kerry, Clare and Galway display some of the most spectacular scenic
routes in Europe, whereas the hospitality and friendliness of the jovial
Irish locals are found nowhere else in Europe.
Even the custom’s
officer at Cork Airport was an excellent ambassador for his country :
welcomed us to his country and wishing the Springboks success with the Rugby
World Cup!
Due to limited time, we
were forced to squeeze 5 days into an itinerary to sample some of Ireland’s
delights. Our routing was mostly off the beaten track, with the noticeable
and welcomed absence of loud tour groups and packed tour buses.
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A B & B in Market street
Kinsale
Note the typical flower boxes |
The scenery of the
south west is absolutely magnificent: the mellow charm of Kinsale
Harbour as “Gourmet Capital of Ireland”; the rugged scenery of the Mizen
and Sheep Heads Peninsula with the challenging heavy pass and scenic
spots; the pretty pedestrian town centre of the 19th century
Kenmare; the translucent lake of Killarney National Park and the
ever-changing light on spectacular seascapes on the Dingle Peninsula.
In Ireland, one
should not hurry : allow the time to linger over an Irish breakfast,
enjoy a chat over a glass of pure black Guinness, sample freshly caught
salmon and succulent oysters and join in an evening singsong in the
town’s local Pub.
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Interesting to note
that the world renowned Waterford Crystal of Ireland lately has
traditional and also modernistic designs. Wandering through the factory
showroom we noticed the unique glass designs of Vaxyo region in Sweden
and the glassblowers of Murano in Veneto in Italy.
The Cobh experience,
an audiovisual display, tells the story of this unique port : it was
used during the late 19th century as the port of departure
for many Irish emigrants off to seek a better life in the new worlds of
America and Australia. As last port of call also for the Titanic in
1912, Cobh is synonymous with ill fate for many a cruising passenger. A
unique little museum and souvenir shop displays the many stories told.
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Kinsale used to be a
simple fishing village. It is only recently that it was transformed into
a tourist attraction. Many an Irishman’s luxurious yacht is moored in
the harbour on the estuary of the Bandon River. As pedestrian one can
wander along the narrow streets near the quay and browse through the
interesting arts & crafts shops and popular restaurants and bistros. The
seafood at Fishy Fishy Café was excellent. Other well-known restaurants
are the Blue Haven, Mother Hubbard and Little Skillet.
Flowers abound, with
small posies tucked into little baskets and overflowing window boxes
planted artistically onto the street facades of the historic buildings.
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The Dromberg Stone Circle near
Glandore County Cork |
The drive through
the Fuchsia-splashed coastal villages of Rosscarbery, Glandore and
Unionhall leads one past the Drombeg Stone Circle, near Clonakilty.
Dating back to about 150 BC, this circle of 17 standing stones, is the
finest of the many circles in country Cork.
Bantry nestles
beneath the hills which run down to the bay and the Beara Peninsula.
Dotted with sparsely populated fishing villages, surrounded by bleak
Moorland, this peninsula is remote. It offers some spectacular scenery.
From Healy Pass, which cuts a jagged path across the spine of the Caha
Mountains, there are some fine Views of the bay and the tugged landscape
of West Cork.
Johann Beukes
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