Day 3 - Dublin to Cork

Italics are tour description.

5th September 2015: DUBLIN TO CORK: THE LAND OF THE SAINTS AND SCHOLARS. After breakfast you will be collected by your driver/guide in a luxury vehicle. 

After a large irish breakfast we check out and meet Mick, our driver and guide for the next nine days.
The car is large and comfortable, with large windows for everyone. No photoshopping - just SOOC.

Driving into Cork.

You will travel south west, first stopping at The Rock of Cashel. The site where St Patrick chose to make the head of his church in Ireland, the Rock of Cashel is a spectacular group of medieval buildings set on an outcrop of limestone in the Golden Vale including the 12th century round tower, High Cross and Romanesque Chapel, 13th century Gothic cathedral, 15th century Castle and the restored Hall of the Vicars Choral. 

Bright and sunny when we arrive at the Rock. I will do a detailed post at a later date. Today is only highlights.

After that brisk wind up on the Rock it is time for some handwarming tea and coffee at Granny's.

We found this statue as we walk back to the car. Titled "The Cashel Dancers" and is situated at the Brian Boru cultural centre at the Rock of Cashel, Co Tipperary.

The sculpture was commissioned in 1991 and the artist is Rowan Gillespie, the same man who created the famine sculptures on Dublins quayside. I posted a quick photo of the famine statue in Day 2 post.

After your visit you will continue to Blarney Castle where you will have the chance to kiss the famous Stone of Eloquence and time to pillage the adjacent woollen mills.

Happy to report there was no pillaging done. More details on the castle and gardens in a later post.

Built nearly six hundred years ago by one of Ireland's greatest chieftains, Cormac MacCarthy, and has been attracting attention ever since. Over the last few hundred years, millions have flocked to Blarney making it a world landmark and one of Ireland's greatest treasures.

Stunning!

Once upon a time, visitors had to be held by the ankles and lowered head first over the battlements. I can attest to the truth of this as John and I had kissed the Stone back in the early 1980s and it was a terror inspiring moment.

I did not think it was required to kiss it more than once so I abstained on this trip.

 Today, they are rather more cautious of the safety of visitors. The Stone itself is still set in the wall below the battlements. To kiss it, one has to lean backwards (holding on to an iron railing) from the parapet walk. The prize is a real one as once kissed the stone bestows the gift of eloquence.

Time for lunch and a pint.

 Situated right in the heart of beautiful Kinsale, Perryville House is an up to date take on a new style of family run Kinsale hotel - original, relaxed and sitting comfortably within its environment.... A touch of luxury combined with a homely charm. This 200 year old country house is warm, comfortable and interesting. Decorated in beautiful muted shades it has evolved rather than been interior designed. Perryville House evokes the sense of old world elegance and relaxed intimacy you cannot help but fall in love with. The Corcoran family and a small team dedicated to your wellbeing will warmly welcome you to Perryville House Kinsale with a sincere will to please and make you feel at home. 

Perryville House, overlooking the harbour, is right in the heart of picturesque Kinsale and our first stop along Ireland’s famous Wild Atlantic Way.

Kinsale is a lovely town and we are anxious to take a stroll once we checked in. Laura the owner of Perryville arranged our dinner reservations for the two nights.

The evening is free for you to relax and explore Kinsale and try any of the fine restaurants that make Kinsale known as the Gourmet Capital of Ireland.

Our reservation was at 7:30 at Jim Edward's pub. We got there early and enjoyed a drink in the cozy bar before heading into the restaurant to meet K and B for dinner.

There were several set menus so we each picked an item and we shared.

Here's a sampling.

Deep fried mushrooms. We also had a seafood chowder, deep fried brie (voted our favourite) crab cakes. For mains - chicken with potato croquette, steak, salmon

After an Irish coffee it was time to hit our pillows.