Greetings -- As the tour bus drove away yesterday leaving me behind on the steps of the St Helen's SAS Radisson Hotel I felt a little strange knowing that the next week in Ireland would be on my own but I quickly gathered my wits (and my insanely heavy suitcase) and started the next leg of my journey -- but first a few more notes about the last leg of the tour. We did indeed visit Guinness for our beer on Sunday. Claudia and I skipped the tour (as I read read reviews that it wasn't worth it) and quickly made our way up the elevator to the Gravity Bar on the 7th floor which is a circular glass walled room with incredible views of Dublin as you sip your complimentary pint of Guinness. The blue sky and white clouds enhanced the city views. Earlier we visited Dublin Castle in the city which houses the government and state offices. The afternoon was free and I was enlisted as tour guide for a group of 4 other people. We went to Merrion Square to buy art from the local artists and then to see the Book of Kells at Trinity College and then had a quick bite to eat at O'Neils Pub where we watched a portion of the All Ireland Hurling Finals - of course we were rooting for Limerick County as our tour guides were from there, the city was awash in team colors and revelry (Limerick won). We stepped foot in the Shelbourne Hotel so I could check it off in my book of 1,000 places. We then went to dinner at Millstone in Temple Bar which was an Irish Italian restaurant. For dessert I had Baileys Brown Bread Ice Cream which was delicious. With my heavy suitcase (which would not fit in the train station locker for storage) I made my way up to Mullingar and dropped off my suitcase at the Newbury Hotel and walked about town. It is a town probably about the size of Mt Pleasant but with many more downtown shops. I grabbed some fish and chips (covered in curry sauce) and went back to my room to rest and recover from the tour. Nuala Higgins who is my third cousin came to the hotel to meet me and tell me that she would pick me up at 8:30 am to come to stay with here. And here I am, she lives in a row house that her family has lived in since 1951 (she is 59). We visited her 92 year old mother May who is in a nursing home. She is the daughter of my grandmother's father's brother and my oldest living relative in Ireland (got that?). After the visit Nuala and I went to lunch in a castle. Tomorrow Robert and Mary McNamara are coming to pick me up for a tour of the area and to visit the farm where Seamus Kenny still lives and my great grandfather emigrated to the US from. This is quite the experience. Lot's of tea to be had. Until next time. k
Except for the heavy suitcase the trip still sounds like a great experience. We too are seeing lots of green but ours is hay and grass as the monsoon season is really upon us. have to plan everything around the rain and expected rain. keep up the blogs. See ya
Glad to hear you're having fun and drinking at every chance you get! It will be neat to visit the family farm and see where your ancestors came from. It's hot here and no one has taken your parking spot! Keep having fun and I'll see you soon.
Glad to see you haven't disappeared. Didn't get the blog for a few days. OK the Finnnerans from Ireland are the O'finnetighearns I believe I may have spelled that wrong. Hope your having fun. Still waiting for the postcard. The Finnerans of CA.
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