The Lure and Lore of Ireland

"I don't believe in fairies but they are there just the same," said an Irish grandmother I met on my second day in Ireland. And you better believe it. Fairies and leprechauns are a part of the Irish landscape. So much so that a major freeway was stalled for a year because no one would cut down a tree known to be a fairies' lair out of fear of the bad luck that might be visited upon them were they to disturb it. The freeway finally went forward but only after the intended path of the freeway was altered around the tree. Where else in the world would a highway get diverted because of a tree with attitude?

I flew into Shannon in August and rented a car. My first stop was Adare which is a perfect short distance from Shannon after the long flight and the stress of the initial driving-on-the-"wrong"-side-of-the-road experience. Adare is a charming Irish village with several beautifully preserved stone-built cottages with thatched roofs, front yards full of flowers, 13th century historical sites, and lots of charming B&B's. It is a "must-stop" place. The owner of the B&B apologizes for the drought conditions that have left Ireland less green than usual this year. You could have fooled me. The first sight of the ground above Shannon from the airplane was breathtaking--a vast patchwork quilt of iridescent green. In fact, the whole trip from Shannon south to the Dingle Peninsula, east to Waterford, and northwest to Westport and environs was gorgeous. Lush, lush, and lush - the green kind -- everywhere.

My principal destination was the Dingle Peninsula. I spent two nights in Tralee in a B&B above a pub, mistakenly thinking this would give me an enjoyable glimpse of local colour. What it gave me was a headache.
The Rose of Tralee festival was in full swing. Loud music and boisterous revelers were in the pub beneath my room until 3:00a.m. rather than the typical 1:00a.m. closing time. It was, however, somewhat entertaining to watch from my window the young partiers who filled the streets, everyone carrying the ubiquitous container of beer. For a traveller who enjoys drinking, is a night person, and probably a lot younger than I, this may have been perfect, but I am much more interested in what I can see and do during the day and, knowing that I had a long drive around the Dingle Peninsula the next day, sleep is a priority.

The Dingle Peninsula is spectacular and probably a better choice than the traffic clogged and better-known scenic drive called the Ring of Kerry where, I am told, you may get trapped behind tour buses. A newspaper article and a travel agent had warned me about how treacherous the drive was because of the high cliffs, curves, and narrow road that hugs the ocean. (Definitely do not drive this in bad weather.) Luckily, the day was bright and sunny, the ocean glistening, the sky azure blue and filled with white, puffy clouds, and the bucolic landscape, dotted with sheep and small farms, resplendent with its brilliant green hillsides.

I stopped in the small town of Dingle to stroll around its harbor and quaint shops. Happiness is having my own vehicle, stopping when I want, leisurely luxuriating in the ambience of the scenic beauty, and photographing to my heart's content. The film, "Ryan's Daughter" was filmed here and is responsible for putting the Dingle Peninsula on the tourist map. A special little shrine commemorates the location. The day was amazing and permanently etched into my memory.

Staying in Killarney rather than Tralee was a better jumping off place for the Dingle as Killarney is close to Killarney National Park and Muckross Park, both lovely and worthwhile places to explore. I managed to do it all while based in Tralee but it requires more driving than if I had stayed in Killarney.

From Tralee, I literally darted over to Waterford to visit the Waterford glass factory and then, all in the same day, got back to Shannon to meet a group of photographers for the next leg of my journey. I did not dream I would be able to travel from the west to the east of Ireland in one day and had originally thought I would have to forfeit seeing the Waterford glass factory. But, one of the surprises about travelling in Ireland is the short distances between destinations compared to those in the states. I crossed the island in about four hours and arrived in time to tour the factory and watch with tremendous awe the labour-intensive, delicate crafting of pieces of Waterford crystal, one of the most exquisite forms of crystal glassware in the world.

My travels jarred some pre-conceived notions surprises about Ireland:

• Pubs: I had envisioned the Irish pub as a loud, raucous place filled with smoke. To my surprise no smoking is allowed in the pubs and a hefty fine is imposed if one smokes and is caught. "Getting caught" is the operative phrase as I believe in two weeks, I saw a total of two policeman. No smoking is a relatively recent development and was not a welcomed change at the time, but Ireland is a healthier place today because of it. Pubs are social gathering places that offer the patrons camaraderie and conversation. Beer, (stout) the national and somewhat sacred beverage, and live music are important but secondary. Often, live music is available, and, if you are lucky, you will be present when different musicians wander in and start jamming. Parents may well bring their children.



• Irish Stew: I love a good stew and have always thought an Irish stew was a rich and savory feast. It is not. It emerged from the days of the famine as a lean and mean meal--little meat, if any, the inevitable potato which was the staple of the famine, carrots, and some onion if you are lucky. Determined to find a good Irish stew, I try several only to be disappointed each time. On the other hand, the Irish stew has remained true to its origin, not enhanced for the tourists, and deserves to be tried at least once.



• Modern Ireland: The visions of famine and a poor country are ghosts from the past. Ireland is modernizing very quickly and has the best economy today it has ever had. The government was instrumental in making that happen by offering companies major breaks for setting up manufacturing facilities in Ireland. As a result, many computer companies migrated there early on, as did drug companies. All of the world's Botox, for example, is manufactured in Ireland. However, it is not less expensive there. The government's arrangement with the manufacturers included a promise that no product would compete with any in Ireland so the Botox that is sold there is first shipped to the U.S. Sounds a little crazy but the system has worked for Ireland's economy.

So there you have it--a short take on a lovely trip to a stunning country. And it is easy travelling. There is more to explore and I hope to go back someday. Go and enjoy.

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