Killarney Town

My time here in Killarney is coming to an end again for another year. With each visit I look more and more forward to the time we all come to Ireland as a family. I am so excited for Oliver, Joe and Vinnie to experience the Ireland I know. 

 

 So Grandma we’ll wait patiently until we hear you say we’ve grown a bit, let’s pack our clothes for we are on our way. From the song “Killarney Town” by Barbara Botch.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Memories Are Made Of This

A walk along the lake at twilight wasn’t something I had planned until the phone rang in my room. It was Saturday night, I had just pulled my hair back with a head band, covered my face in cream and was about to sit and listen to the Notre Dame game from my computer. The phone rang and it was Eileen, she was downstairs and wondered if I wanted to take a walk.

Off came the cream, I grabbed my sweater and raincoat and we were on our way.  We drove over to the beautiful Lake Hotel, where you can walk all along the Muckross Lake, it got dark very fast and was a gorgeous night. The picture is of a castle that used to be. It was beautiful at night. We had a cup of coffee inside the hotel and re-visited the last 10 years that we’ve known each other.

All moments are special in Ireland, but it’s moments like this, an unexpected phone call and a walk along the lake with a good friend that will linger in my heart for years to come.

 

 

The Spoken Word ~ The Real Ireland

 Eileen called me on Friday and asked if I wanted to go to a poetry reading that night. It was “Culture Night” so there were events going on all throughout Ireland. The one we went to was at the Abbeyfeale Community Theater, just a short 30-45 minute drive outside of Killarney.  

Eileen was invited as the guest reader for the evening and then it would be “open mic.”  She urged me, really wanted me to bring something to read. I hadn’t prepared anything, didn’t have any of my poems with me heck, I didn’t think I was going to be reading my poetry when I came to Ireland.

She suggested I tell them about the blog and read one of my blog posts. So I did! I told them about our trip to Croatia and read the one called “Boat Rides and Cable Cars." I’m glad I did. It went over well, and after the event several people came up to me and wanted to hear not only more about our trip to Croatia but about life in Las Vegas.

It’s amazing to me the talent in Ireland, and how the writers and poets gather like this and how at any given moment someone may just burst into song. There was a gentleman there who did just that!  Ah, the Irish ballad, delightful.

 It’s lovely how folks will write and share poems and prose about family, perhaps the town they live in, Irish history even a skit from one of the Irish plays.

We didn’t get home until almost midnight, it was a night filled with the spoken word and great conversation, something the Irish have truly mastered.

The Pot Of Gold

Yesterday morning I attended an hour and a half Yoga session with the lovely young woman you see in the pictures below. This Yoga practice was the real thing and as they say, she is the real article. Jenny has studied in an Ashram in India, lives in Killarney and is from Chile. She has a fabulous, unbelievably peaceful setting in her home for the Yoga.

I stayed for a few minutes after everyone left so we could continue our conversation we had started before the session. She asked if I wanted to meet again today for a walk, she had a nice area for walking that she wanted me to see. Of course I accepted, kind of hard to turn down a personalized tour like that.

I met her at the house again this afternoon, which is an easy 10 minute walk from Murphy’s. The door was open and Jenny was busy making a vege drink for the two of us.  She drove us to the Blue Pool Trail and parked the car. We started our walk down the path and into a moss-covered forest, I expected at any moment to see little dancing fairies peeking out from behind the trees.

 I am convinced now, that there are many different worlds we live in; not just different towns or cities, or even countries but worlds within the towns and cities. Just as there are different lifetimes, every experience we have, has a life of its own.

There really isn’t much more I can say. Once again I believe I’ll let the pictures speak for themselves. This beautiful “Blue Pool Trail” is a short drive up Muckross Road, just a few miles from Town Center.

Oh! I walked back to the hotel from Jenny’s house, the skies got dark and I was able to snap a shot of the rainbow.

Killarney truly is the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

 

 
 
 

 

 

 

More Pictures From Dublin and Paris!

 

I knew that window shopping on Champs ~ Elysees was something we would do while in Paris, but what I didn’t know was that I would be climbing the Arc de Triomphe again. Since Carmina had never been to the top, we did it. We were in agreement that we didn’t have to climb the steps all the way to the top but only the few steps to the elevator. What an amazing view of the Eiffel Tower from way up there. It was windy and cool but well worth going up, even a second time for me. Afterwards we ate at Leon de Bruxelles, right there on Champs~ Elysees, Carmina had clams and escargot, I had the salmon.  

We went to a play one evening in Dublin at the lovely Olympia Theater and had a wonderful meal at Jules right next door to the theater. I had the French Dipped Lamb sandwich. Carmina had Pork Bellies and Calamari. We’ve had some great meals since we’ve been here.

 Jules is an awesome restaurant and wine bar. There are two floors, the first has just a few tables for two, four and six people, very cozy. The upstairs has tables for larger parties. The food was delicious, the service impeccable and the wine and dessert ~ Ooh La La as the French say, chocolate brownie and ice cream.

 

 It was a great way to start a night at the theater. We saw "Once" a musical about a young musician trying to make it on the streets of Dublin. It was lots of fun. Don't miss Jules or a play at the Olympia! 

We spent another day in Howth while in Dublin this time we got to see and watch the fisherman getting their nets and boats ready to go out.  It was pouring rain, but so much fun to see how the folks in the fishing village spend their day.  I always thought it would be fun to work down at the wharf. To be there when they came back in with all the fish. To be able to jump onto the boat and throw all the fish into the truck.

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Waking Up In Killarney

I am singing the praises of Killarney this morning! I woke to the sunshine bursting through my window. After arriving yesterday to the pouring rain, freezing cold and dark skies, all was good in the world. I pulled back the curtain to see the newspapers being delivered to the newsstand across the street. Everyone had a spring in their step this morning. Killarney has had more than their share of rain this summer I am told. 

 

 I walked across the street in time for the eight O’clock Mass.  I love going to Mass when I’m here and it’s so easy as the Friary is right across the street from Murphy’s where I’m staying.  I came back and had breakfast and then headed out for a good walk. Thus began another day in Killarney.

When I was walking to the post office this morning to mail a postcard to the boys, WOW! I miss you Ollie, Joe and Vinnie. I thought I heard someone call my name.  “Barbara it’s Cathy! Cathy from Zumba last year.” I looked over to see Cathy Troth across the street from indeed the Zumba class I went to a couple of times last year.  It was so nice to think she remembered me, recognized me. We stood and talked for about 20 minutes. Killarney has certainly wrapped her arms around me over the years. My days are filled with such excitement, and emotion, a real feeling of belonging.

Here I am writing this in the cozy sitting room of Murphy’s, the piped in music is playing “Stranger on the Shore” It’s pouring rain.

 Feeling at home~ missing home.

 

Another World

I was so grateful that Carmina had a couple of bandaids in her make-up case this morning. I wore the new boots to the opera last night. Oh No!

The bus trip to Giverny was a very pleasant hour and a half ride. We drove through the Normandy area, and was able to see the old bridge that was bombed during the 2^nd WW. and also the new more modern one.  Entering the Monet Garden was like leaving one world and entering another. Do make a visit to Monet’s Garden if you come to Paris. I believe I’ll let the pictures speak for themselves.