Annie Moore with her two younger brothers

      The statue outside the Cobh museum is of 16 year-old Annie Moore with her two younger brothers.  Annie was the first immigrant processed through Ellis Island in January 1892.

      Next stop, Blarney Castle. The castle is in ruins but the tower with the Blarney Stone (the Stone of Eloquence) can be accessed by climbing a narrow circular stairway (like going to the top of an old lighthouse). 

Blarney Castle

Explanatory Sign

      Gale kissing the stone!  You have to lie on your back and wiggle your torso over the edge and put your head back to kiss the stone.  A very nice man assists you in the endeavor and a digital camera snaps your picture.  The picture is available by the time you get back to the entrance.  You see it on a computer screen and it can be printed in seconds - at a cost of 10 Euros ($13).  I had to buy it!

Gale kissing the Blarney Stone

Certificate of Accomplishment

Gale at the top of Blarney Castle

Blarney Castle

View from atop Blarney Castle

View from atop Blarney Castle

Mon., 5/13/13 - Killarney

      Today we headed out at 9 AM to drive the famous circular road called the Ring of Kerry.  It is a loop around the Kerry peninsula along the coast and through Macgillycuddy’s Reeks or Mountains.
      Along the way we stopped at a nice wool, jewelry, and souvenir shop and were treated to hot Irish coffee as we shopped.  I bought a long sleeved T-shirt.  With the cold weather and rain, something warm will be put to immediate use.
      We passed through an area of peat bogs.  The landscape is dotted with fields that have been stripped of the wet peat which is then laid out to dry and to be later used as fuel.
      We looked out at Dingle Bay and the rugged landscape.  Another photo op was at Cahirsiveen and the ruins of the birthplace of Daniel O'Connell who was the first Catholic in the British Parliament. There was an interesting statue of a Skellig boat - a leather boat that Michael said was the first type carrying Irishmen to North America in the 15th century.  The maps they made showed the Vikings how to get to North America.  Michael tells lots of stories, is this one?
      We stopped to see a tinker or traveler or an Irish form of gypsy.  Michael bought a bottle of Potashin (moonshine) for any brave soul to taste.
      We drove through Waterville with its statue of Charlie Chaplin.
     

Stonework above Lower Killarney Lake

Map of the Ring of Kerry - we proceeded counter-clockwise around the Ring

Countryside with stone bridge and gorse

Stream and gorse

Dingle Bay viewpoint

Skellig boat sculpture

Birthplace of Irish political leader Daniel O'Connell

Bottle of Potashin (moonshine)

Ruins of a Hill fort

View from Ballinskelligs Bay viewpoint

Stream and tilted strata

        Lunch was in the town of Sneem.  We had another bowl of potato leek soup.  This one was another variation and again served with brown soda bread.  Sneem has a collection of sculptures given by various heads-of-state to Ireland.  We found one from Israel and one from France, which is referred to as the "Gaul Stone."  We also found pyramid shaped structures called the "Fairy Way."  We saw no inhabitants!

The Fairy Way

The Fairy Way

        We drove through Gap in the Macgillycuddy's and entered Killarney Nat'l Park, dedicated in 1932.  From an overlook we looked down on the three Lakes of Killarney.  Next event was a horse drawn carriage ride to the ruins of Vuckross Friary built by Franciscans and ruined by Cromwell in 1652.  The horses took us back to our hotel.

Killarney Lakes in Killarney National Park

Our horse carriage

Vuckross Abbey

Vuckross Abbey

Vuckross Abbey