Wk 6 – Ireland Pt2

Mon 20 to Sun 26 June
Kenmare, Cobh, Kilkenny, Dublin

Mon 20/6 – Dingle to Kenmare – 200klm

And the sun is shining. What a difference it makes to everything as we head off.

Obviously someone has a sense of humour naming this “Inch Beach”

River Caragh viewing point

Behy Bridge at Kilnabrack Upper was built in 1862

Rossbeigh for a brew in the sunshine. There was hardly any activity so it was very nice to just sit and enjoy.

The Gleensk Rail Viaduct was opened in 1893 and closed in 1960. It has quite a curve to it.

Skellig Harbour

We paid our dues and took a walk to the spectacular Kerry Cliffs at Foilnageragh

Then climbed to Cúm an Easpaig for some magnificent views back down the valley from which we’d come.

We were looking for a roadside coffee shack and thought we’d scored here at Lady Madonna Statue for Sailors Lost at Sea, but it turned out to be an ice cream vendor. So it wasn’t Friday, but …
Hordes of tourists, but a beautiful view.

Blackwater Bridge, or Puente sobre el rio Blackwater, is a double arched limestone bridge crossing a deep abyss. It was constructed in 1839 and is still in use today for all traffic. Take a closer look at those foundations.

And so to Kenmare with its proliferation of Bars and Cafes.

Tue 21/6 – Kenmare to Cobh – 180klm

Its raining as usual so we just covered the miles. From Bantry to Clonakilty we followed some very remote back roads through the rich rural countryside. There’s fair amount of caution called for on these very narrow roads with their hazards of local drivers, cow muck covered roads and the smell of muck covered fields from the practise of spraying said muck slurry on to the fields. This practise is fairly contentious and becoming highly regulated.

The weather cleared by the time we reached the River Arigideen

We stopped at the City of Cork and did a Hop-On-Hop-Off bus tour. Not everyone’s cup of tea but an effective way of seeing quite an amount of the city’s history and buildings in a short time.

To Cobh but not before discovering we had a leak in the rear tire. Thank goodness for tyre pressure indicators. It was a small nail but a quick plug fix and all was good.

Wed 22/6 – Lay Day in Cobh

Outside our window.

Thur 23/6 – Cobh to Kilkenny – 200klm

A pleasant day awaited us.
Belvelly Castle was built in the 1400s and had the usual checkered history of all such structures. However, this one has a happy ending: it was purchased and restored in 2017 at the cost A$7.5m. In the background can be seen the 5 arch Belvelly Bridge which was built in 1803.

Pretty hey.

Dungarvan Castle dates from the early days of the Anglo-Norman settlement in Ireland. It was built around 1209 to safeguard the entrance to Dungarvan Harbour. It was used by the British Army and the Royal Irish Constabulary until 1922, and during the Irish Civil War was destroyed by the Anti-Treaty IRA.  It was subsequently refurbished and served as the Headquarters of the local Garda before becoming a museum.

And so on to Waterford with its myriad of one way streets, but a delightful town.
We parked on the footpath and had a brew across from Reginalds Tower. Originally the site of a wooden Viking fort in 915, this stone tower actually owes its existence to the Anglo-Normans who rebuilt it around 1200. It is Ireland’s oldest civic building and has has been in continuous use for over 800 years.

Some more remote back roads brought us to Inistioge with it’s beautiful ten-arch bridge over the River Nore which was built in 1763.

There are summer flowers everywhere which brings great colour.
Thomastown has a nice five-arch bridge over the River Nore built 1792.

Just short of Kilkenny is Kells Priory which was founded in 1193. Its most striking features is a collection of medieval tower houses spaced at intervals along and within walls which enclose a site of just over 12,000 m². These give it the appearance more of a fortress than of a place of worship

Fri 24/6 – Lay Day in Kilkenny

It was a miserably wet day as we did our usual walk around town. For a change we did a tour of Kilkenny Castle which was built in 1192. This place is magnificent and has a most colourful history.

More of Kilkenny which seems to me to have more churches than pubs, and that’s really saying something.

We had a traditional Irish meal in a traditional Irish Pub and listened to traditional Irish balladeers.
The next morning we had another HUGE traditional Irish breakfast and headed for Dublin.

Sat 25/6 – Kilkenny to Dublin – 195klm

We took a chance that the forecasters had got it right. They hadn’t.

The Borris Railway Viaduct has sixteen arches and is supported by soaring limestone pillars. It rises to 18m high and spans the Borris and Mountain River Valley. Built at a cost of £20,000 in 1860 it is no longer used.

And more old castles with their histories of pageantry, magnificence and disaster.

Leighlinbridge Bridge, built in 1320, remains as one of the oldest functioning bridges in Europe. While behind it is Leighlinbridge Tower House, aka The Black Castle.

Just a little ways up the road is Carlow Castle which stands on the eastern bank of the River Barrow. It was built around 1210, so it’s allowed to look old and tied.

We now followed the old military road north and east towards Dublin. It began to rain as we rode roads that mostly seemed used by push bike riders and logging truck – thank goodness it was Saturday. From valley to peak and do it again, and again, through some truly picturesque country, albeit narrow, wet and winding.
To derelict Glendalough with it’s age old history. Hidden away in this remote valley, Glendalough is said to be founded by St Kevin, a 6th century monk and hermit who settled in these mountains chosen for their remoteness, beauty and serenity. The Normans destroyed the monastery in 1214. Today its a tourist mecca.

Up over Sally Gap with it’s stunning views, beautiful lakes and vast peat beds. The road, known as Military Road, was built shortly after the Irish Rebellion in 1798 by the British Army who wanted to drive Irish rebel forces from the area.
It is a great ride through here.

And so to Dublin.

Sun 26/6 – Lay Day in Dublin

Tomorrow its an early ferry to Wales.