Kerry the new world

FIN-ALLY WE MEET...Fungie gets up close to an admirer

honesttravelguy.com

IMAGINE if America had discovered Europe rather than the other way round.
I am guessing Christopher Columbus - or whoever you think was first - would have been confronted by the awesome sight of the Kerry mountains at the gateway to the 'new' continent. The seemingly never- ending landscape of peaks on Ireland's west coast may have been enough to deter the most hardy of explorers. Even now, with the help of motorised transport, you face a gritty challenge.
But Chris Colum would have been left perplexed by today's host in Dingle Bay - Fungie The Dolphin.
The creature would have had  a field day swimming and dancing amidst the invading ships and teasing the crew.
At least that is what it felt like when I went in search of Dingle's favourite son aboard one of the tourist cruisers. Choruses of "Over here, no this side, there he is,  wow look he's right along side us" have been echoing around the bay since 1983 - and this year a 30th anniversary celebration is under way.
No one can seem to explain why at 14ft he appears to be the only dolphin to make the harbour his permanent residence for three decades. He graced us with a few surface appearances during my expedition but I am told the secret to a spectacular encounter is go searching aboard a smaller craft. Fungie, thought to be aged around 35,  loves playing with something his own size and has been seen lunging out of the water as part of the game.

BEST PALS...Andrew with Bosun

But Kerry is in no short supply of memorable characters and the value of a good holiday can be gauged as much by the people you meet as the places you visit.
The mythical-like scenes of endless mountains looking out to the Ring of Kerry from +Kenmare Ireland - especially at sunset, will stay firmly etched into the memory.
But then I won't forget meeting people like Michael O'Sullivan in a hurry either. You see, he knows a thing or two about horses. He lives and breathes everything to do with the animal and, with wife Xenia,   runs the Dromquinna Stables founded by his late mother Patricia over 60 years ago.

And, as if to illustrate the tradition and stability of the area, the horses include an eighth generation Arab/Connemara descendant of Faline - the first animal Patricia - a horse whisperer ahead of her time -  bought  in 1948. I fell in love with my steed Bosun whose calm was contagious as we spent an hour trailing the nearby coast. My 10-year-old daughter was a first-time natural in the saddle while her mother renewed the hobby of her youth.
If you visit Kerry looking for a piece of recent Irish history, look no further than Michael's family. Grandfather John Francis Crowley, a hydro electric engineer, studied at Trinity College with +Eamon de Valera. Years later the new State's first leader turned to his student pal to study the feasibility of a national airline - the seed that resulted in +Aer Lingus.

SADDLE DO NICELY...Michael and wife Xenia at stables

John, having built factories throughout Germany,  also advised the Allies in the Second World War  on strategic bombing sites. He refused a knighthood from King George V - to avoid embarrassment to the political career of brother Frederick Crowley. The  inaugural TD for South Kerry served the same area where father-in-law JP Bowland sat as MP under British rule. Frederick's widow, Honor, succeeded him as TD, creating Ireland's first political dynasty.

Just up the road in Bonane, French-born chocolatier Benoit Lorge is happily producing exquisite treats at the old post office he has converted into a kitchen and shop. We donned aprons to become his assistants for the afternoon. Asking the kids if they wanted to make chocolate was a real tough one. James was frequently sent off to wash his hands as the temptation to lick his 'dirty' hands was just too much to resist.

Benoit, who hails from Nancy, France, chooses the finest ingredients from Venezuela, the Dominican Republic and Madagascar for his chocolates. And, if you feel guilty about the sweet treat, listen to him discuss the health benefits of dark chocolate. Add a glass of red wine and you can't go wrong - in moderation. You can also visit the nearby Bonane Heritage Park with its ancient stone circle and stunning routes for walkers and cyclists. A host of events are also taking place to celebrate +The Gathering Ireland. Molly Gallivan's cottage and traditional farm is also worth a look.

If you fancy touring the Ring of Kerry, why not venture on to the Skellig Ring, where you will find secret pastures of this already enchanting area. Dubliner Colum Healy is a regular visitor. Nine years ago  he bought the Skelligs Chocolates factory after sister Darina, who lives locally, spotted the business was up for sale. And now tourists are flocking to this quiet outpost, close to Valentia Island, to sample  his unique varieties  of Belgian and French chocolate including  chilli and pink peppercorn, sea salt and hot toddy flavours. Skelligs also won an award for Colum's idea - developed by employee Aine O'Shea, for a chocolate high heel shoe.

CHOCS AWAY...Aine shows off Skelligs football treat

We stopped off the small village Portmagee for a locally-caught fish supper before arriving in Dingle. As we drove along the peninsula, the most huge sunset greeted us on the horizon. Maybe the fact that just the Blasket Islands stood between us and an ocean accounted for this incredible sight.
Dingle is probably one of the quaintiest places you could ever wish to visit. We loved the Oceanworld Aquarium where you can get close up with Splash and Spike the apparently harmless Sand Tiger sharks and turtle Molly. The children were also enchanted by the penguins and the ‘touch room’ where you can feel lobsters, rays and hold a starfish.
We also took a drive back in time on the Slea Head Drive with the road lined with ancient buildings and historic sites.
A pal described Kerry as the place where American tourists go when they discover Dublin is too much like home. It's a sound decision to head west.


ANDREW WALLER
andrew@honesttravelguy.com

KENMARE
WHERE TO STAY:
We spent two nights at the 4-star Kenmare Bay Hotel.  Excellent location - which ever direction you look the Kerry hills and mountains surround you. The hotel has 127 rooms with holiday homes and luxury lodges. We stayed in a lodge. It was  huge with two double ensuite bedrooms - both with TVs. The wooden-floored lounge/kitchen was also massive with every mod con. Hotel has restaurant, bar, wedding/banqueting suites, health club swimming pool and kids' club. Ladies can also have massage and beauty treatment. Most impressive thing about hotel was staff. Genuinely friendly and nothing was too much bother. Receptionist Dani even produced an X box adaptor for a certain 7-year-old who couldn't leave home without the console. www.kenmarebayhotel.com

THINGS TO DO
Horse ride www.dromquinnastables.com
Outdoor adventures www.staroutdoors.ie
Chocolate fun www.lorge.ie
Cruises www.seafari.com
Heritage www.bonaneheritagepark.com
www.mollygallivans.com
Food carnival - July 12-14 - www.kenmarefoodcarnival.com
The Gathering events www.thegatheringireland.com
Gardens www.derreengarden.com
Golf www.ringofkerrygolf.com

PLACES TO EAT
See www.kenmarerestaurants.com
Here are two eateries we especially enjoyed.
Davitts. Spacious and child-friendly. Great place for Sunday lunch. I devoured the fish pie while the kids were impressed with their food - especially desserts. www.davittskenmare.com
Prego. Great pizza restaurant. Pizza with shredded roast pork and sliced apple topping highly recommended. Perfect place to round off busy day to the sound of relaxing jazz. Visit Prego Kenmare on Facebook.

DINGLE

WHERE TO STAY:
We stopped at four-star Skellig Dingle right in the heart of town. The hotel was instant hit with the kids as, after weary journey, they were greeted in our room with a bumper bag of goodies including t-shirt, mug, ruler and games. Hotel has won awards for being child-friendly. Breakfast room with views over bay to die for. Huge mural of Fungie in swimming pool delighted our kids. www.dingleskellig.com

PLACES TO EAT
Doyles Seafood www.doylesofdingle.ie
The Stone House www.stonehouseventry.com
The Bull's Head www.bullshead.ie
Ashes's Bar www.ashesbar.ie
Murphy's Ice Cream www.murphysicecream

THINGS TO DO
See Fungie! www.dingledolphin.com
Aquarium www.dingle-oceanworld.ie
Drive Slea Head Drive   Remember Dingle is the Gaeltacht (Irish speaking) area. Not all road signs are in English. So if you go for a spin, remember Dingle in Gaelic is An Daingean
Golf  www.dinglegolfcentre.com
Activities www.dingleactivities.com
Horse riding www.longsriding.com
Pottery www.louismulcahy.com/openroom


SKELLIG RING

www.skelligschocolate.com
www.moorings.ie

AND HERE ARE SOME MORE PHOTOS KENMARE

AND FROM DINGLE AND SKELLIG

AND OF COURSE...

My own Gathering

honesttravelguy.com

2013 is the year of +The Gathering Ireland.

It is a global celebration of being Irish. No matter what part of the planet you hail from or however remote your link, the clarion call is simple - get yourself here and celebrate your ancestry.

It may come as some surprise - jaw-dropping in fact - to anyone that knows me to discover that I have Irish blood. And you don't have to go too far back to find my roots.

As kids my mum used to make some reference to having relatives over here - but the claim was never really fleshed out with any detail. In my blog  Old Age Passenger, you can read  how my mother was born the youngest of seven in Liverpool during the impoverished 1920s.

So we kind of figured that our ancestors, the Flanagans,  would have made the crossing on the boat for new pastures in England.  A few years back my sister found an insatiable appetite for all matters relating to genealogy with a rich vein of detail on my mother's side.

She had discovered that our maternal great grandfather was one James Flanagan. Seven years ago - still then unsure about the strength my links - I moved to Ireland  with my job as production editor of +The Sun's Irish edition.

One of the interesting aspects of living in Ireland today's is the hints of the ancient tribes. Mention an Irish surname and the sage in front of you will probably utter: "Ah that is a fine old name from......"

I don't think that really happens in England, except perhaps with some Yorkshire surnames where some end with the 'thwaite' syllable.

I raised my family name with a colleague in work one day. He informed me that there were a lot of Flanagans in his home county of Clare. Then, pottering around the web one day, I discovered the parish records of Kilmihil in  Clare. And there in 1856 was the birth details of James Flanagan.
It had to be him, I thought. I told my sister who was delighted but reluctant to add him to the jigsaw without incontrovertible evidence that he was our great grandfather.

A few years passed until finally, after much digging and work with fellow 'family'  enthusiasts she discovered that James was one of us - or to be more deferential - we were his.

I wanted to go there. We booked a hotel in the nearby town of Ennis and set upon the pilgrimage  from Dublin. On our way there, we saw a signpost to Moneygall. A certain US President had visit there a week earlier to discover his Irish heritage. I could not resist the slight detour - so I enjoyed a pint of Guinness on the same spot in the Ollie Hayes pub where +Barack Obama had supped.

By comparison the Co Offaly village was like a big town to my own ancestral home of Kilmihil. We drove for about 45 minutes from Ennis. Looking out of the car window, there appeared to be nothing but fields on the landscape. Eventually a small roadside pointed to the approaching junction. I felt butterflies in my stomach as we continued along the winding roads and, suddenly, we were there.

This is a tiny village in the middle of nowhere. Small but it had its own school, shops, church and pubs - yes, plural. The schoolchildren passed us on their way home. I was expecting to see some of the Celt features of my daughter, sister and nieces - dark brown hair, with big blue eyes.

I had a giggle as I thought of that episode of +Only Fools and Horses  where the lads visited the French village where Uncle Albert had stayed in the war.  There was the hilarious moment when Del and Rodney were stunned to see so many menfolk - with trademark beards -  looking almost certain offspring of  their old sea dog relative.

As I looked at the views from Kilmihil you could't help reflect that James Flanagan would have been surveying the same scenery more than 150 years earlier when he set off for a new life in England. There was an awesome sense of peace and belonging that I don't think would have been the same if I was visiting a larger village, town or cities where my relatives. had resided.

My two young children did not appreciate my fascination with this remote place and I was soon being urged to return to our hotel swimming pool. By coincidence, before we even knew ancestral first names, my son had taken the same name as his great, great grandfather.

Maybe as part of +The Gathering Ireland I will return and spend a bit more time there.

Ireland being Ireland, I just know that after a pint or two in any one of Kilmihil's five pubs I'll find someone who will say: 'Ah yes, the Flanagans'.

And I wouldn't be at all surprised to discover we're related.




You can visit thegatheringireland.com for more details on the celebration and discoverireland.com

Pirates of the Corribean

honesttravelguy.com

ARRRR shipmates! Shiver me timbers and welcome aboard this pirate voyage to Inchagoill. Well, ok, the commentary on our Mayo trip didn’t quite start like that – but the expression on seven-year-old James’s face was a picture of  excitement and intrigue. We could have easily been in the Pirates of the Corribean.

We set off from Ashford Castle with its air of magic and mystery. Our Corrib Cruises vessel landed echoing to stories of inhabitants dating back to St Patrick. “If you miss the return boat, we’ll pick you up in the morning,” the captain bellowed. We thought he was joking – but you can bring along a tent and pitch up. And there was more swash-buckling fun on at  the Pirate Adventure Park at Westport House – learning about the adventures of Grace O’Malley.

Charis, ten, boarded the swinging boat ride but her screams were so piercing nearby shipping might have thought the battlecry of the Pirate Queen herself had been invoked.We also got soaked on the log plume ride and toured the spooky dungeons. There is loads to do here from archery and a 42km cycle ride to Zorbing – where you  strap yourself in a huge beach ball and roll down a hill. We stayed  at the four-star McWilliam Park Hotel in Claremorris  -  sitting between Knock and Galway.  

The overwhelming impression is  of quality from the high-spec rooms with HD TV  to the standard of fare in the restaurant and bar. Have a dip in the  pool  and the  Jacuzzi, steam room and sauna. Parents can drop children off at the Bizzie Bees club while they use  the health spa or maybe play  golf nearby. We moved on to the Hotel Westport – a short walk from where our young pirates played. Another four-star hotel that oozed luxury.  Take your pick of things to do – a top notch restaurant, a   musical about Grace O’Malley, a superb pool, gym and beauty salon.

There is  also a Panda Club for kids running throughout the day and evening that includes X Factor competitions and  cinema trips. Forget expensive foreign holidays that offer little more than sun and sand  this mid-term – the children adored our trip to Mayo. It really captured their imagination…and they can’t wait to go back.

honesttravelguy.com

GET THERE FROM THE UNITED STATES:

Fly  with +American Airlines and +Aer Lingus to Dublin from +JFK Airport, Los Angeles and Miami. Hire car or see +Bus Éireann and +Irish Rail 

www.discoverireland.ie

www.westporthouse.ie 

www.mcWilliampark.ie 

www.hotelwestport.ie

www.corribcruises.co