tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-75198047075794669072024-03-07T10:22:52.890-08:00SherWordsSherwood Harringtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09575868746160608731noreply@blogger.comBlogger262125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7519804707579466907.post-91827726417343294092012-09-30T18:57:00.000-07:002012-09-30T18:57:00.324-07:00Forty-Six<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhitVsHnMv69RPxdITTV8Q4jDfH7En8HcVrMkX81W2a747Oz1dlq9yHR9KCOOy3f95xJajKyViZC8DKXWTOTu55KM-IJYvCiqZIUSmQQ-gT9WfyOpIuxFGZZ3I3q2ghXnqby6SCmt7ARdo/s1600/DougXmas96.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhitVsHnMv69RPxdITTV8Q4jDfH7En8HcVrMkX81W2a747Oz1dlq9yHR9KCOOy3f95xJajKyViZC8DKXWTOTu55KM-IJYvCiqZIUSmQQ-gT9WfyOpIuxFGZZ3I3q2ghXnqby6SCmt7ARdo/s320/DougXmas96.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Doug Harrington (1 October 1966 - 14 November 2006) watches his old man demonstrate his new, spiffy, lightning-fast Pentium computer in December, 1996.</div>
Sherwood Harringtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09575868746160608731noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7519804707579466907.post-39958967896577574192012-02-05T13:10:00.000-08:002012-02-07T21:12:55.842-08:00An Example of How the Internet Has Changed Everything<span style="font-style: italic;">Dr. Mary Spanner (not her real name) is in New South Wales, Australia.</span><br style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Kevin McLaughlin is in Dublin, Ireland.</span><br style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;">I am in Boulder Creek, California, USA.</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">I have never met either of the other people in this interchange.</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhacYoVAMR0eEgAB-_76-MCdAzxMevC9NOlrK0mfEAIV80XTPqPcwtzmOksW1izPHng3Oujjk5PbaSpw7-0rYxVqgxGZKgmh1dGM-uDPnyIEzpEcR6ycspKED6brpMVYTpdJIlJ44ZNmWg/s1600/Aug2006.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhacYoVAMR0eEgAB-_76-MCdAzxMevC9NOlrK0mfEAIV80XTPqPcwtzmOksW1izPHng3Oujjk5PbaSpw7-0rYxVqgxGZKgmh1dGM-uDPnyIEzpEcR6ycspKED6brpMVYTpdJIlJ44ZNmWg/s400/Aug2006.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5705839045829040210" border="0" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center; font-style: italic;"><span style="font-size:85%;">The suspension pedestrian bridge across the River Camcor, Birr Castle Demesne. Built around 1820, this may be the oldest wrought-iron suspension bridge in Europe.<br /></span></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">===========================<br /></div><br /><blockquote>January 11, 2012, 1:52pm PST (= 8:52am January 12 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia)<br />To: Sherwood Harrington<br />From: Dr. Mary Spanner<br />Subject: Birr Suspension Bridge<br /><br />Dear Sherwood,<br /><br />I am writing a book about Thomas Waters, who designed and built a suspension bridge in Tokyo in 1872. Tom grew up next door to Birr Castle [in Ireland -- SH], and I expect he modelled his bridge in Japan on the Birr one.<br />I would really love a high res. copy of your photo. Please let me know the cost, etc.<br /><br />Best wishes,<br />Mary Spanner<br />Honorary Associate:<br />The School of Humanities<br />The University of ****<br />NSW, Australia<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">===========================<br /></div><br />January 12, 2012, 7:30pm PST (= 2:30pm January 13 in Sydney)<br />To: Dr. Mary Spanner<br />From: Sherwood Harrington<br />Subject: Birr Suspension Bridge<br /><br />Dear Dr. Spanner,<br /><br />I will be happy to give permission for one of my photographs of the Birr suspension bridge to be used in your book without charge. My only condition is that it be properly credited.<br /><br />However, I'm not sure which photograph you mean! I have a few out there at different places on the web. Let me know which one you're interested in and I'll make the highest-resolution file I have of it available to you.<br /><br />Best wishes,<br /><br />Sherwood Harrington<br />Astronomy Department<br />DeAnza College<br />Cupertino, California<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">===========================<br /></div><br />January 12, 2012, 8:00pm PST (= 3:00pm January 13 in Sydney)<br />To: Sherwood Harrington<br />From: Dr. Mary Spanner<br />Subject: Birr Suspension Bridge<br /><br />Great to hear from you!<br /><br />Thanks, Sherwood.<br /><br />I have decided on the attached photo [at end of this message -- SH], which can be compared easily with the version that Tom Waters built in Japan (also attached) [not included in this post -- SH]. Of course, the Japanese bridge is much bigger! Waters never did anything by halves!<br /><br />It wasn't an easy decision, as you have several nice ones.<br /><br />My husband and I were at Birr, also staying at the Bothy, several years ago! I see you are with the Astronomy Department -- no wonder you were interested in Birr!<br /><br />I do appreciate your generosity, and will, of course, add the appropriate credits.<br /><br />With best wishes,<br />Mary Spanner<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5LEiY9qzxOuPkidg2Jgl0gqoBtTNGMyGCpV82-ysunCE45QrBrzC6k3sqvT8imnRQLlwtbgRC2oyMrbYL8FMkup8HAjPMIQ2sHX-4ouLQYzhxrFxDGiixD4BWEttspfS6sfkJD5Tcmxo/s1600/McLaughlin.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5LEiY9qzxOuPkidg2Jgl0gqoBtTNGMyGCpV82-ysunCE45QrBrzC6k3sqvT8imnRQLlwtbgRC2oyMrbYL8FMkup8HAjPMIQ2sHX-4ouLQYzhxrFxDGiixD4BWEttspfS6sfkJD5Tcmxo/s400/McLaughlin.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5705839049517420690" border="0" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center; font-style: italic;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Kevin McLaughlin's straight-on view of the bridge. Photograph courtesy of and © Kevin McLaughlin, all rights reserved.<br /></span></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">===========================<br /></div><br />January 12, 2012, 9:00pm PST (= 4:00pm January 13 in Sydney)<br />To: Dr. Mary Spanner<br />From: Sherwood Harrington<br />Subject: Birr Suspension Bridge<br /><br />Hi, Mary -<br /><br />I'm afraid that isn't one of my photos. Can you send me the URL where you found the one you want?<br /><br />Best,<br />Sherwood<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">===========================<br /></div><br />January 12, 2012, 9:05pm PST (= 4:05pm January 13 in Sydney)<br />To: Dr. Mary Spanner<br />From: Sherwood Harrington<br />Subject: Birr Suspension Bridge<br /><br />Hi, Mary -<br /><br />Just following up on my e-mail to you of a few minutes ago -- I found the photo you want on Flickr, and it belongs to a fellow named Kevin McLaughlin. Here is his profile page, from which you can probably contact him:<br /><br />http://www.flickr.com/people/harve64/<br /><br />Good luck to you -- your book sounds intriguing!<br /><br />Sherwood<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">===========================<br /></div><br />January 12, 2012, 10:04pm PST (= 5:04pm January 13 in Sydney)<br />To: Sherwood Harrington<br />From: Dr. Mary Spanner<br />Subject: Birr Suspension Bridge<br /><br />OK. Sorry about that. One I really liked was in fact yours, a side on view of the bridge. I must have got confused after that, when I decided on the lengthways version.<br /><br />If I can't get anywhere with Kevin McLaughlin, I will get back to you.<br /><br />Best wishes,<br />Mary<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">===========================<br /></div><br />January 14, 2012, 12:02am PST (= 7:02pm January 14 in Sydney)<br />To: Sherwood Harrington<br />From: Dr. Mary Spanner<br />Subject: Birr Suspension Bridge<br /><br />Hi again, Sherwood.<br /><br />I got into the web page you mention below, but unlike yours, it does not seem to have an email address for Kevin McLaughlin.<br /><br />I don't want to sign in to anything, which Flickr seems to want me to do. I wonder if you could please contact Kevin via Flickr and give him my email address so we can talk. Is that possible?<br /><br />Don't worry if it is too much of a nuisance, and I hope you don't mind me asking this favour.<br /><br />Mary<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">===========================<br /></div><br />January 14, 2012, 10:11am PST (= 6:11pm in Dublin)<br />To: Kevin McLaughlin (via Flickr message)<br />From: Sherwood Harrington<br />Subject: Author Requesting Permission to Use a Photo<br /><br />Hi, Kevin -<br /><br />Dr. Mary Spanner of the University of **** in Australia would like to use your photo of the Birr Castle suspension bridge in a book she is writing. Since she is not a Flickr subscriber, she has asked me to pass along her e-mail address to you so you can contact her if you wish.<br /><br />Dr. Spanner's e-mail address is *******@****.edu.au<br /><br />Thanks, Kevin, and best wishes from<br />Sherwood Harrington<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">===========================<br /></div><br />January 14, 2012, 10:25am PST (= 5:25am January 15 in Sydney)<br />To: Dr. Mary Spanner<br />From: Sherwood Harrington<br />Subject: Birr Suspension Bridge -- Followup<br /><br />Hi, Mary -<br /><br />I just passed a message along to Kevin. I hope he gets back to you, but there is a notation on his account that he is busy with other things for a while and may not check his messages right away.<br /><br />If it doesn't work out that you can use his photograph, please let me know. I have developed some photographer contacts in Ireland through Flickr, and one of them might be willing to take a shot from the same vantage point for you. Also, you could try e-mailing Lady Rosse for help -- since you've stayed in the Bothy, I'm sure you know that she is very nice and very helpful.<br /><br />You've tweaked my interest in Thomas Waters, a fellow I'd never heard of before. Please let me know when your book sees print; I'd very much like to read it. I just read the Wikipedia entry about him, and thought of another famous Irish civil engineer: Michael Tubridy, who was responsible for the reconstruction of the great telescope at Birr Castle (and for the recently-replaced passenger terminal at the Dublin airport.) Tubridy wasn't famous for those things, though. He was famous for being the original flute player for the Chieftains!<br /><br />Best wishes,<br />Sherwood<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">===========================<br /></div><br />January 14, 2012, 10:27am PST (= 6:27pm in Dublin and simultaneously written with the previous message)<br />To: Sherwood Harrington (via Flickr message)<br />From: Kevin McLaughlin<br />Subject: Author Requesting Permission to Use a Photo<br /><br /> <p>Dear Sherwood,<br /><br />I'll get on to that, thanks.<br /><br />Regards,<br />Kevin McLaughlin</p><div style="text-align: center;"> ===========================<br /></div><br />January 14, 2012, 10:32am PST (= 6:32pm in Dublin)<br />To: Kevin McLaughlin (via Flickr message)<br />From: Sherwood Harrington<br />Subject: Author Requesting Permission to Use a Photo<br /><br /> You're welcome, Kevin. She seems like a very nice person, and the fellow she's writing a book about -- somebody I'd never heard of before -- seems to have been a very interesting guy according to the little I've read about him online this morning. I hope she does wind up using your photo of the bridge.<br /><br />Sherwood<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">===========================<br /></div><br />January 14, 2012, 11:20am PST (= 7:20pm in Dublin)<br />To: Sherwood Harrington (via Flickr message)<br />From: Kevin McLaughlin<br />Subject: Author Requesting Permission to Use a Photo<br /> <p>For me, people just have to ask and I'm usually happy to give permission. Courtesy goes a long way.<br /><br />It's good to know that there are people writing about these great 19th century guys, recovering their stories and making them known.<br /><br />All the best,<br />Kevin</p><div style="text-align: center;">===========================<br /></div><br />January 14, 2012, 2:28pm PST (= 9:28am January 15 in Sydney)<br />To: Sherwood Harrington<br />From: Dr. Mary Spanner<br />Subject: Birr Suspension Bridge -- Followup<br /><br />Thanks very much Sherwood,<br /><br />Kevin has just contacted me! Great. I will certainly put your name on my list of people who want the book, and he has requested a copy too.<br /><br />I have not yet found a publisher, which is (as you probably know) not easy these days. **** **** Pess in NY is presently considering the proposal, but I will believe it when I see it.<br /><br />It is certainly an extraordinary story, and hopefully someone will take it up.<br /><br />Don't take too much notice of the Wikipedia bit about TJW. Some of it is quite wrong. You should really read a book by Mary Spanner and Susumu Yamashita if you want to know the truth about him. Hopefully it will be available in the not too distant future!<br /><br />Mary</blockquote><br /><div style="text-align: center;">===========================<br /></div><br style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Total elapsed time from Dr. Spanner sending the first inquiry to me, through her acquisition of the photo and its permission, to summary chat: three days.</span><br style="font-style: italic;"><br style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Critical part of that (first contact with the photographer to Dr. Spanner's acquisition of the image and its permission): less than four hours.</span><br style="font-style: italic;"><br style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Total great circle distance involved (Boulder Creek - Dublin, Dublin - Sydney, and Sydney - Boulder Creek): 22,900 miles.</span><br style="font-style: italic;"><br style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Wow. Just wow.</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">===========================<br /><br />PLEASE NOTE:<br />I have used "Mary Spanner" as a fictitious name for a real person. In the interests of her privacy and confidentiality, I have not used her real name, or that of her institution or her co-author.<br />Kevin McLaughlin lives in Dublin and goes by the handle "harve64" on Flickr. His beautiful landscape photographs (and the occasional one of Eric the Cat) <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/harve64/">are well worth spending some time with</a>.<br /></div>Sherwood Harringtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09575868746160608731noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7519804707579466907.post-69422604395286944842012-02-04T08:54:00.000-08:002012-02-04T09:35:50.882-08:00Only Because I Don't Know What His Birthday Was<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf8D3dqaG8voF_DKCWOt66bWy0RrYGkiguofBedQ3qnI9V24EWwV1_j80yGUfrCw5LZsp7Q3OAjTSJjCHbuOe4TJpZubhVC2-hAWNCM6QEPe-SM2LqGiszQHNSvnp489c_Epd8NYGy8oE/s1600/Freighter1000.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 312px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf8D3dqaG8voF_DKCWOt66bWy0RrYGkiguofBedQ3qnI9V24EWwV1_j80yGUfrCw5LZsp7Q3OAjTSJjCHbuOe4TJpZubhVC2-hAWNCM6QEPe-SM2LqGiszQHNSvnp489c_Epd8NYGy8oE/s400/Freighter1000.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5705332791722774914" border="0" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center; font-style: italic;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Oolie and part of his posse, 2003.<br /></span></div><br />The Black Freighter left port three years ago today.<br /><br />Both Mrs. Fort and I are ailurophiles, and we make no bones about it. (One of the very first things she ever said to me, in fact, was "Do you like cats?" My life would have been very different had my answer been at all different from what it was.) We think that all cats' personalities are fascinating, and that's the quality that keeps us buying lint rollers by the case more than any other. Sure, some of them are cute and cuddly -- but by no means all of them. But every single one of them is fascinating.<br /><br />None more so than Oolie, the Black Freighter.<br /><br />But, selfish fellow that I am, this post won't involve specific memories of him (as my friend Chris Clarke did so well yesterday<a href="http://faultline.org/site/item/10_random_things_i_remember/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+faultline%2FbuAC+Coyote+Crossing&utm_content=Google+Feedfetcher" target="_blank"> for Zeke</a>.) It has to do with me and a gathering discomfort about marking his death annually, the same discomfort that has stopped me from noting in this space the anniversary of <a href="http://sherwords.blogspot.com/2011/10/forty-five.html" target="_blank">an entirely different kind of loss</a>. Enough time has gone by now that the shock has worn off (though we still see him at the periphery of our vision once in a while), and what we're left with is a lasting smile. That seems like cause for celebration, and the anniversary of his sudden death kind of works against that.<br /><br />If we knew what his birthday was, what to do would be easy: just celebrate that. But the best we can come up with is "probably sometime in early 1995." Or we could do something akin to what my father's eldest sister did. When she was a child, she secretly chose one date to be her "Happy Day," and vowed to herself that all day on that date she would be happy and do happy things no matter what might be going on. And she did. She kept it secret from everybody until she was in her 84th and final year, when she told me about April 4th in a letter.<br /><br />Instead, I think I'll go about it less randomly. I think I'll designate the exact opposite side of the orbit to be my Oolie Day from now on. Expect to see another picture of the Black Freighter here on August 5th.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcB8qQo1vfXg9MtDDmyPP18P-lGasoi4kSxNRNY7cXX9zFPuCT_pEwSHsgBYySp-xyNnokGIh1cd_rVvsvfm0HO5hznogziD9DpmNm-IrE2PlVgaPWqFK8iJRw7_P5sY8LClc0j3msF_A/s1600/Mojo1000.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 359px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcB8qQo1vfXg9MtDDmyPP18P-lGasoi4kSxNRNY7cXX9zFPuCT_pEwSHsgBYySp-xyNnokGIh1cd_rVvsvfm0HO5hznogziD9DpmNm-IrE2PlVgaPWqFK8iJRw7_P5sY8LClc0j3msF_A/s400/Mojo1000.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5705332788418161746" border="0" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Natural attraction: reaching for a jar of "Cuban Mojo Mustard" in 2008.</span></span><br /><br />==================================================<br /></div>Sherwood Harringtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09575868746160608731noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7519804707579466907.post-33356530527340462872011-12-24T18:25:00.001-08:002011-12-24T18:26:50.287-08:00Happy, Happy, Joy, Joy<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm8v9D3Ex9yUDgFo6JSOVSJu1PBdvTRoEVj0NE6vX9XoeOr4ectmlJqD1UvCYpt45Fo88ColJTganhBIIqora_-gV1BAlMH3SEh1XZh5-IiKLVUQ2OUGzvWLrwx3cgcIwLmY1fqnbvvZs/s1600/FtHChristmasCard.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 289px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm8v9D3Ex9yUDgFo6JSOVSJu1PBdvTRoEVj0NE6vX9XoeOr4ectmlJqD1UvCYpt45Fo88ColJTganhBIIqora_-gV1BAlMH3SEh1XZh5-IiKLVUQ2OUGzvWLrwx3cgcIwLmY1fqnbvvZs/s400/FtHChristmasCard.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5689886549614778130" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center; font-style: italic;"><span style="font-size:85%;">(Please click on the image to see it as it's meant to be seen.)<br /></span></div>Sherwood Harringtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09575868746160608731noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7519804707579466907.post-66104522295376173762011-12-04T18:25:00.000-08:002011-12-04T19:21:51.407-08:00Four Days Off the Grid<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2vSRczCyIUNMq8GWUONJBV5RUSovn4YtPjaOAZvpK_NERmI3XKuApewnmDp7dxeDwY_M0DwZ5S8gezyjuyR8oOzpODwuorGUJyxCV7KVEKmUKmT1kE0_5LOxsHFCAFVogQR4m-YUHAKc/s1600/Smoke.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 344px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2vSRczCyIUNMq8GWUONJBV5RUSovn4YtPjaOAZvpK_NERmI3XKuApewnmDp7dxeDwY_M0DwZ5S8gezyjuyR8oOzpODwuorGUJyxCV7KVEKmUKmT1kE0_5LOxsHFCAFVogQR4m-YUHAKc/s400/Smoke.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5682472538901726082" border="0" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">The forced-air furnace doesn't work without electricity, so Ft. Harrington's only heat for the past four days was from the wood-burning stove in our barn of a living room at the far end of the structure.</span></span><br /></div><br />When our gasoline-powered generator died last year, we decided not to go to the expense of repairing or replacing it. A long time had passed since there had been a power outage longer than a couple of hours here in the Santa Cruz Mountains, and we figured that PG&E had beefed up the grid sufficiently that the expense wasn't really justified.<br /><br />Wrong.<br /><br />The wind started to pick up a bit around midday last Wednesday, the last day of November, while I was at work. Diane tells me that the power went out here in the mountains at about 3:30, and we were a little surprised that it was still out when I got home after dark. We settled in for a pleasant evening by candlelight, warmed by the wood-burning stove in the living room.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKcPjoS6Bfx2ZY421eNnN6MaoAmPIXRuWLHg-Ew6dVElu1UUrDUZoZBlkof_9ik2osk8u-qxeU0i3hfG_2dSb7x3I3Ey-qa7KFu8sL3k5ERif2pYPn_HT9M6BWE1lHnG8ndm8zfE8kkXA/s1600/19th+Century.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKcPjoS6Bfx2ZY421eNnN6MaoAmPIXRuWLHg-Ew6dVElu1UUrDUZoZBlkof_9ik2osk8u-qxeU0i3hfG_2dSb7x3I3Ey-qa7KFu8sL3k5ERif2pYPn_HT9M6BWE1lHnG8ndm8zfE8kkXA/s400/19th+Century.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5682472239067266066" border="0" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Diane and Kelsey by candle- and stove-light.</span></span><br /></div><br />The "pleasant" part of that stopped at about midnight, as December came in like a dragon. My friend Paul, the meteorology guy at our college, told me the next day that winds had topped hurricane force at the tops of several mountains around the Bay Area that night. While not that strong down here in Ft. Harrington's hollow, it was plenty strong enough. The sound of small branches hitting the roof was almost nonstop for a while in the wee hours, and the characteristic rifleshot-crack of redwood limbs separating from their trees, followed by the<span style="font-style: italic;"> whoosh</span> as they fell their hundred feet or more through other branches, followed by the <span style="font-style: italic;">thud</span> (or worse) when the widowmakers hit the ground punctuated the night.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgez-fe6088J-6JL_iSp7NeJYvpvMaUmF31nY98o-kRQ53Vqt54dZWEurUuTlLD-nHiswsmryeXAfZF_X3J6L3Nzgq25I-d-XEZJ3emVe5Tf7RGIEJuxVSQGpvChQtUy7DCSs2EFTc6t1s/s1600/Widowmaker.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 259px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgez-fe6088J-6JL_iSp7NeJYvpvMaUmF31nY98o-kRQ53Vqt54dZWEurUuTlLD-nHiswsmryeXAfZF_X3J6L3Nzgq25I-d-XEZJ3emVe5Tf7RGIEJuxVSQGpvChQtUy7DCSs2EFTc6t1s/s400/Widowmaker.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5682472549880952482" border="0" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center; font-style: italic;"><span style="font-size:85%;">25 feet long and having fallen about 100 feet, this "widowmaker" redwood branch fell in about the best place it could have, causing only minor damage to a grape arbor (at left) and the rose garden area (at its far end).<br /></span></div><br />Things had settled down a bit by dawn, and it was evident that we had been very, very lucky, as had all of our immediate neighbors. While there was lots of damage to peripheral structures, nobody's house was crushed. (At last report, though, at least four homes were destroyed by falling trees elsewhere in these mountains.)<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiruv5c-jxFidmGwkNZQQMyrjluMameaT5dSuZJ-x61kqDAIZUQXoob4UPEFJxRx9bJw8RUuzBMh8x_mrKTUknmr2J3rmJfo1IQsh1ex9QIRLjZP685DPtyDCd6kD_oEtgGb-N8sE_Mi20/s1600/Crunch.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiruv5c-jxFidmGwkNZQQMyrjluMameaT5dSuZJ-x61kqDAIZUQXoob4UPEFJxRx9bJw8RUuzBMh8x_mrKTUknmr2J3rmJfo1IQsh1ex9QIRLjZP685DPtyDCd6kD_oEtgGb-N8sE_Mi20/s400/Crunch.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5682472249787455922" border="0" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center; font-style: italic;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Crunched deck railing.<br /></span></div><br />The electrical power grid had been devastated overnight. Both main lines into the San Lorenzo Valley, one up from Santa Cruz to the south and the other over the mountains from the Bay Area to the west, were so badly damaged in wilderness areas that crews and equipment had to be brought in by helicopter to essentially rebuild large sections of them. It took nearly four days for power to be restored here; the Fort was off the grid for 93 hours and 15 minutes, ending at 12:45 this afternoon.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIKzIS0jQQVRCVtXi0-5HdD8LP0pVkmuBkaNxhysoeJdOEFfBBVEXTx3NYEWE05nVSn0tCrjM45GQI5NhdYBsJdE4tbci-ltbm7kg0sog2VplVtWBhoTO3LXldRINp-vS9mIVRuTruvVA/s1600/Dog+Blanket.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIKzIS0jQQVRCVtXi0-5HdD8LP0pVkmuBkaNxhysoeJdOEFfBBVEXTx3NYEWE05nVSn0tCrjM45GQI5NhdYBsJdE4tbci-ltbm7kg0sog2VplVtWBhoTO3LXldRINp-vS9mIVRuTruvVA/s400/Dog+Blanket.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5682472255156310946" border="0" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Old Kelsey and I keep each other warm. (Photo by Diane Harrington.)</span></span><br /></div><br />The lack of a generator made things a bit more inconvenient and uncomfortable than we would have liked, but we mostly feel like we dodged a bullet -- or an RPG -- or two, and know how lucky we were. The two big "widowmaker" redwood branches that fell on our property only damaged a deck railing and a grape arbor -- far less damage than they would have worked if less considerately placed. Also, this was a <span style="font-style: italic;">dry</span> wind, not a rain storm. If it had been a typical wet winter storm, with the ground soaked, that fierce wind would have toppled whole redwoods, not just pieces of them. That nightmare would have been just horrendous -- but it didn't happen.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj08u8oR_4uhZivOnRgu8Oiezm58X5nSDEp6XIQBlj9n3g07YI3HLB9x8nQqrbiKZWH2Idjwx76UqsT8gAF5X1OaaITlnAdLJMCnQ9MdyR7H4XKbDwln7nP4z4b7J9yZ1eJ34U9F5oZoFA/s1600/Near+the+End.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 316px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj08u8oR_4uhZivOnRgu8Oiezm58X5nSDEp6XIQBlj9n3g07YI3HLB9x8nQqrbiKZWH2Idjwx76UqsT8gAF5X1OaaITlnAdLJMCnQ9MdyR7H4XKbDwln7nP4z4b7J9yZ1eJ34U9F5oZoFA/s400/Near+the+End.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5682472534614364482" border="0" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Seven minutes before the power came back on: Jax (lower) and Cooper (upper) keep the old man warm and vice versa. We didn't keep the fire going except in the evenings, and -- while not cold by northern December standards -- the temperature in the house during the day was generally in the upper 40s and lower 50s Fahrenheit.</span></span><br /></div><br />No, it didn't happen this time. But it will. And you can bet we'll have a generator when it does.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizZHYqRWZCTJVx2TFOCN-QkoUMWNibKMSNxOHJ2HyaeAaBwrC6MJ6U4v7jfoCqqJJLZ433W-WOyW_TuCsxLtCRzfxqf1sffZcKYbOZKlb9iObjs0dZU_8WpmcomXljv288bLiyg38a4Wg/s1600/Fonzie.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 370px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizZHYqRWZCTJVx2TFOCN-QkoUMWNibKMSNxOHJ2HyaeAaBwrC6MJ6U4v7jfoCqqJJLZ433W-WOyW_TuCsxLtCRzfxqf1sffZcKYbOZKlb9iObjs0dZU_8WpmcomXljv288bLiyg38a4Wg/s400/Fonzie.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5682472268797448898" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">=========================================<br /></div>Sherwood Harringtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09575868746160608731noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7519804707579466907.post-4135128038446190502011-11-25T17:44:00.000-08:002011-11-25T18:21:09.645-08:00Old Dog Makes Another Comeback<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjgMVbE8sA5CrRcYskCdOOmSeyhcKaF1HnJxlQgBeQ0g-QHyM4K2oEc41x_L8j9wf2GZljuhOFCdTll_UY-E2ksOHub__nFZFfMuM1qp0ekMbP5Pyv-fUcbKk8mX3zsGYIet9dooQLoeM/s1600/DSC_6902.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 297px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjgMVbE8sA5CrRcYskCdOOmSeyhcKaF1HnJxlQgBeQ0g-QHyM4K2oEc41x_L8j9wf2GZljuhOFCdTll_UY-E2ksOHub__nFZFfMuM1qp0ekMbP5Pyv-fUcbKk8mX3zsGYIet9dooQLoeM/s400/DSC_6902.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5679114750957228738" border="0" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Kelsey and Jax this evening. Note the shaved places on Kelsey's forelegs: they were for intravenous ports' insertion during his time under general anesthesia three days ago.</span></span><br /></div><br />About a year and a half ago, we had a <a href="http://sherwords.blogspot.com/2010/04/not-just-yet.html">cancer scare with old Kelsey-the-Dog</a>. Further testing ultimately showed that the scary initial test results were due to something considerably less dire.<br /><br />This week we had another big "whew" episode with our stalwart friend and guardian of Fort Harrington. A couple of weeks before, he had developed a bit of a yeast infection in both ears, and his veterinarian put him on a course of topical antibiotics for ten days. By the time we took him in for a follow-up, it was clear that he had lost all hearing in both ears.<br /><br />That follow-up visit with the vet was three days ago, the Tuesday morning before Thanksgiving. The infection had cleared up completely -- but his ears were hurting him so badly that a standard visual inspection proved impossible, even with me and a burly vet tech gently but firmly trying to keep him immobile. Since he had recently had a routine blood panel that showed good kidney function, we decided to put him under general anesthesia to try to see if the cause of the pain and deafness could be ascertained.<br /><br />He made it through the anesthesia well (though it ultimately took him two days to shake the unsteadiness and grogginess) -- but no progress was made on diagnosis. The vet took a head x-ray while he was unconscious, and made arrangements for consultation with a radiologist next week.<br /><br />I picked him up on Wednesday morning, and the vet was convinced -- as was I -- that his deafness was complete and permanent. We had a short conversation about coping strategies for living with a deaf, aged dog, and I took him home. I made a brief post about his condition on Facebook before heading off to work.<br /><br />When I came home after work that night, the poor guy was shaky and miserable. Diane said that she had tried all sorts of test noises during the day, and he hadn't responded visibly to any of them. I took him outside to do his business in the darkened front yard.<br /><br />While we were out, someone up the hollow whooped and hollered at something, the noise echoing down the draw. I glanced at Kelsey, and saw he had his head up, alert in his standard vigilant-alert pose. He was ahead of me and to my right, about ten yards separating us. I clapped my hands once, hard.<br /><br />His head whipped around. The wrong way, but it whipped around nonetheless.<br /><br />That night, we continued making noises, testing him and confusing the spaniels mightily. Some things he seemed to notice, most not.<br /><br />Thanksgiving day was a different story. Hourly, it seemed, his responses to sounds increased. By evening, he seemed to be almost completely back to normal, and today, "Black Friday," the recovery seems to be complete. Not only that, but the pain is gone, too.<br /><br />We have another appointment with his vet tomorrow, and it will be interesting to hear what she has to say. My completely unprofessional guess is this: he's a geriatric dog (the chart on the vet's wall says that a rough human equivalent age to his is 85), so maybe his body just doesn't recuperate as quickly now after things like infections as it used to. Whatever the reason, he's shown his resilience once again, and we had a much happier Thanksgiving for it.<br /><br />He's <span style="font-style: italic;">still</span> hard of <span style="font-style: italic;">listening</span> sometimes, but he's always been like that. I think it's the Akita in him; they have a reputation of hard-headedness.Sherwood Harringtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09575868746160608731noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7519804707579466907.post-29387988154873982972011-10-29T21:13:00.000-07:002011-10-29T22:26:05.919-07:00Two Astronomers and the Forest of the IroquoisI had a hard week at work last week. It was nothing particularly epochal or even unusual -- just a confluence of typical trials, round budget pegs to be pounded into square bureaucratic holes and the like. Friday's afternoon wasn't so much like a liberation as it was like a temporary reprieve, knowing, as I do, that Monday comes soon after, and verbal cheese like "Student Learning Outcomes" will, again, become hash to be taken seriously.<br /><br />I stopped by the grocery store on my way home, depleted and stone-brained dull. As I pushed my cart into line, something in the soundtrack of the audio pablum of Safeway's muzak caught my attention. By the time I reached the front of the line, my skin was all a-goosebump, and I had to concentrate on stopping tears lest the checker judge me to be dangerous.<br /><br />"Sailing to Philadelphia" was playing as I waited to pay for my wheat chex.<br /><br />The song is a hauntingly beautiful duet by Mark Knopfler and James Taylor. In it, they reprise an imaginary discussion between two Englishmen in the 18th century who took on a surveying job in the new world: surveyor Jeremiah Dixon and journeyman astronomer Charles Mason. Their "Mason-Dixon Line" marking the boundary between Pennsylvania and Maryland, between America's South and North, even today has a greater societal impact than a geographic one -- but Jeremiah and Charlie couldn't have known what their line would demark in the larger world of future politics. They only knew that they were headed into a wilderness.<br /><br />I am, personally, a product of their divide. My father's family is from the North, my mother's from the South, and both sides go back several generations, and both sides sacrificed sons in battles with the other's sons.<br /><br />I am also, like Charlie, an astronomer of little note but with great appreciation for the science and its beauty. The roots of that appreciation lie in my younger eyes' view of dark, sparkling, starry skies in upstate New York, afforded by breaks between the trees in its forest, the forest of the Iroquois.<br /><br />So this verse, sung by Taylor as I fumbled for my Safeway Discount Card at checkout, damn near broke me to tears:<br /><br /><blockquote>You're a good surveyor, Dixon,<br />But I swear you'll make me mad.<br />The West will kill us both<br />You gullible Geordie lad.<br />You talk of liberty --<br />How can America be free?<br />A Geordie and a baker's boy<br />In the forest of the Iroquois?</blockquote><br />I grew up in the Forest of the Iroquois, and might not have without Jeremiah's and Charlie's efforts. And then I went on to be an astronomer.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDEaJ7KY00wltRPqowx1IoJ3QHVovIdK5eKNvpNiGu-Pj6MMO4cdRO4TsD69I1_26JfH4Ql1ZHybd-OzIsoTacaaleX7C13TSUvihTkXf2iOIvljHq9mjYfkx58Gw2uHfmT1Qm_L-OT0A/s1600/HO187.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 275px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDEaJ7KY00wltRPqowx1IoJ3QHVovIdK5eKNvpNiGu-Pj6MMO4cdRO4TsD69I1_26JfH4Ql1ZHybd-OzIsoTacaaleX7C13TSUvihTkXf2iOIvljHq9mjYfkx58Gw2uHfmT1Qm_L-OT0A/s400/HO187.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5669130571393446818" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Sherwood in the Forest of the Iroquois, 1961. Photo by Lynn Harrington.</span><br /></span></div><br />The Safeway checker wouldn't have understood that I was fumbling for a card with Charles Mason's name on it, so I didn't tell her. I just paid cash for my wheat chex, and then drove off toward my home in the Forest of the Ohlone.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">===========================================<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/OrLdKYRBOEE" allowfullscreen="" width="420" frameborder="0" height="315"></iframe><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">===========================================<br /></div>Sherwood Harringtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09575868746160608731noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7519804707579466907.post-65825378006332006482011-10-01T04:05:00.000-07:002011-10-01T04:05:00.239-07:00Forty-Five<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV39FvSA41dQN4CEmIOgGl8ssG9IaObwjEFRDmusAr81KvQFP5t4Mt4Ii3QONCJiAIDhIJB7t3gdCXPNtI1akGrE1NGv7AdexzFlSbmi7OIUoUIm5Qvrc6TTwprbhlnQRS8JaUdmHsa3w/s1600/DougStrhseCirca75.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV39FvSA41dQN4CEmIOgGl8ssG9IaObwjEFRDmusAr81KvQFP5t4Mt4Ii3QONCJiAIDhIJB7t3gdCXPNtI1akGrE1NGv7AdexzFlSbmi7OIUoUIm5Qvrc6TTwprbhlnQRS8JaUdmHsa3w/s400/DougStrhseCirca75.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5658298359714376770" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Doug Harrington (1 October, 1966 - 14 November, 2006) stalking crayfish at his great-aunts' house in Upstate New York, summer, 1975.</span></span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">That's his brother Adam's hair, fuzzy in the left foreground. Adam has put together a celebration of his brother's life in video-slide form and posted it on YouTube today. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-M1zCdkupl8" target="_blank">Please go visit</a>, if you have a few minutes to spare.<br /></div></div>Sherwood Harringtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09575868746160608731noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7519804707579466907.post-3491184439792995172011-09-20T16:18:00.000-07:002011-09-20T17:56:05.820-07:00Ireland Revisited: Afterword<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXDjQsvjkf_71mGCMPTJDlykLP_kgdMYQad9qyTF5Q-y0vWGG9I1GJuzXd-rTycxbYo7eC5KXudm3HPTGDJdvwgpo9pXx_J5nDwGM6PJZFveOLTxZYVKvi04MwoPR13RjtLoMwLPpenDg/s1600/BCPanorama.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 78px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXDjQsvjkf_71mGCMPTJDlykLP_kgdMYQad9qyTF5Q-y0vWGG9I1GJuzXd-rTycxbYo7eC5KXudm3HPTGDJdvwgpo9pXx_J5nDwGM6PJZFveOLTxZYVKvi04MwoPR13RjtLoMwLPpenDg/s400/BCPanorama.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5654603465730432082" border="0" /></a>412 years ago, my 10th-great grandfather, John Harrington, included the following in a report to his godmother the Queen on his recent deployment to Ireland:<br /><blockquote style="font-style: italic;">I have informed myself reasonably well of the whole state of the country, by observation and conference: so I count the knowledge I have gotten here worth more than half the three hundred pounds this journey hath cost me.</blockquote>If I ever meet Sir John, I'll tell him that I got the other 150 pounds' worth.<br /><br />I'm not going to be as bold as he was with my assessment after two deployments, though. While I think this pair of Harringtons is now reasonably well informed about certain aspects of Ireland that we knew nothing about before, we are also well enough informed to know that the "whole state" of any country, even one as small as that one, is beyond us.<br /><br />Our first reconnaissance is done, though, that much is certain. What comes next will be very different from exploration of geography -- I doubt very much that any future visits will lend themselves to a daily account or mapping. Instead, what I think lies ahead for Ireland and me is some in-depth research on some very specific topics. The precise form of what comes out of that research will depend in large part on what's uncovered in it, but I know who its central figure will be, and he's not one I would have expected before this second trip to Birr.<br /><br />Laurence Parsons, Fourth Earl of Rosse, may not have been a riveting intellectual giant like his father or a reckless technological and industrial giant like his younger brother, but by virtue of time and position he ties together a parade of fascinating personalities and a sea change in the way we all live our lives. His time spanned from the first automobile tragedy to the runup to WWI's mechanistic horror, his astronomy bridged from the gentility of a country gentlemen's avocation to the first mountaintop professional observatory run by a modern university, the geography of his story spans from Birr to Santa Cruz. The next steps in research are to try to get a sense of the man himself beyond his brusque diary entries and to fill in more details concerning his week in Northern California in 1891 -- including trying to crack <a href="http://sherwords.blogspot.com/2010/10/astronomer-visits-impressive-but-not_19.html" target="_blank">the mystery of those four blank diary pages</a>.<br /><br />As concerns the latter, I'm anxiously awaiting the re-opening of the Lick Observatory Archives at the University of California, Santa Cruz, just down the road from my home here in Boulder Creek. The archives have been unavailable for many months due to facilities renovation, but should reopen before the end of the year, and I'm anxious to see if I can find more about the Fourth Earl's interactions with the Lick staff of the time, including the Observatory's blustery (and largely unpopular) first Director, Edward Singleton Holden. I know a little something about that particular cast of characters already, having worked as an editor and archivist for the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, an organization founded by Holden in 1889.<br /><br />As concerns a sense of the man himself, I suspect that will require getting dusty in Armagh and Trinity College, Dublin for starters. The archives at Birr, fascinating as they are, primarily show only one end of conversations: letters received. Letters from Lord Rosse to the astronomers at Armagh and writings of his during his long tenure as Chancellor of Trinity College should help give more insight than his short diary entries do.<br /><br />This will be fun.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">================================<br /></div><br />A few footnotes:<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">A big difference</span>:<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><br />The biggest difference to us between our 2006 visit and this one four years later is not a hard call: it's the ease of getting around Ireland on the roadways. The reach of "dual carriageway" superhighways from Dublin now radiates to all of the island's other major cities, and no place in Ireland is more than a couple of hours by car on good, modern roads from Dublin, Sligo, Galway, Limerick, Cork, or Waterford. It is as though all of the US had made the transition from 1930s roads to a complete modern interstate network in less than a decade, and the effects on the character of Ireland will be profound and permanent. The network was just in its finishing stages in August, 2010. The following video clip shows eight minutes of a drive along the M7/N7 toward Limerick, and gives a pretty good flavor of the magnitude of the transition. The first third is along a new superhighway (the M7), the middle third is along a new connecting road from the superhighway to a village, and the final third is along the N7. The connecting road is typical of new non-superhighway roads which have also proliferated across the island, and its breadth and clear sight lines bear little resemblance to the narrow, hedgerow-walled roads they replace. The N7 from Birdhill westward in the last part of the clip is typical of what constituted a major national highway during our 2006 visit.<br /><br /><iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/g2XnrHZmdck" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="257" width="400"></iframe><br />(The banter between Diane and me at the roundabout refers to a joke I had cracked during a visit with Lord and Lady Rosse about how American tourists might be miffed that the Irish seem to be intent on not remaining picturesquely impoverished and quaint.)<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Photos in a trice</span>:<br /><br />A link to this has been posted on this blog before, but it's sensible to repeat it here: all of the 700-plus photos in the <a href="http://sharrington.net/Ireland2010/index.htm" target="_blank">albums of this trip over on sharrington.net</a> can be seen in rapid-fire on this YouTube video in only six minutes:<br /><br /><iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/PjzoCOeN99g" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="257" width="400"></iframe><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Plans gang agley</span>:<br /><br />Back in July of 2010, <a href="http://sherwords.blogspot.com/2010/07/save-this-map-for-later.html" target="_blank">this SherWords post</a> invited readers to hold on to a map of our intended travels to compare with what actually happened. Just in case you've lost yours, here are the two maps -- planned on the left and actual on the right.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIE46VSOQ2SUyJxD6SY6fuQcdcAm7q1eCNY8ImuYlVC_12n56R0Gez3wN7SYmWrThQe3yUp0cGyq0qCPYh4vGsbd9ps9vFd4WYGjIlFJL3trNZcgUV4laVQ_YVeuLS0QBQSA9R6OH7RGE/s1600/Plan-Actual.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 239px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIE46VSOQ2SUyJxD6SY6fuQcdcAm7q1eCNY8ImuYlVC_12n56R0Gez3wN7SYmWrThQe3yUp0cGyq0qCPYh4vGsbd9ps9vFd4WYGjIlFJL3trNZcgUV4laVQ_YVeuLS0QBQSA9R6OH7RGE/s400/Plan-Actual.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5654601435139449074" border="0" /></a>Evidently, a major ankle injury tends to sag one's peregrinations down and to the right.<br /><br />Which leads to this closing note: I knew before that my wife is a tough cookie who doesn't let a little pain stop her. I just didn't quite appreciate the magnitude of her grit. If it had been me taking a tumble off that stile in County Antrim, I can guarantee you that a lot more of our days would have looked like <a href="http://sherwords.blogspot.com/2011/08/ireland-revisited-brian-borus-revenge.html" target="_blank">August 26</a>.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">================================<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size:85%;"><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://sherwords.blogspot.com/2011/08/ireland-revisited-prologue.html" target="_blank">Click here to go back to the beginning of the series.</a></span><br /><div style="text-align: center;">================================<br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://sharrington.net/Ireland2010/index.htm" target="_blank">Click here to go to the photos on sharrington.net.</a></span><br />================================<br /></div><br /></div></div></div>Sherwood Harringtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09575868746160608731noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7519804707579466907.post-58823425454463301762011-09-07T06:53:00.000-07:002011-10-11T09:56:30.960-07:00Ireland Revisited: Across the Western Ocean<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:130%;">Day 35 of 35: Tuesday, September 7, 2010<br /></span></div><br />Ronnie Wood of the Rolling Stones stayed in the room next to ours the night before our departure. He's 19 days older than I am, but looks 19 years older, at least, and I guess that's what comes of packing so much fun into your life. No rock star shenanigans that night: the only noise coming from that direction was the occasional knock on his door by what we figured was his manager or agent, shouting "Ronnie! You have to be at [xyz] in [abc] minutes!" <a href="http://sherwords.blogspot.com/2011/08/ireland-revisited-on-our-way.html" target="_blank">Carlos Santana didn't look like he needed such shepherding</a>, but, then again, Carlos is a whole month younger than Ronnie and me. We didn't bother Mr. Wood beyond simply nodding to him as we passed him in the lobby.<br /><br />Homeward bound:<br /><br />To the airport, early morning. To American immigration (which no other foreign country has at the Dublin airport.) To Aer Lingus. To Chicago. To United to San Francisco, to Adam, to the pickup truck, to home.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4FcsBVxdZzcpCOlv9tY93qFzButBlCdi40FMQOkhIprEyxI-vHWUWnranusXfvdgQ-MBNzm5o8FI76gt_sSnO6dqRrnr94ILsJTV8OYEDL8UyNeH00bRyW-OItJhmLsDwdFUBO5meuqk/s1600/US+in+Dublin.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4FcsBVxdZzcpCOlv9tY93qFzButBlCdi40FMQOkhIprEyxI-vHWUWnranusXfvdgQ-MBNzm5o8FI76gt_sSnO6dqRrnr94ILsJTV8OYEDL8UyNeH00bRyW-OItJhmLsDwdFUBO5meuqk/s400/US+in+Dublin.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5649253512447802066" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">US presence in Dublin's airport. (This is the "old" passenger terminal; the </span><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.dublinairport.com/gns/at-the-airport/latest-news/10-11-19/Taoiseach_Opens_Terminal_2.aspx" target="_blank">new one opened just a few weeks later</a><span style="font-style: italic;"> and incorporates the most comprehensive US Customs and Immigration station outside the Western Hemisphere.)</span><br /></span></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKH0UBF9k9JAANvyFXnhyphenhyphenvFpTcFxWgqUjTwpQijYt-ydpJDxUwmQbq1aGprsLbn0YrclwUF-ECkmWgk3scnnQBzqRSTpf0bLxWMzGj4WxwA-5v2CuNMa8VBWen6WdIW0d-1SAtxoRRzxo/s1600/StAoife.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 217px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKH0UBF9k9JAANvyFXnhyphenhyphenvFpTcFxWgqUjTwpQijYt-ydpJDxUwmQbq1aGprsLbn0YrclwUF-ECkmWgk3scnnQBzqRSTpf0bLxWMzGj4WxwA-5v2CuNMa8VBWen6WdIW0d-1SAtxoRRzxo/s400/StAoife.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5649253507458239650" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Aer Lingus's "St. Aoife" at the Dublin Airport as we awaited departure. This was the aircraft that brought us from Chicago to Dublin weeks before – but here it was about to take people to Boston; ours was to be the next flight out after that.</span><br /></span></div><br />The trip home was largely uneventful, <a href="http://sherwords.blogspot.com/2007/08/hi-pod-conclusion-august-28-2006.html" target="_blank">unlike last time</a>, and gave no opportunity for a dramatic end to this narrative.<br /><br />And that's fine by us.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">==================================<br />All of the sets of additional images from this trip can be accessed through <a href="http://sharrington.net/Ireland2010/index.htm" target="_blank">this index page</a> over on sharrington.net.<br />==================================<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://sherwords.blogspot.com/2011/09/ireland-revisited-afterword.html">Next and last</a> -- Afterword (to be posted after a few days' break)<br /><a href="http://sherwords.blogspot.com/2011/09/ireland-revisited-dublin-in-rain.html" target="_blank">Previous</a>: September 6, 2010 -- Dublin in the Rain<br /><a href="http://sherwords.blogspot.com/2011/08/ireland-revisited-prologue.html" target="_blank">Beginning of the series</a>: Prologue, August 2</div>Sherwood Harringtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09575868746160608731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7519804707579466907.post-57288677322840061942011-09-06T05:44:00.000-07:002011-09-07T08:20:51.417-07:00Ireland Revisited: Dublin in the Rain<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:130%;">Day 34 of 35: Monday, September 6, 2010<br /></span></div><br />Our last full day in Ireland this time was a very rainy one, spiked by the obligation to return our rental car by the middle of the afternoon. Fortified by our experience on Saturday, we braved Dublin’s traffic by driving into the city in the morning, parking in a garage near Saint Stephen’s Green. We left the big, expensive camera back in the hotel because of the rain… and Diane’s little Canon point-and-shoot didn’t work well, so we have very few photos of this day. It’s just as well; we were so sad to leave that the mist and the gray and the drizzle fit our mood better than any photo could capture.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGP2VClH3VHlWwETVH4X_ESXcDGpjfeOF1DbdiYGuvDj7QsGiZkRzB1geWUUiJNzj-_c_7DJxfloEDuurVIY9Bls0R9dyrkFzJpIW6AL0-XVHCOYcp3RhdgmkGik2i0U7zIZfEEE2xmNw/s1600/StStephens.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 293px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGP2VClH3VHlWwETVH4X_ESXcDGpjfeOF1DbdiYGuvDj7QsGiZkRzB1geWUUiJNzj-_c_7DJxfloEDuurVIY9Bls0R9dyrkFzJpIW6AL0-XVHCOYcp3RhdgmkGik2i0U7zIZfEEE2xmNw/s400/StStephens.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5649043312345409154" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Park Lake in the rain, St. Stephen's Green.</span><br /></span></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrHvBJ0CzqtATc5PEtWOxoGdbB3rQW6QCjEEc22djI5U5WA5pwYArYcA_uNateDZVyCpKIejv0yu4pVyF8l06yOgEQWo7DEe6gLwqKNu32eeWEFA0PMupYCrscR16-pbed1D5r2Lkw0MM/s1600/Nassau+St.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 297px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrHvBJ0CzqtATc5PEtWOxoGdbB3rQW6QCjEEc22djI5U5WA5pwYArYcA_uNateDZVyCpKIejv0yu4pVyF8l06yOgEQWo7DEe6gLwqKNu32eeWEFA0PMupYCrscR16-pbed1D5r2Lkw0MM/s400/Nassau+St.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5649043308367411938" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Sherwood (blue jacket) shopping on Nassau Street.</span><br /></span></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiLPmXumM3NyDNeV3NTeTfCRTITdRzDkHOPoOdhWT2DfCFwFOhsBG8oitSh-BV1HDg2z2oyX1jasYy3qhRBzbyQPrOG2fCDCB0s9Ic-jaddVEMwDs5V1vagSeU4LCvWnrbMFPrSMnRA78/s1600/Hotel.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiLPmXumM3NyDNeV3NTeTfCRTITdRzDkHOPoOdhWT2DfCFwFOhsBG8oitSh-BV1HDg2z2oyX1jasYy3qhRBzbyQPrOG2fCDCB0s9Ic-jaddVEMwDs5V1vagSeU4LCvWnrbMFPrSMnRA78/s400/Hotel.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5649043297642745570" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Back in the hotel, starting to pack.</span><br /></span></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">==================================<br />The full set of slideshows from this trip will be linked at the end of tomorrow's installment.<br />==================================<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://sherwords.blogspot.com/2011/09/ireland-revisited-across-western-ocean.html" target="_blank">Next</a>: September 7, 2010 -- Across the Western Ocean<br /><a href="http://sherwords.blogspot.com/2011/09/ireland-revisited-mountains-of-mourne.html" target="_blank">Previous</a>: September 5, 2010 -- The Mountains of Mourne<br /><a href="http://sherwords.blogspot.com/2011/08/ireland-revisited-prologue.html" target="_blank">Beginning of the series</a>: Prologue, August 2</div>Sherwood Harringtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09575868746160608731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7519804707579466907.post-69259809839071020622011-09-05T08:58:00.000-07:002011-09-06T06:55:13.673-07:00Ireland Revisited: The Mountains of Mourne<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:130%;">Day 33 of 35: Sunday, September 5, 2010<br /></span></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ5D8YIwT1y2_ne6uiUxyFiecrVGmUwMf4jNfyuga08W-qBpmPteYuoE9lSztPNoQFbNZNPLVB7d3qK19EcCnd-x5b026rFqGzL6qTgt8VttY9j4nzBGhAwF4aPk9vw2NBUGsLbQ2V_bM/s1600/Drifting.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 227px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ5D8YIwT1y2_ne6uiUxyFiecrVGmUwMf4jNfyuga08W-qBpmPteYuoE9lSztPNoQFbNZNPLVB7d3qK19EcCnd-x5b026rFqGzL6qTgt8VttY9j4nzBGhAwF4aPk9vw2NBUGsLbQ2V_bM/s400/Drifting.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5648899480707588146" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Drifting in the rain on Carlingford Lough.</span><br /></span></div><br />Postponed to last by circumstance, we finally drove up from Dublin toward Belfast and swerved right at Newry in County Down (UK) into the Mountains of Mourne. Diane had wanted to see this storied part of Ulster for a long time, and we had initially planned to go there early on in our trip, but circumstances kept pushing us back toward the end.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZCqLAjcRRhFFpCRd2_klJbs4aMkb6Lm16GpxkSpfAh01sHVCc99MU5c55gNYGtej8RJxAFpVSTcsrX13vxhdFpiw6L05UkQl5fwXrXYTlNVVm7BOwM2LtQJZNBpLkMFRZ7oC6IeItgUM/s1600/Map.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 284px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZCqLAjcRRhFFpCRd2_klJbs4aMkb6Lm16GpxkSpfAh01sHVCc99MU5c55gNYGtej8RJxAFpVSTcsrX13vxhdFpiw6L05UkQl5fwXrXYTlNVVm7BOwM2LtQJZNBpLkMFRZ7oC6IeItgUM/s400/Map.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5648899626282581186" border="0" /></a>The day was wetly gray, and seemed played in a minor key. As we drove, we kept turning the car's radio on to get news of something we knew nothing about a few weeks before: the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All-Ireland_Hurling_Final" target="_blank">All-Ireland Hurling Final</a> being played in Croke Park, Dublin. The match on this day, roughly the Superbowl of the <a href="http://www.gaa.ie/gaa-news-and-videos/" target="_blank">GAA</a>, was between Tipperary and perennial powerhouse Kilkenny. Both county colors -- black and amber for Kilkenny, blue and gold for Tipp -- had been on prominent display in flags and pennants all over both counties throughout our travels, and we couldn't help but get interested in what was going on. Tipp won in an upset.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIY9sPadnC38DYQePI98maKQv0_Ii9Tc70atOH9SvCGunfmBYXVNeRK4f_hS3XvSDgAg1fYeL1gEUmeWsGFpMvBWVtCdU4R38ISRql8kh55L7nIsOSsmBrF44Ni4gFr3iVH5Yc2s0w-Zs/s1600/Mourne.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 269px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIY9sPadnC38DYQePI98maKQv0_Ii9Tc70atOH9SvCGunfmBYXVNeRK4f_hS3XvSDgAg1fYeL1gEUmeWsGFpMvBWVtCdU4R38ISRql8kh55L7nIsOSsmBrF44Ni4gFr3iVH5Yc2s0w-Zs/s400/Mourne.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5648899622757793058" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">In the Mountains of Mourne.</span><br /></span></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJqhKr8Elk4DNEZbN3sFFFYCovfFaoHPwK39ons2WkvuULdwFw1U9HxBKhDow0krdSyIgh6HYyYqDnhiGwLj7inJiyqHXfuu_0Pa022ckGSYtr_w7071a6eWNRWqp-St028art5xIzZgk/s1600/Panorama.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 131px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJqhKr8Elk4DNEZbN3sFFFYCovfFaoHPwK39ons2WkvuULdwFw1U9HxBKhDow0krdSyIgh6HYyYqDnhiGwLj7inJiyqHXfuu_0Pa022ckGSYtr_w7071a6eWNRWqp-St028art5xIzZgk/s400/Panorama.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5648899630571779122" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Southward-looking panorama from near Hilltown, County Down.</span><br /></span></div><br />After a misty ramble through County Down’s highlands, we drove down southward toward the coast at Kilkeel:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglwRiZpKtEa-9Inp4ahmcXr0OHfaWT-Zvk850NGiyUHoRUMytLm8NmmsutgSr6TTUrOmsIOnDLT3cs4Xh0pQE5yGkCqcQsRYSo9Lg4WfWZZdg-Ndrde3GWDowoX182ROBhqe5fBZyhAIw/s1600/Kilkeel.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglwRiZpKtEa-9Inp4ahmcXr0OHfaWT-Zvk850NGiyUHoRUMytLm8NmmsutgSr6TTUrOmsIOnDLT3cs4Xh0pQE5yGkCqcQsRYSo9Lg4WfWZZdg-Ndrde3GWDowoX182ROBhqe5fBZyhAIw/s400/Kilkeel.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5648899486720007874" border="0" /></a>… and then westward and northward along Carlingford Lough back toward Newry and the border, then back to the Republic. (Despite the sound of its name, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carlingford_Lough" target="_blank">Carlingford Lough</a> is not a lake, but rather an inlet of the Irish Sea. It forms the easternmost part of the border between counties Louth and Down, between Leinster and Ulster, and thus at present between Ireland and the U.K.)<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkcG4O_wluUJyN2kJ5MJO1FHXertGsic7zcrMj814XvkLYDatNBaZ3uKjY8hsGphwL_XImEBlT4SsIS2TQN464xQUyvClNWUknY48XeeaEzggyE54XuRXFIR7nKE-aQ2mqq2sD-JGJwSU/s1600/Greenore.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkcG4O_wluUJyN2kJ5MJO1FHXertGsic7zcrMj814XvkLYDatNBaZ3uKjY8hsGphwL_XImEBlT4SsIS2TQN464xQUyvClNWUknY48XeeaEzggyE54XuRXFIR7nKE-aQ2mqq2sD-JGJwSU/s400/Greenore.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5648899487882962642" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Deep water port equipment at Greenore, on the south side of Carlingford Lough, in the Republic.</span><br /></span></div><br />Along our drive back through the rain to Dublin, we took a detour toward the border near Dundalk, looking for a settlement named Drumboat for our friend Ronnie Peterson, part of whose ancestry comes from there. We were not successful in locating the place, and rain was coming down so hard by then that we abandoned the search after wandering into Northern Ireland once again, but we know where to look next time!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">==================================<br />More images from this rainy day in the mountains and around Carlingford Lough are <a href="http://sharrington.net/Ireland2010/Sep05Web/index.htm" target="_blank">available here</a>.<br />==================================<br /></div><a href="http://sherwords.blogspot.com/2011/09/ireland-revisited-dublin-in-rain.html"><br /></a><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://sherwords.blogspot.com/2011/09/ireland-revisited-dublin-in-rain.html" target="_blank">Next</a>: September 6, 2010 -- Dublin in the Rain<br /><a href="http://sherwords.blogspot.com/2011/09/ireland-revisited-moving-day.html" target="_blank">Previous</a>: September 4, 2010 -- Moving Day<br /><a href="http://sherwords.blogspot.com/2011/08/ireland-revisited-prologue.html" target="_blank">Beginning of the series</a>: Prologue, August 2</div>Sherwood Harringtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09575868746160608731noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7519804707579466907.post-78757715076922457382011-09-04T09:52:00.000-07:002011-09-05T09:15:41.975-07:00Ireland Revisited: Moving Day<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:130%;">Day 32 of 35: Saturday, September 4, 2010<br /></span></div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwMImzPwaqMA-F30PAjWAVXDp6l1jA1FRf_ESvMo1v32Ga4f_DCmAVlxa1-6_XRP8s-PjUaEL-Lr5s91WVZ7-409-vZOJ67ntlx1jscSF45yy-Hqdmyj_bgGNJUtyU_mY8CWOSz63dEUM/s1600/Bothy+Cat.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 258px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwMImzPwaqMA-F30PAjWAVXDp6l1jA1FRf_ESvMo1v32Ga4f_DCmAVlxa1-6_XRP8s-PjUaEL-Lr5s91WVZ7-409-vZOJ67ntlx1jscSF45yy-Hqdmyj_bgGNJUtyU_mY8CWOSz63dEUM/s400/Bothy+Cat.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5648544044037094258" border="0" /></a>Moving day. Sighing day.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirrqn0rCnLLBaQB8DTmtmDBG018VtR7Pd4aNEAUrHxOHT8-o1kSH19nm39sT8TaKb35vX7KB4_c3pCq-3PgSMFrcuazY0cLcuEdtR-brftdqidoPqs8BkcCores4TvblXMM61gBGg07Dk/s1600/Bothy.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirrqn0rCnLLBaQB8DTmtmDBG018VtR7Pd4aNEAUrHxOHT8-o1kSH19nm39sT8TaKb35vX7KB4_c3pCq-3PgSMFrcuazY0cLcuEdtR-brftdqidoPqs8BkcCores4TvblXMM61gBGg07Dk/s400/Bothy.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5648544042689124130" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Heading out the door, September 4th.</span><br /></span></div><br />We left the Bothy today, headed back to Dublin and ultimately to Boulder Creek, and, as four years ago, sadness hung around us like a mist. We love this place.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD9JNx6EeAMf5Mq7Bh3e6qkIl91uXsr9Te21nl3_e3XgfUcpo2hiAilyxP7RPQ38KuTf7lmUu11OPXXgx2FsDrm6cGqbYtRrrJ4SMHHehOIR5Mj89ozkBAiar46jdkysnkmHqqtq-mPl4/s1600/Sigh.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD9JNx6EeAMf5Mq7Bh3e6qkIl91uXsr9Te21nl3_e3XgfUcpo2hiAilyxP7RPQ38KuTf7lmUu11OPXXgx2FsDrm6cGqbYtRrrJ4SMHHehOIR5Mj89ozkBAiar46jdkysnkmHqqtq-mPl4/s400/Sigh.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5648544056006422706" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Ready to go.</span><br /></span></div><br />The day was taken up with the now-short drive (thanks to the new M7 motorway) to Dublin and checking back in to the Radisson Blu hotel at the airport (or “rad-ISS-un SASS” in the funky dialect and outdated business vocabulary of our satnav’s speech imitation routine.) Rain began to pick up pick up as we left Birr, and intensified as we approached Dublin. The weather had almost precisely coordinated with the calendar in switching from high-tourist season in August to September’s lower expectations. It felt comforting, in a way.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCZWGhBxO5__fXpIf9FajRCw-fNyD2JlZUF1hHwKXx6pq4UyoM7HioaOp70B8369sRH9tYaACQhSA_k-sK2DjLFaMo1bNBoR1juFfH5stc0TywcxvqRh1kIdVw5cu9qc-MOCWQhDubguc/s1600/Map.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 284px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCZWGhBxO5__fXpIf9FajRCw-fNyD2JlZUF1hHwKXx6pq4UyoM7HioaOp70B8369sRH9tYaACQhSA_k-sK2DjLFaMo1bNBoR1juFfH5stc0TywcxvqRh1kIdVw5cu9qc-MOCWQhDubguc/s400/Map.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5648544052787297170" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Not a rocky road.</span><br /></span></div><br />As we approached Dublin, we decided to drive into the center of the city instead of using the ring-road M50 superhighway to avoid it. We wanted to see, on this weekend day, if driving there would be comfortable. We still had two full days ahead of us before our flight home, and wanted to spend one of those days in the city; driving would be a more efficient use of our time for that than the bus would, but only if we thought we could tolerate it.<br /><br />We're glad we did drive through Dublin on this rainy Saturday. It was a nice way of sightseeing, and traffic was light. From our experience, Dublin isn't a particularly harrowing city to drive in, as long as one is accustomed to driving on the left (as we were by then.) In fact, it's pretty pleasant compared to large American city centers.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">==================================<br />More images from September 3 and 4 are <a href="http://sharrington.net/Ireland2010/Sep3-4Web/index.htm" target="_blank">available here</a>.<br />==================================<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://sherwords.blogspot.com/2011/09/ireland-revisited-mountains-of-mourne.html" target="_blank">Next</a>: September 5, 2010 -- The Mountains of Mourne<br /><a href="http://sherwords.blogspot.com/2011/09/ireland-revisited-last-full-day-in-birr.html" target="_blank">Previous</a>: September 3, 2010 -- Last Full Day in Birr<br /><a href="http://sherwords.blogspot.com/2011/08/ireland-revisited-prologue.html" target="_blank">Beginning of the series</a>: Prologue, August 2</div>Sherwood Harringtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09575868746160608731noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7519804707579466907.post-88914004193442383802011-09-03T08:49:00.000-07:002011-09-05T09:16:48.526-07:00Ireland Revisited: Last Full Day in Birr<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:130%;">Day 31 of 35: Friday, September 3, 2010<br /></span></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUzSbKYRB2-J2Go-F3-E1yXk4CYTTn9FDm1sGzsyqlYgGKHX_91SmyJoV3_wWntdMmIi0KNuAVv_HLn1OH8qxdZb3NmibfbdMxvNJffkvcZQ3RXGJW9J_FTjOiKyrNdXcfgeMAgWT_beg/s1600/Hornbeam.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUzSbKYRB2-J2Go-F3-E1yXk4CYTTn9FDm1sGzsyqlYgGKHX_91SmyJoV3_wWntdMmIi0KNuAVv_HLn1OH8qxdZb3NmibfbdMxvNJffkvcZQ3RXGJW9J_FTjOiKyrNdXcfgeMAgWT_beg/s400/Hornbeam.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5648169100257741602" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Hornbeam hallway in the Cloisters, Millennium Gardens, Birr Castle Demesne</span><br /></span></div><br />Our last full day in the Demesne was mostly spent in the Bothy packing and cleaning; Diane's ankle was too sore from yesterday's trudging up and down the Hill of Uisneach to do much beyond that.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZuhl6c3jXOzAaQfuRBlsE881G8VTRw2QHO4M-4xqOr_dxq4loiPBuPVn93gz4kbs-6mqAj5gfWyDOB58CjyxnqQ8pcy722i1I6tMbjqK6aMrt6gLyPEKMqACVtGxys3WjmrCIkbh1Eco/s1600/Bye.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 130px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZuhl6c3jXOzAaQfuRBlsE881G8VTRw2QHO4M-4xqOr_dxq4loiPBuPVn93gz4kbs-6mqAj5gfWyDOB58CjyxnqQ8pcy722i1I6tMbjqK6aMrt6gLyPEKMqACVtGxys3WjmrCIkbh1Eco/s400/Bye.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5648169091674517602" border="0" /></a>I took a last early-morning walk, including a visit to the brick bridge over the Little Brosna and, of course, to see our friend near her new palace.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyS0pIMLOxRKWqoeWzTXVkhwMUqzW5KvUoPMWIT4tRRpYxWeSZnRWPw4VbBBaoXdIBaSLDkYJb8QCXT79SybuRYrPLq_zKXKZLxRpV0TuL6B2RBlx9ReBl5DCqHuZprAPftQ5c_gWTLI8/s1600/Gardens.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 317px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyS0pIMLOxRKWqoeWzTXVkhwMUqzW5KvUoPMWIT4tRRpYxWeSZnRWPw4VbBBaoXdIBaSLDkYJb8QCXT79SybuRYrPLq_zKXKZLxRpV0TuL6B2RBlx9ReBl5DCqHuZprAPftQ5c_gWTLI8/s400/Gardens.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5648169100951138674" border="0" /></a>The annual trimming of the Millennium Gardens' hedges had been completed the day before, and they looked mysterious in the early morning mist (top) and grand in the later morning’s full sunshine.<br /><br />In mid-morning, I went over to the Castle, where I had invited myself to take snapshots of our host and hostess. Lady Rosse offered to take a photo of me wherever I wanted; I chose the “Yellow Room,” where we all had a great time two Fridays ago. Especially given the pioneering achievements in photography by a <a href="http://www.birrcastle.com/history/maryRosse.asp" target="_blank">previous Countess of Rosse</a>, I am tickled to have a photo of myself in Birr Castle taken by the current Lady Rosse. (The fact that it's a really nice picture helps a lot, too!)<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqrOPoo8eGh_sKdcBKz5dS6q9cvfg70y0mR00QNqOZ3vr2IBbw-bSyPGLmw7GpWf330dG_g43JF1_fSA-4OpTmNhNv0USk2mY82My6cADK1I8A2raMruYlJlyn1FTGVl1NqtBk3NZrtvA/s1600/Visitor.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 292px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqrOPoo8eGh_sKdcBKz5dS6q9cvfg70y0mR00QNqOZ3vr2IBbw-bSyPGLmw7GpWf330dG_g43JF1_fSA-4OpTmNhNv0USk2mY82My6cADK1I8A2raMruYlJlyn1FTGVl1NqtBk3NZrtvA/s400/Visitor.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5648169249768090530" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">A count, a countess, and a no-account.</span><br /></span></div><br />They are delightful people, and we’ll miss them.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpOGLKm9VUULc2c7GXiNSn7EQX3nX-CYHLgIMMpg7KmRlYngMWKm9tiBA-c1Dy-KYZrYBkpkBIbJ-I9iOn8ZgN11kjm6oeTZlA6fMZ2xjrSciAy8SYtYirQACVydGdXtYWxn6B71ph4F4/s1600/Leviathan.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 180px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpOGLKm9VUULc2c7GXiNSn7EQX3nX-CYHLgIMMpg7KmRlYngMWKm9tiBA-c1Dy-KYZrYBkpkBIbJ-I9iOn8ZgN11kjm6oeTZlA6fMZ2xjrSciAy8SYtYirQACVydGdXtYWxn6B71ph4F4/s400/Leviathan.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5648169110641327122" border="0" /></a>I finished the <a href="http://sharrington.net/BirrBenches/Bench19/Bench19.htm" target="_blank">benches’ panoramas project</a> with views from two near the castle, favorably illuminated in evening’s sidelong sunlight. Along the way, I took one more look at the reconstructed Leviathan, still not operational but still a stirring sight for those who know its story.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVtQQIdNQ3RPDBZALx2bXPGq1a3HrnoUS48v5DIWFsN-u2fTkXsx8Myf9-6fwsLjMqYuwKeCsHBWZQFomkFJ9E4do3gZMIvt0CtnAel-ffErfhLDTi4BaauyEBi5QVM1gFmoSTHCMLu_g/s1600/Castle.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 163px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVtQQIdNQ3RPDBZALx2bXPGq1a3HrnoUS48v5DIWFsN-u2fTkXsx8Myf9-6fwsLjMqYuwKeCsHBWZQFomkFJ9E4do3gZMIvt0CtnAel-ffErfhLDTi4BaauyEBi5QVM1gFmoSTHCMLu_g/s400/Castle.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5648169099461211618" border="0" /></a>When we arrived in early August, the castle's ivy was all a lush green. As we prepare to leave, its walls are well along the way to changing their seasonal wardrobe.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">==================================<br />More images from this day will be available in a two-day set that will be linked at the end of tomorrow's installment.<br />==================================<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://sherwords.blogspot.com/2011/09/ireland-revisited-moving-day.html" target="blank">Next</a>: September 4, 2010 -- Moving Day<br /><a href="http://sherwords.blogspot.com/2011/09/ireland-revisited-hill-of-uisneach.html" target="_blank">Previous</a>: September 2, 2010 -- The Hill of Uisneach<br /><a href="http://sherwords.blogspot.com/2011/08/ireland-revisited-prologue.html" target="_blank">Beginning of the series</a>: Prologue, August 2</div>Sherwood Harringtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09575868746160608731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7519804707579466907.post-80036191816585203192011-09-02T07:45:00.000-07:002011-09-03T09:38:59.430-07:00Ireland Revisited: The Hill of Uisneach<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:130%;">Day 30 of 35: Thursday, September 2, 2010
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<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPh9wvVFty51uiGpsejNzBmhkl01MyoFjYQy0E14TP1Rfn-82wy6LjpNbrLa1GRo8sEUJ74mFNo-A25RArICNwhgfNem9waClNewz4Mc6wg7awByVFIpQ74SBYdPZXS8Dx04nsdJrRIaA/s1600/Ushnukine.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 235px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPh9wvVFty51uiGpsejNzBmhkl01MyoFjYQy0E14TP1Rfn-82wy6LjpNbrLa1GRo8sEUJ74mFNo-A25RArICNwhgfNem9waClNewz4Mc6wg7awByVFIpQ74SBYdPZXS8Dx04nsdJrRIaA/s400/Ushnukine.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5647600115594526738" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Uisneach Denizens</span>
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<br />This was to be our last true vacation day headquartered in the Bothy; Friday, our actual last full day, would be taken up mostly with packing to leave early the following morning. Today broke with clear skies and a light mist on the ground.
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<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio8KcV51SAiG-GvFzldHdm1d2mUoD8gb4EIA-RnMHSsX5tRFJTWM32tIc1UPBw2dF-83YoUbgQIlYf5YTKMGwFp6BH6jRlu1t-LyHwmeIZDVrknzqjB9cOOu35tXqvYxrx9zrZ74aN4RU/s1600/Bothy.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 166px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio8KcV51SAiG-GvFzldHdm1d2mUoD8gb4EIA-RnMHSsX5tRFJTWM32tIc1UPBw2dF-83YoUbgQIlYf5YTKMGwFp6BH6jRlu1t-LyHwmeIZDVrknzqjB9cOOu35tXqvYxrx9zrZ74aN4RU/s400/Bothy.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5647599887868377650" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Two-panel panorama of the Bothy in the early light of September 2nd.</span>
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<br />After I took a brief trip to the library and its internet connection, we set out for the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hill_of_Uisneach" target="_blank">Hill of Uisneach</a> near Mullingar, said to be the ancient center of Ireland.
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<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzKnpkRf41zkqPSwhsCL1QTI6Spdp78x_AnzF6aaN8DfUhySlI7laNEMQxZwTpI3sVDgwqUhrnacPHd7yulfRC3t6VjKlZO9Ns100hISGBr16szDAdlJNtDNLqwMkuyjum4etQseHG0Ng/s1600/Map.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 284px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzKnpkRf41zkqPSwhsCL1QTI6Spdp78x_AnzF6aaN8DfUhySlI7laNEMQxZwTpI3sVDgwqUhrnacPHd7yulfRC3t6VjKlZO9Ns100hISGBr16szDAdlJNtDNLqwMkuyjum4etQseHG0Ng/s400/Map.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5647599893440724818" border="0" /></a>Along the way, we took an unplanned detour to see the southernmost tip of Lough Ennell through which the River Brosna flows (Mullingar is at the northern end.) The lake appears to be a great recreation asset for the local people, well away from tourist attractions and, of course, beautiful.
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<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwZAdSgq5Bm132OT1Rkax0I9hL0je4ra2pnyn6sfU-wTB9N8QZnpbhP1B5cAdArZk9bkrRu3N6pHFnndKCqvFcVZMPATeTTWK0VQx9kogYFZisYIisvbULWpjCgcS3FZmd4PEUfRwXxM8/s1600/Lough+Ennell.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 133px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwZAdSgq5Bm132OT1Rkax0I9hL0je4ra2pnyn6sfU-wTB9N8QZnpbhP1B5cAdArZk9bkrRu3N6pHFnndKCqvFcVZMPATeTTWK0VQx9kogYFZisYIisvbULWpjCgcS3FZmd4PEUfRwXxM8/s400/Lough+Ennell.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5647599887996859618" border="0" /></a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lough_Ennell" target="_blank">This area at the lake is called “Lilliput,”</a> because of Jonathan Swift’s connection to the region: he frequently retreated to this area in general and this lake in particular to gain solitude for writing. A sign near the shore at this place provides a map of the Mullingar region for bicyclists and reads:
<br /><blockquote style="font-style: italic;">It’s time to take things slowly… Quiet country roads with stunning views of rich pastureland and beautiful lakes provide the ideal backdrop for your cycle routes. Enjoy some fresh air, peace and tranquility. Mullingar is your starting point. A busy market town with excellent facilities and amenities, Mullingar is finely situated on the River Brosna near the ancient centre of Ireland. Visit the beautiful Renaissance style Catholic Cathedral and admire breath-taking frescoes. Visit the local tourist office at the Market Square and see the statue of the late Joe Dolan, commemorating the life and music of Mullingar’s own and internationally renowned singer and entertainer. Venture north to Lough Owel and on to Multyfarnham with it’s [sic] 13th Century Franciscan Friary. Follow in the steps of ancient Irish warriors on the Táin Trail and cycle alongside the Royal Canal, built in the 1800s, and now a recreation amenity and wildlife haven. Cycle south around Lough Ennell, relax at Lilliput amenity area and visit the 18th Century estate at Belvedere where bike parking facilities are available. Whichever route you choose you will enjoy a pleasant cycle in a gentle landscape rich in lake and canal, lore and legend.</blockquote> I’m sold, but I have no bicycle.
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<br />From the lake, we backtracked to our original destination, the Hill of Uisneach (pronounced “Oosh’-nuk”.)
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<br />The hill is not on public land, or administered by the OPW. It is on a working farm, and permission to enter should be obtained from the owner. The farmhand who gave us our map of the hill (left over from a Mayday celebration there, an annual New Age spiritual gathering called "the <a href="http://www.festivalofthefires.com/" target="_blank">Festival of the Fires</a>" at the traditional center of Ireland) also gave rather ambiguous directions for the easiest walk to the top. Against Diane’s better inclinations, she followed her husband on what turned out to be a very circuitous and rather arduous trudge through pastureland up the 600 feet or so of vertical relief. Not bad for someone on a bum ankle.
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<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqlK4lnCqGCZEmU62FdPyPrUMVIT6tIdR2jDlx3qO1W7uFxM5q-jw26HM4fPmUrbJ1-2HXQhJ_vh6he0TejsVu6qxPBJ6cIGMzLzmGFfAQjVcZFXUV-WgwFfiNgtOHPnATPOYdFpISYUs/s1600/Uisneach.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqlK4lnCqGCZEmU62FdPyPrUMVIT6tIdR2jDlx3qO1W7uFxM5q-jw26HM4fPmUrbJ1-2HXQhJ_vh6he0TejsVu6qxPBJ6cIGMzLzmGFfAQjVcZFXUV-WgwFfiNgtOHPnATPOYdFpISYUs/s400/Uisneach.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5647599913533714882" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Clockwise from upper-left: Parking area and sign on the R390 road west of Mullingar, Diane trudging, more Diane trudging, and curious cows.</span>
<br /></span></div>
<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwnmR5yXCQ1DEDNIEZaQynm8BsKPgqLlNX0L8c_67geycRsZFZHKNiktgzFt-DsoCUhQkKSNvBLoyME4sQZLW5Hn4IDAg1umr3Qoh1Za8AtMNBqGP8kmTVyNxpPXwH9DFDeVEgwitxC1E/s1600/Summit.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 304px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwnmR5yXCQ1DEDNIEZaQynm8BsKPgqLlNX0L8c_67geycRsZFZHKNiktgzFt-DsoCUhQkKSNvBLoyME4sQZLW5Hn4IDAg1umr3Qoh1Za8AtMNBqGP8kmTVyNxpPXwH9DFDeVEgwitxC1E/s400/Summit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5647599898588325682" border="0" /></a>The summit features a variety of recent structures, mostly wicker – and an incredibly stunning 360° vista to the far reaches of Ireland. From that point, it is easy to understand why this place has been special in a number of ways for thousands of years.
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<br /><div style="text-align: center;">==================================
<br />More images from September 2nd, including a very large, 360° panorama of the view from the top of the Hill of Uisneach, are available in <a href="http://sharrington.net/Ireland2010/Sep02Web/index.htm" target="_blank">this slideshow on sharrington.net</a>.
<br />==================================
<br /></div>
<br /><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://sherwords.blogspot.com/2011/09/ireland-revisited-last-full-day-in-birr.html" target="_blank">Next</a>: September 3, 2010 -- Last Full Day in Birr
<br /><a href="http://sherwords.blogspot.com/2011/09/ireland-revisited-midlands-ramble.html" target="_blank">Previous</a>: September 1, 2010 -- A Midlands Ramble
<br /><a href="http://sherwords.blogspot.com/2011/08/ireland-revisited-prologue.html" target="_blank">Beginning of the series</a>: Prologue, August 2</div>
<br /><p class="MsoNormal"></p> Sherwood Harringtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09575868746160608731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7519804707579466907.post-21677760412285217632011-09-01T10:26:00.000-07:002011-09-05T09:27:32.560-07:00Ireland Revisited: A Midlands Ramble<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:130%;">Day 29 of 35: Wednesday, September 1, 2010<br /></span></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5qvQElkw5o9GR_3PxuyS8BpzZdFwubQtD8OrndbG_7h-SzFDSxmCl4nFyxmaYrYZ7ziqfTOEQBVObZq8qNtSJu600SZmIzEPtMQhI4COdsvvzXX67GdnKK0Zk86vHDLskLJk6resnPYY/s1600/Priory.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5qvQElkw5o9GR_3PxuyS8BpzZdFwubQtD8OrndbG_7h-SzFDSxmCl4nFyxmaYrYZ7ziqfTOEQBVObZq8qNtSJu600SZmIzEPtMQhI4COdsvvzXX67GdnKK0Zk86vHDLskLJk6resnPYY/s400/Priory.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5647438046360722834" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Dominican Priory ruins, Lorrha, Co. Tipperary</span><br /></span></div><br />As we headed into our last three full days in the Irish midlands and I had finished my time in the archives for this trip, the urge to do a lot of running around to many places became almost overwhelming. Before Diane got going on this morning, I made a quick trip to the little village of Lorrha at a nexus of very back roads between Birr and Terryglass on Lough Derg, through which we had driven the previous evening on our way back from dinner at the Derg Inn. Lorrha turns out to have a number of attractive ruins in its vicinity, including the Dominican Priory, established in the 13th century and now serving as a graveyard adjacent to a modern church.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-gb1GSc7C2JXM7qduH_oCAvuXONTpIjhmJ7D70lqVrf8x2JzcQHVGAoQtxX3ImhqTqV-MK1wFF5DGGj-OjpZd-tJrSijR0DltA53U3ncd3vz-WbRl9r2ivZyIiav4NlcR4U6hNTZeOfU/s1600/Lorrha.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 180px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-gb1GSc7C2JXM7qduH_oCAvuXONTpIjhmJ7D70lqVrf8x2JzcQHVGAoQtxX3ImhqTqV-MK1wFF5DGGj-OjpZd-tJrSijR0DltA53U3ncd3vz-WbRl9r2ivZyIiav4NlcR4U6hNTZeOfU/s400/Lorrha.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5647437891068017186" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Details, Dominican Priory, Lorrha.</span><br /></span></div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL9YHSia-sCOlHKJhdlmKa3gdY4BtPZRnQ5s_Eeyy1yFN0Y9EVotDKvxm36B0jo3LN9ZeCry_blE-zjBJmpEpfN_x4sAcGy7OW-FEPYhSIbh0b-4hw5xrA17c0utWEmfIDrpGP12nMESc/s1600/Map.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 284px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL9YHSia-sCOlHKJhdlmKa3gdY4BtPZRnQ5s_Eeyy1yFN0Y9EVotDKvxm36B0jo3LN9ZeCry_blE-zjBJmpEpfN_x4sAcGy7OW-FEPYhSIbh0b-4hw5xrA17c0utWEmfIDrpGP12nMESc/s400/Map.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5647437898044766802" border="0" /></a>Once Diane was ready to go, we started on a three-county, generally west-to-east meander across nearby parts of the midlands. We started in Portumna, County Galway, a familiar town to us because we had traveled through it many times in 2006 and on this trip. We had always intended to visit Portumna Castle, but never seemed to have the time. We did so, finally, on this day.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1TnxLN1oggE4c5sUmdn1TJI89h4ER0LM5PXv0dtX-LsJhEhCdSDKQCD4q5YWkrFsG3lvRkyFNI7j9blAAWN4vXjZf4N26OkNTndGlDVqxSXeXuA24QdZ9Zo70d58iECqV62TqIPr7cTs/s1600/Portumna.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 293px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1TnxLN1oggE4c5sUmdn1TJI89h4ER0LM5PXv0dtX-LsJhEhCdSDKQCD4q5YWkrFsG3lvRkyFNI7j9blAAWN4vXjZf4N26OkNTndGlDVqxSXeXuA24QdZ9Zo70d58iECqV62TqIPr7cTs/s400/Portumna.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5647438036797772498" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Portumna Castle.</span><br /></span></div><br />The castle – really an Elizabethan-style mansion – was built in the 17th century as the Irish headquarters of the English Clanrikarde family. It was almost entirely destroyed by fire in 1839, leaving only the stone outer walls intact, and was abandoned. The ruin was taken over by Ireland’s Office of Public Works (which administers and operates Ireland’s public antiquities sites) a few decades ago, and the OPW has been slowly restoring the place to an approximation of its 1700s state since the 1960s. Progress is slow because funding is sporadic. So far, only the ground floor is in shape for the public to visit.<br /><br />From Portumna, we meandered back through the rural environs of Lorrha in North Tipperary, to look at a tower house in a farmer’s fields (Lackeen Castle), and then on to the town of Banagher on the Shannon in County Offaly.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrPjKEq5bCYdQv8jshW7h0pW6fpH4MVtKVZ4-IpoRnB7HXcTz_-AhcxWQQYXHqQOMC4j3Shqeecri8wTv1dfpPN0P6bqlwnVCBE0fJoejz1RzGSZomyNwNDzPyIp7ydnBXOV0MGyXEPfE/s1600/Banagher.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 313px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrPjKEq5bCYdQv8jshW7h0pW6fpH4MVtKVZ4-IpoRnB7HXcTz_-AhcxWQQYXHqQOMC4j3Shqeecri8wTv1dfpPN0P6bqlwnVCBE0fJoejz1RzGSZomyNwNDzPyIp7ydnBXOV0MGyXEPfE/s400/Banagher.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5647437867745740946" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Lackeen Castle (top) and Banagher's bridge across the Shannon.</span><br /></span></div><br />Finally we followed the Shannon eastward and upstream to the ancient monastic ruins at Clonmacnoise. We had visited Clonmacnoise in 2006, and returned this time as much for its view of the Shannon as for the ruins themselves.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigsfHj0EgdOXvldplxDEQoodr6GMzDSripW8e3MJTA9OFF4pCbjLE92kjURipRQe3_b7jHtAVOOwhD7ZxfxtFC0KjyoJeMVG6MCxOVI6Ew7WyQOpmBMn0tHaTUL6_xv_SlSi-6vMXtPws/s1600/Clonmacnoise.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 337px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigsfHj0EgdOXvldplxDEQoodr6GMzDSripW8e3MJTA9OFF4pCbjLE92kjURipRQe3_b7jHtAVOOwhD7ZxfxtFC0KjyoJeMVG6MCxOVI6Ew7WyQOpmBMn0tHaTUL6_xv_SlSi-6vMXtPws/s400/Clonmacnoise.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5647437890446363986" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Clonmacnoise, the Shannon, and a fellow visitor.</span><br /></span></div><br />And, then, finally home to Birr, the Demesne, and the Bothy. 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<![endif]-->… two sociable horses and some of the last vestiges of the weekend’s fair.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">==================================<br />More images from this day's wanderings are available in <a href="http://sharrington.net/Ireland2010/Sep01Web/index.htm" target="_blank">this slideshow on sharrington.net</a>.<br />==================================<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://sherwords.blogspot.com/2011/09/ireland-revisited-hill-of-uisneach.html" target="_blank">Next</a>: September 2, 2010 -- The Hill of Uisneach<br /><a href="http://sherwords.blogspot.com/2011/08/ireland-revisited-back-to-bru-na-boinne.html" target="_blank">Previous</a>: August 31, 2010 -- Back to Brú na Bóinne<br /><a href="http://sherwords.blogspot.com/2011/08/ireland-revisited-prologue.html" target="_blank">Beginning of the series</a>: Prologue, August 2</div>Sherwood Harringtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09575868746160608731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7519804707579466907.post-57147689374626563032011-08-31T09:16:00.000-07:002011-09-01T11:51:21.390-07:00Ireland Revisited: Back to Brú na Bóinne<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:130%;">Day 28 of 35: Tuesday, August 31, 2010
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<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA3CCUhWwMGlc9qODov_KE3gAcz0a5CNXMecUyctDdiID4Ttq5rlZ2wlPXtQV6kj1E7B69bcy1zEu2FYPs0PmgW2p0cSvQH7pDKOZO6_FJIT9FMxWyv6tVXlMdQxBEGkL21BkrsMYNiX0/s1600/Knowth.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA3CCUhWwMGlc9qODov_KE3gAcz0a5CNXMecUyctDdiID4Ttq5rlZ2wlPXtQV6kj1E7B69bcy1zEu2FYPs0PmgW2p0cSvQH7pDKOZO6_FJIT9FMxWyv6tVXlMdQxBEGkL21BkrsMYNiX0/s400/Knowth.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5647050801766437538" border="0" /></a>We set out nice and early (but not uncivilizedly so) from the airport hotel to re-visit our friends the cows along the banks of the River Boyne. As long as we were there, we decided to nose around a part of <a href="http://www.knowth.com/" target="_blank">the area’s megalithic wonders</a> that we hadn’t seen four years ago.
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<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJD4BtutdVJXBR8pREzHqdoKGjj0NOaU-7erEz0edF1zgJEQ2soNhFjM59oXRg2eT9wRToez-bKulyNRqLuLL0eRM-TZwmcPTgLy78HtYpMHe5PBFQxCTg1h1ijwjS0s-bkKTOyQSUxiM/s1600/Bus.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJD4BtutdVJXBR8pREzHqdoKGjj0NOaU-7erEz0edF1zgJEQ2soNhFjM59oXRg2eT9wRToez-bKulyNRqLuLL0eRM-TZwmcPTgLy78HtYpMHe5PBFQxCTg1h1ijwjS0s-bkKTOyQSUxiM/s400/Bus.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5647050773605592402" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">OPW shuttle bus at the Brú na Bóinne site. Despite its destination sign, it's at the staging area for Knowth.</span>
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<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnDtavoAFxtgkWm4BfpTVrynDs6ZJN4NoIKK7Km4z8plqmdipqSCauc8j6bmw_HfcOTJ5iLbTyeKin273GJ9gRssY1iHjyJ5CkXN9Ny614R5A3kUqrlxxwD28sq7JRA_y-PBa6cj7ACWY/s1600/Kine.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 122px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnDtavoAFxtgkWm4BfpTVrynDs6ZJN4NoIKK7Km4z8plqmdipqSCauc8j6bmw_HfcOTJ5iLbTyeKin273GJ9gRssY1iHjyJ5CkXN9Ny614R5A3kUqrlxxwD28sq7JRA_y-PBa6cj7ACWY/s400/Kine.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5647050796195937442" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Cows at the Boyne, burial mounds at Knowth.</span>
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<br />In 2006 we toured the largest of the 5,000-year-old passage tombs, <a href="http://sharrington.net/Ireland2006/IreTripFolders/Aug25/index.htm" target="_blank">Newgrange</a>. This time, we took the blue OPW shuttle bus from the Visitors' Centre to the more distant Knowth cluster of mounds, including the largest and highest one, which you can see a bit of in the top photo on this post.
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<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF_WWfclUJbZYuorrLDJW-_fGXbell0nFhC7qIzxABn1LWD2YYbKqci7cSwUAfM0Ydev1HeRQx3gGu1MZX0D5wgnc0C2HNqQFf6oxu2Mol-Bm_l7uVhdW5nR_3MPhSmugWTOh5_NKGmKY/s1600/Degrees.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 130px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF_WWfclUJbZYuorrLDJW-_fGXbell0nFhC7qIzxABn1LWD2YYbKqci7cSwUAfM0Ydev1HeRQx3gGu1MZX0D5wgnc0C2HNqQFf6oxu2Mol-Bm_l7uVhdW5nR_3MPhSmugWTOh5_NKGmKY/s400/Degrees.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5647050784333245170" border="0" /></a>The passage tombs have been restored to various stages, allowing visitors to see the inner structure of some and the likely working appearance of others. The largest tumulus has two long passages toward chambers near its center (unlike Newgrange, which has one) aligned due east and west (the Newgrange passage is aligned with the winter solstice sunrise point instead). The outer end of the eastern passage can be viewed from a small room near its end, but the passage itself is off-limits to visitors.
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<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbUtXFtFHdL3s3-QX4QAJTOHALKUVsj5MOhh1BxEQdCz1VFcCTFFuFLUUrPV2WB7rzz4RTNj2du0mHA926JNZJv9Z1RsgIZgQCt0YGa_0YZALC9SfpVKlFPcZJBYmVr4EARTW838WjmaY/s1600/Panorama.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 128px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbUtXFtFHdL3s3-QX4QAJTOHALKUVsj5MOhh1BxEQdCz1VFcCTFFuFLUUrPV2WB7rzz4RTNj2du0mHA926JNZJv9Z1RsgIZgQCt0YGa_0YZALC9SfpVKlFPcZJBYmVr4EARTW838WjmaY/s400/Panorama.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5647050941037557154" border="0" /></a>Ireland's OPW has provided a path to the top of the largest tumulus, not the first time that a subsequent civilization has constructed things atop the builders' artificial hill. Archaeological evidence shows that it has been used many times over the past 5,000 years by different people as a fortress and even the site of a small village.
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<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDQ8LfEDqsOq-kkaIHvV4P0GAqxhCujjXt3jZ6ADY6hOlLbXU0RVdvsBMfhxoDOCmRee8L4gDe5KdcFQSVTCnnEW7gbG7FATfbcOqwpMfsI5UPVXGxn964rGY6eqKdfq77ZPLOhE_e6D8/s1600/Tumulus.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 108px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDQ8LfEDqsOq-kkaIHvV4P0GAqxhCujjXt3jZ6ADY6hOlLbXU0RVdvsBMfhxoDOCmRee8L4gDe5KdcFQSVTCnnEW7gbG7FATfbcOqwpMfsI5UPVXGxn964rGY6eqKdfq77ZPLOhE_e6D8/s400/Tumulus.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5647050943467590450" border="0" /></a>At left above, Diane (just to the right of the wood posts, a partial reconstruction of what was probably a ceremonial structure) lends perspective to the size of the large tumulus. The sweeping view from its summit of the Boyne valley is a lovely one; at right we are looking westward along the Boyne.
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<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZs8c8cLJMJcsxSeVH2eMScRONjh-rTPzYrug_JnemmWgZ7Vu69SQoMMzzSCwUiQpy470sWlF6mNSOwBHS2SnvD9evNEbSlafrKi67VS1fSrqNCnQnLmt5FXYaT-Qf-F5lE6Ps8N5yhRE/s1600/Map.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 284px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZs8c8cLJMJcsxSeVH2eMScRONjh-rTPzYrug_JnemmWgZ7Vu69SQoMMzzSCwUiQpy470sWlF6mNSOwBHS2SnvD9evNEbSlafrKi67VS1fSrqNCnQnLmt5FXYaT-Qf-F5lE6Ps8N5yhRE/s400/Map.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5647050809627385394" border="0" /></a>After our stay at Knowth and the Brú na Bóinne complex, we drove back to Birr along a leisurely route, one designed more for its own sake than for speed. Major highways in Ireland, including the new superhighways, are laid out like spokes radiating from Dublin toward the other relatively large cities on the island. We purposefully worked our way across that plan, traveling an arc across the midlands. Our time in Ireland was dwindling toward its end as August prepared to give way to September, and we were in no rush.
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<br />More images of the Knowth complex are available in <a href="http://sharrington.net/Ireland2010/Aug31Web/index.htm" target="_blank">this slideshow on sharrington.net</a>.
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<br /><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://sherwords.blogspot.com/2011/09/ireland-revisited-midlands-ramble.html" target="_blank">Next</a>: September 1, 2010 -- A Midlands Ramble
<br /><a href="http://sherwords.blogspot.com/2011/08/ireland-revisited-powerscourt-and-howth.html" target="_blank">Previous</a>: August 30, 2010 -- Powerscourt and Howth
<br /><a href="http://sherwords.blogspot.com/2011/08/ireland-revisited-prologue.html" target="_blank">Beginning of the series</a>: Prologue, August 2</div>
<br />Sherwood Harringtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09575868746160608731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7519804707579466907.post-60447779916807535222011-08-30T10:33:00.000-07:002011-09-04T10:10:39.946-07:00Ireland Revisited: Powerscourt and Howth<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:130%;">Day 27 of 35: Monday, August 30, 2010
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<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoVrYSAT45nbKsVrm5qChGccn2UOMQmdG6ucz1tTy4ZvRfMuMwiHRGE_wa5pHH9WrWF0v_InHkwIgDQk2p0Gv3Ink9Q8rkJyUqru8p8SentYrb8rdw6mXQWnY4xKd5IBo4pL2DVkbYjw0/s1600/Howth+Banner.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 146px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoVrYSAT45nbKsVrm5qChGccn2UOMQmdG6ucz1tTy4ZvRfMuMwiHRGE_wa5pHH9WrWF0v_InHkwIgDQk2p0Gv3Ink9Q8rkJyUqru8p8SentYrb8rdw6mXQWnY4xKd5IBo4pL2DVkbYjw0/s400/Howth+Banner.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646696990236615058" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Howth Harbour at dusk.</span>
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<br />Another brilliant morning, this one accompanied by the sounds of a small city being disassembled – the tents and other structures of the Irish Game and Country Fair being taken down and away. The complete process would take several days.
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<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ5oCqr7Hmm1LS2k3HfDKosiD9GI_8nPkxVdXE3HTxqgk5auKtS7RSPCdzrvMPHfnJl4GxlBNLqiaDeMUXRDwnqOyzQ0Wwwfd-lWdDOlrXYqz0brrFdGZ_swc_OPkEmw3k3r91Rz8imeA/s1600/Aftermath.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 130px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ5oCqr7Hmm1LS2k3HfDKosiD9GI_8nPkxVdXE3HTxqgk5auKtS7RSPCdzrvMPHfnJl4GxlBNLqiaDeMUXRDwnqOyzQ0Wwwfd-lWdDOlrXYqz0brrFdGZ_swc_OPkEmw3k3r91Rz8imeA/s400/Aftermath.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646696976681171954" border="0" /></a>While Diane was preparing for our trip to the Powerscourt House and Gardens (and our overnight stay in Dublin), I visited the Demesne’s science museum, primarily to photograph some items concerning the 4th Earl (who gradually had become the focus of much of my archives explorations.) I was specifically looking to take some pictures of a birchbark canoe he had shipped back from Canada on his first trip to North America in 1884:
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<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbLZbikGvns2jmr5kwojtHT3bDtoNrZX-fehwzIHEv0diM1MIoWBucfJBqONk-ZUZ4csdtk5M1W5G5BmbM7K82mzOBD-DgRe10CJ8Ro9NgZKsvgdSZ68EJ0UO8ZLpZtjq2vC1pi6COuGk/s1600/Four.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 171px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbLZbikGvns2jmr5kwojtHT3bDtoNrZX-fehwzIHEv0diM1MIoWBucfJBqONk-ZUZ4csdtk5M1W5G5BmbM7K82mzOBD-DgRe10CJ8Ro9NgZKsvgdSZ68EJ0UO8ZLpZtjq2vC1pi6COuGk/s400/Four.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646696980544929858" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">(Portrait of the Fourth Earl of Rosse courtesy of </span><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/57442878@N08/5935624748/in/photostream" target="_blank">John C. McConnell</a><span style="font-style: italic;">, original photographer unknown.)</span>
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<br />Three weeks before this day, we were preparing for our first excursion away from Birr, the one to County Antrim that wound up in the hospital at Coleraine and changed the nature of the rest of the stay in Ireland. While packing for that trip, Diane tucked her passport away in her suitcase in one of those nooks and pockets that modern suitcases seem to have a pox of. That action was forgotten, understandably, in all that happened later in the Northern Ireland adventure.
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<br />A couple of weeks later, she couldn't locate her passport while sorting through things in her shoulder bag. Having forgotten hiding it away in that odd suitcase pocket, she thought it lost, and we set up an appointment with the US Embassy in Dublin for an emergency replacement. (While the prospect of being stuck in Ireland wasn't entirely displeasing, we did have family and beasties back here in the US that we needed to return to.) Embassy staff were very helpful, as were the people at the Birr Library where we needed access to scanners and the internet. We were set up for an appointment on the morning of Tuesday, August 31st -- the day after this one -- so we made a hotel reservation in Dublin for this night, Monday the 30th.
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<br />While packing for the jaunt to Dublin, of course, the passport was found. So we cancelled the Embassy appointment, but kept the hotel reservation and made a 2-day holiday-within-a-holiday of it.
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<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhybdR1zgCs8qgcuSGsyA8jdXr2MYKv-csryOUmKQXm5PELNtYABfoNJb0Y8qNGIO6JDzaxTUwJqHV7N-EQaskqHGItK1cGG7hLYFJVTWZ2GLEedxMo_TlnDXsaF9TfH6bI6fhUFMR-6q4/s1600/Map.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 289px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhybdR1zgCs8qgcuSGsyA8jdXr2MYKv-csryOUmKQXm5PELNtYABfoNJb0Y8qNGIO6JDzaxTUwJqHV7N-EQaskqHGItK1cGG7hLYFJVTWZ2GLEedxMo_TlnDXsaF9TfH6bI6fhUFMR-6q4/s400/Map.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646698123818435794" border="0" /></a>We set out for <a href="http://www.powerscourt.ie/" target="_blank">Powerscourt in the Wicklow Mountains</a> at around noon and were there in only about two hours – the new ease of long-distance auto travel in Ireland continued to impress us. We were initially disappointed that more of the grand house is not open for viewing – and the parts that were (most of the ground floor) are given over to shops – but forgot about that pretty quickly in the overpowering sweep of the gardens and grounds in general.
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<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC_Fj51-7sTJ0Yn8tYH-vlE9I4IMpsjnOa9Pl-fBx2W9kE95nHMlwSA85E9gVRFy8qEaNS_sHWc5flcr1O1eqc39oQTDy91Uh5xhTdF7VWYR3qY1e-9wKgyctmNoXrsMPzfRSg6Bkls2Y/s1600/Powerscourt.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC_Fj51-7sTJ0Yn8tYH-vlE9I4IMpsjnOa9Pl-fBx2W9kE95nHMlwSA85E9gVRFy8qEaNS_sHWc5flcr1O1eqc39oQTDy91Uh5xhTdF7VWYR3qY1e-9wKgyctmNoXrsMPzfRSg6Bkls2Y/s400/Powerscourt.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646698496883226242" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Clockwise from upper-left: the great house from the terraced gardens, its domes reminding us of the Armagh Observatory three weeks earlier; Triton’s fountain and pond; Sugarloaf from the forest at the demesne’s far reaches; a bee at work in the walled garden (can you find him?)</span>
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<br />Many more photos from this beautiful day at the Powerscourt Gardens are available in <a href="http://sharrington.net/Ireland2010/Aug30Web/index.htm" target="_blank">the day's slide show</a> over on sharrington.net.
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<br />We stayed the night at the same airport hotel that we have always used (for familiarity and price, not because we’re particularly charmed by it – it’s serviceable and acceptable for a crash pad), planning to get up early tomorrow for a return visit to Brú na Bóinne. We had some time after dinner before the sun set, and decided to see if Howth harbour is as charming in 2010 in the evening as it was in 2006 at midday.
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<br />Oh, my.
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<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimkl4h97dlUxckbeDI2Hb0m50AWtYwXhUBN0mlGhKqfd4UO9yK-mgRiCq33gpByj0ZVPdH3yUwFtL5NW3X5EVxEdItlYHADv-pw29Atl-SihMG0OGgTRyJBW5b8emrK8Yhyphenhyphena1ZSMlyGIQ/s1600/Harbour.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimkl4h97dlUxckbeDI2Hb0m50AWtYwXhUBN0mlGhKqfd4UO9yK-mgRiCq33gpByj0ZVPdH3yUwFtL5NW3X5EVxEdItlYHADv-pw29Atl-SihMG0OGgTRyJBW5b8emrK8Yhyphenhyphena1ZSMlyGIQ/s400/Harbour.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646696988318595538" border="0" /></a>
<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsrBlMvM29I8H6z7c_nH5p9mGG35FPMKRf4FfYiW9C8_Q0_nO4hSUhNo4-hFOMwkwX0SPWOw6E94NwpCxH-fsD81XffySfl1XVzSCNrVWt8wn1W3FurowqYXWpSE0iCMLwugt7AmWctd4/s1600/Sunset.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 180px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsrBlMvM29I8H6z7c_nH5p9mGG35FPMKRf4FfYiW9C8_Q0_nO4hSUhNo4-hFOMwkwX0SPWOw6E94NwpCxH-fsD81XffySfl1XVzSCNrVWt8wn1W3FurowqYXWpSE0iCMLwugt7AmWctd4/s400/Sunset.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646698501493795442" border="0" /></a>
<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVUBCzgG8IPjsCtFsaHqPKhGLZc_2DMVkcOZqjOAKrcOJX6rT8EVqYWncn7Ac2EzZCnU7ouo8atVjiapi2XY_UnYqUAapVenJ9OoAGcFylFbVjn7TGUphY9Me_haAGfTH6KQ5CuEDDCzk/s1600/Harbour+Sunset.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVUBCzgG8IPjsCtFsaHqPKhGLZc_2DMVkcOZqjOAKrcOJX6rT8EVqYWncn7Ac2EzZCnU7ouo8atVjiapi2XY_UnYqUAapVenJ9OoAGcFylFbVjn7TGUphY9Me_haAGfTH6KQ5CuEDDCzk/s400/Harbour+Sunset.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646696986940611490" border="0" /></a>
<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNXvDng1ZGr8T8zHV4_p0LhPKJ81873hzS8o16523tpu-1CY8-AGsF8kxbOtXGETxGtiST9nEsJbNNGsJv2-GQhAWjGcf-cdlW9zHcrPK8WuqDpxyUhQ_U9EZ3nFUGD1VYPM3xJnva9wI/s1600/HowthSunsetPano.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 80px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNXvDng1ZGr8T8zHV4_p0LhPKJ81873hzS8o16523tpu-1CY8-AGsF8kxbOtXGETxGtiST9nEsJbNNGsJv2-GQhAWjGcf-cdlW9zHcrPK8WuqDpxyUhQ_U9EZ3nFUGD1VYPM3xJnva9wI/s400/HowthSunsetPano.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646698492641011570" border="0" /></a>
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<br />Many more images are available in <a href="http://sharrington.net/Ireland2010/Aug30Web/index.htm" target="_blank">this slideshow on sharrington.net</a>.
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<br /><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://sherwords.blogspot.com/2011/08/ireland-revisited-back-to-bru-na-boinne.html" target="_blank">Next</a>: August 31, 2010 -- Back to Brú na Bóinne
<br /><a href="http://sherwords.blogspot.com/2011/08/ireland-revisited-fair-day-too.html" target="_blank">Previous</a>: August 29, 2010 -- A Fair Day, Too
<br /><a href="http://sherwords.blogspot.com/2011/08/ireland-revisited-prologue.html" target="_blank">Beginning of the series</a>: Prologue, August 2</div>
<br />Sherwood Harringtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09575868746160608731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7519804707579466907.post-40194663071116673082011-08-29T10:31:00.000-07:002011-08-30T10:36:20.113-07:00Ireland Revisited: A Fair Day, Too<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:130%;">Day 26 of 35: Sunday, August 29, 2010
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<br />I attended a Sunday church service for the first time in decades today, at Lord Rosse’s invitation. During the organ recital a week ago, he had pointed out the memorial plaques on St. Brendan’s inner walls, many of whom are for Parsons family members, especially the Earls. He made special note of a very large one for the Third Earl (the “telescope Earl”), high up behind the balcony, seeming to look down on the congregation, the pulpit, and the altar. I hadn’t brought my camera then, thinking it would be out of place and somewhat disrespectful at a small music recital in a church, but Lord Rosse encouraged me to come back with it to the following Sunday’s service. So I did, but kept it hidden under my hat on the pew beside me during the service itself.
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<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz5C-GWFpr07nJzlpGVLsTKEswXe2X5x9r3DxClG5VWWmW8jBhtc0I97Y6_0nPMGb4WgT6siwSjYmeCT7rMBrJf6jV07MJrkhsLwGN-jTFiROjxLXjWYEX4OPsNT1iVqkh0SVAUMoBbWc/s1600/Church.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 289px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz5C-GWFpr07nJzlpGVLsTKEswXe2X5x9r3DxClG5VWWmW8jBhtc0I97Y6_0nPMGb4WgT6siwSjYmeCT7rMBrJf6jV07MJrkhsLwGN-jTFiROjxLXjWYEX4OPsNT1iVqkh0SVAUMoBbWc/s400/Church.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646328240976062482" border="0" /></a>Right, above: the third Earl’s memorial plaque. The last sentence is, “He was renowned in the loftiest range of science, and he revealed to mankind by the unrivalled creation of his genius a wider vision of the glory of God.” The memorial is about five feet tall. Left, above: outside the church is a recent sign which commemorates the world’s first automobile fatality, which took place in the road at the place where I was standing to take the photo. It occurred in 1869, two years after the third Earl died, under the iron wheels of a steam-powered vehicle of his design. The victim was one of his cousins, Mary Ward, herself a noted scientist, a pioneer in microscopy. More about Mary Ward and about this accident can be found in the second part of <a href="http://sherwords.blogspot.com/2011/03/young-irish-earls-rough-start.html" target="_blank">this earlier post on SherWords.</a>
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<br />This afternoon Diane and I thoroughly enjoyed the last hours of the Irish Game and Country Fair, including:
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<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqn-ozUARw5SncrAPlXbskTQDWRPHcNuaPAF5Xl-_Gas9dHc2bGVFlSSnCGcAIeHTm6LbPOEVaW2sXWBeQGa1yRyB0samtw8oXvwb15ahsbgcMVD9pj4Om7cHbe26vCtPYpVfIPjLCeSo/s1600/Carriages.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 161px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqn-ozUARw5SncrAPlXbskTQDWRPHcNuaPAF5Xl-_Gas9dHc2bGVFlSSnCGcAIeHTm6LbPOEVaW2sXWBeQGa1yRyB0samtw8oXvwb15ahsbgcMVD9pj4Om7cHbe26vCtPYpVfIPjLCeSo/s400/Carriages.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646328236022673442" border="0" /></a>... a display of carriage driving by the Birr Equestrian Centre...
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<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyVxAKUzGg65FB4eqCht6mWUAaZwFc8KpyMYHPFh0kuVfgIWPI5wF2EAzEidBNfXinVgmvG504AsfoyRdlSzvcrsmg41MYxkpw38-Tu-JEb8h39KkzE_p4Jc1ZWDfKSUZVe_NkawOJEr4/s1600/Falconer.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyVxAKUzGg65FB4eqCht6mWUAaZwFc8KpyMYHPFh0kuVfgIWPI5wF2EAzEidBNfXinVgmvG504AsfoyRdlSzvcrsmg41MYxkpw38-Tu-JEb8h39KkzE_p4Jc1ZWDfKSUZVe_NkawOJEr4/s400/Falconer.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646328248813645714" border="0" /></a>... and another fascinating round of falconry.
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<br />Two little creatures particularly delighted us, a champion terrier and a small African vulture.
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<br />The next-to-last event at the Fair’s main arena was the “Final of the Five Nations Working Terrier Championships,” in which the year’s winners from previous fairs in Ireland, Northern Ireland (which was described by the M. C. as “technically another country”), Scotland, Wales, and England were squared off against one another for the year’s final round of judging. The winner was this little black guy from England:
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<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfmFJyV8OPJ5QtpIvdCHSlTmHH8pSwr9TVH0UUowOhj-W94GK3D0pAhk6jr-I69Dqg7_3SD0-wJNZfsS98PhpLxukdB0_98KWnS81CnjTEQ3UBhyphenhyphenYCJSRNutcNCjopG4R8pNOxzXmjIRM/s1600/Winner.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 182px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfmFJyV8OPJ5QtpIvdCHSlTmHH8pSwr9TVH0UUowOhj-W94GK3D0pAhk6jr-I69Dqg7_3SD0-wJNZfsS98PhpLxukdB0_98KWnS81CnjTEQ3UBhyphenhyphenYCJSRNutcNCjopG4R8pNOxzXmjIRM/s200/Winner.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646327910746022418" border="0" /></a>During the entire awards ceremony, he was absolutely fixated on the <i>second-place</i> trophy, a stuffed fox head, and would pay attention to nothing else.
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<br />The African vulture, the opening act of the falconer's final show, was just about as cute as a buzzard could possibly be, and "cute as a buzzard" are four words I never thought I'd string together.
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<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqXk3AhIrC54Ze-sLFEFntHpZSZLQdwfVM8Ob59SLwApDR5-ZHlI-iS2iv52nCQ7M9YjNsQGZX6_EUi1ztV0ZAeJc0TVYldunXs-9GHf-hMmiTxCnMtioZQ-BXaiCwj8CXYIDe0RHVKhU/s1600/Vulture.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 140px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqXk3AhIrC54Ze-sLFEFntHpZSZLQdwfVM8Ob59SLwApDR5-ZHlI-iS2iv52nCQ7M9YjNsQGZX6_EUi1ztV0ZAeJc0TVYldunXs-9GHf-hMmiTxCnMtioZQ-BXaiCwj8CXYIDe0RHVKhU/s200/Vulture.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646327904429588082" border="0" /></a>He responded to the sound of the falconer’s voice like a well-trained dog might, he worked the crowd at the fence (which he’s doing in this picture) masterfully, and his bouncing, rolling, lurching ground gait was hysterical. While only about the height and weight of one of our chickens, his wingspan was impressive:
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<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR06ltBDHjMA4CiexuZzU1T-SjCiCBE1sevuR4KLWF7KyjijaykGG6uQaTUmPQGfleSbME0ollOfZkrBH7qsDq50ksxBnLHL6i0Vt4i5Wyn4Ea6-q_Djfco47CKxvcQkEekBcbkyM-a58/s1600/Vulture+Aloft.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 284px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR06ltBDHjMA4CiexuZzU1T-SjCiCBE1sevuR4KLWF7KyjijaykGG6uQaTUmPQGfleSbME0ollOfZkrBH7qsDq50ksxBnLHL6i0Vt4i5Wyn4Ea6-q_Djfco47CKxvcQkEekBcbkyM-a58/s400/Vulture+Aloft.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646328247205496482" border="0" /></a>
<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDqFThSC3GRiM_XWx7GnWZzGv4DnMy0594AyYo0ktNGcefda5w6W5Z9kBaaYrqaavW40pSV04GuBbLcEjtLUo23BYGvad8iqqbJrybUpF3ru4pXwx5R3jbRtBysWOybNGRp3xWYMVg5bA/s1600/Fairs+End.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 202px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDqFThSC3GRiM_XWx7GnWZzGv4DnMy0594AyYo0ktNGcefda5w6W5Z9kBaaYrqaavW40pSV04GuBbLcEjtLUo23BYGvad8iqqbJrybUpF3ru4pXwx5R3jbRtBysWOybNGRp3xWYMVg5bA/s400/Fairs+End.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646328245830910514" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Afternoon fades on the fair's last day.</span>
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<br /><div style="text-align: center;">==================================
<br />Many more images from the two-day event (including links for further information on some of the activities) are available in <a href="http://sharrington.net/Ireland2010/Aug28-29Web/index.htm" target="_blank">this slideshow on sharrington.net</a>.
<br />==================================
<br /></div>
<br /><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://sherwords.blogspot.com/2011/08/ireland-revisited-powerscourt-and-howth.html" target="_blank">Next</a>: August 30, 2010 -- Powerscourt and Howth
<br /><a href="http://sherwords.blogspot.com/2011/08/ireland-revisited-fair-day.html" target="_blank">Previous</a>: August 28, 2010 -- A Fair Day
<br /><a href="http://sherwords.blogspot.com/2011/08/ireland-revisited-prologue.html" target="_blank">Beginning of the series</a>: Prologue, August 2</div>
<br />Sherwood Harringtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09575868746160608731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7519804707579466907.post-71056864583041165672011-08-28T06:55:00.000-07:002011-09-26T09:11:00.781-07:00Ireland Revisited: A Fair Day<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:130%;">Day 25 of 35: Saturday, August 28, 2010</span><br /><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbcX6E2uBAKg3cFEn3eew9aNpa7nGah9XQfulxeuqcLb39DyuEkqsTPBz4dM2HcyNYAmrDh7mlktrNv64VM67H-U2GaWM6qVIwG09yRCDKmBGxn3hm1NJEWVtNqhC0W2s4ZkKJwHw0ocI/s1600/Entrance.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 380px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbcX6E2uBAKg3cFEn3eew9aNpa7nGah9XQfulxeuqcLb39DyuEkqsTPBz4dM2HcyNYAmrDh7mlktrNv64VM67H-U2GaWM6qVIwG09yRCDKmBGxn3hm1NJEWVtNqhC0W2s4ZkKJwHw0ocI/s400/Entrance.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5645609718063327794" border="0" /></a><br />This day was the first of two in the Demesne devoted to the <a href="http://www.irishgameandcountryfair.com/" target="_blank">Irish Game and Country Fair</a>, now an annual event at Birr Castle. (Birr was not yet a stop on the Great Game Fairs circuit when we last visited in 2006.) It turned out to be very enjoyable -- and a very big deal. Newspaper accounts in the following week pegged the two days' total attendance at about 35,000 people.<br /><br />Since the Bothy is inside the Demesne's walls, we could watch the literally last-minute preparations and the opening of the gates (please click on any image to see it in a larger format):<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXxjBKue12PhVzokWs_azMr9f3f4VIicaV4P0a_G7cVDpdFirqtlFZmAA_EVz0yVNq2nrGl30zesUlUA1lbSEHlvTPC5h5wUO-JvXzQKP5NOMBNE7MCGcH4AetHiWFqXGlC_b098LX6ms/s1600/Preparation+and+Opening.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 130px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXxjBKue12PhVzokWs_azMr9f3f4VIicaV4P0a_G7cVDpdFirqtlFZmAA_EVz0yVNq2nrGl30zesUlUA1lbSEHlvTPC5h5wUO-JvXzQKP5NOMBNE7MCGcH4AetHiWFqXGlC_b098LX6ms/s400/Preparation+and+Opening.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5645609875634174338" border="0" /></a><br />Above right is the scene at the gate nearest us (there were two others, one by the Croghan Lodge at the far end of the public park part of the Demesne from the castle, and one far back in the farming area where the shooting events were held.) The arrivals were a trickle at first, but by mid-afternoon, the place was awash with people.<br /><br />Things we saw during the day (in addition to many, many vendors of food and wares) included:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPAp0CU5uXH8FfBf8Vda7RNmsa6aFKCQIvrAR_o_Foh86lcpEL7nMvx3ZnuWHGuZiYKXfCbRiutU52NYKPxWRnrWHAODgPFwIPrvRE0rMKxqW6GXHrBEb7GmLeLyz-6OxY70s39LvTzVQ/s1600/Riding+and+Shooting.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 131px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPAp0CU5uXH8FfBf8Vda7RNmsa6aFKCQIvrAR_o_Foh86lcpEL7nMvx3ZnuWHGuZiYKXfCbRiutU52NYKPxWRnrWHAODgPFwIPrvRE0rMKxqW6GXHrBEb7GmLeLyz-6OxY70s39LvTzVQ/s400/Riding+and+Shooting.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5645609882385482354" border="0" /></a>A demonstration of western riding techniques and clay pigeon shooting...<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3wE7K3n7P9p_nOqcBv3sKQTX04yJS51wF2IE4Gbl80rD5WnmqyHI5PyCdezHUY15sIkfXzVLgEbt6ZC26Coy7diMh60yaTEYvOUhysE9FYrxzvZpo_ysD5iXppH6ZriVusE6u2jVbGDE/s1600/Terrier+Racing.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 377px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3wE7K3n7P9p_nOqcBv3sKQTX04yJS51wF2IE4Gbl80rD5WnmqyHI5PyCdezHUY15sIkfXzVLgEbt6ZC26Coy7diMh60yaTEYvOUhysE9FYrxzvZpo_ysD5iXppH6ZriVusE6u2jVbGDE/s400/Terrier+Racing.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5645609880259757730" border="0" /></a>... terrier racing (a hoot!) and...<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF2shyphenhyphenKDL6sssFIC-HrcYex9yW66i3VwE6ktODzTIga3wPuyyqEs6yDQOUKToMg-pfhm8LQNu0usvva5n8ojKj-rEZYR6HqlbuPYVyCSeRxuqnnpT56Uzhjny_C96SZXRcUCa1oqIU91k/s1600/Lurchers.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 269px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF2shyphenhyphenKDL6sssFIC-HrcYex9yW66i3VwE6ktODzTIga3wPuyyqEs6yDQOUKToMg-pfhm8LQNu0usvva5n8ojKj-rEZYR6HqlbuPYVyCSeRxuqnnpT56Uzhjny_C96SZXRcUCa1oqIU91k/s400/Lurchers.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5645609727766657154" border="0" /></a>... lurcher racing...<br /></div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiruskMHcGch5ZsjyudyNFHxcJJFtN-uyAneLw2P5quEb06E8B5HuP_WQy-A5vClYizfNfBET24BD8_PH68DUqi4vJRhDlFq0A1uPXdPzOyasLJYQQNNgaKUs9JuY3DOGUC5qu8NSk9p8/s1600/Kite+Above+Hunter.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 297px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiruskMHcGch5ZsjyudyNFHxcJJFtN-uyAneLw2P5quEb06E8B5HuP_WQy-A5vClYizfNfBET24BD8_PH68DUqi4vJRhDlFq0A1uPXdPzOyasLJYQQNNgaKUs9JuY3DOGUC5qu8NSk9p8/s400/Kite+Above+Hunter.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5645609721167703122" border="0" /></a>... falconry, and a horse and hound display by the local Ormond Foxhounds hunt club. While the hawk pictured above was content with short flights from the falconer and his bait, his kite seemed to enjoy the afternoon as much as any human, staying aloft and circling the main arena for well over an hour with only occasional stops in nearby treetops.<br /><br />Lord and Lady Rosse made a grand entrance around midday:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTgjZvJInQZ4_sihgAw6BxvXxJCbG_03mE8GqUz8KIqXP-YrMcm1JEqsJY5ouHjKmsPumJe_NSTKILl5ZzQmcJER79qD1jeOgaiRdoC8vjAcI7PbL8g8NXQf30EDd0Y8AeUfejnhvKm8w/s1600/Carriage.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTgjZvJInQZ4_sihgAw6BxvXxJCbG_03mE8GqUz8KIqXP-YrMcm1JEqsJY5ouHjKmsPumJe_NSTKILl5ZzQmcJER79qD1jeOgaiRdoC8vjAcI7PbL8g8NXQf30EDd0Y8AeUfejnhvKm8w/s400/Carriage.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5645609711910704082" border="0" /></a><br />Lady Rosse told me the next morning at church that their carriage ride had come as a surprise ("I wasn't dressed for that at all!") The coach and pair are owned by the couple at the reins, and they rent out for weddings and such. They had volunteered their services for a similar entrance at last year's Fair, but weren't expected to do so this year.<br /><br />I'm glad they did.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">==================================<br />Many more images from the two-day event (including links for further information on some of the activities) will be linked at the end of tomorrow's post.<br />==================================<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://sherwords.blogspot.com/2011/08/ireland-revisited-fair-day-too.html" target="_blank">Next</a>: August 29, 2010 -- A Fair Day, Too<br /><a href="http://sherwords.blogspot.com/2011/08/ireland-revisited-before-fair.html" target="_blank">Previous</a>: August 27, 2010 -- Before the Fair<br /><a href="http://sherwords.blogspot.com/2011/08/ireland-revisited-prologue.html" target="_blank">Beginning of the series</a>: Prologue, August 2</div>Sherwood Harringtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09575868746160608731noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7519804707579466907.post-45244258878216660802011-08-27T08:26:00.000-07:002011-08-28T08:45:18.035-07:00Ireland Revisited: Before the Fair<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:130%;">Day 24 of 35: Friday, August 27, 2010
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<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrCAFRyFARYQHPIGw1DNNly7XvP8gWAFh9FHwYQaWBHitCZfeBz97_Pon1gpIXWy6loNM2xlEPtSxuifg2SbkbqLIkoRkEp61ktKS_emB1WNkqE69ySicqbzfCh5-F-S663tQwD59yJmQ/s1600/Castle.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrCAFRyFARYQHPIGw1DNNly7XvP8gWAFh9FHwYQaWBHitCZfeBz97_Pon1gpIXWy6loNM2xlEPtSxuifg2SbkbqLIkoRkEp61ktKS_emB1WNkqE69ySicqbzfCh5-F-S663tQwD59yJmQ/s400/Castle.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5644799194563241298" border="0" /></a>
<br /></div>This day was one of several on this trip which felt a little like we imagine most days would be if we actually lived in Birr. For me, that entailed a little work (research in the archives, writing, and continuing the <a href="http://sharrington.net/BirrBenches/index.htm" target="_blank">bench panoramas photography project</a>), some errands, and a lot of slacking off. Missing, of course, were <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/sherwoodh/sets/72157626570589526/" target="_blank">family</a> and <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/sherwoodh/collections/72157607047286440/" target="_blank">animals</a>, and those are not minor things.
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<br />My time in the Archives on this morning was spent trying to get a little more of a feel for what the 4th Earl of Rosse was like as a person. I came across accounts of an incident early in his earldom, in 1868, when he and his brothers were arrested by a couple of drunken policemen. The incident’s last reference in the archives was a letter to the 4th Earl by the head of Ireland’s constabulary, which included this bit of highly-accomplished groveling:
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<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAjM7P_hup00xE3cPN2Fa9sEqn3ciQLVKF1MzhxQf4DMopmYd1T2ewm-aTx25_OnEAqBCCN2c7c3zsmIFzVrJ7fIAjYkxy_ZpAp8-e1qEshPJQPMQH34gpm2npgm9iVV2ft0cCF9ZNkM8/s1600/Grovel.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAjM7P_hup00xE3cPN2Fa9sEqn3ciQLVKF1MzhxQf4DMopmYd1T2ewm-aTx25_OnEAqBCCN2c7c3zsmIFzVrJ7fIAjYkxy_ZpAp8-e1qEshPJQPMQH34gpm2npgm9iVV2ft0cCF9ZNkM8/s400/Grovel.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5644799318271276258" border="0" /></a>
<br />A fuller account of this episode is included in <a href="http://sherwords.blogspot.com/2011/03/young-irish-earls-rough-start.html" target="_blank">this earlier SherWords entry</a>.
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<br />The day was brilliant with plentiful sun and dramatic clouds. Diane and I spent most of midday shopping downtown.
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<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNPGXQB1h4O1G0VErgXfjBNQ3bBtOjTtqlLKK2oPpg2RzulM7tfHQarX32e_OED3cLPWEYaU1XRUbbKDRUcnHccdCwcntanz5gZRFpwUTD3ZFkLd25Yd5pVeLQQVscCiWCW_xrznATR2U/s1600/Emmet+Square.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNPGXQB1h4O1G0VErgXfjBNQ3bBtOjTtqlLKK2oPpg2RzulM7tfHQarX32e_OED3cLPWEYaU1XRUbbKDRUcnHccdCwcntanz5gZRFpwUTD3ZFkLd25Yd5pVeLQQVscCiWCW_xrznATR2U/s400/Emmet+Square.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5644799197544635410" border="0" /></a>
<br />The above corner of Emmet Square, looking almost due north, includes the brick post office building and, to its left, grey buildings that contain offices of the Enrights’ enterprises and Enright’s Bar (the short building immediately to the left of the P.O.) Birr’s most famous current musician, Mundy (Edmund Enright) occasionally still helps out there, pulling perfect (it’s said) pints of Guinness for customers.
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<br />In the late afternoon and evening we strolled around the Demesne, watching final preparations for the weekend’s <a href="http://www.irishgameandcountryfair.com/" target="_blank">Irish Game and Country Fair</a>. While doing so, we stumbled on a part of the Demesne we had never seen before, the “Secret Winter Garden” and its thatched-roof gazebo.
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<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq4JIFNyid_wTOz4SOmTi0eUFk5-ijkBYvi4xTud3W_XrOUJlI-f-YN2x2O3-XFegiDuIdl6uyBuNL6Ho9hz63Lf4DapYeXUOiESqR-QbCjpTl1jF2znDG7Pt6YcDqhEnm0FZ94rnUWEM/s1600/Tents.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq4JIFNyid_wTOz4SOmTi0eUFk5-ijkBYvi4xTud3W_XrOUJlI-f-YN2x2O3-XFegiDuIdl6uyBuNL6Ho9hz63Lf4DapYeXUOiESqR-QbCjpTl1jF2znDG7Pt6YcDqhEnm0FZ94rnUWEM/s400/Tents.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5644799318381224578" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Vendors' tents being prepared for the 2010 Irish Game and Country Fair. The structure in the background at right is part of the support structure for the great telescope.</span>
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name="Bibliography"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" qformat="true" name="TOC Heading"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0in; mso-para-margin-right:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} </style> <![endif]--> <p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Secret Winter Garden, Birr Castle Demesne.</span></span>
<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">At the end of the day we strolled past our old friend’s hangout.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>She was there and, after a short conversation, followed us back to the Bothy for a snack.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>She is still very, very wary, stopping every few yards to look all around nervously – but I don’t think she needs to worry about the obnoxious Bichon any more.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>We hadn’t seen it running loose since we mentioned it to Lord Rosse a week earlier.</p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYqf1HNxYEzeL83-MIMlnSglfgdOvmV7AUwy76-sYBHpcNoWHMkrsRjcARdIhBtXySHL1OC50nHHQQiL6UrvWJgdpEv7D0LltqXtDc6lbaTU1Qbieq6gOzC2EehStobEyfFJNGip2hJJA/s1600/Bothy+Scritch.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYqf1HNxYEzeL83-MIMlnSglfgdOvmV7AUwy76-sYBHpcNoWHMkrsRjcARdIhBtXySHL1OC50nHHQQiL6UrvWJgdpEv7D0LltqXtDc6lbaTU1Qbieq6gOzC2EehStobEyfFJNGip2hJJA/s400/Bothy+Scritch.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5644799188508898306" border="0" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">==================================
<br />More images from this day can be seen in <a href="http://sharrington.net/Ireland2010/Aug26-27Web/index.htm" target="_blank">this slideshow</a> over on sharrington.net.
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<br /><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://sherwords.blogspot.com/2011/08/ireland-revisited-fair-day.html" target="_blank">Next</a>: August 28, 2010 -- A Fair Day
<br /><a href="http://sherwords.blogspot.com/2011/08/ireland-revisited-to-kerry.html" target="_blank">Previous</a>: August 26, 2010 -- Brian Boru's Revenge
<br /><a href="http://sherwords.blogspot.com/2011/08/ireland-revisited-prologue.html" target="_blank">Beginning of the series</a>: Prologue, August 2</div>Sherwood Harringtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09575868746160608731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7519804707579466907.post-35253673922324740112011-08-26T06:30:00.000-07:002011-08-27T09:36:03.897-07:00Ireland Revisited: Brian Boru's Revenge<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:130%;">Day 23 of 35: Thursday, August 26, 2010
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<br />At the end of our long, busy day on Wednesday, we treated ourselves to dinner at one of Killarney’s supposedly better restaurants – and Diane’s lobster and my rack of lamb <span style="font-style: italic;">were</span> delicious. Something in my meal obviously hated me, though, because I woke up at about three on Thursday morning with a very aggressive case of the disgustings – maybe we can call it Brian Boru’s Revenge. Luckily, my system seemed to have emptied itself of offending rich dinner by checkout time, and we could undertake the three-hour drive back to Birr, even though I was otherwise still feeling pretty much awful. On arrival back at the Bothy, I crashed on the bed and slept for 16 hours.
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<br />Diane evidently felt fine and, bless her soul, didn't smirk at me even once, so far as I could tell.
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<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZZeSUK2V0q4L3fIvSTT2gD-zH7Usojiy0AfUptYntsXb5cku4U3gTNT0yHSMWEkDWp5hh-x01Wu3Q2kPNAczTuSF1Elgrytgge5j2oxYPyA-TZMx3bX6JxcWd9X0TyqvMA4LUCc5icnA/s1600/Coccoon.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZZeSUK2V0q4L3fIvSTT2gD-zH7Usojiy0AfUptYntsXb5cku4U3gTNT0yHSMWEkDWp5hh-x01Wu3Q2kPNAczTuSF1Elgrytgge5j2oxYPyA-TZMx3bX6JxcWd9X0TyqvMA4LUCc5icnA/s400/Coccoon.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5644782477908658242" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">The only photo taken on Thursday, August 26th.</span>
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<br /><div style="text-align: center;">==================================
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<br /><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://sherwords.blogspot.com/2011/08/ireland-revisited-before-fair.html" target="_blank">Next</a>: August 27, 2010 -- Before the Fair
<br /><a href="http://sherwords.blogspot.com/2011/08/ireland-revisited-killarney.html" target="_blank">Previous</a>: August 25, 2010 -- Killarney
<br /><a href="http://sherwords.blogspot.com/2011/08/ireland-revisited-prologue.html" target="_blank">Beginning of the series</a>: Prologue, August 2</div>
<br />Sherwood Harringtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09575868746160608731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7519804707579466907.post-30271581149604927512011-08-25T05:53:00.000-07:002011-08-26T09:34:48.128-07:00Ireland Revisited: Killarney<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:130%;">Day 22 of 35: Wednesday, August 25, 2010</span>
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<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiepLRvrMMaKEjQ896kFf_Boz6AUHceSzPu2OyXgptDkt72hEdmnEhIT1QCvCphqA3P23fiKu3CT3h1Q9PfaWencnrfIJo0OYLJsoLQew3zwnNTv-KryjGHz56iJeWkJYdF0R2yMtbn8BA/s1600/Ride.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiepLRvrMMaKEjQ896kFf_Boz6AUHceSzPu2OyXgptDkt72hEdmnEhIT1QCvCphqA3P23fiKu3CT3h1Q9PfaWencnrfIJo0OYLJsoLQew3zwnNTv-KryjGHz56iJeWkJYdF0R2yMtbn8BA/s400/Ride.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5644460811947284914" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Jaunting car path, Killarney National Park.</span> </span></div>
<br />This day we spent altogether in the <a href="http://www.muckross-house.ie/" target="_blank">Muckross House and Gardens</a> area of Killarney National Park doing things that tourists do in Killarney. We found what we expected: those things have become typical "tourist things" because they are delightful, and because the people of Killarney have honed their craft of tourism for two centuries very well.
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<br />First, we took a horse and trap ("jaunting car") ride around the grounds and gardens of the grand house, getting a feel for the place to help us decide what to do with the bulk of the day.
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<br />There are horse carts all over Killarney, acting as taxis of a sort for tourists. At the advice of our hotel desk clerk, we drove our horseless carriage to a gathering area across the road from an entrance to the Muckross House and Gardens to hire a ride around the grounds. Our driver’s name Arlen; the horse was Pearl. We were very lucky, it turned out, with our random draw.
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<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFon3-mCf74csBoqx9r-5RcSGP2VUjOJ4Mijc39orIr9NSbkc2dU9JD52LEx7YswMD7yJHcGW0XNZnZDqhD0uQ4sgxP8YSKquB-NrzZRjBrt_jLPdOnFXPLchhD0ywZfPjq_SU2t-wwFQ/s1600/Arlen+and+Pearl.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 137px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFon3-mCf74csBoqx9r-5RcSGP2VUjOJ4Mijc39orIr9NSbkc2dU9JD52LEx7YswMD7yJHcGW0XNZnZDqhD0uQ4sgxP8YSKquB-NrzZRjBrt_jLPdOnFXPLchhD0ywZfPjq_SU2t-wwFQ/s400/Arlen+and+Pearl.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5644460549039350818" border="0" /></a>
<br />Arlen appeared to be the oldest of the many drivers on the grounds that day (and old Pearl, at 17, was probably the oldest horse.) Arlen proved to be able to “read” his clients very quickly, and drove us much more slowly than any of the others, who seemed as intent on making the ride itself exciting for their riders. Arlen stopped and dwelled often on details along the way: subtle clues in the terrain that showed where water might be welled easily, explaining why the ancient abbey was built where it was, for example, and botanical oddities. Much of what he told us might actually have been true. This is exactly the kind of thing that Diane and I love to hear and see, of course, and Arlen picked up on that almost immediately. He was also the only driver we saw who stopped along the way to take photos like the one at above-right. (He handled the bulky Nikon very well.)
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<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhzk_ZNKfKUafli2geRNtu7_YZ6RHacxj-YhLEkgOjLALpdzAePnKVUP355uovukUByv7w_kAS0cFWMxwV3o4FZDuBUob7EOGFpPOyoE_d1714ynDD-eboD7dUrg1Cvfd2BzETqtWE0Vc/s1600/Fast+Car.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhzk_ZNKfKUafli2geRNtu7_YZ6RHacxj-YhLEkgOjLALpdzAePnKVUP355uovukUByv7w_kAS0cFWMxwV3o4FZDuBUob7EOGFpPOyoE_d1714ynDD-eboD7dUrg1Cvfd2BzETqtWE0Vc/s400/Fast+Car.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5644464241276346274" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">A faster car.</span>
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<br />Our horsedrawn wander around the grounds took, I estimate, twice as long as others on the same circuit – we were always being passed by faster carts – and that, it turns out, probably cost Arlen money. The Irish government regulates the horse-and-trap operators very stringently on all things from care of the animals to prices they can charge for certain services (like our tour of the grounds.) Since our price was based on the trip itself, not on how much time it took, it’s easy to see why the other drivers were considerably faster. At the end of our ride we included a substantial tip in payment, but maybe not enough (thinking about it later) to compensate for Arlen’s potential reduction in day’s income by catering so well to our preferences.
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<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHIoxzFQu5VS7KKXM395towxFXIXCmM3YXeXbrz-8kpFGHml4hUA80ORBSuLtseK09O0GxjZwb6kWL1QB88WvwEcrZCBKOpmhPN6UfXzcXMD3N1MnNZlwwfhQbuPCoUJumkOUtZXoA8q4/s1600/Redheads.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHIoxzFQu5VS7KKXM395towxFXIXCmM3YXeXbrz-8kpFGHml4hUA80ORBSuLtseK09O0GxjZwb6kWL1QB88WvwEcrZCBKOpmhPN6UfXzcXMD3N1MnNZlwwfhQbuPCoUJumkOUtZXoA8q4/s400/Redheads.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5644460803981616066" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Incipient streaky rashers.</span>
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<br />After our amble around the grounds, we walked around the Muckross Traditional Farms area, where working examples of “traditional” (i.e. up to the advent of electricity and internal combustion farm machinery in about 1925 or so) Irish farming are kept going by the Office of Public Works (OPW).
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<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAAiJMlPxC-DsV1gMZQHY_u0st1GDff_MucevhpkqfvYeeaG6YEZ_w1tUBE1Q60N-lfZtXLj1N-u9cD43e69zVqur-Oa6nHyW8QTxxGDVktLdczwV_HrjRvRHMn8LYD9sfy5fHBQhr1rA/s1600/Cottage.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 128px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAAiJMlPxC-DsV1gMZQHY_u0st1GDff_MucevhpkqfvYeeaG6YEZ_w1tUBE1Q60N-lfZtXLj1N-u9cD43e69zVqur-Oa6nHyW8QTxxGDVktLdczwV_HrjRvRHMn8LYD9sfy5fHBQhr1rA/s400/Cottage.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5644460550943791186" border="0" /></a>
<br />The buildings and equipment reminded us a bit of the Farmers’ Museum in Cooperstown, New York, but the fact that these were working farms added a great deal – especially (for us, anyway) animals of all sorts from barn cats through draft horses. (Diane made lots of four-footed friends, including a young Irish Wolfhound.)
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<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnowEJ1K7h4X9wkRrgi7ZPqwZa8pzfC0rmOJTFtPzRKKfOnXgmSq0Q6DbRuHV4OBN1lU1YJ3qz_NzAxdLVkE9IKVgThuHIzbztbW-5XhMGeOK9FULBIt2iWbBS5t4rDTK2mxXsreMTJzg/s1600/Animals.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 147px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnowEJ1K7h4X9wkRrgi7ZPqwZa8pzfC0rmOJTFtPzRKKfOnXgmSq0Q6DbRuHV4OBN1lU1YJ3qz_NzAxdLVkE9IKVgThuHIzbztbW-5XhMGeOK9FULBIt2iWbBS5t4rDTK2mxXsreMTJzg/s400/Animals.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5644460542298663058" border="0" /></a>
<br />We finished our tourists’ day with a tour of Muckross House itself (during which no photography is allowed). We felt a happy connection to the grand old mansion because of something we first learned from Arlen that morning and which was mentioned repeatedly during the tour itself: the last people to live in the house were Maud and Arthur Vincent, daughter and son-in-law of William Bowers-Bourne. Bowers-Bourne was the California mining tycoon who built <a href="http://sherwords.blogspot.com/2008/07/filoli-friday.html" target="_blank">the Filoli estate in Woodside, California</a>, whose house and grounds we have visited often over the years. He purchased the financially-distressed Muckross estate the second decade of the 20th century for his daughter and her Irish husband as a wedding gift.
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<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKFbCpEHV__dY33nMN7Lq35ztvpbvoMG3X6l1udnZw9WX3aK4FJDgUPtrQKxkkNUUmBzDXIG-0kP74EsIVcSBgBuQjUg-UVX8AKASmzPYridfA-WLTJZ1owR5E2qIc86_6KaJuaaogD3w/s1600/Muckross+Front.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 173px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKFbCpEHV__dY33nMN7Lq35ztvpbvoMG3X6l1udnZw9WX3aK4FJDgUPtrQKxkkNUUmBzDXIG-0kP74EsIVcSBgBuQjUg-UVX8AKASmzPYridfA-WLTJZ1owR5E2qIc86_6KaJuaaogD3w/s400/Muckross+Front.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5644460561247219282" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Muckross House from its public side, and...</span>
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<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq0NdKj7I7_lc_UgScslWtO_axiJhKLpfkOtSC31LuSyrO5WEAxUqvC3NKeILX9FHQSouIZgF8H9Ksftnk7850fVotoNRUVQ1cWR3M7bCWOYBOOqvkrgVv_uthBec4wzm4SU3KLiJ8xgc/s1600/Muckross+Back.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 216px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq0NdKj7I7_lc_UgScslWtO_axiJhKLpfkOtSC31LuSyrO5WEAxUqvC3NKeILX9FHQSouIZgF8H9Ksftnk7850fVotoNRUVQ1cWR3M7bCWOYBOOqvkrgVv_uthBec4wzm4SU3KLiJ8xgc/s400/Muckross+Back.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5644460562457934914" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">... from the servants' side.</span>
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<br />The ultimate cause of the financial distress of the original owners was none other than Queen Victoria, whose two-night visit here in 1861 required six years of remodeling and renovation which proved more expensive than the family could recover from. Such remodeling is typical preparation for a visit by the royal family – even our hosts, Lord and Lady Rosse, had to do some heavy-duty renovations to Birr Castle when Princess Margaret visited in 1960 with her husband – and her husband was Lord Snowdon, Lord Rosse’s older half-brother, who had<span style="font-style: italic;"> grown up in the place</span>.
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<br /><div style="text-align: center;">==================================
<br />More images from this day can be seen in <a href="http://sharrington.net/Ireland2010/Aug25Web/index.htm" target="_blank">this slideshow</a> over on sharrington.net.
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<br /><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://sherwords.blogspot.com/2011/08/ireland-revisited-brian-borus-revenge.html" target="_blank">Next</a>: August 26, 2010 -- Brian Boru's Revenge
<br /><a href="http://sherwords.blogspot.com/2011/08/ireland-revisited-to-kerry.html" target="_blank">Previous</a>: August 24, 2010 -- The Beara Peninsula
<br /><a href="http://sherwords.blogspot.com/2011/08/ireland-revisited-prologue.html" target="_blank">Beginning of the series</a>: Prologue, August 2</div>
<br />Sherwood Harringtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09575868746160608731noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7519804707579466907.post-77997235654687043102011-08-24T08:14:00.000-07:002011-08-25T05:55:47.683-07:00Ireland Revisited: The Beara Peninsula<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:130%;">Day 21 of 35: Tuesday, August 24, 2010
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<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRhVB005WJz40QLgBHdNd_ZJ9iwuLwQ2YzrUFsUiNy01q06enUNNDsrVSBJuMoBKoiKWvOS10GhbTIjQDOIJZ0XhJ5dt_mquS60a4Lnde_-drfbZLVI8BOwCU1Ldchf-e1msbGRjNdQrU/s1600/Uragh4.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRhVB005WJz40QLgBHdNd_ZJ9iwuLwQ2YzrUFsUiNy01q06enUNNDsrVSBJuMoBKoiKWvOS10GhbTIjQDOIJZ0XhJ5dt_mquS60a4Lnde_-drfbZLVI8BOwCU1Ldchf-e1msbGRjNdQrU/s400/Uragh4.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5644065579397433314" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">The Uragh stone circle, Beara Peninsula.</span>
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<br />As we had long planned, today we visited the Beara Peninsula, the lesser-known peninsula to the South of the famous “Ring of Kerry” around the Iveragh. Possibly because its land is divided between two Counties, tourist-conscious Kerry and less-so Cork, it has never been developed for tourism much at all, and certainly not to the degree that its famous neighbor to the north has been for almost two centuries now.
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<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjATBrK-A0wNj7XzEXLlQWtFCxqNA08XWc8AsWY7t2ZkwZpqL32Wd9KbQNFnJoSrcp-Jj7qi9KATU4shwwK3iJXZoiOXOp7G0bF8xX98PKAj7R2m0rxzbx7X8sfgtcvAT7Diq5TtIEk-18/s1600/Map.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 284px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjATBrK-A0wNj7XzEXLlQWtFCxqNA08XWc8AsWY7t2ZkwZpqL32Wd9KbQNFnJoSrcp-Jj7qi9KATU4shwwK3iJXZoiOXOp7G0bF8xX98PKAj7R2m0rxzbx7X8sfgtcvAT7Diq5TtIEk-18/s400/Map.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5644066305561741138" border="0" /></a>
<br />Driving on the Beara can be a bit of a challenge, but the reward is well worth the effort.
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<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtpLlT5gbq900Tgflf-fLPVY7eSGLCBq7R0KZ86imkaQI4duJxjKF4b2eV55W1gMFFrSNt0JOrz75bHIBhEVfsPRzhh0KPP_k3ZwYjqTmGlYGhABCd6F-mYn3qMZrbWTuLykWiu3KB9-w/s1600/Start.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 128px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtpLlT5gbq900Tgflf-fLPVY7eSGLCBq7R0KZ86imkaQI4duJxjKF4b2eV55W1gMFFrSNt0JOrz75bHIBhEVfsPRzhh0KPP_k3ZwYjqTmGlYGhABCd6F-mYn3qMZrbWTuLykWiu3KB9-w/s400/Start.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5644065919713351858" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Two sides of Kenmare. The town of Kenmare sits at the junction of the Iveragh and Beara Peninsulas. At left is a view off the N21 on our approach to Kenmare; at right is a view back toward the Iveragh and the Ring of Kerry at the beginning of our exploration of the Beara.</span>
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<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd227UORD94cySJNbvPDskqq36Uth_UnYSd7_eS9_ZEbYQNMYfUDj7XVRmozyNLI6nsLntbWB4X2dNusYtA1L84BZgOiGd-0L55kGfwXKl3mHMKXm_mSex6FQR5NIyVScKBGM-sA8RZK4/s1600/RingToRingPano.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 140px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd227UORD94cySJNbvPDskqq36Uth_UnYSd7_eS9_ZEbYQNMYfUDj7XVRmozyNLI6nsLntbWB4X2dNusYtA1L84BZgOiGd-0L55kGfwXKl3mHMKXm_mSex6FQR5NIyVScKBGM-sA8RZK4/s400/RingToRingPano.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5644066494635308322" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Ring-to-Ring panorama: view north from the relatively undeveloped “Ring of Beara” toward the famous “Ring of Kerry” in the distance.</span></span>
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<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikDRoN6Pj15jzYIv2oA4bvx75Lag-IDwCpNWTwfvv_Wq2RhC79uR-fddlC9h7GT5tIK-jnS6Dh8VTH-sf6XdUssUjBMP6PrQZzBH_DSI9B2rYiJ-MrYFrsa_RMmqbeOnxD3sfc6hyphenhyphen5GTU/s1600/Gleninchaquin+Pair.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 129px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikDRoN6Pj15jzYIv2oA4bvx75Lag-IDwCpNWTwfvv_Wq2RhC79uR-fddlC9h7GT5tIK-jnS6Dh8VTH-sf6XdUssUjBMP6PrQZzBH_DSI9B2rYiJ-MrYFrsa_RMmqbeOnxD3sfc6hyphenhyphen5GTU/s400/Gleninchaquin+Pair.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5644066755562272018" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Gleninchaquin</span>
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<br />A jaw-dropping realization for us was the absolutely stunning beauty of Gleninchaquin, a glacially-carved valley that echoes that of the Lakes of Killarney in all ways except for population. At its upper end is <a href="http://www.gleninchaquin.com/" target="_blank">a privately-run park</a> which comprises dramatic waterfalls, working farm areas, lakes, gardens, and miles and miles of hiking trails. The proprietor, Donal Corkery, noting Diane’s hobbled condition, offered us a ride in his vehicle…
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<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZMiXm58tAurfnIG4BLEfUrurybrSgZI5wJlhbuXlwNFRLG_ScS4EJQiqZHQYx4rn3Igliy1kiiq91hQfumpfix-BW5K70h3WgPX5KFLC8Tv37Pgi5rpwbuYUVAZNJR50bOZOzGJNG69M/s1600/Car.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 133px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZMiXm58tAurfnIG4BLEfUrurybrSgZI5wJlhbuXlwNFRLG_ScS4EJQiqZHQYx4rn3Igliy1kiiq91hQfumpfix-BW5K70h3WgPX5KFLC8Tv37Pgi5rpwbuYUVAZNJR50bOZOzGJNG69M/s200/Car.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5644067009590077842" border="0" /></a>
<br />… to what he called “the finest view in Ireland”:
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<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib-bPadGDLA5COTi_qDoMWuWGmaReYuRn_34KPuO0_smpVaFOXF9DmPPjY5k37yV-5b0IqAhYP58rEU_RAh-KJo2UDC5yMzQFeq3_wx61hSy4OdvmMUnaCy8TzHhNXGaRge4RR1KxEPqY/s1600/GleninchPano2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 83px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib-bPadGDLA5COTi_qDoMWuWGmaReYuRn_34KPuO0_smpVaFOXF9DmPPjY5k37yV-5b0IqAhYP58rEU_RAh-KJo2UDC5yMzQFeq3_wx61hSy4OdvmMUnaCy8TzHhNXGaRge4RR1KxEPqY/s400/GleninchPano2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5644067224302783938" border="0" /></a>
<br />If you spend some time with the high resolution version of this panorama linked in <a href="http://sharrington.net/Ireland2010/Aug24Web/index.htm" target="_blank">this day's slideshow</a> over on sharrington.net, you might be hard-pressed to disagree with him. (That’s Mr. Corkery at right, inspecting his domain with binoculars.)
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<br />Also in Gleninchaquin, outside of the private park between a couple of lakes in the chain, is the most strikingly-placed <a href="http://www.dochara.com/places-to-visit/megalithic-sites/stone-circles/" target="_blank">Neolithic stone circle</a> I have ever seen, one brought to my attention by Irish photographer <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/16913367@N02/" target="_blank">Tony Mulraney</a> on Flickr. Called the Uragh Stone Circle, it is on the crest of a small hill in the middle of the valley with a beautiful backdrop no matter what direction one views it from.
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<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhigEum2BvpWBsuBKMeb_yQcmQ-I8PV0NAEf9sa7zaDv2KGzTF-tIbws2mvvCGjDE38-TFWuvLgnedwO1p5j4ydY-4dLPT0fHYD_WwL_47XjhNv1clH_ejx55R5WOnsulJn851dIi8SQJM/s1600/Uragh1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhigEum2BvpWBsuBKMeb_yQcmQ-I8PV0NAEf9sa7zaDv2KGzTF-tIbws2mvvCGjDE38-TFWuvLgnedwO1p5j4ydY-4dLPT0fHYD_WwL_47XjhNv1clH_ejx55R5WOnsulJn851dIi8SQJM/s400/Uragh1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5644067846052814514" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0IulNaB2T9njCVLc8CmTPDM5gqrLRf5n056UaXl6dQ83AXLtJ40Qaw8H713Mp0rjkT42sJp7aSd60PAg_7u7JgZcM3Q5aV19aIZamTxnHkgdPGxOk7JhhkUqVMFAG0j5ixm89r319NIM/s1600/Uragh+Pair.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 129px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0IulNaB2T9njCVLc8CmTPDM5gqrLRf5n056UaXl6dQ83AXLtJ40Qaw8H713Mp0rjkT42sJp7aSd60PAg_7u7JgZcM3Q5aV19aIZamTxnHkgdPGxOk7JhhkUqVMFAG0j5ixm89r319NIM/s400/Uragh+Pair.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5644068094097310642" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">The Uragh stone circle is relatively small, at least physically: Diane, leaning against the tallest stone, gives you a sense of scale.</span>
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<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHW0IBDFyFU3dQWQbCxX5tRFZshFgPX0FUYyTLk2F3ck4HpMSuKgrM9XdOrOpygxnC6TI0RrpKF4Wt5NFnWWUiHwyABAlzPSUSxEbuomusvPk7v0jQ3r7ntLmmPrcFCJOZqJHjbO6B1I4/s1600/Road+Pair.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 129px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHW0IBDFyFU3dQWQbCxX5tRFZshFgPX0FUYyTLk2F3ck4HpMSuKgrM9XdOrOpygxnC6TI0RrpKF4Wt5NFnWWUiHwyABAlzPSUSxEbuomusvPk7v0jQ3r7ntLmmPrcFCJOZqJHjbO6B1I4/s400/Road+Pair.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5644068308160857938" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Views along the main – and only – road into Gleninchaquin. This one-lane track extends southward for about ten kilometers from its modestly-signed intersection with R571 on the north side of the Beara Peninsula.</span>
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<br />The most dramatic episode we had on the road up Gleninchaquin we don’t have any pictures of: a heart-stopping encounter with a double-trailer truck hauling a load of pine logs out of the valley. That took a bit of squeezing, backing, and praying to resolve. (A large patch of mature pine re-forestation – which Lord Rosse, a UN expert on reforestation in third-world countries, called a “horrible mistake” all over Ireland because of the nature of the wood and the way it was being planted – is being removed from Gleninchaquin, to be replaced with plantings of native species such as oak.)
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<br />The south side of the Beara Peninsula provides spectacular views and picturesque towns along the north side of Bantry Bay:
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<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha4X7kUesh6oCIp765r-AdgIFhkfWug5-w_Hk3zrLEp4EY8S_bHXmlgf8AVFS9X_Qsg-WMjJqg_XAYsuP95FfAlDN6IbAMlLorvOZvU41xHcR_uUHY8ABwxz2iEf92Wqff0lx2resyyQ4/s1600/BantryBayPano.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 100px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha4X7kUesh6oCIp765r-AdgIFhkfWug5-w_Hk3zrLEp4EY8S_bHXmlgf8AVFS9X_Qsg-WMjJqg_XAYsuP95FfAlDN6IbAMlLorvOZvU41xHcR_uUHY8ABwxz2iEf92Wqff0lx2resyyQ4/s400/BantryBayPano.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5644068491642278002" border="0" /></a>
<br />We drove back to Kenmare via Glengariff and the road over the Caha Pass (with three tunnels along the rugged mountain road), and stopped there to do some gift-shopping before heading back to our hotel in Killarney.
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<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggearp0h0ACbNJSnyYCScw0vJBISnILCVsEV48tU5bitsVnjkvWjDg4fOMWmDsW-FCtw2uWNJzYRyIGzY0nPJFgz95cWYcAwgtazPLODFCUKtLrriKdgBRC7dJD3mgyxRobeoIKm8LHQ8/s1600/GlenKen+Pair.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 126px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggearp0h0ACbNJSnyYCScw0vJBISnILCVsEV48tU5bitsVnjkvWjDg4fOMWmDsW-FCtw2uWNJzYRyIGzY0nPJFgz95cWYcAwgtazPLODFCUKtLrriKdgBRC7dJD3mgyxRobeoIKm8LHQ8/s400/GlenKen+Pair.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5644068902813598690" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Left: Glengariff. “Harrington” is a name we saw in several places on the Beara Peninsula. "Murphy" was my mother's maiden name, so the white pub sign (which you can read if you click on the image to see it larger) in Glengariff tickled me. Right: Kenmare shops.</span>
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<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglhACed2LLJUjEeYXAmz6rctzRkM7SocJTieCXUfhktQJVtWfMpZYAD2cLs5h4VO9XYWXa3o4mt99rEozpryqPcPvxhn9uEuwJpRA0NEJ9RLVfv5hHKiZDOvWezt08IAgR6V_SilkYfdY/s1600/Shops+Pair.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 128px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglhACed2LLJUjEeYXAmz6rctzRkM7SocJTieCXUfhktQJVtWfMpZYAD2cLs5h4VO9XYWXa3o4mt99rEozpryqPcPvxhn9uEuwJpRA0NEJ9RLVfv5hHKiZDOvWezt08IAgR6V_SilkYfdY/s400/Shops+Pair.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5644068899016549698" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Left: “The White Room” lace shop in Kenmare. Right: inside “Soundz of Music,” a great little music shop with a wide variety of high-quality musical instruments (seriously). Yes, those are flying-V and solid-body electric ukuleles hanging among the more traditional ones.</span>
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<br /><div style="text-align: center;">==================================
<br />More images from this day, including a links to very large-scale, detailed panoramas, <a href="http://sharrington.net/Ireland2010/Aug24Web/index.htm" target="_blank">are available here</a>.
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<br /><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://sherwords.blogspot.com/2011/08/ireland-revisited-killarney.html" target="_blank">Next</a>: August 25, 2010 -- Killarney
<br /><a href="http://sherwords.blogspot.com/2011/08/ireland-revisited-to-kerry.html" target="_blank">Previous</a>: August 23, 2010 -- To Kerry
<br /><a href="http://sherwords.blogspot.com/2011/08/ireland-revisited-prologue.html" target="_blank">Beginning of the series</a>: Prologue, August 2</div>
<br /><p class="MsoNormal"></p> <p class="MsoNormal"></p> <p class="MsoNormal"></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center" align="center"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center" align="center"></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center" align="center"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"></i></p> Sherwood Harringtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09575868746160608731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7519804707579466907.post-46430961264500876212011-08-23T06:33:00.000-07:002011-08-24T08:17:32.318-07:00Ireland Revisited: To Kerry<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:130%;">Day 20 of 35: Monday, August 23, 2010
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<br />Today we drove to Killarney for a three-night stay in Foley’s Town House, a hotel in the heart of that tourist town that we stayed in on our previous trip to Ireland.
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<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQYIzX9MVdpzyJDpJIoglmOpFC27gCQOhQ9CVQYWlly6k9CuL6rWR7wlRVaVVB5V3CZVFIou2SUF9aVPdtnt8dxF4yk0iMwYypDdb1WL-IfZ8-moByDvdmoza4uhC6ok7aPEZ-PZXsDbo/s1600/Room35.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQYIzX9MVdpzyJDpJIoglmOpFC27gCQOhQ9CVQYWlly6k9CuL6rWR7wlRVaVVB5V3CZVFIou2SUF9aVPdtnt8dxF4yk0iMwYypDdb1WL-IfZ8-moByDvdmoza4uhC6ok7aPEZ-PZXsDbo/s400/Room35.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5643853655508230274" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Diane in Room 35. This is a 90-degree panorama of several vertical frames, so its geometry is a little whacko.</span>
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<br />In the intervening four years, Foley’s had been remodeled as a “boutique” hotel (in a desk clerk’s word), each room decorated individually with furnishings obtained at auctions across Europe. Our room, number 35, was exquisite – the furnishings, we were told, were from a German castle, and its location at the back of the hotel, well away from the busy street, was very, very quiet. We are a little concerned, though, about the establishment’s ability to survive: it had very few guests during our stay (in fact, on the first night, only two rooms were occupied, judging from the hotel’s car park and the number of places set for breakfast the next morning.) The restaurant, highly touted in guide books, was similarly near-vacant in the evening. Other hotels farther from the city center didn’t seem to be in a similar drought, so Foley’s location may be working against it somehow in the global economic downturn.
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<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihFVsCIuiOa6viWSF-BdW1ysAB38XbTB1aNBApR-eJkUx7sMiRlJj6yE5SDr4pV1duXkRV4IkdQRJXK7RSlpRReMFdBk5NdoKXly5k-z_G5kZcM_Y6uWRSMgrQfDaaG-8VeNco7p5y_qM/s1600/Map.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 284px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihFVsCIuiOa6viWSF-BdW1ysAB38XbTB1aNBApR-eJkUx7sMiRlJj6yE5SDr4pV1duXkRV4IkdQRJXK7RSlpRReMFdBk5NdoKXly5k-z_G5kZcM_Y6uWRSMgrQfDaaG-8VeNco7p5y_qM/s400/Map.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5643853652923974274" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Now a pleasant drive of only three hours.</span>
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<br />The drive from Birr to Killarney on the vastly improved (and still improving) Irish highway system was only three hours, so we had plenty of time for some exploration before settling in.
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<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEsm4z_jk7Shk86v5NRIqHtD-8Z62okaXGOot27VQ5utcn9EQw8FAZY1_ZbwPbZu2GVAH2CEFGusch4W6OPJaDlaH7h8pdhgcnA3P8zcKVBMTA9Cleqp_fEv8NlN15xxpSkO-uanr96B8/s1600/Ladies.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEsm4z_jk7Shk86v5NRIqHtD-8Z62okaXGOot27VQ5utcn9EQw8FAZY1_ZbwPbZu2GVAH2CEFGusch4W6OPJaDlaH7h8pdhgcnA3P8zcKVBMTA9Cleqp_fEv8NlN15xxpSkO-uanr96B8/s400/Ladies.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5643853561391135618" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Looking toward Killarney from Ladies' View: an iconic Kerry image.</span>
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<br />The vista from Ladies’ View of the Lakes of Killarney in their glacier-carved valley was stunning as usual. We continued up past that on the N21 toward Kenmare, stopping at the summit and doing some shopping at the Avoca store at Molls Gap. From Molls Gap, we took the road less traveled, down into <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Black_Valley" target="_blank">Black Valley</a>:
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<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6o2P7vOrbKFoKuvy-4Z5zRXGE78sJx9mHKJxgRwA1zdrncTB_fIY0c6BBIyQJ-T1r483pFAhGXuDHJlC6aRYhMc-JbrISp3B8vcbLUCS8NPJNsBccEgzq0HSU-MEnm3uThO5Nz-xEgE4/s1600/BlackValleyPano.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 64px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6o2P7vOrbKFoKuvy-4Z5zRXGE78sJx9mHKJxgRwA1zdrncTB_fIY0c6BBIyQJ-T1r483pFAhGXuDHJlC6aRYhMc-JbrISp3B8vcbLUCS8NPJNsBccEgzq0HSU-MEnm3uThO5Nz-xEgE4/s400/BlackValleyPano.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5643853555343345458" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Looking down into Black Valley from Molls Gap (approx. 135-degree panorama.)</span>
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<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUPUermisL0rQ2ibdP4nJXaxOt1-dyetOijC_AXSbOb8of_x0TPGsnubVPm6qvN8sYcvCr1JQDSeUKCBQ3XzxW2KY719BDnwjuA4AU72xpN5DNvAB6D5uivm2KZAEci6NqkCt_cT8Qbbw/s1600/Beware.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 180px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUPUermisL0rQ2ibdP4nJXaxOt1-dyetOijC_AXSbOb8of_x0TPGsnubVPm6qvN8sYcvCr1JQDSeUKCBQ3XzxW2KY719BDnwjuA4AU72xpN5DNvAB6D5uivm2KZAEci6NqkCt_cT8Qbbw/s400/Beware.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5643853547892852738" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Heading down the back road from Molls Gap to Sneem from which the narrow road into Black Valley branches. (Click on the image to read the signs.)</span>
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<br />Black Valley, despite its immediate adjacency to one of the most heavily-visited tourist destinations in Ireland, is “unspoiled” in a very isolated sort of way. Electricity is relatively recent (1970s), its road is little more than a one-lane track, and there is no cell phone service there due to the precipitous surrounding mountains of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macgillycuddy%27s_Reeks" target="_blank">Macgillicuddy's Reeks</a>. It is gorgeous.
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<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMlxKbVtwK1O6KyQ_qY4Lncx8SWbfn0gt7dpudqWVGJaozO6_eQqReU3rQ7qLIlUUJPHbA4mhHhhP_TcNeBbI-UjEBjTcUOE3n3LaijKNBJdJ7lCG2ZBFMb8SLdKeT8ZPrOFXqUVldjxo/s1600/BlackValley.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMlxKbVtwK1O6KyQ_qY4Lncx8SWbfn0gt7dpudqWVGJaozO6_eQqReU3rQ7qLIlUUJPHbA4mhHhhP_TcNeBbI-UjEBjTcUOE3n3LaijKNBJdJ7lCG2ZBFMb8SLdKeT8ZPrOFXqUVldjxo/s400/BlackValley.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5643853552577352546" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">In Black Valley.</span>
<br /></span></div><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcfhrAFjCcO8rGkUsUz_-WAFffsIZv3GP8kDvnJyJu6rfYqKqI8BtEVzqRoPCWDfhdmuMWZZYRWO9QsxbUe9UciYpyNqQhD7KTKRmxaOcxtpuW2mLPlUyTOqqmtdTm2YjaBoFXxTqz7-Q/s1600/Falls.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcfhrAFjCcO8rGkUsUz_-WAFffsIZv3GP8kDvnJyJu6rfYqKqI8BtEVzqRoPCWDfhdmuMWZZYRWO9QsxbUe9UciYpyNqQhD7KTKRmxaOcxtpuW2mLPlUyTOqqmtdTm2YjaBoFXxTqz7-Q/s400/Falls.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5643853559517381890" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">The stream through Black Valley pours over a series of cascades on its way to the Lakes of Killarney.</span>
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<br /><div style="text-align: center;">==================================
<br />More images from this day, including a link to a very large-scale, detailed version of the Black Valley panorama, are <a href="http://sharrington.net/Ireland2010/Aug23Web/index.htm" target="_blank">available here</a>.
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<br /></div><a href="http://sherwords.blogspot.com/2011/08/ireland-revisited-beara-peninsula.html">
<br /></a><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://sherwords.blogspot.com/2011/08/ireland-revisited-beara-peninsula.html" target="_blank">Next</a>: August 24, 2010 -- The Beara Peninsula
<br /><a href="http://sherwords.blogspot.com/2011/08/ireland-revisited-clonfinlough-and-its.html" target="_blank">Previous</a>: August 22, 2010 -- Clonfinlough and Its Stone
<br /><a href="http://sherwords.blogspot.com/2011/08/ireland-revisited-prologue.html" target="_blank">Beginning of the series</a>: Prologue, August 2</div>
<br /><p class="MsoNormal"></p> Sherwood Harringtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09575868746160608731noreply@blogger.com2