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Ken Fitzgerald
10-11-2016, 9:40 AM
One week ago today we returned from our 12 day tour of Ireland. The next morning I awoke with the cold that had been going around on the bus. Thankfully, I managed to escape it until the trip was over. My wife caught it while we were there. She was taking boxes of tissues and pens from the hotel rooms.:o

I will try to not be boring but I want to report our experiences for use by anyone who might be considering international travel. While a Creeker recommended a contact there who might have some suggestions for woodworking, the local only had one recommendation and as it turned out we were so busy it wouldn't have been manageable. Thus, the only woodworking involvement was the splendor of the finish carpentry in some castles, an abby and Russborough House. There were also some very fine furniture. It was difficult to get good photos as most places only permitted non-flash photos so the lighting made things difficult on drab dreary days.

Our previous trips to Australia, New Zealand (2) and Fiji were custom designed trips. While we used commercial travel, we were alone, by ourselves, with no scheduled meals. We might fly into a town where a driver met us at the airport and drove us to the hotel. When we departed that city we might drag our baggage to a nearby bus or train station or catch a cab to the airport. Our meals were unplanned EXCEPT I insisted we be able to eat breakfast in the hotel as often tour buses would pick us up at the hotel early or we might have to walk a block or so to catch a tour bus.

This trip was different. Late one evening after making all the hotel reservations for our driving trip to Minnesota, Illinois, Kansas, Wyoming and home, I received an email from the company who vets tour companies. They were involved in making tour company recommendations for our previous trips. They suggested a trip to Europe, Ireland, Great Britain, Scotland might be in order as the Euro was decreasing in value. This happened on a Tuesday evening. By Friday night the trip was paid for, I'd made airline reservations and packed a bag for our driving trip to the midwest which started the next day.

We used a "canned" trip this time. Initially the vetting company recommended a tour company which specializes in custom tours of Ireland, Great Britain and Scotland. They contacted us by email and made a proposal. It amounted to 8 days, always staying in 5 star hotels with a private driver for the entire time. My wife went ballistic. She wanted to do the "tourist things" in Ireland. I agreed. When we didn't respond to their initial suggestion, the representative from Ireland called our home. After a 1/2 hour discussion with my wife, he sent a 2nd email. This time, it was a "canned 12 day tour of Ireland" with a 3rd company. The 2nd company would only be involved in making arrangements for a driver to pick us up at the airport in Dublin when we arrived and 12 days later pick us up in Drogheda to return us to the Dublin airport. The total cost went down by 40% per person, we had an itinerary doing all the tourist things, the price included 4-star hotels every night, one night in a castle and most of the meals in the form of full Irish breakfast, 2 lunches and 8 table d'hote dinners (3 and 4 course dinners). It included all the entry fees to the sights, a guide/driver, luxury coach(bus) and even tips for some of the servers. From the time we landed in Dublin until the morning we left we never touched our checked baggage. Daily, we placed our luggage outside the door of our room, our luggage was transported by a porter to the bus and loaded. When we arrived at the next hotel, the luggage was delivered to our rooms. We shared a luxury coach with 30 others including the driver/guide.

I was a little skeptical about this type of tour having read horror stories. It worked well. So well, my wife informed me on our 27 hour return trip home that we'd be renewing our passports which are due to expire in less than 2 years. Among our fellow travelers, there were people from across the US from all walks of life from factory workers, a retired department of corrections officer, retired high school principal, a retired teacher, his wife a retired HS librarian, a family of adults and friends. We truly enjoyed the company of the others. Yesterday my wife received a scone recipe from a wife of a couple on the tour. They live in Salt Lake City, UT.

I have wanted to tour Ireland since I was a young adult. With a surname of Fitzgerald, I wanted to see from where my ancestors immigrated. When we first began dreaming of this decades ago, my wife flat out stated she had ABSOLUTELY no desire to see Northern Ireland. She remembered all the television news of what happened in Northern Ireland in the 70's, 80's, 90's and is referred to as "The Terrible Times"in Ireland. You need to ask her now what she thinks after spending 2 nights and 3 days in Northern Ireland.

I'll continue this on the next post.

Ken Fitzgerald
10-11-2016, 10:37 AM
In our travels to Mexico, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Fiji, we always found the locals to be friendly and appreciative of tourists. Never have I felt the welcome and friendliness we felt in Ireland. I lost track of the number of times the owner of an establishment (a farmer(we toured 3 farms), a pub owner (the John B. Keane, noted poet/playwright, pub now owned by his son Billy) would board the bus, thank us for coming, make a statement about how much the tourist money meant to their community and the country of Ireland. Often the farmer, owner would shake hands with every individual as we unloaded from the bus. One farmer explained he was the 6 generation of his family to raise sheep on the highland farm, currently he was getting 1 Euro per ton of wool form his sheep and the tourist money he got for having sheep dog trials for the tourists allowed he and his family to continue farming.

How close is the ties between Ireland and the US? At a several Irish governmental offices we saw the US flag being flown alongside the flag of Ireland. If you should go to Ireland, I highly recommend the walking tours of the cities with a local guide. In Cork, for example, the local guide and historian took us to a monument in a downtown area. The monument was fenced by a large chain around it. At the front of the monument from the chain hung a large pendant that had on it simply "1776". The guide asked "You Americans? Does this mean anything to you? Let me tell you that your country's break from British control so inspired us that a group of locals hung that pendant there in 1776. Unfortunately it took us another 140 years to gain our independence." The first of our presidential debates was broadcast there. When asked by locals if we were going to watch, every person said no, we are on tour to escape. The locals explained they'd watch because it was important to see who might become leader of the most powerful free nation on earth. Close ties in Ireland.

The walking tour of Derry (Londonderry) was special. The local guide, a now retired postal delivery man, had a face that radiated impishness and it showed as he displayed his Irish sense of good humor and tease. At this point in the tour we were still on the bus but soon we would begin walking wall of the walled city of Derry. When the bus entered the 200 yard site of 30 January 1972's Bloody Sunday, his demeanor took a sudden and dramatic changed. Passionately, eloquently he spoke of his involvement that day. In the famous AP photograph of the priest waving the white handkerchief, the walking tour guide is in that photo. He heard all 108 shots fired, he saw the 27 people wounded, 14 of which died. He was so passionate in describing the incident, the fragile peace they have now and how important the tourist money's effect on the local economy was to help stabilize the fragile peace. He told how it was in 2010 to stand at that same site shoulder to shoulder with that same priest in front of an specially erected large screen television to listen to Prime Minister David Cameron of Great Britain officially apologize for Bloody Sunday. IIRC he quoted Cameron saying "There is no justification for the unjustifiable." There wasn't a dry eye on the bus. He stated his generation would never allow things to return to the "Terrible Times". It's not for our generation, he said, for we survived the "Terrible Times" but it is for our children, their children and their children. Later we got out and walked the walls of the walled city of Derry.

The previous afternoon when we first arrived in Derry, while I rested, my wife walked the streets shopping. She came back to the hotels ecstatic! She couldn't believe how friendly the clerks were and how safe she felt in a city where so much violence had happened 40 years earlier.

When we first started the trip landing in Dublin, we cleared customs and were stood up by our driver. The government operated bus drivers were on strike. After contacting the company that scheduled the driver, we grabbed a cab to the hotel. That was the worst thing that happened on the trip. By the time we arrived at the hotel, the company notified us our credit card had been credited for the driver who didn't how up.

The weather cooperation was incredibly lucky! Often we would enter the coach and it would be raining. Yet when we arrived to a place to be toured on foot, it would clear up until we got back on the bus.

While my wife was out shopping in Dublin or it might have been Cork or Waterford or Killarney or Galway, an Irish woman waiting on her asked if she was a tourist and if she was Irish decent. My wife said no but my husband is....his surname is Fitzgerald. To which the Irish lady replied in an Irish accent ".....Oh.....there's one on every corner!" LOL!

I could go on forever. It was truly an enjoyable trip. If you are interested here's a link to the itinerary of the trip we took. http://www.cietours.com/us/escorted_tour/2016/irish_odyssey_12d/

Photos in my next post.

Ken Fitzgerald
10-11-2016, 10:44 AM
The following photos were taken at Russborough House. Here's a link to their website. This place gives a whole to meaning to "opulence"! http://www.russborough.ie/
I am convinced our 3 bedroom ranch would fit into the library of this house! When I asked the lady guide what size the staff would have been when the house was occupied her reply was 40-50 people just for the house, excluding the garden, stables etc.

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Ken Fitzgerald
10-11-2016, 10:47 AM
More from the Russborough House.

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Ken Fitzgerald
10-11-2016, 10:49 AM
One last one from Russborough House. The craftsmanship in the plasterwork was incredible. I asked guide if the furniture was Irish manufactured. She said no that furniture from this period would be of British origin. She did say the plasterwork was Irish IIRC.

This bookcase was in the "gentleman's office".

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Ken Fitzgerald
10-11-2016, 11:23 AM
These photos are from Kilmainham Gaol where in 1916, 14 Irish leaders were executed by the British. The revolt began and Ireland won their independence.

The original wing of the jail was built in 1794 IIRC and the other wing in 1850. The 2nd wing was destroyed by fire and rebuilt in 1854. In the one photograph notice the pipes running above the doors to the cells. An interesting note was that when gas became available the British plumbed in the gas and put gas lights in all the cells. They had sealed the previously open barred windows to make it warmer and now gave the prisoners lights. It was then when they began to have a rash of deaths caused by prison/jail flu. Eventually someone figured carbon monoxide poisoning.

The jail is HUGE!

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Mel Fulks
10-11-2016, 11:26 AM
I've noticed in looking at auction catalogs and such that there are distinctive features that separate Irish furniture from English. The plaster work dog is a nice whimsical touch. Bookcases are nice ,but I don't think they are antiques.

Ken Fitzgerald
10-11-2016, 12:20 PM
During the time of the British Monarchy trying to settle and control Ireland there were literally hundreds of towers and castles built across Ireland. The remnants are still visible today. On the Ring of Kerry you can see stone huts that were built over 2500 years ago. We actually toured a burial chamber according to archeologists claim was built in and abandoned 3000 years BC.

Here's some photos from the Blarney castle. The last one is of my wife. Why anyone would want to kiss a stone that millions of others have kissed is beyond me. But, I've only known her for 48 years. Maybe someday I'll figure her out. I do have some doubts.

Some interesting items about the build of the Blarney castle. There are IIRC, 97 stone steps of varying height going up the spiral stairway. A rope hangs down along the wall on the inside of the spiral but the spiral is so tight, by design, that a right handed man couldn't draw his sword as he was climbing the stairway. I climbed to the top and had no desire to kiss the stone. Besides, I take medicine to avoid vertigo attacks. I didn't want to cause a scene!


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Rich Riddle
10-11-2016, 1:09 PM
Beautiful photographs. I hope you get feeling better.

Garth Almgren
10-11-2016, 1:20 PM
These photos are from Kilmainham Gaol where in 1916, 14 Irish leaders were executed by the British. The revolt began and Ireland won their independence.

The original wing of the jail was built in 1794 IIRC and the other wing in 1850. The 2nd wing was destroyed by fire and rebuilt in 1854. In the one photograph notice the pipes running above the doors to the cells. An interesting note was that when gas became available the British plumbed in the gas and put gas lights in all the cells. They had sealed the previously open barred windows to make it warmer and now gave the prisoners lights. It was then when they began to have a rash of deaths caused by prison/jail flu. Eventually someone figured carbon monoxide poisoning.

The jail is HUGE!
Sounds like my kind of tour - my wife and I both say that it isn't a real date unless we end up at a prison or a cemetery (visiting, not occupying!). :)

Mel Fulks
10-11-2016, 1:26 PM
Any one else remember the early TV days? There were a number of comedy shows with mentions of the Blarney Stone . The beginning of paid product placement?

Ken Fitzgerald
10-11-2016, 1:44 PM
Two thing while we were in Dublin....we visited Trinity College where we viewed the Book of Kells. My wife is very religious. When she found out we had the opportunity to see the Book of Kells she became very interested. They didn't allow photographs in the viewing room. They say they have 1 of the 4 books on display but I'm not convinced it's not a copy.

I managed to visit the Guinness Store House. Yes, I managed to get to the end (7 stories) for a free draft. The Guinness they get there tastes different from what we get here. One of the advantages of being with a tour group is head of the line privileges. Our driver took those of us who wanted to tour the Guinness Store House to the had of the line. The line was a block long wound back serpentine style 3 times.

At home I drink a locally brewed Scotch ale. On our 2nd night in Ireland, I got brave tried something other than Guinness and found a new favorite, Smithwick's Irish red ale ( In Ireland it's pronounced Smiticks). I doubt I can find it locally.

Ken Fitzgerald
10-11-2016, 4:06 PM
These are photos taken at a sheep farm in the mountains of Ireland where the farmer said he could not survive without the tourist dollars brought in his sheep dog trial demonstrations. He said the current market was paying him 1 Euro per ton for his wool. Note the hydrangeas here. It interesting to see huge amounts of fuchsia growing wild.

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In the 3rd photo you can see the dog working the flock.

Chris Padilla
10-11-2016, 4:10 PM
Darn...thought this was going to be about Kathy. :D

Spectacular pictures...will have to visit some day....

Ken Fitzgerald
10-11-2016, 4:29 PM
Darn...thought this was going to be about Kathy. :D

Spectacular pictures...will have to visit some day....

When you get to be my age Chris, you think less about Kathy and more about Ireland.....:rolleyes::D

Rich Riddle
10-11-2016, 4:41 PM
At home I drink a locally brewed Scotch ale. On our 2nd night in Ireland, I got brave tried something other than Guinness and found a new favorite, Smithwick's Irish red ale ( In Ireland it's pronounced Smiticks). I doubt I can find it locally.I know one person who is "stationed" in Ireland and at times Smithwick's finds its way into the middle of a crate sent back to the US. He loves it.

Ken Fitzgerald
10-11-2016, 4:41 PM
Then there was the jaunty cart tour of a section of the Killarney National Park, Ross Castle. Look closely at one picture and you can see one of the cannons that was actually used to defend the castle ..... the Ring of Kerry....some 2500 year old stone huts.....the North Atlantic behind the wife and I and the Cliffs of Moher...



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Ken Fitzgerald
10-11-2016, 7:26 PM
An ancient stone hut.....and the Cliffs of Moher. It was truly interesting how the weather treated us. We were blessed. As we neared the Cliffs of Moher it was ever so foggy. The driver/guide said don't worry. There is wind here more often than not and it will probably clear. It did.

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Ken Fitzgerald
10-11-2016, 7:50 PM
The village of Cong is where most of the outdoor scenes for the John Wayne, Maureen O'Hara, John Ford movie "The Quiet Man" was filmed. The indoor scenes were all filmed on sound stages in Hollywood. The original cottage "White O'Morn" is owned by a Canadian and in dramatic disrepair. It's located about 14 miles from Cong.

These photos contain one a statue recently produced depicting John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara in character, the Cohan Pub (which was really a grocery store at the time of the movie filming), the ivy covered house is one of the Reverend and Mrs. Playfair (also where the bicycle built for 2 was stolen), the "dying man's house", the one with the low bank and a single tree standing out is where Sean knocks the Squire into the river during the fight scene and finally the wall/street/river where many of the scenes were shot.

An interesting tidbit. John Wayne never returned to Cong after making the film but when interviewed and asked about the village he told a story. The cast was put up in the Ashleigh Castle Hotel and one day the shooting was rained out. He was having breakfast and asked a waiter what the locals used to forecast the weather. The waiter said "Do you see those mountains over there?" pointing out the window. "If you can see the mountains, it's going to rain. If you can't see the mountains, it's raining."

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Jim Becker
10-11-2016, 8:14 PM
I may or may not have mentioned this on Facebook, Ken, but Ireland is the singular place I've visited that I'd like to go back and visit again. So glad you and your lovely had a great time!