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The Magical Traveling Shamrock, John Wayne and our Mother.

If you travel to Ireland and you do not spend some time at the Lawcus Farm B&B and its surrounding area, then you are doing a serious disservice to an Irish experience.   Now, I understand to each his own, but it should be a mandatory stop for all travelers.   I know I mentioned in earlier paragraphs about this place, but we strongly believe there was a connection for our kids, for us, and for my father.   The owners of the establishment are characters in themselves and put forth great effort to ensure their guests are not only treated well, but making sure your time in their country is memorable.   I’ll get back to Mark, who has an uncanny resemblance to John Wayne and Ann-Marie again. Our final day in Stoneyford and the Farm started as usual with a solid breakfast. Coffees preceded a small fresh fruit cup for all, followed by homemade porridge with prunes, and granola and local honey from their abundant Jaspers.   Ann-Marie take...
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Johnny the Fisherman and the man from the Woods

A fresh breakfast in The Tree House Cafe started our journey out of Dingle and the Dingle Peninsula and on to The Ring of Kerry.  The drive was quite the sight.  We circumnavigated half of the Dingle Bay and stopped in the town of Glennbeigh and then to the beach of Rossveigh  http://beachtrek.ie/rossbeigh-horse-trekking-gallery/ .  My niece Abby's single request for this trip was to ride a horse on a beach in Ireland.  Her wish was fulfilled.  Beth, my sister-in-law Amy, Ethan, Sammy and Abby mounted horses and headed for the emerald hills and then down to the beach for a ninety-minute trek.  They received a first class tour from the very friendly gentleman who escorted them along the trails.  My dad, Mike and I helped the economy at a local establishment until our equestrians returned.  A quick lunch at the aforementioned pub and then onto Stoneyford Ireland and the Lawcus Farm  http://www.lawcusfarmguesthouse.com/  where we wou...
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The Dingle

So busy, it's difficult to find time to write.  We're go, go, go. and the wifi is not so good at our place. We left Galway Tuesday morning and drove a couple hours to an area of western Ireland called The Burren. It was a ridiculously foreign landscape and beautiful.  Steep, sharp limestone mountains covered in scrub brush, grasses and dotted with livestock.  As we drove through the emerald countryside, we saw a sign that said Birds of Prey display and Aillwee Cave.  Rick Steves wrote in his travel guide that it was interesting, but not worth the fee. So, of course we decided to check it out. What the hell does he know :) Cliffs of Moher After that we stopped in Doolin and had lunch while overlooking the Atlantic.  A short drive to The Cliffs of Moher.  We lucked out with a sunny day.  The kids attributed that to their Nana.  The cliffs are worth the visit, especially if you go later (after 2pm) as we did.  We drove to the S...
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Seagulls are Stupid

Day 1 Dublin airport to our townhouse in Galway.  The flight was without issue, but the leased airline Evelop hired by Norwegian was like sitting in a school bus for six hours. And yes, I swear the passengers sang "The wheels on the bus...".  Terrible, terrible airline, Aer Lingus next time for sure. Not only did I a rent a large Renault van for the eight of us, but I made sure it was stick shift to fully challenge my family's and my nerves. Oh boy.  The Irish are good drivers thankfully.  They obey the speed limit, no one in the passing lane unless passing and not aggressive.  It definitely helped.  The main roads and highways are in good shape. An afternoon power nap for all of us followed by a walk around Galway.  The Galway Races are this week and their annual arts festival finished Sunday, so a bustling and busy night life.  Ethan and I had a pint of Guinness at Taaffe's while the rest shopped.  We all met for dinner at Blake's ...
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Cousins in the Tree

When I review the Irish and Italian (Catholic) branches of our family's tree, I can't help but think of the Monty Python scene from The Meaning of Life ...not for those sensitive to the dogma of the church, but funny as heck. If I did the research correctly, and I trust much of it, but I do find errors, our family can trace roots to about the late 1780s.  Not bad, but I was able to trace my wife's family back to the 1500s.  The Ryan family is quite large.  I've accounted for close to 400 plus cousins and it's growing.  The top of the tree begins with my 5th great-grandparents Michael Ryan, William Caples, Phillip Kennedy, and Honora Maher.  I'll research that generation next fall and winter as it will be time-consuming to search Irish church and civil records, but the subsequent generation's names keep growing.
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An Obsession of Time from Plymouth Hollow

I was just shy of 9 years old. I remember standing in the middle of the Mill River on opening day in 1977, clad in "waders", a flannel shirt, hat, and thick socks. It was cold and clear and I waited for the sun to make its way above the budding trees on this third Saturday in April. Other anglers lined the banks and filled the river ahead of us. My grandfather stood beside me carefully eyeing his wristwatch waiting for 6:00 a.m. sharp...the exact moment trout season officially opens.  I held my spinning rod at the ready, eagerly looking up at him waiting for the "nod", knowing it was close to the time.  At about 5:58, I heard the faint "kablook" upriver of a garden worm and hook prematurely entering the water and the nearly inaudible curse words uttered by my grandfather.  I made out something about the fishing warden should "pinch" the 120 second violator of the time.  Finally, it was time.  I tossed my tethered bait just as the guy up river...
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