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 takes orders individually, cooks, cleans, and all the while shares stories of the locals, her family or asks about us. She moves like a ballet dancer and speaks like a poet, always with a smile or raised eyebrow toward my dad when he makes the occasional funny comment/barb and zinger. 

As soon as our kids eat their dropped scones, fruit and house made sausage, they head outside in the sunshine to greet, play and observe the three squeaking Guinea Pigs, the two donkeys, the beautiful horse named Echo,  then maybe the 600 lb. boar and his wanna-be girlfriend if they're out in the sun.  Most of the animals are rescues by the way.  Mark, the owner, took the kids into the barn to show them the baby hawk he is nursing back to health.  It was just able to get off the ground and onto the perch.  The farm’s dog and masterful bee killer is named Bruce.   He’s a Shepard-Mastiff mix.  He loves kids and comes over to greet them every day.  Bruce’ main job is to chase of Great Blue Herons that get in to the fishponds.  The two cats, one of which was recently injured by local otters,  is on the mend, roaming the grounds hunting for mice and other vermin.

After breakfast we loaded up the van and drove more narrow and winding roads through hills and fields that went up and down the horizon. We parked in Kilkenny, which was busy due to the long bank holiday and local sporting events.  Today’s lunch was at Matt the Millers across the river.  Our server was a young red-headed spitfire.  I think she might have had a “thing” for Ethan.  As she cleared his plates she accidentally spilled some malt vinegar on his lap.  But immediately started patting the area with great care to ensure it was properly dry.  My wife’s eyes told a different story and the waitress stopped abruptly. :) 

We toured Kilkenny Castle then regrouped by our van.  The kids and Beth did some shopping.  My dad and I kept the locals entertained with questions, stories and malarkey.  The bar we visited was called Tynans'.  It was a converted apothecary.  The bartender came over and showed us ledgers from the 1950s.  Interesting.  Ethan and the rest of the crew joined us for one more, then back to the farm.  Showers, naps, and relaxing for a bit.  Dad stayed at the Farm and the rest of us decided to walk back to O’Grady’s pub to visit the friendly bartender Fred, his family and the eclectic locals whose ages spanned “just old enough” to “two days older than dirt”. 

Guinness storehouse tour

Beth is now a Master Pourer :) 

Temple Bar area

Can I get some residuals?

Up early for a quiet Dublin walk

Abby and Sam enjoyed sitting with Oscar, the brilliant Jack Russell that enjoys sitting on bar stools with his customers.  Beth beat Ethan 2 out of 3 games of pool.  I sat and chatted with a thin, older Irish man.  He spoke to me all night and the only words I could make out were hurling, lovely wife, trip, farm, and Guinness.  I gave my best effort to interpret his rapid Irish, but didn’t happen.  We all felt at home at this small, local bar.  We were greeted as if we knew them for years.  It’s a true, small town feel and I loved it.  Abby enjoyed her first Irish drink…a Sombrero J

We made the 11pm, .9-mile walk back through the road bordered by wheat fields and down the dirt and stone path to the B&B.  I wrote a bit and headed to bed when I finished my last nipper. 

The morning departure was unexpectedly somber.  No one wanted to leave and go to Dublin.  We should have booked one more night. The kids were hanging with fowls, foals, and pheasants.  Mark the owner gave us a grand tour of his stone house he built from scratch, and Beth was saying her tearful goodbyes to Ann-Marie. 

Each of the three days we spent at the farm were magical.  It was the theme. Sunshine followed us, good wishes and intentions at St. Patrick’s well. Nancy was with us the entire time,  and if you paid attention enough, she was there. We heard it in the pub when her favorite singer Neil Diamond played in the background, you can see it in the sunshine that followed us each day to each location, you can feel the friendliness and energy with the people with whom we chose to interact.  You can see it in my children’s eyes as they experienced the wonders of travel, beauty and quality family time.  The kids' mantra was spoken often on our blessed journey, the simply said “Thank you Nana”.

Our parting gift from Mark were eight, hand-made shamrocks he carved while we were loading our cars with luggage.  He presented them to my dad and his family in honor of our mother of which he heard great stories over the past three days about her being our matriarch, foundation and inspiration.  It was moving.   

Dublin marked the end of our trip but we all agreed on the way there that Stoneyford was the actual end.  We arrived at the Christchurch area and stayed in the Jury's Inn, ehh. A mediocre lunch and everyone headed back to the less than comfortable rooms.  Beth and I ventured out for a late dinner and some sight-seeing in Temple Bar.  It was worth it.

A great trip.  We plan to return in 2021.