I love a road trip. Having what you need at hand, with impossible possibilities ahead. It’s my kind of adventure.
For the next month, I’ll be traveling. The trip starts in Houston where I meet up with a friend. The itinerary for the first two weeks is Houston to New Orleans; St. Augustine; Ft. Lauderdale; and Miami. After that, stay tuned!
The first half of this road trip is from Houston to Miami
I’ll be posting here (in a delayed fashion). To keep up to date, please follow me on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram where I’ll be posting daily pictures and videos. You can also follow many of the posts at Anti-CancerClub on Facebook.
If you’re interested in learning more about photography (or cooking or film or any number of topics) check out Masterclass for on-line excellence:
[et_bloom_inline optin_id=”optin_10″]
What is #CancerRoadTrip and how did it come to be? Read this post to get the backstory!
Have a good laugh, but now follow me for an updated Irish food experience that leaves this antiquated perspective far, far behind.
Ireland is in the midst of a food revolution. It’s roots are deep in history and in local culture, led by pioneering people creating, crafting and growing luscious food products. From Dublin to the countryside, Ireland is reinventing its culinary future, one farm and one food at a time.
The food aspect of travel is (obviously) always on my agenda. And I was fortunate enough to meet some of the people making it happen in Ireland, on the Beara Peninsula.
This trip is a feast for your eyes, your stomach and your soul. Don’t neglect any of them. Let’s start with some pictures from the drive over Healy Pass between Killarney and Castletownbere .
Looking back down the roadway towards Killarney from Healy Passis a spectacular view of green lands, blue seas and towering mountains.You’ll note the road is not very wide.
The winding road from Killarney to the Beara Peninsula
View of Castletownbere, the second largest fishing port in Ireland.
The N 71 from Killarney is a beautiful drive that becomes more rural with each passing kilometer. Small winding roads and green hedges punctuated by occasional sweeping vistas mark the drive to my first stop at Kenmare, about 32 kilometers from Killarney. Our trip, part of the TBEX conference, was arranged by Con Moriarty’s Hidden Ireland Tours. Kay Woods was our knowledgeable director.
A steeple in Kenmare.
Kenmare is a lovely town not far from Killarney. We stopped briefly and while others wandered the town, I found myself drawn to a small booth where Francis Brennan, a local photographer by way of Dublin was displaying his wares. Chatting led to questions about why was I in Ireland. I responded with the abbreviated story of CancerRoadTrip–of how cancer led to betrayal which led to CancerRoadTrip. And in Ireland, as elsewhere, I found a resounding response to the idea of the overall CancerRoadTrip project.
As the topic of cancer is broached, there is almost always a slight pause in the conversation, an awkwardness before the stories start to pour out. Everyone has a cancer story: a friend, a family member, someone in their circle. Everyone feels the emotion, helplessness and void generated by this disease. The universal, heart felt response to the impact of cancer on all of our lives moves with CancerRoadTrip as I travel. Sometimes I think I should simply write all these stories, rather than the travelogue. What’s your cancer story?
But on with the adventure. Because a foodie adventure is what life is all about!
Francis Brennan, a local photographer specializing in black and white photos of the local area.
Kenmare lies on two noted Irish tourist routes, the Ring of Kerry and the Ring of Beara. Kenmare is an anglicized form of CeannMara, meaning “head of the sea”, referring to the head of Kenmare Bay. It’s a perfect jumping off point for more local exploration and we are accompanied by Andrew Heath of Manning’s Emporium .
Manning’s Emporium traces its roots back to a family farm back in the 1940’s. In the 1970’s, Val Manning started the shop to support local producers. It’s grown and is now under that ownership of his niece Laura and her husband Andrew Heath. It’s “a bustling food store, cafe and tapas bar specialising in local and artisan produce” that has won numerous awards including ‘The Sunday Times Top 100 Restaurants in Ireland’ Guide by John and Sally McKenna, ‘Top Choice’ Cafe in the Lonely Planet Guide Bantry Section, and was named as the 2017 winner of the Restaurant Association Awards for ‘Best Casual Dining in Cork’. Andrew also offers customized food tours. He is a walking encyclopedia of Irish food sources and we were lucky enough to have him join us for most of the trip.
After our brief stop in Kenmare, we headed to Castletownbere, a coastal fishing village which just happens to be home to the All Irish Chowder Champion.
The bus we are traveling is a small one. It is a small group. And the roads are winding and narrow. Going over Healy Pass there is just room for one vehicle. Meeting another head on at speed would definitely be problematic.
Entering Castletownbere, the sea becomes an integral part of the scenery. The town is quiet and even bit sleepy. The sun plays hide and seek with a low cloud base, causing the water to sparkle briefly here and there before it disappears.
The temperate climate allows seemingly exotic trees like palm trees to thrive along the Irish coast.
The town is named after the MacCarty Castle which no longer stands. It’s also called Castletown berehaven. Like other rural parts of Ireland, the population is small. Declining population in a rural setting is a theme that comes up repeatedly during the day.
In Castletownbere we visit with Mark Johnson at The Beara Coast Hotel for a lesson in making his specialty, THE Irish award winning chowder. Mark talks about the process of making the chowder as well as the importance of having access to the finest, freshest ingredients. And Irish cream. Lots of Irish cream!
(You may want to turn up the volume on your computer for this video.)
From the carefully simmered white fish stock to the freshly caught fish selections, to the local Irish cream, the freshness of the ingredients comes through. This chowder is a total winner.
Accompanying the chowder was a seaweed scone that was nothing short of remarkable. The slightly salty taste of the seaweed flecks embedded in the rich pastry dough, slathered with Irish butter, paired with seafood chowder, totally rocks.
Seaweed is becoming a “thing” in Ireland, led by John Fitzgerald at Atlantic Irish Seaweed located in Derrynane on the Ring of Kerry. The culinary use of seaweed dates back to 6th century monks and Ireland, by virtue of its extensive Atlantic coast, is home to over 625 varieties. John is part scientist and educator and he offers seaside discovery tours that take you foraging through the rocky coast in quest of the perfect seaweed.
The next stop is Beara Distillery which had just opened Saturday September 20th 2017. Beara Distillery uses a unusual ingredient–seawater– in their recipe for this lovely, light, fragrant botanical gin.
This artisanal gin uses a two step production process to infuse local botanicals into the base, resulting in a light, botanical flavor.
From their website:
“The Beara Peninsula’s Wild Atlantic Shore is host to an abundance of unusual botanicals and that was how the idea of Beara Ocean Gin was born.
The Atlantic Ocean Botanicals we use in our Gin include Salt water and Sugar Kelp that balance with the freshness of Juniper and Zesty Citrus Aromas. While Cardamom, Angelica and Orris root add complexity.
The result is a unique blend of native sea Flora with traditional botanicals for an altogether enjoyable and easy drinking Gin.”
Easy drinking indeed! They make a base gin with juniper and traditional flavorings. Then individual distillates (fuchsia, sugar kelp and the zest) are added. Purified sea water brings the concentration to a legal threshold and voila! A magical gin.
***
Award Winning Milleen’s Cheese
Millen’s award winning cheese
Up next is a very special visit to a very special farm that produces a very special cheese (I presume that you are getting the drift that this is a real find): Milleen’s Cheese.
Norman Steele talking about the history of Milleen’s
Milleen’s is a family farm started by Norman and Veronica Steele. The cottage includes a sitting room, where we had a buffet lunch. The sitting room is accessed by an outdoor walkway from the main cottage. It’s an organic family farm focused on producing cheeses of exceptional quality. They were “discovered” by Declan Ryan, a one Michelin star Irish chef of some renown from Cork.
The decision to make cheese came about almost by accident. With a growing family, a cow was added. But it was too much milk for a small family, no matter how much yogurt one made. So began the cheese experiment, which led to the cow herd, which led to the 1997 award of Supreme Champion at the British Cheese Awards.
Sadly, Norman’s beloved wife Veronica died fairly recently, but his son is stepping up into the family business. And they just hired a new cheesecake apprentice. It’s a job I’d be tempted to take on!
Norman is a delightful man who enjoys telling his story. Here’s Norman telling a bit of the history of his farm and subsequent fame:
A significant part of the farm’s story is based on the intense connection between the Milleen’s and their land. The farm is organic and the purity of the environment is a key piece to the quality of the cheese. Norman’s son, Quinlan, is a vocal advocate for the organic life. Much of his argument, for me, is deeply familiar. Knowing what goes into your food–how and where it is produced; the chemicals, if any, used in production; and the impact of time to market are very real and very important factors. Next time you reach for some food, stop and wonder: Where is it from and how did it get to you? What are you really eating? Think on it a bit.
Here are a few pictures from the farm:
The view from Milleen’s Cheese
An old stone barn wall alongside original farmhouse.
Norman’s son Quinlan is slowly taking over the cheese operations at Milleen’s.
Cheeses aging in the old stone house at Milleen’s.
Kush Shellfish, Kenmare
100% organic mussels from Kush Shellfish
Kush Shellfish is Ireland’s first organic rope mussels producer, with operations in Kenmare Bay in a Special Area of Conservation (designated under the European Union Habitats Directive) off the south west coast of Ireland. They export to many countries, including the U.S. under the name of Saint Patrick Shellfish. In addition to the shellfish, their exports include their Mussel Soup which is a rich, thick vegetable based soup, hearty enough for an Irish winter’s day. We were also lucky enough to have a bowl of simple steamed mussels that was absolutely outstanding. Fresh from the sea, tender, and perfectly cooked.
The mussels are raised using a rope or bouchot method, which is a French method of cultivating mussels in tidal zones. Pilings, known as bouchots in French, are planted at sea, with a spiraling rope wound about them. Mesh netting may be added to prevent the mussels from falling off. They may be harvested by hand or by machine.
Once again, the emphasis is on working with the environment. Mussels feed on phytoplankton and microscopic marine algae which are in natural abundance in the tidal zone, The purity of the environment, in turn, produces a remarkable product.Do make it a point to enjoy some of these mussels should you find yourself in the Kenmare area.
Whether it’s goat cheese in the Pacific Northwest or mussels in Ireland, the common and consistent denominator in my foodie forays is the freshness of the environment in which the food is raised and the consummate care of the artisans that raise it. From farm to table may on the verge of becoming a cliche, but from Beara to table is a total and remarkable delight. Be sure to put Beara peninsula on your culinary map and contact either Andrew Heath or Kay Woods at Con Moriarty’s Hidden Ireland Tours for a more personalized and knowledgeable visit.
If you’re interested in learning more about photography (or cooking or film or any number of topics) check out MasterClass All-Access Pass for on-line excellence:
[et_bloom_inline optin_id=”optin_10″]
What is #CancerRoadTrip and how did it come to be? Read this post to get the backstory!
The poetic image of oceans, paired with Ireland, conjures up smells of salt and brine. A cool, damp breeze and perhaps an intermittent bracing rain. But for me, the mere mention of the seas suggests the possibility of oysters.
Oysters seem to follow me in my travels. This is not intentional on my part. I consider it to be culinary travel karma. And Ireland did not disappoint.
The singing oyster at the Guinness Storehouse I could have done without. (Seriously, a singing oyster. I have it on film, but I’m not sure I can bear to watch it again.) But the Glenbeigh Shellfish oysters I couldn’t pass up. More on that later in the post.
The majority of the food during my short trip to Dublin and Killarney was simply good pub food. But the next post–the culinary piece de resistance!–will take us deep into the Beara Peninsula where we meet some of the movers and shakers transforming the Irish culinary scene. Stay tuned.
Dublin Fare
Pubs
The Temple Bar is a famous Dublin pub named after the founder of the area Temple Bay, Sir William Temple.
On the pub side, on a purely tourist level, one eats well. Pub forays were by chance; we stopped when we were hungry. I missed dining at some of the more famous pubs, but I think of it as just saving them for the next trip.
Temple Bar is a fairly famous pub that stands out in the neighborhood founded by it’s namesake, Sir William Temple (1555-1627). In the 1600’s, Barr (shortened over time to ‘Bar’) usually meant a raised sandbank. Thus the Liffey embankment alongside the Temple property became known as Temple Bar. This name was passed along to become the name of the entire section of town, from Westmoreland Street to Fishamble Street.
In spite of the tempting oyster sign in the window, I did not dine here. The sign taunted me, but for whatever reason, this was not in my culinary karma. Rest assured it’s on my return list for the fall of 2018.
While in Ireland, my personal dining strategy was to stay as healthy as possible. I believe that what we eat matters. I’m essentially a fish eating vegetarian by preference and I like to know where my food comes from. Normally I opt for low glycemic food choices, but frankly, for a few days, I was seduced by Irish bread, beer and scones. And I enjoyed every bit of it.
A pub on the corner, not far from the elusive Dublin Castle (see previous post), was our first jet lagged lunch. Fish and chips. And Guinness. The fish and chips were very well prepared, if a tiny bit overcooked and under seasoned. Perhaps I am probably being a bit picayune on these details, but the wee-est bit of salt sprinkled as the fish came out of the fryer would have made a massive difference in the taste.
Another day we wandered into Bad Bob’s, in Temple Bar. The pub lays at least partial claim to the invention of Irish coffee. The tale weaves into the history of aviation and provides a most satisfying story. From their website:
A Supermarine Southhampton Flying Boat-Flying boats are part of the story of Irish coffee in Dublin and beyond! Picture Source: Wikipedia
“The traditional storyline goes that Foynes, which in the 1930s and 40s existed as the ‘Flying Boat’ hub between Europe and the United States, engaged in a prestigious world of hospitality to entertain the wealthy American and Canadian passengers who travelled across the Atlantic. During the winter of 1943 an American Airlines flight bound for New York via Botwood, Newfoundland, returned to the base at Foynes owing to inclement weather and hazardous flying conditions. The passengers disembarked frightened, fatigued and frozen, requesting warm food and restorative drink. It was at this point that Joe Sheridan secured his moment of fame and earned his place in the history of world liqueurs by serving Irish Coffees to the stricken passengers. When one passenger queried: “Is this Brazilian Coffee?” Joe Sheridan is reputed to have replied: “No, this is Irish Coffee.” -Bad Bob’s, How It All Began
My salmon and Guinness at Bad Bob’s in Dublin, Ireland
The food at Bad Bob’s was what I call “Dublin good”. That means tasty and well prepared. Ann had a braised lamb shank she loved. I ordered salmon which came perched upon a massive amount of potatoes. And the spuds were perfectly seasoned, with simply salt, pepper and parsley (and, of course, Irish butter), and a drizzle of sauce undoubted laced with more butter and cream.
The Guinness, of course, was perfect. Guinness as Usual, as the Irish say, and they are right.
The Conrad Hotel in Dublin
The Conrad Hotel, Dublin, Ireland
On the culinary front, our Dublin Hotel, The Conrad, was a real standout. It easily surpassed the typical notion of a hotel restaurant and exceeded any and all expectations one might bring to the table.
Morning breakfast (which was included in the cost of the room) was truly outstanding.
The Conrad’s Dublin breakfast buffet include fresh fruit as well as decadent pastries, cheeses and meats.
While I’ve become a green tea drinker (green tea is rich in EGCG which has been shown to inhibit tumor cell growth and invasiveness) I succumbed to the incredible aroma and smooth taste of the dark roasted coffee, served in individual French presses for each table.
The smell of perfectly roasted darkish coffee alone would bring many people to their knees in the wee hours of the morning, but the buffet table has almost the same effect. Eggs cooked to order along with a buffet of Irish specialties including smoked fish, cheese, sausages (hot and cold), cereals, fresh fruit, pastries, potatoes, baked tomatoes and were laid out with great care. And each and every item was excellent. Personally I became enamored of perfectly cooked poached eggs with a bit of Irish smoked salmon and broiled tomato.
Plus of course, a bit of toasted grainy Irish bread. The bread (not part of my normal diet!) was necessary because poised at the end of one long table in the breakfast room was an entire honeycomb, served with a spoon for scooping the honeycombed goo onto your plate. Soft, sweet and succulent. In tea, on bread or scones. Or just sneaked on a spoon for sheer delight.
Breakfast at the Conrad in Dublin included a honeycomb! You can scoop out your own fresh honey. Apply liberally!
On the sideboard are a variety of cheeses, meats and fish for this Irish breakfast in Dublin.
Breakfast pastries at the Conrad, Dublin. I did indulge in a scone-YUM! Paired with honey, it’s Irish heaven.
One night, too tired to walk another step, we opted to dine at the Conrad restaurant which was once again excellent. Fresh, gorgeous mussels, seasoned wth dill and perfectly cooked, with a welcomed glass of wine. The food at the Conrad was very, very good.
Perfectly cooked mussels in wine and dill in Dublin, Ireland, Conrad Hotel.
In Dublin, the standout dinner was at The Winding Stair. It’s comfort food, Irish style, all locally sourced. This emphasis on local food is a serious movement in Ireland, one which we’ll have a chance to explore in some depth in my next post.
Here are the comforting, fabulous, locally sourced dishes of The Winding Stair located at 40 Lower Ormond Quay, Dublin :
Dining in Dublin, this simple dish of potted crab in butter was served with dark Irish bread…need one say more?
Sweet, tender, and oh so fresh cockles and mussels steamed and served. Dark bread slathered in Irish butter on the side. Yes, please! And some potatoes in the background.
For Dublin dining, my dinner partner opted for local lamb, perfectly cooked and wonderfully succulent. Don’t forget the potatoes!
The only disappointment was the restaurant for which I had the most hope, Dylan McGraths’s Taste At Rustic . Dylan is an award winning chef, highly regarded in Ireland. He was the owner of Mint, a Michelin one star restaurant which was forced to close as a result of the economic downturn in 2008. His response in 2010 was to open Rustic Stone, a restaurant that features seasonal, local produce. He has several other restaurants including Raw, Brasserie Sixty6, Fade Street Social and Taste at Rustic where we ate.
I mentioned this experience in a previous post. No need to beat a dead horse with this less than stellar review.
Dining in Killarney
Taking the train from Dublin to Killarney, I opted to pick up a bottle of water and a vegetarian sandwich at one of the station’s vendors. The sandwich was very good, and it was a good move. The food options on the train were very limited. While some train travel offers a dining car and good meal options, the train to Killarney did not.
Once we arrived in Killarney, time was tight. The TBEX Conference started early each morning, with speakers and workshops, followed by networking sessions. Mornings we dined at the Brehon Hotel where we enjoyed a stellar breakfast. I fell into the habit of ordering perfectly poached eggs with a bit of sautéed spinach, and indulging in some fruit and a scone from the buffet. All this was included in the price of the room.
Lunches in Killarney were generally catered as part of the conference. They always offered a fish option, for which I was very thankful.
Evenings were a confluence of social events and networking. The only free night outside the conference schedule was the first night where we visited the Celtic Irish Whiskey Bar and Larder, for excellent food and an Irish Whiskey tasting (see previous post).
Failte Ireland and TBEX hosted an excellent conference. The opening event was held at the Killarney racetrack, where we were treated to an array of local food vendors including local whiskey distillers, bread makers, dairies, and more importantly, oysters!
Glenbeigh oysters were the star of the opening evening festivities, in my humble opinion! Photo by Charlotte Coneybeer on Unsplash
We wandered through the stables, where the purveyors were stationed in the horse stalls, sampling, drinking and eating. Glenbeigh Shellfish, a County Kerry based seafood vendor, naturally caught my eye.
Glenbeigh Shellfish is a family run business raising Cromane Mussels, Pacific (Gigas) & Native Flat Oysters, Local Wild Cockles & Periwinkles. They are located in Glenbeigh between Cromand and Rossbeigh on the scenic Ring of Kerry and Wild Atlantic Way, on the southwest coast of Ireland. Their shellfish comes from from Cromane in Castlemaine Harbour and from west Cork.
The company was founded 1994 by Noel and Patricia Riordan, a husband and wife team. Noel and Patricia stock native Irish Flat Oysters sourced from Fenit Harbor in Tralee Bay. It’s a rare species only available from October to February (to protect the oyster stock). The oysters are particularly precious in that they are natural oysters, farmed. Were these oysters to disappear, there is nothing to replace them. They are truly a culinary resource. Should you get to Ireland, track down these oysters. They are worth the hunt.
To guide you in your culinary quests, TasteKerry promotes native foods in County Kerry and offers a downloadable app that guides the visitor through a variety of local food specialties.
But back to the oyster story.
Noel and Patricia brought their marvelous oysters. Most of the oysters are exported to France and Spain. I was told that in Ireland they are largely an unknown resource.
Beautiful, fresh, briny, cool oysters from Tralee Bay. Platter after platter of freshly harvested oysters. Let’s just say I had dinner in that stall that night, compliments of Glenbeigh Shellfish!
***
One of our last evenings we met up with a blogging group at a Hobbit Middle Earth themed pub called The Shire. The chance to share an evening with some of the special and fascinating people at this conference was truly priceless.
Old and new friends In Killarney, Ireland, from TBEX.
Meeting people while traveling is special. You are bonded by an exotic locale and the traditional means of connecting often aren’t relevant. Instead, one tells stories, travel stories, and through these adventures we find our commonalities and share our dreams.
May the road rise to meet you, May the wind be always at your back, May the sun shine warm upon your face, The rains fall soft upon your fields and, Until we meet again, May God hold you in the palm of His hand.
Killarney is located southwest of Dublin, not far from the coast.
The purpose behind the trip to Ireland was to attend a TBEX event in Killarney. So after a few days in Dublin, it was off to Killarney to attend the meeting. Killarney is located in the south western quadrant of the island and is a perfect jumping off point for further exploration.
TBEX is a travel bloggers exchange. They hold periodic meetings in various locales across the world. This year, in Ireland, Failte Ireland who was one of the hosts of the meeting, realized over 3 billion impressions from the convergence of over 600 bloggers into the Killarney area. Wow! Social media truly rocks!
The train between Killarney and Dublin, Ireland.
Dublin to Killarney: Train Travel
To get to from Dublin to Killarney, we took the train. There are two train stations in Dublin. Make note of this and be sure you’re heading to the right one! We left from the Heuston station, and changed in Mallow for the final hour into Killarney. The ticket times were tight on the transfer–just minutes. But not to worry. It’s just a few steps across the platform and the train is waiting for the on boarding passengers. Once you’re out of Dublin, the train stations are small, so don’t be afraid to navigate this system, even with tight connection times, from point to point.
The Irish rail system offers reserved seats that can be purchased on line or at the train station kiosk before boarding. Be sure to opt for the reservations. You’ll be greeted by an electronic sign with your name, over your seat. Failing to do this means that you may be wondering from car to car looking for a seat.
You can also book your tickets on-line directly through IrishRail or by using RailEurope. RailEurope is an American oriented interface that standardizes the various rail systems for easy booking. It’s a few dollars more, but more than worth it in terms of the time and effort saved in deciphering various railway systems and options.
I love train travel. You can kick back; watch the scenery go by; read; chat with fellow passengers–whatever suits you. Here are some pictures from the train:
Gathering speed as we leave the station en route from Dublin to Killarney.
The Irish countryside really is this pretty. Wait ’til we get to the coast!
Cars lined up on the “wrong side” of the road as the train goes on its route.
Killarney
Killarney is something of a tourist destination. It’s a beautiful small town, populated by pubs and shops full of Irish sweaters and, of course, Irish whiskey. Our short Irish whiskey foray in Dublin, turned into an introduction to the owner of The Celtic Irish Whiskey Bar and Larder in Killarney. And into an evening of sampling a greatly under appreciated resource of this island.
An Irish whiskey tasting in Killarney was a fascinating experience.
A wee bit of food with the whiskey! This plate of local cheeses totally rocked!
I think the thing that stunned me the most was the range of whiskeys. The care in crafting a wide range of flavors ranging from light and even fruity (Writer’s Tears, my personal favorite) to a peaty blend, such as Connemara was evident. Whiskies can be aged in a variety of different types of barrels, including barrels from port and sherry. Each imparts a unique flavor profile to the amber liquid.
As an aside, the Celtic Irish Whiskey Bar also had excellent food. We ordered a cheese plate, crab cakes and some sublime sautéed mushrooms on buttered, toasted Irish bread. Definitely something to toast! (Oh no, is that another bad pun/play on words?)
The days in Killarney focused on TBEX: Networking, learning, establishing new relationships. Part of my TBEX experience was a foodie foray to the Beara Peninsula, south of Killarney, which I’ll cover in a separate post.
The Wild Atlantic Way winds its way along the scenic Atlantic coast of Ireland. Source: WildAtlanticWay.com
Killarney offers a great central base for exploring the area and driving the Wild Atlantic Way. There are six regions to explore. From the northern end of the island westward to the southern tip, they are:
-Northern Headlands
-The Surf Coast
-The Bay Coast
-The Cliff Coast
-The Southern Peninsulas, and
-The Haven Coast.
For the southern portion, consider Killarney as a wonderfully civilized base camp.
In Killarney we stayed at the Brehon Hotel. It was excellent. The staff was helpful; the breakfasts, once again, were great. Eggs were cooked to order if you requested it and the breakfast buffet had everything one could wish for, and then some. The Brehon is located slightly out of town which was convenient for the TBEX meeting, but did involve a short cab ride to get into Killarney proper.
All the food at the Brehon bar was excellent. I had a flatbread with tomato and cheese, topped with herbs and a balsamic drizzle; wonderful tomato-lentil soup; and a crab plate that was simultaneously sweet, lively and succulent. Here is a look at the Brehon:
The Brehon Entrance (Photo credit: Ann Cavitt Fisher)
The Brehon Lobby (Photo credit: Ann Cavitt Fisher)
Crab at the Brehon Bar (Photo credit: Yours Truly. All photos are my own unless otherwise noted)
Evening, the town takes on a welcoming glow:
Killarney, Ireland as night falls.
A barrista making a perfect cup of coffee, or perhaps tea!
The Main Street of Killarney is lined with banners welcoming the blogger of TBEX. I guess 600+ people were kind of a big deal!
TBEX Ireland 2017
Our hosts, including Failte Ireland (Gaelic for “Welcome Ireland”), made sure our visit was perfect. For a welcoming event, we congregated at the raceway, where local food vendors were positioned in the stalls to provide a sampling of Irish tastes. The racetrack itself was beautiful, with cloud shrouded mountains forming the backdrop. We were treated to a parade of up and coming race horses and a bit of equine education. Another evening we met at a series of local pubs. The entire TBEX experience in Ireland was so terrific that a group of us are planning an extended trip in the Fall of 2018. Here are a few of the scenes from this year’s foray to Killarney.
The Killarney Racetrack at sundown as the TBEX festivities started.
The horses at Killarney Racetrack
Equine instruction at the racetrack from a real pro!
Cathedral in Killarney.
Pubs and restaurants abound in Killarney.
Irish music greeted us as we arrived in Killarney for our closing night on the town.
Let me close this post with my incredible enthusiasm for this island nation. I am looking forward to returning for a month in the Fall of 2018. Stay tuned for…
Up next: The food experience and revolution in Ireland, including a remarkable meeting with the people that are leading the Irish food movement in the Beara Peninsula.
If you’re interested in learning more about photography (or cooking or film or any number of topics) check out Masterclass for on-line excellence:
[et_bloom_inline optin_id=”optin_10″]
What is #CancerRoadTrip and how did it come to be? Read this post to get the backstory!
Perhaps it is necessary to shed any English vestiges to properly embark on an Irish tour. Perhaps it is metaphoric; time to leave behind remnants of my past. Goodness knows my Burberry has travelled with me through many times.
It’s perfect for that in between travel, with its button-in liner. It’s incredibly practical and classic. I’ve worn it for years, to many places and events. I remember going to a private equity meeting at the Union League in Philadelphia (an institution that wouldn’t allow women through the doors when I was in school) and having a young woman coo over my semi-antique piece of apparel.
“It’s sooo classic,” she said, taking my coat.
It is. Or rather, it was.
At any rate, it is gone.
“What you leave behind says as much about you as what you bring along.” –Jacquelyn Middleton
A part of me is relieved in an odd sort of way. It’s a coat that makes a statement. Is it the statement I want to make these days? I search for the zen in the experience and move on. I want to enjoy Ireland not fret over a piece of cloth.
Except for a brief stopover in Shannon years ago, this is my first visit to Ireland. The purpose of the trip is part work, part play. But then writing a blog so elegantly combines both! The schedule is three days in Dublin, followed by four in Killarney, then back to Dublin for the flight back to the States.
Ireland appears as a green island in the Atlantic, off the wing of the plane.
Landing over the green hills of Ireland into Dublin Airport, one is greeted by cow pastures alongside the runway. Green runway lights are scattered like gems across the tarmac. Ireland immediately has a good feel.
And that just continues. The people are friendly; architecture and history permeate every address; and the pubs are placed at every corner and then some. It is said that someone once managed to lay a route across Dublin that managed to not pass a single pub. But the route took hours to complete. And why would one even bother?
Dublin Ireland, overlooking the Liffey River
Dublin is a city of just half a million people, with another 1.5 million in the greater area. It’s history is steeped in centuries of conquest and strife. From the invading Vikings, Scots and Brits; the famine An Gorta Mór which struck the country during 1845–49 causing a historic and deadly potato blight; to the massive property collapse of 2008; the Irish seem to have transcended so much difficulty.
Literary history is deeply entrenched in Irish life. Signs throughout town boast wonderful Oscar Wilde sayings, such as
Irish Adventures
and the list goes on…
His keen Irish wit continues to amuse more than a century after his death. Wilde and other literary figures and references abound in pubs, in museums and in libraries. In Trinity College Library, busts of famous writers line the book stalls. Literature and history intermingle throughout Dublin culture.
Bust of famous writers are displayed on both sides of this amazing library, in homage to the history of literature.
This mural from a pub in Dublin offers quotes from some Ireland’s favorite writers.
Night life in Dublin.
Dublin is a young town, with a dynamic night life, which I experienced vicariously from my bed my last evening in town, as the nightclub near Harrington Hall rang on into the early morning hours. But that night was also a night of celebration. Dublin’s 2-0 win over Moldova set up the Gaelic football team to compete in Cardiff, Wales where a win would mean qualifying for the World Cup.
Irish football, as explained by one enthusiastic cabby, focuses on drinking with friends, then sitting side by side in the stadium, regardless of which teams they might root for. It’s also a brutal game, played on a field that dwarfs the American football field. I don’t normally go off on sport tangents, but this cabby has me convinced to attend a Gaelic football event my next visit to Ireland. Hogan Stand at Croke park is the site for these events (which are all volunteer teams!).
Like many places in Dublin, politics and history intersect with everyday life. Hogan Stand at Croke Park where the Gaelic games are held was also the site of Bloody Sunday in 1920 during the Anglo-Irish war where the British opened fire on the crowds killing 14 and injuring 65. Among the dead was Tipperary footballer Michael Hogan for whom the arena is named. The past, the present, architecture, sports…it’s all intertwined in this Irish capital city.
Botanical drawing of the potato plant, Atlas des plantes de France. 1891.
While history is evident at every turn in Dublin, there is something that eludes me. I can’t seem to figure out is the potato thing.
Potatoes are served with nearly every dish. Like every else, I know about the Irish potato blight and the subsequent waves of outbound immigration. But if potatoes were nearly wiped out, why in the world are they still central to nearly every dish I order?
The short answer is that the potato is deeply embedded in modern, and particularly, Irish culinary habits. And a wee bit of research reveals that the lowly potato has a noble and fascinating history.
Potatoes were imported to Europe after their discovery in South America by the Spanish in 1532. At first, they were scorned as food fit only for animals. Tastless, colorless and not meat. But the potato was an easy to grow, nutrient rich crop, not subject to the vagaries of the wheat harvest, which had traditionally provided the nutritional mainstay for the population. Suddenly, with the potato, there was enough food.
Antoine-Augustin Parmentier, might be regarded as the potato’s Johnny Appleseed. His promotion of potatoes on a grand scale transformed the European food supply and subsequently impacted population growth:
“The effects of this transformation were so striking that any general history of Europe without an entry in its index for S. tuberosum should be ignored. Hunger was a familiar presence in 17th- and 18th-century Europe. Cities were provisioned reasonably well in most years, their granaries carefully monitored, but country people teetered on a precipice. France, the historian Fernand Braudel once calculated, had 40 nationwide famines between 1500 and 1800, more than one per decade. This appalling figure is an underestimate, he wrote, “because it omits the hundreds and hundreds of local famines.” France was not exceptional; England had 17 national and big regional famines between 1523 and 1623. The continent simply could not reliably feed itself.
Both in Europe and in the states, aristocracy (Jefferson in the case of the U.S.) promoted the adoption of the potato. Marie Antoinette was said to wear the flowers in her hair. King Louis XVI put the flower in his buttonhole.
So it was that, with a bit of celebrity marketing, the potato became a staple in western European and American cultures and cuisines.
***
Dublin is a very walkable city. I did get a hop on, hop off bus ticket that allowed me to explore the overall area at will. But once you have a feel for the layout of the town it’s an easy walk to most places.
Driving is a bit more of a challenge, given the seemingly arbitrary plethora of one way streets, not to mention driving on the left hand side of the road. I will leave that challenge for my next trip.
Ireland is famous for its rain, but precipitation was thankfully absent for most of the trip. I think back to the “frog strangling” rains of San Antonio, and I was curious about the Irish anachronisms for the wet stuff. I’ve heard of “kissing rain”. But the Irish have a plethora of other nicknames for the usually omnipresent showers, in both English and Gaelic. Dry rains are but a bare mist. A spitting rain can leave you soaked to the bone ; a rotten rain is the weather equivalent of a sulking teenager, according to The Daily Edge. Suffice it to say, a bucketing rain is not something you want to be caught in. Particularly without a raincoat!
But with little rain in the forecast (fingers crossed!), I set out to some good old fashioned site seeing. Here’s an abbreviated pass at some of my adventures, with more to follow in future posts.
Here are some of the places I managed to squeeze in in just under three days:
1. The Guinness Storehouse
You can learn the “perfect pour” on a tour at the Guinness Storehouse.
The basic tour is self guided, and has quite a bit of Guinness oriented information. But if you want to do any of the special tastings tours or the pouring class, be sure to book ahead of time. This is a very popular tourist destination, and planning ahead will save you both time and money.
The tour winds its way up several stories in the renovated industrial storehouse. Along the way it reveals the special attention to the ingredients that make up this cult brew. One area is devoted entirely to Guinness marketing schemes over the year, and among other things features a singing oyster and a fish riding a bicycle. That aside, it’s still worth a visit. The lounge on the top floor has a fabulous 360 degree view of the city and environs. And of course, for a perfectly poured pint of original Guinness.
For more information on purchasing tickets, click here.
2. Trinity College Library and The Book of Kells
Trinity College Dublin was created by royal charter in 1592. It’s official name is College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth. But much more importantly, it is the location of the Trinity College Library and The Book of Kells, which is widely regarded as Irelands premier national treasure. It is “an illuminated manuscript Gospel book in Latin, containing the four Gospels of the New Testament together with various prefatory texts and tables” (Wikipedia).
Beauty and symbolism from the Book of Kales. Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
This is a must do. Click here for ticket information and be sure to buy your tickets on line to guarantee you an admission time slot. Tickets are limited and visitors are admitted in half hour increments.
After the Book of Kells exhibit (no photographs are permitted) visitors can climb the stairs to the Trinity College Library. The library is a two storied archive of books and sculpture:
Entering the Trinity College Library is breathtaking. The two story high stacks contain the knowledge of centuries.
The barrel roof of the library seems to go on forever, over double storied tiers of books.
The Trinity College grounds also make for a beautiful and interesting walk while waiting to visit the Library and the Book of Kells:
A view of the central square at Trinity College, Dublin.
Another interior view of the square at Trinity College.
Buildings surrounding the grassy green at Trinity.
The buildings of Trinity College.
The central quad at Trinity College.
A view along the green at Trinity College
While visiting the Guinness Storehouse is infinitely popular, if I had just one place I could visit in Dublin, The Trinity College Library and The Book of Kells would be it. And should you be looking for something Irish to take home, there is an Irish gift shop just across from the college entrance.
3. St. Patrick’s Cathedral
St. Patrick’s is the National Cathedral of the Church of Ireland. Its early construction including its 43-metre (141 ft) spire, dates back to 1220-1259. With a history this long, the building has been central to many Irish events and personalities. Jonathan Swift, author of Gulliver’s Travels was Dean of the cathedral from 1713 to 1745. He is buried on the property.
In keeping with the literary meme that is so prevalent in Dublin, here are a few Jonathan Swift quotes as well:
“May you live every day of your life.”
“Vision is the art of seeing things invisible.
“It is useless to attempt to reason a man out of a thing he was never reasoned into.”
“When a great genius appears in the world you may know him by this sign; that the dunces are all in confederacy against him.”
“No wise man ever wished to be younger. ”
( And of course one of my favorite quotes: “He was a bold man that first ate an oyster.” More on Irish oysters in a future post!)
St. Patrick’s property includes a sweeping expanse of lawn that frames the magnificent church. My pictures don’t begin to capture the building and grounds, but to give you an idea:
Formerly known as The Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, Christ Church Cathedral in Dublin predates St. Patricks. It was founded sometime after 1028 and was built on the high ground overlooking the Viking settlement at Wood Quay . It went through extensive renovations between 1871 to 1878, spearheaded by George Edmund Street, a leading English architect, born in Essex and known for his Victorian Gothic Revival architecture. Because of this renovation, there are questions about the authenticity of parts of the cathedral. But from a tourist’s eyes, this is a magnificent building.
Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin Ireland
The walkway over the road at Christ Church.
5. James Joyce Walking Tour
Although James Joyce was a pivotal writer in literary history, many find him hard to read. But this tour makes one consider picking up his books. Personally, for me, I enjoyed the anecdotes of our tour guide, but I’ll leave the re-reading of Joyce to others!
Belvedere College provided a home for Irish writer James Joyce
6. St. Stephen’s Green
This stunning park is a central place to meet, walk and enjoy a bit of greenery in downtown Dublin. At its beginning, it was no more than a marsh at the edge of the city. But in 1664, the Dublin Corporation walled off the park, laying the groundwork for a fashionable neighborhood by the end of the eighteenth century. Most of the houses along Grafton Street and the other avenues surrounding the green are replica Georgian buildings. But that doesn’t take away from the charm of this oasis in the city. A must visit!
Swans swimming in the lake at St. Stephen’s Green
One of many paths that one can walk through this magnificent park in Dublin.
7. Irish Whiskey Tasting
When in Ireland…do stop and learn a bit about Irish Whiskey. It’s become a very sophisticated craft industry, with whiskey skillfully aged in casks from other beverages such as sherry and port, imbuing the alcohol with subtle and elegant tones. More on this as the Irish Whiskey story unfolds…
Irish Whiskey drives complexity from agin in various woods. This store provides an insight into the industry and art.
8. Dublin Castle
Dublin Castle was founded around 1204 by King John of England, sometime after the Norman invasion of 1169. It was build primarily for defense, and typical of the day, sported a courtyard design, surrounded by defensive walls.
Through its long history, the castle evolved and then sustained extensive fire damage in 1684. The rebuilding effort explains the Georgian palace surrounding the remaining great Record Tower (built in 1228-1230) which is the only surviving tower of the original fort. I note this because when you first walk into the courtyard, your first question is “Where is the castle?” Georgian buildings flank a cobblestone courtyard and there is no “castle” in sight! Keep walking! It’s there!
Where’s the castle? The Georgian buildings simply don’t fit with the word “castle”.
Building outside Dublin Castle. But it’s not a castle!
Finally, through the arches, lies the turret from Dublin Castle, overlooking a cobblestone courtyard, flanked by Georgian buildings.
9. Winding Stair Booksellers and Restaurant
The Winding Stair is an iconic bookshop and upstairs, a restaurant.
This bookstore is one of the oldest surviving independent bookshops in Dublin. From their website:
“The Winding Stair Bookshop & Café became a famous Dublin landmark in the 1970s and 1980s. Named after the Yeats poem, and in honour of its winding staircase, it is perfectly located, overlooking the river Liffey, with an iconic view of the Ha’penny bridge. As a popular meeting place for writers, musicians and artists, it was a well known hub for debate and creativity with many poems written, novels penned and movies shot within its walls.
Seafood from The Winding Stair
When its closure was announced in 2005, there were mutterings about the end of an era, but in 2006, Elaine Murphy brought this much-loved spot back to life as a restaurant, championing seasonal, Irish produce. The bookshop, located on the ground floor, was retained, as were many of the old bookshelves, photos and memories. The room retains its timeless charm with stripped wood tables and floors, and Bentwood café chairs. The old girders give a nod to its past as a tweed loom and the view remains as quintessentially Dublin as ever.”
The upstairs restaurant features local Irish food, like crab, mussels, cockles and lamb shanks. To name just a few of the many intriguing possibilities. Stay tuned for more on this Irish culinary resource!
The Conrad which is located near St. Stephen’s Green is an absolute find. It was reasonable, especially when split between two people. It had a KILLER breakfast included as part of the room price. And the restaurant was excellent.
Breakfast was included in the room price and included several buffets with eggs, roasted tomatoes, smoked fish, meat, cheese, pastries, fruit and much more. Eggs can also be special ordered, and there are other options on the menu as well. One of my favorite aspects of breakfast was incredible coffee (I usually drink tea, but this French press dark roasted coffee was superb); and the block of real honeycomb, laden with fresh honey. Add a scone (it’s not on my anticancer diet, but…YUM) and start the day with a smile.
I stayed here for the first several days in Dublin. The staff was stellar. They went out of their way to be accommodating and friendly, but never intrusive. While hotel rates may vary according to demand, put this on your list of places to consider. I’m pretty hard to impress, but this was an excellent hotel, at a good price. My stay was a flawless experience.
The other hotel where we stayed after returning from Killarney (one night) for our flight back home was the Harrington Hall. I would not recommend this. It’s charming in a dowdy sort of way, but it’s located across from several nightclubs whose celebrations go on well into the night. Not the ideal situation if you have to get up early for a flight the next day.
Everything is fairly close and if you need to take a break, a pot of tea and/or a pub is never far away.
Schedule Your Day Your Way
Most attractions offer tickets on line. Take advantage of this and schedule your day, your way. Given the high demand for some sights, checking out availability ahead of time is wise. The Guinness Storehouse tours all need to be pre-booked. (The self guided tour is readily available, at just about any time. Booking on line may save you a few Euro).
Foodie Forays
The overall food in Dublin was very good, but lacking creativity and a bit on the heavy side for my tastes. Pub food was generally hearty and good. Lots of potatoes! Some of which were very well prepared. And Guinness As Usual (vs. Business As Usual) seems to be the rule of the town.
I ordered mostly fish to keep my choices as healthy as possible. The various meats and stews look wonderful, but that simply isn’t on my anticancer diet. I wish I had had more time to explore the restaurant scene. (Next trip!)
I did eat at Dylan McGraths’s Taste At Rustic located at 17 South Great George’s St, Dublin D2. Given his celebrity status as a chef in Ireland, I was curious. The website is gorgeous and the food sounds innovative. Sadly, I wasn’t very impressed. Except for the beet broth which was excellent, the other dishes missed their mark. My olives and hummus were unimaginative and under seasoned. My quail was under seasoned and over cooked.
The Burberry:
Alas, it is gone. Somewhere, someone has a very nice Burberry on their back and in their closet.
Strangely I am not very upset. In its stead I bought a simple rain jacket for 40 euro. It’s a nice textured grey with a hood, and I am very happy with it.
Learning to let go of things has become an integral part of my life experience as of late. The Burberry may just be caught up in this trend. It doesn’t need to be replaced.
“Mostly it is loss which teaches us about the worth of things.” –Arthur Schopenhauer, Parerga and Paralipomena
Think about that one for a bit.
Coming up:
Planes, trains and automobiles help me navigate across Ireland (no sailplanes, at least not this trip!).
Horse racing, local food and fun in Killarney
A culinary exploration of the Beara Peninsula looks into the food and people that have been part of the Irish slow food organic food movement.
For More Potato Reading, should you be interested:
Inspiration, joy & discovery through travel. Oh, did I mention with supposedly incurable cancer?
What's on your bucket list?
Thank you for stopping by!
CancerRoadTrip is about making lemonade out of lemons.
As you read my story, you may want to start at the beginning to "grok" how CancerRoadTrip came to be. You can click here to start at the end (which is actually the beginning) and read forward! The posts are chronological, with the most recent posts appearing on the front page.
