Ireland Road Trip Part 9 Rosslare

It was our last full day in Ireland and as we had an early ferry the next morning we had decided to book a hotel beside the port.
We set off late morning stopping at various places along the way.
When we were only a few miles from Rosslare and the port I saw a sign to "Our Lady's Island" so we decided to take a detour and have a look.
This is a description of it from the internet.
"Situated near Rosslare, County Wexford, Our Lady’s Island has a fascinating history. In the area, remains of a pre-Christian settlement have been discovered over the years, including clay mounds containing human bones and burnt ashes.

In the 6th century, St Abban is believed to have chosen Our Lady’s Island as the location for his monastery, and sometime in the following century, it became a place of pilgrimage.

Subsequently, Our Lady's Island housed an Augustinian settlement, and its church still stands today. Visitors can also view Our Lady’s Well, and the remains of St Vaughn’s Church and a leaning tower that dates from the Norman era."

The island is connected to the mainland by a wide man made causeway.
There was a huge number of swans living on the lake.
Well that is the end of our road trip around the west coast and Ring of Kerry and the cross country to the east coast. Despite one hurricane and two storms we had a wonderful time.
The final instalment will be on Halloween when I tell of our strange experience.

Ireland Road Trip Part 8 Dungarvan Second Day continued.

We had been told we couldn't miss the old mine workings as they were right beside the road.

They are the Tankardstown copper mine workings at Knockmahon.

We couldn't go in but could walk all around the area. There were seats there too so we could sit and enjoy the view.

Moving on again and yet another beach to stop at for photos.

The sea mist was starting to roll in, but it had stayed dry all day!

Time to go back to the B&B for a shower and get ready to go out for our evening meal.

Ireland Road Trip Part 8 Dungarvan Second Day.

We arrived in Dungarvan with apprehension.
We always book bed and breakfasts in the countryside for the peace and quiet, but two days before we had an email from the place we should have been staying telling us that they were still without power from the hurricane. As their water came from a bore hole it meant that couldn't be pumped up either and they had to get water from standpipes.

She said we were still welcome to come if we wanted to or couldn't find somewhere else. Obviously it would have been very difficult for her and us too. She told us the power was back in the town and I managed to find somewhere online.

It was in a built up area with a shop next door so we were expecting noise.
We needn't have worried though and it was quiet. The owner was very nice too and even offered to do laundry for us which I declined as we were going home in two days time.

Next morning after a very big breakfast we set off for the day.

The first place we stopped at was Clonea Strand and had a walk along the beach.
If you click on the photo you should be able to see two people in the distance walking towards us. We ended up chatting to them for about an hour.

All the seaweed is what was washed up during the storms.

Hurricane Ophelia had ripped it from the seabed still attached to the rocks it was growing on.

We went looking in rock pools to see what else had been washed up but saw no fish or crabs. They must have been washed out again.

We had been given suggestions of places to visit in the area so now we were going on to find an old copper mine workings.

Ireland Road Trip Part 8 Killarney and Muckross House.

Next morning we headed off towards our last bed and breakfast in Dungarvan.
We had decided to go via Killarney and see Muckross House on the way.

There were lots of horse drawn carriages called jaunting cars which would take you for a trip around the grounds or into Killarney.

Jaunting cars in Killarney waiting for customers.

Then it was time for a coffee and continue on to Dungarvan.

Ireland Road Trip Part 7 Kenmare Second Day.

After we had left Cahersiveen and headed for Kenmare, before we got to Mollie Gallivan's cottage we had a very strange experience. It was so strange that I am saving it for Halloween!
We reached Kenmare safely and were welcomed in to dry off.
The next morning the weather had improved again so we went off for the day exploring the countryside.
As you will see from the photos below, Ireland really is a land of mist mountains and lakes.
All photos, no words.

Then it was back to our bed and breakfast for the second night before travelling on the next day.

Ireland Road Trip Part 7 Kenmare 1st Day

Next day we awoke to torrential rain and howling winds.
The B&B owner said there was no need to rush off as there was no-one coming to have our room that night, so we spent a leisurely morning hoping the rain would ease. It was only about 60 miles to our next B&B so we left about midday.
On the way we saw a sign saying Molly Gallivan's cottage "open".
We thought if anyone was brave enough to open in that weather we would take a look.

"Molly Gallivan’s 200 year old Cottage & Traditional farm is a family run Visitor Centre. At Molly Gallivan’s you will experience the simple country lifestyle in rural Ireland before the days of electricity & modern conveniences. Her farm is complete with animals, fowl & traditional farm machinery. On the farm you will also visit the ghostly ruins of a family dwelling from the era of the Great Famine and a Neolithic Stone Row that forms part of an ancient sun calendar."

The lines visible in this photo is the rain!

The Druid and the sun calendar carved from a pine tree. (With rain spots on the camera)

Sheen Valley.
Then it was onto Kenmare to dry off!