British Isles Cruise July 2013 - Greenock Scotland

Our next stop was Greenock on the River Clyde in Scotland.

We have been there a few times before, so this time decided to take a short trip to Port Glasgow (not the same place as Glasgow) and see Newark Castle.

Built by George Maxwell in the 15th century, this still virtually intact castle was enlarged by his descendent Patrick Maxwell in the 16th century.
Patrick was infamous for murdering two of his neighbours and beating his wife of 44 years who bore him 16 children.
The oldest part of the castle is a tower built soon after 1478, with a gatehouse. The connecting range was added in 1597-1599 Patrick Maxwell.

River Clyde from the castle grounds.

Send off from the pier.

Sailing away.

Passing the long promenade which we have walked along several times.

Leaving Clydebank and heading for the next port of Belfast Northern Ireland.

British Isles Cruise July 2013 - Cork

Our next port was Cobh (pronounced Cove) and we caught the train from there into Cork. We had intended getting a bus from Cork bus station to Blarney, but when we got off the train we saw an open top bus in the station car park. It was doing a tour of some of the sites of Cork and then going on to Blarney where we could go back in 15 minutes or get the next open top bus back about 2 1/2 hours later, which we did.

St Fin Barre's Cathedral.

Statue of the Golden Angel on the Cathedral.
According to legend, the ringing of the angelic trumpets will sound to alert the people of Cork of the imminent end of the world and allow citizens to be among the first to enter heaven.

First view of Blarney Castle from the bus.

The bus took us right to the castle car park where we walked past the shops, pub and cafe and through a wooded area.

When we got to the castle we saw there was a long queue to kiss the Blarney Stone so we carried on to walk around the grounds.

The Fern Garden.

The Bog Garden.

Bog Garden.

The Horse Graveyard where the family's horses were buried.

I don't know what these flowers are but they grow abundantly along the paths within the castle grounds.
After our walk we went back to the pub by the car park and had a late lunch and Guinness whilst we waited for the bus to arrive.

When we got back on the ship we heard Irish music and looked out over the balcony and saw people in period costume from the time the Titanic sailed.

Statue of Annie Moore and her brothers.Annie was the first person admitted into the United States through the new immigration building at Ellis Island in New York City, January 1, 1892.

St Colman Cathedral from the ship as we left Cobh.

Goodbye to Ireland as we head towards Scotland.