After three nights in Skibbereen, it was time to move on. From County Cork to County Kerry we spent most of the day on the bus. We stopped along the way and enjoyed a lovely lunch (seafood chowder here is delish) and interesting conversations about Ireland with our guide, Professor Billy “Mags”. The previous evening we saw a different side of Billy as he sat in with Bacon and Cabbage, our musical entertainment of the evening. His fingers were flying over the strings of the Irish bouzouki. Our driver, Paddy, also joined in. It turns out he is an excellent bodhrán player. The night also included Irish dancing (lessons included). Even The husbands participated – lots of laughter and fun.
Also along the way we stopped at Molly Gallivans, an old Irish farm that has been preserved as an example of Irish heritage. The owner and guide, Stephen, has quite the Irish sense of humor but gave us a thorough flavor of what life on the farm would have been like in the 1800s. We also learned about the making of Poitín, otherwise known as Irish moonshine, and had a sample.
We are now at our hotel in Dingle Town for the next three nights. We had a brief concert by James and Kort then set off for a pub in town where Billy’s wife was playing. She has a great voice and is amazing on the pipe and flute.
Our hotel in Dingle is right on the bay, so our views are spectacular. We now set off for an exploration of County Kerry.