Un-Corked in Kerry

A day of travel … back to Heathrow …. off to Cork.  As we walk through the city to familiarize ourselves, we pass Peg Twoomey’s. The spelling is a little off but it reminds me my people are in and around the Cork area. In Ireland as you tell someone your name, they can tell you which county or town you likely came from. So as I look out my window at the River Lee and the many houses, I wonder if anyone of them lived in one of those?

We enjoyed a wonderful dinner at the Cornstore restaurant. It was very pretty with dark wood paneled walls and green velvet cushions on the banquet.

The tables were mixed, some white and grey marble, some sturdy wood. We dined and talked of our plans in Ireland.  After dinner we walked along the river. The rain was on and off, but the clouds would break, Sun peak through, a light sprinkle. Glisten.  We walked to the Franciscan Well, a microbrewery with a wood oven pizza shop in the beer garden. The had a trad session advertised and we thought we would catch some music before turning in. The pizza trade was lively and the cross beams of the portico had huge hanging gardens of petunias and begonias. The trad group, sat in the corner of the bar and played there lilting tunes. Ah, yes, this is  my people.

Today’s weather had many variations… misty fog, drizzle, downpour, repeat. only in Ireland can you feel it is perfectly beautiful although it is grey and wet. The hillsides are a patchwork of greens as we drove from Cork to Blarney, to Macroom, to Kenmare.  The roads as just wide enough for two cars to pass each other, however the twists and turns, make it more challenging to know what is around the corner… it is a little like life itself!  We chuckle in amazement when the speed limit moves to 100 km on a road that would probably be 30 mi at home. I man the phone gps and the back up map and watch for cars and buses and stray sheep as David shifts between Indy 500 driver, and uber extraordinaire.

We arrive in Kenmare at the Sallyport House and Janie our hostess is waiting. There is nothing like Irish hosptiatlity.When she learns we are leaving early in the morning to get down to Port Magee to take a boat ( seas permitting) to Skellig Michael, she says she’ll pack us a breakfast of ham sandwiches for the road.

Our room looks out over a tidal marsh an the gardens of Sallyport. there is a gate in the garden that leads to a stony path the winds along the marsh, and through the woods to the Park Hotel Kenmare and into town. We take the path and head into town. The houses and shops that line the street are creamy white, peach, teal, orange, mint green, etc. The patchwork of them is charming. as you walk down the street, there is music  coming from some of the pubs/restaurants, shops with lace and wool items, and ice cream shops. The sky lightens as if to promise a clearing in the weather, then clouds over again. After doing some shopping, we head to dinner.

Forget if you have ever heard the food in Ireland is not good.  It is not good, it is amazing! We have had some of the best meals here, however tonight’s may be the winner. The Mews restaurant is a gastric sensation. The chowder was just a perfect balance of creamy and chock full of fish. The salad was a creative mix of pomegranite, freesee and veggies, pecorino cheese. The complexity of the flavors stood out. The pan seared Salmon on a sweet potato with feta and grapefruit- and the chicken with canellini beans and chorizo stew, were as appealing in their presentation as in their taste- out of this world. Desert choices included the carrot cake pudding ( which resembled a sticky pudding with a cararmel sauce you could scrape the plate clean for) and the black forest cheesecake… a steaming hot pot of tea… can’t recall a more wonderful meal.

We pause outside a pub with a performer telling stories and playing a guitar and singing. We are so full we could burst and we are having to get up early in the morning for the ride half way round the Ring of Kerry to catch the boat to Skellig Michael ( seasickness pills are packed to go) so we find the driveway that leads to the pathway to Sallyport. Tomorrow we will see how the monks lived on that forlorn mountain in the sea and maybe we will even find Luke Skywalker….Slainte