Canada Day Saturday July 1

Still having internet troubles and downloading pictures..will keep trying..


Day 10 Wednesday July 1st CANADA DAY Killarney 2

Canada Day starts with “happy birthday” cheer from the rest of the crowd on the bus. The day is then spent on the bus touring to Killorglin on Dingle Bay and then a 100 mile drive around the island’s southwestern tip.

We see a lot of demolished castles, farms etc. dating back to the reviled Cromwell. Killorglin is interesting where they annually crown King Puck..a goat. This dates back to Cromwell when each farm had a special colored scarf which they (a story of course..not according to the locals) tied to the goat’s horns and like the homing pigeon it would head to Killorglin when let loose. This would inform the town as to where Cromwell and his army were located and allow the farm and townspeople to flee in another direction.

We noted peat farms and piles of peat, cut in bricks, and used instead of coal for heat.
We see the now dilapidated former home of the hero, Daniel O’Connell and note the number of new homes along the route. We also are shown “cahersiveen” where the leprecahns meet but do not spy any of the little people. Very small farms with lots of sheep and cows. They form coops to sell the milk which is driven every morning in private cars to the dairy centre. The Ring of Kerry follows a scenic but very narrow road and it is a long drive. Rolling, mountainous hills, rock and trees are sparse.

The evening sees many of us back on the bus and off to Tralee where we dine and then off next door to the restaurant to the National Folk Theatre where we see a musical production celebrating the four seasons of a small farming community. Very entertaining with singing and the traditional step dancing. All in Gaelic but easy to follow the script.