Pub Culture

I was quickly plunged straight back into the heart of Irish culture last night as Bill and I went down to the Magpie Inn, a pub in Dalkey, for our customary pre-dinner pint of stout. No sooner had we arrived than Bill ran into some of his acquaintances, who we sat down with to share a drink. My appreciation for Irish socializing and pub culture was all brought back as we sat there and I listened to them talk, and there was some great and entertaining conversation all the way around.

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First, one of Bill's friends, Davy, turns to me and says, "Johnny, is it? Where at in the States are you about?" So I tell him I am from Ohio, and go to school in Pennsylvania. He shakes his head, and asks if its hot there this time of year. I told him that the Irish weather felt good, since it was 95 degrees in Gettysburg the few days before I left. "95!" he says, "That's no proper stout drinking weather! Sure, it must be hard getting a pint down in that kind of weather," and I laugh and tell him I guess it would be pretty hard to drink stout in that heat. He just shakes his head and says "Lord love ya, living in such an inhospitable climate where its too hot to drink stout."

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Later on, as the socializing continued, Bill told a story about Ronnie Drew-- a famous Irish musician and singer, and one of The Dubliners. Now Ronnie Drew who was "fairly too fond of the drink" back in the day, was known around Dublin as having  this problem. He would be seen at pubs throughout the day, starting in the early morning and progressing through the day, most days. Eventually, however, as he got more famous with his music career, he gained control of himself as a public figure, and overcame his habit. He was, for all intents and purposes, "officially off the drink." 

One day, a young man came into a pub for lunch around 11:30, to find Ronnie Drew, sitting at the bar and drinking a double whiskey at that early hour of the day. The young man sits down at the other end of the bar, eyeing him to make sure that it really is Ronnie Drew, and that he really is drinking hard liquor. Eventually, Ronnie Drew looks up from his drink, and the young man gets up the nerve to say "Now Mr. Drew, I thought I had heard you were off the drink?" Without missing a beat, Ronnie Drew looks down at his whiskey, looks up at the young man, and says, "Ach, sure I am, but I find that a double whiskey every now and again helps me to mind my own business. Can I be buying you one sir?" 

At this, there was an uproar of laughter and banging at our table in the pub, as our companions got a kick out of Bill's story-- a story that he got on good authority, according to him. Things went on in a similar fashion for two-pints worth, with Bill and his buddies exchanging humorous stories until Freda called us and told us that dinner was ready. We told Davey and Sean goodbye, and headed home to have our dinner. 

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It seems to be a regular cultural habit of the Irish, especially the men, to go down to the pub for a pint or two before dinner. Then, they all go home to dinner with their wives and families, and depending on the night and the individual, may end up going back to the pub after dinner too! Last night, however, after we had our dinner and then our dessert of peach crumble, I was so exhausted from the travel of the day that I turned in pretty early.

This morning, I woke up early to the sounds magpies screeching outside my window. Now, I've spent the last few hours breakfasting and visiting with Freda. Ruiri and Daniel are off this morning to take their final exams for school, and Bill is still sleeping. I had a very happy reunion with rashers, white pudding, and more tea this morning, and soon, as soon as Bill gets up, I'll be headed down to Dun Laoghaire for a swim in the sea. 

Its good to be back in Ireland!

Safely Landed and Back at the O'Deas

So my flight arrived without problems this morning in an overcast and pleasantly cool Dublin. The 65 degree weather here is a great relief from the 95 degree heat I fled from in Gettysburg and it feels good to be back. After taking the DART down to Dalkey, I met Bill O'Dea at the fish monger in town, where we bought some gurnards for lunch and stopped off for a quick pint of Beamish at the Magpie. After coming back to the O'Dea house and getting myself all moved in, we had a nice lunch of fish and potatoes, Ruiri, Bill and I. I was re-introduced to Musha the dog, who is as friendly as ever, and I am re-settling myself in this afternoon. I am well under way to getting re-acclimated to Ireland, as I'm on my third cup of tea for the afternoon already and catching up with Big Bill. He's filling me in on all his latest endeavors, including the Mayfly fishing on Lough Corrib, his mushroom hunts, and the newest project.... something he refers to as "Operation Hootch" involving some home brew of some sort. Its good to be back in Ireland and with the O'Deas!

Musha the Dog says Hello!

Its Been Awhile

Its been awhile since I've been active on my blog, but as I prepare to return once more to the Emerald Isle, I have decided to catch my internet followers up to speed. I returned from Ireland and my study abroad in early December of last year. Since that time, I have spent a good bit of time at home in Ohio, with my family, as well as a semester back at Gettysburg College where I have continued my studies in International Affairs and History.

Back at Gettysburg

Since my adventures in Ireland, and since school has let out, I have been able to pursue a couple different expeditions, in both Canada and the States. In May, I went north, with my Uncles John and Rick, and Aunt Carol, for our annual work week at the cabin. While I was there, we found time to get a lot of needed maintenance done around the cabin, as well as get some good pike fishing in.

 
My uncles, aunt and I worked hard to put up a new ceiling in the cabin, but we also found time to do some pike fishing off the dock- To the left is a picture of me with a nice 28" Northern



I also was able to take a long weekend and do some backpacking along the Appalachian Trail, in the Pennsylvania section, where my two college friends, Josh and Alex, and myself, hiked and camped out for three days in some beautiful country.

My compatriots and I on our Appalachian Trail hike

Buzzard's Peak- Southern Pennsylvania

Now back to the main-- Irish-- focus of this blog. In the past semester, I have been lucky enough to apply for and receive a Mellon Fund Scholarship for Summer Research, to continue my studies abroad in Ireland, focusing on the legacy that history has on the modern day situation in Northern Ireland. I will be building on the thesis project I worked on while abroad, examining the Williamite Wars of Ireland and their continuing legacy on the conflict between the Ulster Protestants and the Irish Catholics.

During this research I will be in staying in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland through early July, researching in the archives of Belfast and Dublin as well as hopefully interviewing individuals for my work. Don't think that this trip will be all work and no fun, however, as I have allotted plenty of time to continue my explorations of the Island of Eire.

I will once again be staying with the O'Dea family for much of the time, they were gracious enough to invite me back into their home for another bout.

The O'Deas and I at our farewell dinner together last December

I look forward to returning to the island of rainy weather, green fields, sheep, tea, Guinness, rashers and Gaelic hospitality. I look forward to getting in some more exploration of Belfast, Dublin and Derry, as well as some more travelling to new places for me. I hope to get some more swimming in, as well as some summer pike fishing in the lake region.

Stay tuned for more updates, as I embark from the U.S. tomorrow evening and set out for another adventure in Ireland!

A Cool Coincidence

I am currently in Derry, doing research, interviews, and field work for my Independent Study Paper about the Williamite Wars in Ireland, and as it was, my program arranged for me to stay with a family for the week I'm up here. Coincidentally, the Irish family I'm staying with has the surname of Little, and the father's name is Hugh. He has a son named John, and a a grandson named Owen. Ironically enough these are the names of our ancestors, in a different order of succession. Our ancestor Owen Little came to America directly following the Irish Potato Famine. He had a son in America named Hugh Little. Hugh then had a son named Johnny-- Grandma's father. I just think it is so neat to actually be staying with the Littles in Ireland, and I think Grandma will appreciate that too!

Kinsale- "The Gourmet Capital of Ireland"

As promised before Mary's accident, I will cover the rest of my adventures from the Rebel County of Cork. I will resume with my adventure to the town of Kinsale, a seaport in the extreme southern coast of Ireland, rich in history and food. Known as the gourmet capital of Ireland, Kinsale is a harbor town and home to the largest Yacht Club in the British Isles. Along the two entrances to the harbor are the ruins of two fortresses, erected at the time of the Nine Years' War and the crisis of the Spanish Armada. Historically significant in Irish history, Kinsale was the site of the devastating battle in which Hugh O'Neill was defeated while trying to relieve the besieged Spanish forces garrisoned here, and later, during the War of the Two Kings, it is through the port of Kinsale the James the Second both arrived and later fled Ireland following the defeat at the Boyne. Local history holds that the port of Kinsale dates back as a settlement to pre-Roman times, and classical evidence shows there was trade between the pre-Celtic Irish and the Greeks and Carthaginians, possibly centering around the coastal settlement of an ancient Kinsale. The day I was there was gorgeous and mild, a beautiful day for hiking and exploring this colorful town.

Kinsale's culture is based in history, gourmet food, and the sea. It is known as both the capital of Irish sailing and seafood, and while I was there I enjoyed some delicious Irish mussels and crab legs. The day was beautiful and I hiked up around both heads of the harbor.

 Kinsale Harbor is the destination of many continental and American yachters coming to Ireland. It is estimated that at any one time, at least 9% of the current population is actually made up of foreigners living in their sailboats in Kinsale Harbor.




Below is the entrance to Kinsale Harbor from the open Atlantic of the Western English Channel

This tower is said to be the last remnants of the pre-Celtic port of Coin-staile, where Greek, Iberian and Carthaginian merchants would have come to trade for copper, tin, wool and wode.

 James' Fort, built in response to the threat of Spanish invasion during the days of the Armada. The Spanish did maintain a beach-head at Kinsale prior to this fort's construction, during the Nine Years War, when a Spanish expedition of 3,500 men-at-arms landed in support of the Earls of Tyrone and Tyrconnell.

 Charles' Fort, across the harbor entrance from James' Fort is the more impressive of the two harbor fortresses and was built in 1677 on the site of an earlier Spanish fort. It is built in the impregnable star formation of later 18th century forts, and was built in honor of Charles II who had then returned from exile to restore order to the chaos of the Cromwellian regime.

                                            Ruined Church on the Castlepark Penninsula

 The town of Kinsale itself is a charming and fairly small sea village, with lots of colorful little shops, cafes, fish mongers and restaurants.I found a nice cap for Grandpa Nelson at a little tweed and woolen shop in in the village!





As you can see, they're pretty    laid back about specific times here in Ireland!
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Kissing the Blarney Stone!

On Wednesday morning, Jenna and I ventured up to Blarney Castle, just a few kilometers north of Cork, in order to visit the castle, explore the town, and of course, kiss the Blarney Stone like every American tourist. The castle was very cool, built in the 1200s, a lot of it is still intact and authentic- a far cry from modern safety standards though. The Blarney Stone itself is on the very top of the Castle's Keep, located just under the rampart. The rest of the town is charming too, but you had to be careful for the tourist traps and gift shops! Outside of Blarney Castle is an area known as Rock Close, which is a preserved Druidic Grove, dating to the pre-historic Celtic period of Ireland. The rock formations, caves and flora is kept up in the Gaelic fashion, and is very beautiful garden and wood to visit in its own rite.

 Blarney Castle was built by the McCarthy's in the early 1200s, with Cormac McCarthy ruling as High King of Munster through the 14th Century. As you can see from the picture on the right, the stairs of the castle are not necessarily up to code, especially on a wet, slippery day.

View from on top of Blarney Castle, looking out over the countryside of Cork

The Blarney Stone lies underneath the rampart of the castle wall, along the highest tower. To kiss it, you have to lay on your back and lean out over the opening. The stone was given to Cormac McCarthy by Robert the Bruce for his support at the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314. It was a sacred stone of the Scottish royal family, dating back to 847. According to legend, the origin of the stone is rooted in Biblical times, and is said to be Jacob's pillow, on which he slept the night he had his vision of the ladder into heaven. Now I don't know how that stone that Jacob rested on made it all the way to Scotland, and then Blarney Castle, but I kissed it!

The Village of Blarney

The Druidic Grove of Rock Close

 To the left is a stone piling, dating back to pre-historic paganism. The Druids used this grove for religious ceremonies and as a type of outdoor sanctuary for worship. To the right is the "Witches Stone," carved out to look like the pagan goddess of the Crone, the old woman of Autumn.

Druid's Glen; an ancient burial site lies in the small cave underneath the waterfalls

These giant snaking trees are Willow, one of the seven sacred trees of Celtic Pagan tradition. They are the tree of the moon and their groves were revered by the Druid priests.

Moving on to a more modern religion...... this is the Parish church of Blarney village, built in the 1800s.

The climate of Southern Ireland, especially Cork and Kerry, is very mild and blessed with warm sea-breezes year round. Because of this, even palm trees can grow here, making it seem even more like a bit of paradise!

The Republic of Cork!

This past week, I took a few days and traveled to County Cork with one of the other students in my program. She is studying the Irish language, so she was going down there to do research, while I went simply to explore a different region of the emerald isle. It was, by far, my favourite spot I've visited so far: beautiful countryside, the friendliest people, the most interesting sites, and the nicest atmosphere. While I was in Cork, I branched out and visited many of the outlying, colorful areas of Munster, including Blarney, Bantry Bay, Kinsale, Youghal, Skibbereen, Mallow and Cobh. I have so many photos and stories from this trip I can't include them all in one post, so stay tuned the next couple days where I'll put up a post for each of my adventures:  Kissing the Blarney Stone, Exploring Kinsale, The Hi-B, and my trip to the Rock of Cashel and Tipperary!

Cork City Centre

On Tuesday, we got into the city in the afternoon, and spent the first few hours wandering around and exploring Cork City.

Cork and the River Lee

The hostel we stayed in was just along the river across from the City Center. Not a bad location for only 15 euro a night!

Swan on the River Lee

University of Cork

On the west end of town is the beautiful campus of Cork University. We met a couple of the students around town at various pubs during the week.

Dan Lowry's Tavern- one of the old style pubs of Cork. No Guinness served here, only Murphy's Cork Brewed Stout. Its better than Guinness (so I'm told!)

My Bangers and Mash at Dan Lowry's with a pint of Murphy's- the Special

The food in Cork was overall incredible- its known as the Gourmet Capital of Ireland. I enjoyed fresh seafood, traditional Irish dishes, and great restaurants all over the county.

Cork City and the River Lee at high tide.

Even though Cork is one of the largest cities in Ireland, it has the feel of a town the size of Wooster, with everything easily accessible and the people being very friendly and helpful. Everyone knows everyone, and is very welcoming to visitors.

Cork City Hall

Port of Cork

Cork has a vibrant fishing culture, and is one of the best places to go for seafood on the whole island. The fishing fleets go out every morning and come back with catches of cod, prawns, mussels and oysters.

The English Market and Farmgate Cafe

Cork is home to the largest Old English style Market in Ireland, and features the Farmgate Cafe above it. You can actually go down along the butchers and fish and vegetable mongers below, select and buy what you want, and then have it cooked and served to you above in the cafe. Today, Friday, before I left, I ate here and had some Irish Seafood Chowder. I picked out the mussels, crab and cod cheeks at a fish-mongers below and had it cooked in the chowder!