Sightseeing with cousin Eugene

Eugene (far right) is my father-in-law's first cousin. He owns a farm in Ballyre [ba LEER], just north of Killeagh [KILL a], which is between Cork [kark] and Waterford. His daughter, Mary, lives at home with him and has been managing the household since his wife passed away three years ago. Two sons live nearby with their families: Eddie, who works on the farm and travels the world in his spare time, and Theresa, wife of his son John, and their three adorable children.

The weather today was first rate - cool and sunny, with partly cloudy skies. Eugene picked us up mid-morning, and we drove through Youhgal [yawl] to Garryvoe on the Atlantic coast. The beach was nothing but water-rounded palm-sized pebbles that clink like ice in a glass when you walk across them. Since the tide was out, I went out and picked out four rocks to show them how Hawaiians accompanied their hulas about Madam Pele, the volcano goddess. We told him how people never believe that taking rocks from Hawaii brings bad luck, and he busted out laughing - he said in Ireland, the rocks themselves are curses, and we were welcome to take away as much as we could carry!

I kicked myself all afternoon, because I had forgotten my digital camera at the hotel, and my cell phone screen is impossible to see in the daylight. I took some photos of the places we went, but missed some priceless views. However, thanks to Laurel, who's camera phone takes better photos than mine (see lovely greenery below,) we have been able to cobble together some good memories of the day.

Most memorable were the panoramic view of several counties from just beyond the "Vee," the Lismore Castle, which is the Irish seat of the Duke of Devonshire and straddles the Blackwater River, the view of the Knockmealdown [knuckledown] Mountains, all blue and hazy in the distance, and the magnificent Mount Melleray [MALory] Abbey and cathedral. We ate lunch at The Latch Restaurant, a tiny and very cozy local favorite, and then we took all the back roads back to our hotel in Cork [kark].

As you can see from my rough transliterations, sure and the Irish place names sound nothing a tall like they look on paper! Marty and I had the very divil of a toime following Eugene's conversation, even afther spending the better part of the day with him. We stopped several times to visit the loo, and decided against a sweet after lunch. Also, Eugene is very comfortable driving at speed on roads that are only 1 1/2 lanes wide, dodging delivery trucks and pedestrians, and parking in any available spot, whether or not he ends up facing the direction of traffic.

Tomorrow, we check out of the Metropole Hotel and take the train to Dublin [DAUB lin].