Today, October 7, 2021, we hired a driver for the day so we can go to several spots around the Ring of Kerry with spectacular views of the Irish Atlantic coast without constantly worrying about remembering to drive on the left.
Yesterday, Wednesday, Barbara drove us to Kenmare, a small town in the south of County Kerry, at the head of Kenmare Bay, near the Ring of Berea and at the center of a large agricultural area. It’s name means “the little nest” and every Wednesday there is a farmer’s market that is year round, so it always reminds me of the Old Town Market. Alexandria’s has been going on for 260+ years and is the oldest in the country that has continued in the same site.
On my first visit here, I met a local potter, William Adamson, who makes adorable Irish cottages. I ordered a lot of them for Imagine and we still have a small selection of his Christmas ornaments in the shop. His Irish Cottages pottery can be seen and purchased on Etsy.
Garrett, our driver, is a garrulous sort and regales us with stories of driving Harrison Ford and being kissed by Carrie Fisher. That would be when the “Star Wars” series came to southwest Ireland to film critical scenes on the Skellig Michael.
Skellig Michael is a remote island eight miles off the Irish coast. It was settled by monks in the 6th century A.D. To survive in the terrain, these monks built thousands of steps all over the steep hillsides and built their beehive like homes and a church at the top.
Visitors can arrive by boat today and climb some of the steps to the top at some risk to life and limb. We have done that two times on our earlier visits.
Having a fear of heights, Garrett has not climbed Skellig Michael. But that did not stop him from accepting a ride to the island in a helicopter with Mr. Ford.
At the Cathergall Sone Fort and at the Valencia Island Slate quarry with a view of the Kerry Way, I am wearing my Etage Magic Print raingear over my Margaret Winters sweater.
