Quick post today.  Off and on rain.  Did walks between the raindrops.  Had a great dinner at James G Ashe’s Seafood Restaurant and Bar.  (James Ashe, long dead, was a wealthy man – he owned the Guinness distributorship for all of County Kerry.  The family still does, and Guinness controls distributing rights to Carlsburg Beer and Budweiser as well).  After dinner it was music at O’Flaherty’s (Ui Fhlaithbheartaigh in Irish).

Ashe’s first served beer in 1849.  In 1926 when the bar was passed on to John Kennedy’s eldest daughter, Hannah & her husband James Gregory Ashe, the bar’s name changed to ‘James G. Ashe’, as it remains to this day.  Over the years Ashes has seen many famous faces pass through its doors. Indeed, Gregory Peck, a cousin whose grandmother was an Ashe from Dingle, visited a number of times, and his family continue to drop in when in Ireland. During the filming of David Leans’ “Ryan’s Daughter” in the early 70s’, Ashes became a hot-spot for both cast and crew, many of whom became quite partial to Kates’ Irish stew. More recently the cast and crew of “Far and away”, including Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman, based themselves here.

I met Kate on my first visit back in 2000 and she regaled me with the history of the bar.  She recently passed away after a long illness.  The bar & restaurant is now run by her daughter-in-law, Sinead, who is always behind the bar.

Click on the galleries to bring up a scroll-able window with complete pictures  –  (the gallery previews below show just thumbnails of the pictures)  There’s also a link to a video I made in O’Flahertys’

Dick Mack’s Bootery and Bar

Dinner at James G Ashe’s Restaurant

Music at O’Flaherty’s

 

There was off and on rain on Friday, and we didn’t have any big plans.   Elaine did her traditional morning walk between showers although she did get wet.  We drove into town later to get some wine and stopped at Mr Kennedy’s Butcher Shop to get some sausages for tonight’s home cooked meal – venison sausage for me, pork and herb for Elaine.  Also got some great local Maharees carrots and potatoes from O’Connor’s, the best potatoes in the world.

We took a ride to Brandon Creek (where St Brendan the Navigator began his legendary voyages back in the 500 AD time frame), further out on Slea Head than we drove the other day.  Lunch was at the Ceann Sibeal Hotel in Ballyferriter (traditional mutton pie in broth with, what else, chips and Guinness) Dinner at home last night was great.  After dinner we did a music session at the Dingle Pub and at O’Flaherty’s. Home to bed around midnight.

Click on the gallery to bring up a scroll-able window with complete pictures  –  (the gallery preview below shows just thumbnails of the pictures)

Along Outer Slea Head Drive

At O’Flaherty’s (camera phone so lesser quality)

Rainy most of the day and nothing special to do.  Elaine walked into town in the morning during lulls in the rain.  I drove in to stop at the Coach House where I visited with Grainne, our lovely landlord, and bought a few small Christmas gifts for Elaine.  We had lunch at home.  Later I went to the Dingle Pub for a pint and Elaine did some more exploring around town.  Cocktails by the fire at home and then off to dinner at Jim McCarthy’s Chart House, the best restaurant in a great food town.  It’s not connected with the US chain.  Food was wonderful as always.  Kir royales preceded the appetizers, and the house red wine, from France, was excellent.

Elaine:

• Toonsbridge feta fritters coated in herb & panko crumb, gently deep fried & served with roasted plums & nectarines with beetroot sorbet
• Roast breast of free range Irish chicken, Dingle gin and butternut squash risotto with rocket and pistachio pesto
• Passion fruit brulee tart, fruit salsa, Greek yogurt & honey ice cream

Joe:

• Confit of Skeaghanore Duck, peking glaze, wilted pak choi, rhubarb compote, & pine nut oil
• Pan roasted fillet of hake with sauteed greens, saffron mash, kaffir lime leaf butter, & pomegranate
• Dark chocolate & cherry tart, creme fraiche, berry sorbet, & raspberry essence

We contemplated a pub music session but opted for bed.

Dingle on Wednesday – today was our day to see sunshine in Dingle – first time and probably last time – the forecast says rain, rain, rain. Made the most of it and took an early walk around a very quiet town on the day after Wren’s Day. It was mostly sunny but I still got caught in a hail shower and saw a rainbow.  We had lunch at Paudies Bar in Dingle – good fish and chips!  Then we took a ride around Slea Head to take advantage of the brief bout of sunshine.  Drinks at 5:00 at the Dingle Pub, then dinner at home – Chicken Tiki Marsala.  Back to the Dingle Pub at 9:00 for a music session with Richie and Dreams of Freedom.  Back to bed at 11:00 PM.  Nice casual day.

Click on the galleries to bring up a scroll-able window with complete pictures  –  (the gallery previews below show just thumbnails of the pictures)

A Walk Around Dingle Town in the Morning

A Drive around Slea Head as Sunset Approached (4:00 PM)

Richie O’Brien of Dreams of Freedom

Wren’s Day is quite the Dingle event.  Boxing Day and St Stephen’s Day elsewhere, it is Wren’s Day in Dingle! Once celebrated all over Ireland, the tradition has died out in most places but remains famous in Dingle.  You can read a recent article in the newspaper about it here.

There are four Wren Groups: the Green & Gold, the Quay, Goat Street, and John Street.  We started the day at about 11:30 at O’Flahery’s, home base for the Green and Gold.  The marchers were getting ready to begin the marching which starts around 1:00.  The four Wren Groups march through town and then make stops at the hospital and senior citizen centers.  Once that is complete, the marchers visit pubs all around Dingle to play their instruments, revel, and collect money from the customers for their charities.  This goes on from late afternoon until late into the night.  After 9:00 PM things can get rowdy as there are organized van tours from around County Kerry that come into town with revelers.  We were settled in from 1:00 on at the Dingle Pub and left around 9:00.  Guard your bar stool with your life – it’s a long day!  As we started our walk at 9:00 we saw some of the vans arriving, mostly filled with young people ready to rock and roll.  The girls were dressed is mini skirts and skimpy tops despite the cold temperatures.

The pictures tell the story.  Here is a video from inside the Dingle Pub and a two galleries of pictures.  I didn’t caption the pictures as they are pretty much self explanatory.  It was a grand day, full of fun.  I had innumerable pints of Guinness and Elaine had more than a few hot whiskies.  Things will be calmer now until New Year’s Eve when it supposedly gets totally wild.  Stay tuned.

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From O’Flaherty’s and the Green and Gold March

From Inside and Outside the Dingle Pub

Elaine made breakfast (fried eggs, ham, and toast) and we started out on a morning walk. As we got close to halfway, it started to rain lightly, so we headed back. Just as we back home, the skies opened. We would have got drenched for sure! At 3:30 we headed to Ballyferriter (just 10 miles) to the Dingle Peninsula Hotel where the restaurant was literally the only place in the area open for Christmas dinner. It’s run by a French chef and his Australian wife. We had reservations for the 4:00 seating. It was fun – it started with hot mulled wine in the bar followed by a gigantic serve yourself appetizer table. The main course choices were turkey & ham, duck a l’orange, or lobster. Elaine had the traditional turkey/ham dinner and I had the duck. The food was superb. After the mains they served us a beautiful cheese platter and then dessert – Elaine had the chocolate log and I had the Christmas pudding (think mince, which I love). We also had wine, of course. All in all, a grand Christmas dinner and day! On the way home at 7:00 we drove through Dingle town and it’s the first time ever I have seen all the pubs closed up.  Everyone was at home enjoying Christmas.  Back at Water’s Edge House I had a goodnight gimlet and Elaine a glass of wine as we finished a wet, happy Christmas in Dingle!

A short video and a gallery.  Sorry, we had started to eat before we remembered to take pictures of the main courses.

Click on the gallery to bring up a scroll-able window with complete pictures  –  (the gallery preview below shows just thumbnails of the pictures)

On Christmas Eve morning we planned to get up early and do some grocery shopping before the crowds descended on SuperValu for last minute food shopping.  It opened at 7:00 AM and we planned to be there then.  Alas, we slept like logs and didn’t wake up until almost 9:00.  The sun doesn’t even start to come up here until 8:00. Went to the store and we did get there before the big crowds.  We drove by later and it was jammed.  Since it was Sunday, I thought I would have to go back later to get the wine as Ireland prohibits alcohol sales before 12:30 on Sundays.  Praise be to God, they make allowances for Christmas Eve and allow it after 9:30.

Later in the morning Elaine took a walk into town while I did yesterday’s blog post before taking a nap.  At 3:30, I drove into town to visit the Dingle Pub.  Elaine would walk in just after 4:00 to meet me there.  The drinks were on the house from Tom for Christmas.  At 4:30 we walked down to O’Flahery’s because Elaine had read that the local fife and drum band was going to be practicing in the pub at 5:00 to get ready for their traditional march through town on New Year’s Eve.  It started to sprinkle as we walked, so I got the car (parked right outside the Dingle Pub) and drove down.  I got a space right at O’Flaherty’s front door.  The pub was crowded, but we found seats, sharing a table with a family of three generations.  The place quickly filled up and was packed by the time the drummers and fifers started the music.  There were families with little kids all about.  The music was grand!   You’ll have to watch and listen the video below to get the idea.  What fun on Christmas Eve!

We each had a couple of pints while enjoying the music and the good cheer throughout the pub.  The music continued as we left to go home for dinner.  Moving the car turned out to be a good idea as it was pouring when we left.  At home I put my CD of the Irish Rovers Christmas on and tried to start a fire in the fireplace.  The fire starters and the kindling burned great, but the logs never caught on fire.  Oh, well, I’ll try again another night.

Elaine’s dinner of seared scallops, asparagus, and garlic bread was great.  The wine was fine.  (I’m still gimlet free in Ireland, but that will end shortly!)  We traded cards by the (non) fire and went to bed happy.  Our rule this year was only one present and it had to be bought in Dingle.  With arriving on the 23rd, there wasn’t  a lot of time for shopping, so the exchange of gifts will be during the upcoming week.

Thursday – No Problems

We flew to Boston on American Airlines.  No problems.  Got our Dodge SUV from Alamo.  No problems.  Then we drove to Chelsea to our hotel, the new Hilton Homewood Suites.  Our GPS got us there just fine.  No problems.  Oddly it routed us directly past my Aunt Grace’s old House on  Blossom Street.  The hotel is just five blocks from where she lived.  The hotel is very  ice.  Big rooms, full kitchen, great king-size bed which turned out to be very comfortable.

We passed up eating across at Floramo’s an old favorite Italian eatery that specializes in ribs (where the meat falls off the bone).  Instead we drove three miles to Demaino’s in Revere, a family run place that was one of our favorites when we lived in Melrose.  No problems.  The decor has been updated, but the food is exactly as we remembered.  The pasta e fagiole is delicious.  For mains, Elaine had scrumptious looking stuffed calamari and I has beef bracciole.  Yummy.  No room for deserts.  Back to the hotel to sleep.

Friday – Problems!

When we left the restaurant Thursday night, I noticed an apparent leak under the hood, but I paid it no attention.  Well, Saturday we headed out to lunch and the transmission was not doing good.  It wouldn’t shift in Automatic without great clunking sounds.  I drove it in manual shift mode and made it back to Alamo at the Airport and switched it out for another car.  We met my friend Howie for lunch at Kelly’s Roast Beef in Saugus.  After lunch we stopped in Medford to say hello to my friend Bob at his barber shop.  Then it was back to airport to await our flight.

The Aer Lingus flight to Shannon was a mess.  Crammed stuff overhead racks.  Crying babies   People behind us constantly banging our seats.  We made it into Shannon forty minutes early.  We were the first ones off the plane and the first ones through Immigration.  We got our luggage and proceeded to Dan Dooley Car Rentals and picked up our white Skoda.  So began car rental adventure number two.

It was raining off and on as we proceeded toward Limerick on the road to Dingle.  We made it about 20 miles and the driver side windshield wiper blade flew off onto the highway.  Bah!  I turned around and we headed back to Shannon for our second car exchange in about 24 hours.  The new Skoda was blue and the wiper blades stayed on.

Dingle is about a three hour drive.  That’s not bad normally, but it is trying after an all night flight with almost no sleep.

We stopped about halfway in Glin (County Clare) to see a pub I had discovered on the internet – Geoghegan’s Magpie Public House.  I knew it didn’t open until late afternoon, but I wanted to get a picture standing in front.  I was taking pictures when a gentleman walked up to inquire what I was doing.  Turns out it was Gerald Geoghegan, the bar owner.  He regaled us with the history and took us inside for a tour.  And we met Joey, the bar mascot who posed for a picture with Elaine.

Click on the galleries to bring up a scroll-able window with complete pictures  –  (the gallery preview shows just thumbnails of the pictures)

Next stop was a brief one in Tralee’s Tesco Superstore to buy a new Irish sim card.  The store was packed, but I got it quickly and we got back on the road.  The rain had stopped shortly after Limerick and the sun had been out until we reached the foggy and overcast Dingle Peninsula.  In Dingle we parked and had a nice lunch in John Benny’s pub, stopped at Supervalue to get essentials (wine and vodka!), and then walked up to the Dingle Pub to reconnect with Tom Geaney, the publican who is our good friend.  At 2:30 we went to the Coach House Shop where our landlord, Grainne, was waiting with our key.  Then in was quickly off down the road to our apartment in Water’s Edge House.  Stunning!  Our first stay here.  It won’t be the last.  We unloaded the car, unpacked, and settled in.  Showers were the first order of business.  I took a short nap.

 

Since it wasn’t raining, we decided to walk into town (about 20 minutes).  Dinner was at 7:00 PM at Doyle’s, a restaurant we have eaten at through three ownership changes.  I had seafood chowder and Indian style monkfish.  Elaine had wild mushroom soup and salmon.  All delicious!  After dinner we walked down to O’Flaherty’s for a drink –  Guinness for me, Jameson’s neat for Elaine.  The pub was hopping with young ladies all participating in a Dingle tradition on December 23rd: the Twelve Pubs of Christmas – where everyone has to have at least one drink in each pub.  The girls were about at number eight and all having a good time.  From there we went up to the Dingle Pub where it was empty when we arrived.  The 12 Pubs of Christmas celebrators arrived shortly after us, all young boys this time and none were even close to sober.  It reminded me of our old Christmas drinking traditions.  A good time was hard by all!

Finally it was back to Water’s Edge House for bed!