Monday was uneventful. We did the round trip to drop Bob & Barbara off at Shannon Airport for their return flight to Boston. Then we relaxed at home before a nice breakfast for dinner prepared by Elaine: scrambled eggs, Irish bacon, potatoes, tomatoes, and toast. Cocktails were outside as we had yet another brilliant sunny weather day.
When Tuesday broke cloudless and beautiful, I planned something that I have been threatening to do for awhile. Eask Tower stands on Carhoo Hill across the harbor from Dingle. Today we climb to Eask Tower!
Eask Tower from Our House
Now the tower is only 600 feet above sea level, but it’s a zig-zag climb up Carhoo Hill through a sheep farm. The walk can normally be very muddy and it always involves avoiding lots of sheep shit. The farmer and his wife (the delightful Mrs. O’Connor) charge €2 per person for the climb. (As it turns out, it’s easily worth €20.) They even provide a hose at the base to wash off the mud and shit. Since it’s been dry in Dingle for seven days (a record for us), I hoped the mud wouldn’t be an issue. It wasn’t. And the sheep shit was easy enough to avoid. Oh, and we learned that sheep can not uncommonly have triplets
The climb was steep in places but we made it up in 30 minutes. The 360 degree views are incredible! Water in all directions. As we climbed, we met a couple coming down. Other than that, and meeting the farmer en route on his tractor tending to sheep, we had Carhoo Hill and Eask Tower all to ourselves.
Click on the galleries below to bring up scrollable windows with full size pictures – the gallery previews show just thumbnails of the pictures
Elaine & Mrs O’Connor 
Sheep with Triplets 
The Kids 
My Kingdom 
Glorious 
600 Feet Down 
Elaine’s Pics and Panoramas
Resting 
Twin Towers? 
Heading Down
Coming down is tougher on the knees than going up, but we made it easily enough. There was no need for the hose to clean our shoes. Then it was back home for grilled cheese, bacon, and tomato sandwiches and a well deserved nap.
Dinner was at Fenton’s, a restaurant that we first visited in 2000 with Elaine’s Mom and Dad. We hadn’t been back probably since 2005. (They are closed at Christmas, so we didn’t have a chance to visit on our last two visits to Dingle.) The food was excellent. We both had the same main course (John Dory). Finally here are some food and restaurant pictures (enjoy, Patrick!):
Fine Wine 
Boat Above Bar 
Glenbeigh Oysters 
Calamari 
Grilled John Dory 
Sides 
Fireplace Embers 
Brandied Blackberries with Ice Cream 
Pavlova with Strawberries
After dinner we stopped at both the Dingle Pub (to hear Dreams of Freedom) and at O’Flaherty’s (to hear Fergus O’Flaherty). Well earned sleep followed.
What a lovely hike indeed, I love that place! Looking good, quite dry, not like most of the USA for sure. East coast had a real nor’easter, heard folks are tired of all the rain. Sounds like it has stayed away from Dingle. We here in AZ are having extraordinarily low temps, really so pleasant. Tell Elaine we are anxiously awaiting to see where birthday girl spends her day!!! 😉😘
What a great walk! But you are driving me crazy with the great food pics! Wow love your narratives!! Keep them coming!
Let’s be you both
What a great hike. Worth the risk of mud and sheep poop for the view.
I’m glad you guys are having such great weather. We had below freezing temps and snow. Thank you Cindy for sending your snow our way!! We’re heading to Rye tomorrow to open up anyway. The forecast for the next day or so is for 50 and 60 degrees. It’ll feel like beach weather in comparison
Have a great birthday tomorrow, Elaine. I understand it’s a big one!
What a great trip on such a sunny day. I love the Irish sheep. So adorable! Joe, tell Elaine I wish her a happy 70th Irish Birthday. Tomorrow I will wish her a happy U.S. 70th Birthday.
EASK TOWER, The original lighthouse without a light. Beautiful 19th century stonework. What a great hike to take on such a clear day. The views are spectacular, especially of Dingle Harbor. The climb was all uphill, but not surprised you did it easily, having walked out of Canyon de Chelly with you back in the day. Of course we were a lot younger then, and as we all know Elaine will be a year older tomorrow so good thing you did it today. Best wishes and big hugs to you, Elaine. Happy birthday! 😘 🎂