May 8, 2013   Day Two...Part Two

This afternoon our event planner, Jerry, is taking us to Clonakilty. 


Touring about this day in Clonakilty, awarded the "Tidiest Town Award" in Cork. All the shops and pub fronts are very picture friendly indeed. It is wonderful how the citizens are so proud of their community and have taken great strides to maintain their towns. You won't see any shopping centers or shopping malls here. You want to purchase meat, well go to the town Butcher. Here's one in Clonakilty...Edward Twomey, Butcher

O'Donovan's Bar where I experienced the best "Irish Coffee" ever. The barkeep actually whipped the cream by hand, in a festive manner, one I certainly could not repeat without whip cream all over the place.  He topped this warm and tasty treat with a whipped cream shamrock. 

The year 2013 Clonakilty celebrated the 400th anniversary of the town charter.  Jerry and Olga were there for the celebration.  A commemoration ceremony took place in O'Donovan's Hotel/Bar.

 


Next stop down the street, Mr. Simms Olde Sweet Shoppe. 

 

 

 

Of course we went in here.  Every Grandma has to come in here so she can tell her Grandchildren about this "candy wonderland" and surely every Granddad has to come in here to purchase himself chocolate and some licorice for Joanie.   You see folks...every day around 3:00 p.m., Wayne has two pieces of Hershey's Milk Chocolate Nuggets.  Well with no Hersheys nuggets here, Cadbury will be the chocolate of choice.  I also purchased some Shamrock lollipops for St. Patty's Day 2014.  The expiration date said 2015 so we'll keep our fingers crossed for freshness.  The grandkids will love them!

 

 

Another reason for our Clonakilty trip today is to purchase a phone.  Wayne thought it best to leave our cell phones home and purchase a phone. Entering the Vodaphone Store, I leave Wayne to make his purchase for I'm helping Jerry enter some numbers on his cell.  No we're not robbing the place...we're just sporting our "Irish Rain Attire."



 

Leaving the phone store, I look up at the sky...it's stopped raining, and while looking up I see a magnificent church steeple across the street.  That's our next stop.

 "Eaglais Chaitliceach" Roman Catholic Church built in 1880.

During the reign of Henry VIII, the Catholic Church, became secondary to the Church of Ireland (Episcopal faith).  This remained the case until the division of Ireland.  When the majority of Ireland became a free republic, the Catholic Church once again, became the heart of the Irish people, and folks could attend "freely" without hiding.  Few Protestant churches function in the Free Republic. (The Protestant Church in Clonakilty now houses the Post Office.)
Today the Church of Ireland services 40 percent of Irish citizens in the Republic and 60 percent of Irish citizens in Northern Ireland.



A beautiful stained-glassed window adorns the high wall, situated over top of the choir loft.

Walking down the street we come across a statute of Michael Collins.  If you've ever seen the movie  Michael Collins, starring Liam Neeson, well in Woodfield, Clonakilty, is where his story began. A true hero of the Irish Republic, Clonakilty is proud to place his statute here and refers to him as the Republic's Founding Father.

Statue of Michael Collins

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  Olga and Wayne at the Clonakilty 400th Celebration Statute






It's beginning to rain, but before leaving this charming town I've got to check out the General Store.  I promised our dairy friend back home, Patty, to check out the dairy products and prices.  



  Milk and butter, cream, sour cream and yogurts...

 

Cheese...my favorite....So many to choose from!

 

Olga waves to us from across the street as we leave the store...time to make our way back to O'Donovan's Bar.  You see...just as Wayne has a 3:00 internal clock call for chocolate, Jerry's is for Guinness.  Enjoying our stop at the bar, we warm up by the fireplace inside the bar. 

 

Next stop...Timoleague and the Friary.

 

 



We stop at Timoleague on the way home. St. Molaga was said to have brought beekeeping/honey to Ireland. Touring the old Abbey, founded in 1240. Blows my mind that we are seeing sites from the years of 1300 and older.

 

The sign below warns against grave digging.  Honestly...last thing on our mind was digging up a grave from the 1300's.

 Friars remained in the Abbey until the year 1629.

 

English soldier smashed all the stained glass windows in 1612

 

 



A swan graces the waters on one side of the Abbey.

May 8, 2013      Exploring our Clonakilty Beach, Clonakilty, Timoleague Abbey and Courtmacsherry

Part One

 

 

Surprisingly, I wake up by 8:00 a.m. and I'm in awe of the breathtaking site I see from my bedroom window.  Just who gets to wake up and see this every day??  Today and for the next several days, I'm happy to say "that would be me!" 

Off to my right, I can see our dairy neighbor's Fresian herd, also known as Holstein cattle, on top of the hills.  I'm guessing the herd has already been milked and turned back out to pasture to graze.  Notice how the fields are divided.  Each field is sectioned off with a row of stone walls.  From the airplane looking down on the fields, they looked like a "patchwork quilt."

 

Houses are tucked in amongst the green, hilly scenery.  What a view!!

I smell coffee, following the smell leads me downstairs where I find Wayne.  He has finished breakfast of scrambled eggs, toast and coffee.  Yep...not even in Ireland does the man change his breakfast choice.  As I enjoy my coffee, this is my view from the kitchen window. 

Wayne is ready to explore, so off we go.  Our first steps lead us to pass our other neighbors, "The Germans."  They were away on sabbatical so we didn't get to meet them.  Anyways...their home is very neat and tidy, very quaint, and we continue down the path towards the beach.
 

 

 A wire cage encloses rock which is the

retaining wall to shore the earth.  This job looks hand done...lots of work there.  Looking up the hill from our beach view...another view of
"Do No More."

While we are exploring the beach, Jerry is up at "Do No More" taking pics of us.  Sure is a chilly morning this 8th day of May, but the sun is shining.  It is interesting how the outgoing surf, leaves little pools of water with all kinds of unique little sea creatures.    Lots of moss and seaweed cover the rocks.

 

 

Wayne and I attempt

to pry one of the white shells from the

rocks.  I'm thinking they are Irish Clams/Muscles, and they are stuck like glue.

 

Spoke too soon about the sun, it is beginning to rain. One last photo of Wayne,  before heading back up to the house.