West of Kinsale

Saturday, May 21
Dennis Maguire took Fred on a short trip to see the 'Old Head' of Kinsale, just a few miles from the village.

Old Head is the location of the Lusitania Memorial (pictured above) - and a well-known, but VERY expensive golf course. (Fred couldn't even get into the pro-shop, because he was wearing jeans. Needless to say, he was not a candidate for playing golf on a course that charges $400-500 per person for 18 holes!)

Just across the road from the memorial is an old signaling tower. It had three floors, and is one of seven such towers between Kinsale and Cork. If enemy ships were spotted at Kinsale, the residents of the tower would light a fire in the fireplace. The light would be visible from the next tower - and the residents there would also light a fire. Using this method, the folks in the towers could alert the military personnel in Cork of an impending attack in much less time than it would take to deliver the message via horseback.



Friday, May 20

We began the day by heading west, and stopped in the 'microvillage' of Ballinspittle - the location of a shrine to the Virgin Mary.

 It is rumored that some locals have actually seen the statue move... (Don't forget... Guinness is brewed in Ireland.)

 Next, we drove to Timoleague - home to a huge Friary for which construction began about 1300AD.

 It was amazing to walk around in a building that is nearly 700 years old.


Next we were off to see the Drombeg ruins - left by the Druids between 2500 and 4000 years ago.

 The site above-left was used for cooking, while the photo at the right is of a 'mini-Stonehenge'. When the suns rays shine between the two upright stones in the foreground and hit the flat stone in the background - it indicates the Winter Solstice (December 21 - shortest day of the year.)

Our next stop was in the village of Glandore - for tea.

 One of Phil's buddies sails to Glandore from England, and recommended it to us. It certainly was beautiful the day we visited it. (Phil is cousin Elaine's husband.)

 After a bit of a drive - and a stop in Baltimore Village for lunch - we walked around in the town of Bantry.

 

          

Just as in Wales, all signs must be posted

in the native language and in English.

 Our last stop before returning to Kinsale was in Dunmanway.

 The statue above honors Sam Maguire - the man who recruited Michael Collins into the 'Irish Republican Brotherhood. Collins and 13 or 14 others were eventually executed in Kilmainham Jail in Dublin for promoting Ireland's independence from England.