County Cork

Greetings, again!

My last photo, taken from a moving bus on Wednesday, of Dingle Town was of Ballintaggert Hostel. It is a huge brick old-style manor house used by the Protestants during the famine. They served as a soup kitchen for those hungry enough to renounce their Catholic religion - for some, it even meant changing their family name.

Passed a lovely "luxury accomodations" castle somewhere between Dingle and Cork that would be the dream of my daughter, I'm sure. Probably Maggie, too!

And, I landed in County Cork on Wednesday. A day trip to Cork city was nice - a mini Dublin with nowhere near the chaos. Though they do take their shopping very serious here. It seemed the city is in a growth spurt, with sky cranes and construction going on all around. I spent as much time looking up to see what might be hovering over me as I did looking forward. It, too, is a river city - the River Lee divides it in half. Bridges, bridges everywhere - always one to cross.

Sadly, there was an accident involving a pedestrian and I found it fascinating how they used 6-7 motorcycle Garda to escort the ambulance and ride ahead to stop traffic.

Cobh, a small town with a huge history, was a great day trip on Thursday. Cobh, pronounced Cove and formerly known as Queenstown, was the last Irish soil for half of the 6 million who emigrated to the US, Canada, and Australia since 1815. It was a major port city in the 19th century, and today still has a strong working harbor. Emigrated is putting it nicely, since many bound for Australia were convicts sent away as punishment.

First, I wandered up, way up, the hills in search of the building housing very soothing bells that seemed to chime every half hour or so. I found that they were the Carillon of 49 bells housed in St. Carillon Cathedral. This incredibly beautiful (architecturally) cathedral was planned over a ten year period, not long after the Great Famine. Construction lasted another ten years.

Of course, having walked so high, I was rewarded with some spectacular views of the harbor, backsides of the townhouses (not at all colorful like the fronts) and rooftops and porches of those who live there. My favorite photo is of plants and weeds growing up from eight clay pots. Actually, they were the clay stacks of the chimney liners. Priceless, really.

I had planned to upload photos today, but this internet place had a complete network virus issue and I don't want to risk losing all my irreplaceable photos, so I'll just have to wait a bit longer.

I had a delicious picnic lunch in Kennedy Park, while thoroughly enjoying a live performance by some European exchange students learning traditional Irish music, and then the Gruppo Follorico "La Pistacoppi" playing and dancing traditional Italian music with a storyline base. Dressed in vibrant, stylish printed vests and frocks, high socks and kerchief hats, with hand-decorated instruments they laughed and sang and shared. It was a colorful wonder that attracted many into the park to stop and simply enjoy.

Cobh was also the last port of call for the fated maiden voyage of the Titanic, and was the port that many survivors of the Lusitania reached after being plucked from the waters, and welcomed the USS Jamestown in 1847 to receive food donated by the people of Boston, USA for the famine-stricken people of Munster (Ireland).

Ireland experienced a 'chain-migration' where many emigrants were assisted to leave by family or friends who had already left and sent back money. Between 1848 and 1900, over £46,000 (today's value of $234,000,000) was sent to Ireland as remittances from emigrants in North America. One of those families belonged to Annie Moore. Both her parents and older brothers left for America first and sent back money so she could bring her younger brothers over. She left Cobh in 1891 and she was the first person to be admitted to the USA through the immigration center at Ellis Island in New York. For this, she was presented with a $10 gold piece.

Until next time...Slainte!