Adventure Cow has a grand time in Ireland

First, rehearse your song by rote
To each word a warbling note:
Hand in hand, with fairy grace,
Will we sing, and bless this place.
~William Shakespeare, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, c.1595 [V, 1, Titania]

Believe in Faeries? We hope you do… Make a wish, it might come true! – Debra Lee Baldwin

More about Faerie doors: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fairy_door

AC wished you too could go to Poulnabrone dolmen. Learn more about this ancient burial place by clicking here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poulnabrone_dolmen

And all about, among the blossoms, fairies flew
Or bounced themselves upon enormous drops of dew…
~Harry Behn (1898–1973), The House Beyond the Meadow, 1955

The Faeries took AC among the blossoms in the Botanical Gardens, Belfast. Link is here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Botanic_Gardens_(Belfast)

A rustle in the wind reminds us a fairy is near. ~Author unknown.

The faeries must have been very near as we went round and round on the Ferris wheel set up outside the botanical garden.
More about the Panoramic wheel (you’ll need to scroll down this webpage) https://www.belfastlive.co.uk/whats-on/whats-on-news/botanic-gardens-ferris-wheel-offers-20972742

Every man is sociable until a cow invades his garden. – Traditional

AC is trying to get into the garden, but the hotel window is in the way. (Harrison Inn, Belfast)

May your thoughts be as glad as the shamrocks.
May your heart be as light as a song.
May each day bring you bright, happy hours that stay with you all year long. – Irish blessing

Happy is the Adventure Cow who gets to travel to Charles Fort, Kinsale. More information: https://heritageireland.ie/places-to-visit/charles-fort-national-monument/ and https://heritagemachines.com/commercials/merryweather-fire-engines/

Only Irish coffee provides all main essential food groups: alcohol, caffeine, sugar, and fat. – Traditional

Irish Coffee was the order of the day at the Kerry Bog Village Museum. Link here: https://www.kerrybogvillage.ie/

The older the fiddle the sweeter the tune. – Traditional

Note: The YouTube video below was not filmed during our trip. I have included it here as an example of Irish Folk music, including the pipes which use a bellows under the arm to provide the air. (Instead of blowing into a bag as the Scottish do)

Our small group did get to have a private session with a four-piece band:

These are Irish pipes. AC was allowed to take a very close look at the instrument after our session.

May you have the hindsight to know where you’ve been, the foresight to know where you’re going and the insight to know when you’re going too far. – Traditional

AC does not know where he is going – we know he is going to Dublin on the train from Belfast. The train has a catering trolley that he helped push down the aisle of the train. Do you need a snack? Fun!
More about the train between Belfast and Dublin:
https://www.irishrail.ie/en-ie/offer/take-the-enterprise-service-to-belfast

You’ve got to do your own growing, no matter how tall your grandfather was. – Traditional

AC pretends he is tall by looking out the window of the top floor of the Guinness Storehouse, Dublin. Guinness Storehouse Tour information: https://www.guinness-storehouse.com/en

May the road rise up to meet you. – Traditional

This road on the Aran Islands has been meeting folks for thousands of years.
To learn more about the islands, click here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aran_Islands

Any Kerryman will tell you that there are only two Kingdoms: the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Kerry – “One is not of this world and the other is out of this world.” – Irish sayings.

We stopped on our tour of the Ring of Kerry to explore the shore. AC is nibling on something that tastes like radishes – we all nibbled on something that tastes like radishes.
For more information about Seaweed Walks, click here: https://www.atlanticirishseaweed.com/seaweed-discovery-walks

Two people shorten the road. – Traditional

The road was made very short for AC. Our guide, Trevor, carried him, or let him ride shotgun most every day we were together. AC did it all!

It is a good horse that draws his own cart – traditional

This is a good horse – he pulled 5 people, one Adventure Cow, and the cart through the Kilarney National Park. https://www.killarneynationalpark.ie/

May love and laughter light your days
And warm your heart and home.
May good and faithful friends by yours
Wherever you may roam.
May peace and plenty bless your world
With joy that long endures.
May all life’s passing seasons bring
the best to you and yours.

AC is always willing to help Andy taste beer and listen to the music being played in the corner.
More about the Porterhouse Brewery and Pub: https://porterhousebrewco.ie/temple-bar/

Meeting Charlie Chaplin on the Ring of Kerry tour.
Why is there a statue of Charlie Chaplin in Waterville, Ireland? https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/charlie-chaplin-s-vacation-statue#:~:text=The%20quiet%20Irish%20village%20of,town%2C%20just%20for%20vacationing%20there.

Exploring the grounds of Charles Fort in Kinsale
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Fort_(Ireland)
https://heritageireland.ie/places-to-visit/charles-fort-national-monument/

Climbing the Cliffs of Moher
More about Moher: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cliffs_of_Moher

Exploring the shore of County Clare. AC loves those rocks!
https://www.discoverireland.ie/clare/natural-wonders-county-clare

Admiring the Game of Thrones tapestry in the Ulster Museum, Belfast. This is a great museum and the tapestry is simply amazing – 295 feet long, it wraps within a whole room. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Game_of_Thrones_Tapestry

AC pretends to head a Hooker boat in Ennis.
The linked YouTube video tells you the story of the previous Hooker boat that was restored in this garage. The Sea Scouts are now working on their second, which they allowed AC to play all over. https://youtu.be/t7pMFtBaA7E

Taking in the view of the hillside while touring the Ring of Kerry.
https://www.ireland.com/en-us/destinations/regions/ring-of-kerry/

This is the view of Kinsale harbor. Kinsale was a supply port in the 16 and 17 hundreds. It was the last stop for ships going to America. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kinsale
It’s possible our ancestors were in Kinsale too – a long time ago.

Learning to taste the different elements in Guinness beer.
https://www.irishcentral.com/culture/food-drink/guinness-taste

Learning to taste the different elements in Irish whiskey.
https://www.irishwhiskeymuseum.ie/

Visiting the site where the Titanic was built. https://www.titanicbelfast.com/

The Titanic was a very large ship. And, as they say in Belfast: “She was in good working order when she left here”.

AC is not doomed, he is hiding; can you see him?

Truly an Adventure Cow – how did he get to the Wormhole’s cliff edge?
https://www.aranislands.ie/inis-mor-inishmore-island/inis-mor-island-natural-features/stone-forts-and-cliffs

May the sound of happy music,
And the lilt of Irish laughter,
fill your heart with gladness,
that stays forever after.

In total, Andy and I spent right at three weeks in Ireland; some of that time we were on our own, some of it we were on a train tour with a small group of people. The map below shows our general route: Belfast, Galway, Ennis, Aran Islands, Kilarney, Kinsale, and Dublin.

We kept AC with us all the time, but we also try to be respectful of the people and places we visit. There are no pictures of AC at the Peace Wall in Belfast, AC never gets to come out in a church, and if it’s really windy, sometimes he has to stay in the backpack so he does not blow away!

May your troubles be less
and your blessings be more
and nothing but happiness
come through your door.