First thing this morning we headed for Blarney Castle and a kiss of the Blarney Stone to gain some eloquence in speaking (supposedly). The Blarney Castle (completed in 1500s) is an amazing maze of spiralling staircases, small rooms and an underground system of caves and tunnels. The grounds include beautifully manicured lawns and gardens. A climb to the top of the castle (which I'm sure would be enough to break a snake's back) and there is the Blarney Stone. You...

First thing we had a coach tour of historical sites of Limerick and the River Shannon. Frank McCourt, author of Angela's Ashes was born in, and based the novel on, Limerick. Like most of Ireland's towns and cities, Limerick is a mix of old and new buildings. Prior to travelling the Ring of Kerry anti-clockwise, we stopped at Adare for a photo opportunity at excellent examples of thatched-roofed buildings and the old Trinity Catholic Church 1595AD. Our trip aro...

Leaving Dublin behind we drove west across the country through sheep, dairy and thorough-bred breeding areas. First stop was Galway and we immediately travelled along the shores of Galway Bay. Although it was drizzling and freezing, we braved the elements and strolled through the town centre and stumbled into a genuine old traditional Irish pub. At least it was dry and warm and sustenance was available. Afterwards we did the tourist thing and did some shopping b...

A tour of Dublin, home to about 1.5 million people, was first up this morning. Key points of interest included:- Christ Church Cathedral (or, more formally, the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity), the cathedral of the United Diocese of Dublin and Glendalough- St Patricks Cathedral- Guinness Brewery- the Post Office and monuments commemorating the 1916 Easter Uprising, part of the Irish fight for independence- the famous Trinity College- statues of many of Ireland's f...

We left Manchester, passing by the Trafford Stadium - home of Manchester United - and then the cricket ground at Old Trafford.We stopped at medieval Chester, a town which has retained the whole of its original perimeter wall. Many of the buildings, now used as shops, date from the 15th century. St Werburgh Cathedral, typical of English cathedrals in having been modified many times, dates from between 1093 and the early 16th century, although the site itself may h...