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| Headlands near Kinsale, County Cork, Ireland |
We have been traveling for two and a half months, having left California on May 21, spending two and a half weeks in Vermont then flying to Paris on June 7, 2018. Now we are into the middle of the summer holidays here in Ireland, home of some of our ancestors of five generations ago. On my side, I know of the Flacks (Northern Ireland), and on Russ's side the Flynns and Powers from counties Cork and Waterford, all who ultimately immigrated to California during the period of the Irish Potato Famine and the California Gold Rush in the mid 1800's.
At the start, it seemed we had a long stretch of leisurely travel ahead of us. Now there is a quickening as the days speed by, and we head north to Dublin and return to California this coming Sunday. We are sad to leave behind the beautiful places we have been and the people who have become friends.
On the other hand, we are looking forward to seeing family and friends at home, driving on the right side of the road, and emptying the suitcases.
Monday, August 6, 2018
Today is a National Holiday. Everything is closed. We've asked a couple of people what the holiday is all about and they aren't quite sure, but it seems the first Monday in August is always a holiday.
We leave Killarney and drive through small towns as we drive southwest to County Cork and headlands near Kinsale. One of the towns in Macroom, where we spy an old castle, and ATM, and stretch our legs bit in the nearly empty town.
By 1:30 we have reached a golf course along the way that is open to visitors.
Once a private estate, there is an old course that was originally six holes and now has 18 and a train to take golfers up the two steepest inclines to the upper course. We spend a couple of hours here after assembling the remnants of golf clubs into two working sets. There was a tournament this morning, but by the time we tee off, we are the only ones on the course.
A young family with a three year old daughter and 7 month old son is strolling through the course and takes our photo in front of the estate mansion.
I have found an orange golf ball in the bushes. The three year old has found a white ball. She likes the orange ball better, so we make a trade.
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| Love the realistic mural on this blank wall. Only the window with flowers is real. Stones are painted on. |
Once a private estate, there is an old course that was originally six holes and now has 18 and a train to take golfers up the two steepest inclines to the upper course. We spend a couple of hours here after assembling the remnants of golf clubs into two working sets. There was a tournament this morning, but by the time we tee off, we are the only ones on the course.
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| Two small trains can carry a foursome up the track to the upper fairways. |
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| Hole #8 |
After our very leisurely game (nice when no one is behind you or in front of you), we continued to Old Head, a very old course that caters to wealthy (not us) and good golfers (again, not us). We looked as we drove past to our 260 year old farm house on the headlands outside of Kinsale in the County Cork.
We pass lovely beaches and little villages.
Our AirBnB host is renting the house and is a native to Ireland, but raised in New Jersey, now back in Ireland, currently working for Apple. We only chat a few minutes while she shows us our room. We will not see her again as she will leave early in the morning to travel to her work.
The house looks its age, but our room is clean and comfortable, and the view from the kitchen to the bay is beautiful.
Our host says that this area of Ireland is always the sunniest. We spend a delightful late afternoon at the Speckled Door Pub, eating dinner and watching families play on the law outside. Gaggles of kids, either known to one another or not, expend their energy running about. There are boys tossing one another about, girls playing with Barbie Dolls, and a co-ed group playing soccer, and parents enjoying other adult company as the kids run free.
Our host says that this area of Ireland is always the sunniest. We spend a delightful late afternoon at the Speckled Door Pub, eating dinner and watching families play on the law outside. Gaggles of kids, either known to one another or not, expend their energy running about. There are boys tossing one another about, girls playing with Barbie Dolls, and a co-ed group playing soccer, and parents enjoying other adult company as the kids run free.
We sip our Irish coffees and watch the sunset from the farm house.
Tuesday, August 7, 2018
The following morning, we head north to Killkenny through the "Viking" city of Waterford, also the home of Waterford Crystal.
We
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| Lovely smelling, fresh warm bread |
Kilkenny is the oldest city in Ireland and has a fascinating history. Helen recommends that we visit Kilkenny Castle, the churches of course, and the Medieval Mile Museum.
Wednesday, August 8, 2018
We set off in the morning to visit the wonderful old town,
the churches,
the castle,
and the Medieval Mile Museum
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| Story Telling Hisotorian/Docent, Patrick "PAT" |
where we are enthusiastically told of the early history of Killkenny an the intrigue of the power struggle between the Merchant class city and the Irish Catholic Church.
One of the tales Pat regals us with is that of Alice Kyteler (1263 – later than 1325) , born to Flemish family of merchants who came to Ireland. The well connected Kyteler became a prominent business woman in Killkenny at a time women had no more worth than a cow. She had four husbands, the last three who died under suspicious circumstances (arsenic poisoning).
Killkenny was divided into two, first-of-its-time cities, the Merchant city in which Alice and the wealthy Anglo Saxon Merchants lived and ruled with secular jurisdiction, and Irish Town where the Bishop and the Irish lived, the traditional church dominated city.
Killkenny was divided into two, first-of-its-time cities, the Merchant city in which Alice and the wealthy Anglo Saxon Merchants lived and ruled with secular jurisdiction, and Irish Town where the Bishop and the Irish lived, the traditional church dominated city.
There had long been a cold war between the merchants if Kilkenny and the church over this arrangement because the church and the bishop were not the center of wealth and power. The Bishop wanted a share of the the rich wealth of the merchants through taxation and tithing of the merchants and to take control of the whole city.
Alice Kyteler was such strong business woman and money lender to the wealthy merchants, they apparently overlooked the suspicious deaths of her three husbands. A criminal case was not brought against Alice by the merchant jurisdiction, and the bishop had no authority for civil suits within the Merchant city. If it had and Alice had been found guilty, she would have been sentenced, but her son would still have inherited his mother's wealth.
Alice Kyteler was such strong business woman and money lender to the wealthy merchants, they apparently overlooked the suspicious deaths of her three husbands. A criminal case was not brought against Alice by the merchant jurisdiction, and the bishop had no authority for civil suits within the Merchant city. If it had and Alice had been found guilty, she would have been sentenced, but her son would still have inherited his mother's wealth.
The Bishop was outraged and decided that the only way he could get his hands on this "evil" woman's money was to charge her with witchcraft. Witches children could not inherit, but the church by ridding itself of a witch would. And the plot thickens from here.
In the end, Alice was charged, with witchcraft, but managed to escape out of the country before taken into custody. The Bishop so enraged, decided to take it out on here handmaid Petronella who was the first "witch" burned, after being flogged, tortured and confessing to being a witch. This is the notorious first time a witch is accused and burned at the stake in Ireland.
As if this isn't a sad enough story of one person's plight, we end our day with an Audio visual tour of the Killkenny Work house, where thousand of hungry poor looked to for help during the potato famine. Nearly 50 percent of the poor died not because of famine but because in their under nourished weakened conditions of close confinement with others, they suffered from cholera and other diseases that took their lives.
The tour starts off with two young brothers abandoned by their parents who set off for Australia and apparently couldn't take their children with them. The boys went to the work house where they were accepted and eventually survived, one went to Australia and the other was never heard from or about again.
It reminded me of what I know about the brother's Flack, William and James. William, born in 1810 was my third great grandfather. The brothers from Northern Irelnd. apparently "lost their parents" when they were young and went to live with their Aunt in England and later immigrated to America. They came before the famine as William's first child Samuel was born in America in 1840, and my second great grandmother Angeline Flack Nye was born in 1842.
The show was filled with lively Irish Music, Tales, and patrons dancing.
After a lovely evening, we strolled back to our accommodations as the sun was setting.
In the end, Alice was charged, with witchcraft, but managed to escape out of the country before taken into custody. The Bishop so enraged, decided to take it out on here handmaid Petronella who was the first "witch" burned, after being flogged, tortured and confessing to being a witch. This is the notorious first time a witch is accused and burned at the stake in Ireland.
As if this isn't a sad enough story of one person's plight, we end our day with an Audio visual tour of the Killkenny Work house, where thousand of hungry poor looked to for help during the potato famine. Nearly 50 percent of the poor died not because of famine but because in their under nourished weakened conditions of close confinement with others, they suffered from cholera and other diseases that took their lives.
The tour starts off with two young brothers abandoned by their parents who set off for Australia and apparently couldn't take their children with them. The boys went to the work house where they were accepted and eventually survived, one went to Australia and the other was never heard from or about again.
It reminded me of what I know about the brother's Flack, William and James. William, born in 1810 was my third great grandfather. The brothers from Northern Irelnd. apparently "lost their parents" when they were young and went to live with their Aunt in England and later immigrated to America. They came before the famine as William's first child Samuel was born in America in 1840, and my second great grandmother Angeline Flack Nye was born in 1842.
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After our visit here in Ireland, we are motivated to learn more about our Irish connections. 
We celebrated our 49th wedding anniversary a day early in Kilkenny by attending dinner and show at the Kyteler's Inn and Pub (yes the pub that Alice owned).
The show was filled with lively Irish Music, Tales, and patrons dancing.
After a lovely evening, we strolled back to our accommodations as the sun was setting.
Tomorrow we travel to Dublin. When we were here in 1971 Dublin was a relatively small city. We are looking forward to seeing the prosperous changes that have occurred here 47 years later.
All is Well with the Worrall Travel R's in Ireland.
