{"id":522,"date":"2017-08-25T23:08:11","date_gmt":"2017-08-26T03:08:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/treadsoftlytravel.com\/?p=522"},"modified":"2017-08-28T08:52:53","modified_gmt":"2017-08-28T12:52:53","slug":"crossing-seven-counties-irish-rail","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/treadsoftlytravel.com\/index.php\/2017\/08\/25\/crossing-seven-counties-irish-rail\/","title":{"rendered":"Crossing Seven Counties By Irish Rail"},"content":{"rendered":"

May 31st, 2017<\/b><\/h4>\n

Leaving Dublin<\/b><\/h4>\n

Waking early in Dublin, I pack up all of my things and head a short way down the street to catch the Luas<\/a> (light rail) west to Heuston Station<\/a>. It\u2019s my first time on the Luas and I am impressed with the modern efficiency and style of the tram. All across the city, workers had been tearing up the cobblestones, installing tracks and meticulously re-cobbling sections of the street, as Luas lines are extended and improved. Here\u2019s a city that\u2019s putting the time and investment into a state of the art transportation system! I’m onboard!<\/p>\n

\"From<\/a>\u00a0\"between<\/a>\u00a0\"From<\/a><\/p>\n

Southbound<\/b><\/h4>\n

From Heuston Station, I catch the 9am Iarnrod Eireann<\/a> (<\/span>Irish Rail), Cork\/Mallow service heading southwest across the country for \u20ac24.99, which I had booked online 2 weeks before. Green fields of County Kildare and then Co. Laois and Co. Tipperary flash by the windows.\u00a0 <\/span>The stops are announced in Irish Gaelic and English. It\u2019s a gorgeous ride and the sun dances in through the panes of the train car.<\/p>\n

\"From<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Between<\/a>\u00a0\"Between<\/a>\u00a0\"Between<\/a><\/p>\n

Transfer at Mallow<\/b><\/h4>\n

The tracks cross another county line into Cork and at Mallow Station I transfer trains and catch the Tralee service West to Killarney.\u00a0 <\/span>This second ride is slightly over an hour and takes me into more rugged territory. We pass such stations as Millstream and Rathmore, as we cross over into Co. Kerry. From Contae \u00c1th Cliath (Dublin), through Cill Dara (Kildare), Laoise (Laois), Tiobraid \u00c1rann (Tipperary), Luimneach (Limerick), Corcaigh (Cork) & Chiarra\u00ed (Kerry), I had journeyed across 7 counties that morning to now arrive in Killarney, Co. Kerry.<\/p>\n

\"From<\/a><\/p>\n

Family Ties<\/b><\/h4>\n

Months before coming, I touched base with my Aunt Tina, my Dad\u2019s brother\u2019s wife.\u00a0 <\/span>She and my uncle Keith lived in Ireland together for years and now she\u2019s living in the US. Keep in mind, I had only met my Uncle Keith once or twice before he passed, I\u2019m sad to say that I didn\u2019t know him very well and I didn\u2019t know Tina at all.\u00a0 <\/span>That didn\u2019t stop her from introducing me to one of her besties, Suzanne, a current Killarney resident.\u00a0 <\/span>Over e-mail we made plans and Suzanne graciously opened up her home for\u00a0me to stay for as long as I needed. This first visit would just be for a couple hours, however. She met me at the train station with a quick hug and we were off to go meet up with her friend Mary for lunch and a brief\u00a0drive around the park together.<\/p>\n

\"Killarney<\/a><\/p>\n

Kerry<\/b><\/h4>\n

The Kerry accent takes some getting used to. I hadn\u2019t had the pleasure of speaking to anyone from Kerry before and I was surprised how accents and figures of speech changed over county borders<\/a>! I occasionally had to have Suzanne repeat things for me, and I sure felt a little silly having to ask! We were, after all, both speaking English! The accent of some Kerry residents can be terribly difficult for a non-Irish speaker to understand, as the accent is often steeped from the Irish language. An extreme case of this is a sheep farmer who made national news after reporting some lost sheep<\/a>\u2026at least that\u2019s what I\u00a0think he said. Search Kerry accent on Google and you can’t escape that clip. I really hope the different pronunciations and speaking styles\u00a0stick around for many generations. I certainly don’t want all voices to become Americanized English. Like, that would be THE\u00a0worst. Personally, I loved hearing the different accents and unique figures of speech and sayings that were new to me.\u00a0 <\/span>Diversity in speech is amazing and it just piques my curiosity. Looking up examples of Kerry speakers, I found this great overdub of Star Wars done by some students in Tralee.\u00a0 <\/span>I love it, have a listen<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"Killarney<\/a><\/p>\n

Killarney <\/b><\/h4>\n

In Mary\u2019s car, we zipped through the town of Killarney, which had a substantial amount of traffic for a park. That\u2019s right, the town is actually a part of Killarney Nation Park<\/a>, the oldest park established in the country.\u00a0 <\/span>At 26,000 acres, it\u2019s also one of the largest and is comprised of beautiful lakes and the tallest mountain range in the country. There are many natural and architectural attractions to seek out in the area. Killarney also has the most extensive native forest cover remaining in the country and the park includes a variety of important natural habitats.<\/p>\n

\"Killarney<\/a><\/p>\n

Parks & Rec<\/b><\/h4>\n

Finally getting out of town and into the park proper, greenery and bushes leaned in closer to the sides of the road and every now and then we\u2019d have to slow to pass jaunting cars<\/a> (a two wheeled, horse drawn carriage), walkers or cyclists. Recreational use of the park is very heavy. We pulled to the side of the road at a parking area and I was able to leap out and snap some photos of the lake and greenery while Suzanne and Mary waited patiently in the car.\u00a0 <\/span>As beautiful\u00a0 <\/span>and vibrant as the rhododendron are here, I knew they are invasive species, overtaking native plants in the area. They were problem in Scotland too I recalled.<\/p>\n

Deer me<\/b><\/h4>\n

\"Red<\/a>Back in the car, Suzanne and Mary pointed out some places I should visit when I return later the next week. I spot some deer and take a blurry picture out the car window.\u00a0 <\/span>Killarney is home to the last surviving indigenous herd of red deer<\/a> in Ireland. There are other herds of re-introduced stock mainly from Scotland, but the current local herd, numbering close to 1000, has been here since neolithic times.<\/p>\n

Lakeside Dining<\/b><\/h4>\n

We stop into the Killarney Lake Hotel<\/a> for a delicious lunch.\u00a0 <\/span>Situated right on the shore of Lough Lein, we snag a patio table with stunning views.\u00a0 <\/span>It\u2019s another spectacularly sunny day, I\u2019ve really lucked out on this trip with the weather!\u00a0 <\/span>Down the path towards the water and visible from our dining spot at the lakeside bistro are the ruins of McCarthy M\u00f3r Castle, Castlelough<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"Lough<\/a><\/p>\n

The McCarthys<\/b><\/h4>\n

Mac C\u00e1rthaigh<\/a> is an Irish Gaelic name originating from Munster.\u00a0 <\/span>Apparently 60% of McCarthy\u2019s in Ireland still live in County Cork where the family was quite the powerhouse in the Middle Ages. This castle was built in the 12th century, possibly by the Roches.\u00a0 <\/span>It was a time of warring clans and Norman invasions. AngloNorman castles were popping up around the Kerry area.\u00a0 <\/span>In 1261 Kerry was invaded by West Cork McCarthy\u2019s, displacing local chieftains and Gerald Roche was killed.\u00a0 <\/span>The McCarthy\u2019s based their reign of South Kerry from their castles; Pallas, Ballycarbery (which I will visit a couple days hence) and this one, Castlelough.<\/p>\n

\"Castlelough,<\/a><\/p>\n

Castlelough<\/b><\/h4>\n

Over the years a number of colourful MacCarthy\u2019s resided here, including Donal MacCarthy, also known as \u201cDan the Feathers<\/a>\u201d an illegitimate son of the last reigning king of Desmond. In 1583, the Earl of Desmond was killed and his vast lands were forfeited to the English crown and distributed to English noblemen. Donal, knowing the lay of the land would perform raids and attack these English land grabbers, sending them packing off his ancestral lands and re-establishing MacCarthy turf, as well as neighbouring clan lands.\u00a0 <\/span>These feats awarded him the title \u201cThe Robin Hood of Munster\u201d and he\u2019s got quite a reputation around Killarney.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Castlelough,<\/a><\/p>\n

Mansion Hotel<\/b><\/h4>\n

In the 1800s, a\u00a0mansion was built within view of the castle walls.\u00a0 <\/span>It changed hands quite a bit and was enlarged to become the Lake Hotel.\u00a0 <\/span>Queen Victoria was a guest at the hotel in 1861 and here I am 155 years later, eating a lovely lunch with two new friends.\u00a0 <\/span>The food was delectable and Suzanne insisted on covering my meal, the first of many incredibly kind, hospitable acts she would bestow upon me during my visit.<\/p>\n

\"Castlelough,<\/p>\n

Following the Ring<\/b><\/h4>\n

This afternoon was just a stopover and I have discovered many sights in this incredible\u00a0National Park\u00a0that I absolutely must visit and explore.\u00a0 <\/span>After lunch, we drive back to the station so I can catch the bus further west, along the Ring of Kerry to Cahersiveen.\u00a0 <\/span>I will return to see my new friends in Killarney in about a week\u2019s time before heading North, along the Wild Atlantic Way, but for now I will be exploring the southwest of this fantastic country.\u00a0 <\/span>Onwards.<\/p>\n

\"Curragh<\/a><\/p>\n