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Article #174: New Jersey Mom Happy To Report A Tale About Her Joyful Trip To Ireland....

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Can you find Ireland on the map of the Our final night we stayed in a small
world? If you can, congratulations village called Waterville during the day
because you know your geography. we again raced on the beaches and took in
My name is Linda Shute from New jersey more wonderful sights.
and I'd like to tell you about my trip to That night we went to a local pub, danced
Ireland and "The Ring of Kerry". and had a wonderful dinner and exchanged
The "Ring of Kerry" is not a ring you can addresses and phone numbers from new
wear on your finger, it's located in the found friends. It was the most fabulous
South West of Ireland. vacation!
County Kerry has beautiful lakes and The next day I was off to the rental car
mountains, magnificent waterfalls and agency to continue on my trip around
their coast line is studded with inlets Ireland via the Bed and Breakfast routes.
that can take your breath away with their My first stop was a place called Bunratty
beauty. Castle and Folk Park. This is a very old
The ring is the path I took as I traveled castle built around 1450 by Sioda
130 miles in 6 days by horseback through MacConmara. It was restored and
this majestic land. furnished by the late Lord Gort during
I have always hungered to travel to far the 1960s.
away places and meet the folks who live This was the first old castle I had ever
there. been in, what a thrill! I was so happy I
Being an avid horse enthusiast, and could afford such a wonderful trip thanks
riding since childhood, I like to combine to my secret cash machine.
these two pleasures whenever I can. As I left the castle and I walked about
As I was flipping through the pages of a the Folk Park and saw refurbished
travel catalog from Equitours, they offer Thatched Roofs, Blacksmith shops and
worldwide riding holidays, I found a trip homes which were shared by both animal
to Ireland I just couldn't pass up. and human during the winter months for
Picked up the phone and booked the combined heat.
horseback trip, then I got a bright idea By animals I don't mean dogs and cats.
extend the trip to include a week of I'm talking about large animals like
traveling via rental car and stay at horses, cattle, sheep and such all living
Bed-and-Breakfast homes. This will under one roof.
ensure I would get off the beaten path to The only thing which divided the animal
meet the local people. side from the human side was a small
Off to the travel agent I went with amount of dirt floor space. It made me
checkbook in hand. I paid for the airline glad to think we don't have to live like
tickets and booked the rental car and this any longer.
picked up the Bed-and-Breakfast I love my horses and dogs but I don't
information. really want to share sleeping quarters
I arrived at Shannon Airport filled with with them all winter long just for the
excitement. I found my driver and was benefit of heat.
taken to the riding stables. I met the My next stop was Blarney Castle. I was
other people who would be sharing this amazed at the very narrow circular
trip with me. stairways in this castle of rock. I have
There were elderly women from England, a herd many saying about kissing the
young woman from Italy, three others from Blarney Stone and I wanted to actually
the United States. Our guide, Les see what all of this was about so up to
Little, was an ex-jockey born and raised the top of the castle I climbed.
in Ireland. Since we arrived in the While climbing the stairs low and behold
morning at various times the first day don't I meet and guy from northern New
was a short ride so we could get better Jersey, my home state. We recognized
aquatinted with each other and our each others accent and struck up a
assigned mounts. conversation. It's such a small world in
My horse for the week was a spirited bay some ways both of us were on vacation.
mare named Melody. Once at the top there was no way in this
I learned that Melody was an Irish world I was going to kiss that blarney
Thoroughbred and she use to race over stone for anyone! You have to lie down,
timber. In other words she was a hang over the edge of the castle wall,
Steeplechase race horse. and kiss the underside on a particular
These are the ones that jump over fences stone. It's a good idea if you have
which may be either bushes or wood fences someone hold your feet and legs so you
and sometimes water. I was ecstatic don't fall off the edge of the wall.
about this we were well suited for each Not for me no way!
other. My favorite Castle was Kilkenny Castle
I quickly lost all fear of being stuck still in use today and part of it has
with some slow hack horse I would hate been turned into a museum for tourist.
for the duration of the trek. My next stop was The Irish National Stud
Early the next morning after a hearty Farm and Museum. A fact I found very
breakfast we were handed our brown bag interesting here was that each of the
lunches and set off to mount up. stallions stalls or boxes as they called
We rode around the Lakes of Killarney and them had its own distinctive lantern type
past Ross Castle. roof complete with skylights.
We climbed the Devils Elbow and wound our The original owner believed that stars
way into the mountains. One of the dictated not only our own destiny, but
advantages of traveling by horseback is also the destiny of horses. And it was
that we can leave the roads to cut considered very important that the moon
through the fields and forest. and stars should exercise their maximum
You get to see very beautiful places you influence on their subjects thus
can't get to in a car. We visited such skylights for each stallion were
places as Glenbeigh, Glencar, Waterville, incorporated into the roofs of all
and Hogshead. We galloped on the beach at stabling he built.
Rossbeigh where Melody and I won the One item I did not expect to see in The
races with such ease. Irish Nation Stud Farm was a Japanese
We rode around part of Caragh Lake which Garden. So I took my first tour of a
offers huge salmon to those who like to meticulously well kept garden with all it
fish. We stayed at the Glencar Hotel hedges and finery trimmed into different
which caters to the sport enthusiast. forms, each with its own story of life.
Fishermen come here from around the world At the end of the garden I came to the
because it's so close to Caragh Lake and Horse Museum where I found the skeleton
they will smoke your salmon for you so of Arkle.
you can have it shipped home. He was a famous race horse who fractured
The smoked salmon we ate at the Glencar his pedal bone in the hoof during his
Hotel was fresh from Caragh Lake and last race in 1966.
smoked at the hotel. It was positively At last much to my dismay, my vacation
the very best smoked salmon I have ever has come to an end and I must return to
had! New Jersey.






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