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