Ringaskiddy, Ireland...

We were picked up at the port of Ringaskiddy, the commercial port by a true Irish lady, Mary Walsh.  Visitors say any trip to Ireland should include a visit to Blarney Castle. Steeped in history, myth and mystery, Blarney Castle is a world landmark and one of Ireland’s well-known treasures.   Our first morning stop on this daylong tour was Blarney, where I climbed the tower to kiss the Blarney Stone.  Blarney Castle is set in over 60 acres of stunning parkland and gardens filled with rare and unusual plants and trees.  Loved the gardens!!!  We walked through the quaint town to the Blarney Woollen Mills.  After leaving Blarney we travelled the countryside to Kinsale and stopped to visit Charles Fort.  Charles Fort is a late 17th-century star-shaped fort that was built by the British and returned to the Republic of Ireland in 1922.  The fort is well preserved and overlooks the wide expanse of Kinsale Harbor.  Our next stop was Kinsale, a quaint fishing town. Kinsale is one of the many little villages in Ireland that tends to deliver an ‘Oh Wow’ moment every time you turn a corner. The town is home to many a colorful buildings and narrow streets which makes it a joy to just wander around.  We had a late lunch of takeaway from Dino’s, the fish and chips were absolutely delicious!  Just outside of Kinsale we stopped at the Ringfinnan Memorial Garden, this is a moving remembrance dedicated to Chaplin Father Michael Judge and the 343 brave Firemen who died heroically in the line of duty at the Twin Towers disaster on September 11, 2001 in New York City.  Driving through the Irish countryside we returned to Ringaskiddy and took the ferry to Cohb for tour of the town.   Cobh (pronounced “Cove”) is located on the south side of Great Island in Cork Harbor, one of the largest natural harbors in the world. Formerly known as Queenstown, this lovely town looks across to both Spike and Haulbowline Islands.  Our first stop in Cohb was the magnificent St. Coleman’s Cathedral.  This is one of Ireland’s tallest churches and is a sight to behold…What great stop to see the cathedral in all its glory inside and out!  We had an added bonus to see the colorful houses known as the Deck of Cards, from West Park situated across from the cathedral.  From here we descended to the waterfront and made a stop at the town center at the Lusitania memorial.  This memorial commemorates those who died on the passenger ship Lusitania in 1915. It was sunk by a German torpedo during WW1 and that sinking brought the US into the war.  Many old buildings line the streets on the waterfront, including the former White Star Line Office that is now the Titanic Museum.  Cobh was the last port of call for the now infamous RMS Titanic, in 1912.  Our last stop was the Cohb Heritage Center.  In the 19th century Cohb became an important departure port for 2.5 million Irish people who emigrated to North America in search of a better life.  We visited the Annie Moore statue…an interesting and powerful statue of Annie Moore and her two brothers representing the millions of Irish who left their homeland to begin a new life abroad.  We had a very nice day touring; the weather was beautiful and must thank our most interesting and knowledgeable guide, Mary Walsh, for a grand day…  Loving our time on the Zuiderdam!!!