"We set sail from the cold quay of Cork..."

We arrived safely at the Imperial Hotel, Cork.  I must say our hotels were pretty grand.  Here's the lobby of The Imperial (not my photo).  After checking in we set off to wander a bit.  Cork (Corcaigh in Irish meaning "marsh") was reputedly founded as a monastic settlement by St. Finbarr on the River Lee.  Vikings arrived after 915 A.D., lived mostly in harmony with the monks and Cork became an important trading city during the Middle Ages, and later a primary place of embarkation for Irish emigrants to America.  It was an English stronghold for many years, but strongly supported Irish Home Rule afrom the 19th century on.  It is a city of canals and bridges with a lively night life and music scene.

We had a wonderful pub lunch at The Oliver Plunkett (we've so far found no shortage of great eateries).  Barbara ordered  a seafood chowder and potted brawn - "a jellied loaf made from pig's head slow cooked with chili, garlic, ginger and coriander- meat removed and left to set."  With pickles and toast.  She's the epicure in our family and claimed both were delicious.  Plus the usual, Jameson's, Guinness and cider with bangers and mash for me.

The next day we decided to take a bus trip to Kinsale, a town that sounded interesting.  No, that's not a giant beetle, but Buseireann, the ubiquitous Irish buses everyone uses to get around cheaply, quickly and on time.  It was crowded but comfortable and we passed a lot of farms and fields on the way to the seacoast.

 

Kinsale is a charming town granted a charter in 1333.  We shopped and strolled (favorite pastimes) and Barbara bought chocolates to take home from the Kinsale Chocolate Boutique.  No, we did not devour them on the trip, honest!  It was fun to see all the local color including these plums on the sidewalk for sale and the palm trees, courtesy of the mild temperatures in the British Isles provided by the Gulf Stream.

Here are just a few of the narrow market streets and shops.



The harbor is of historic significance and home to Fort James and Fort Charles.  Chains were strung underwater  between these two forts to scuttle French and Spanish ships during the upheavals surrounding the wars to install Protestant or Catholic kings on the English throne.  In the end Protestant Prince William of Orange, "King Billy" defeated the Catholic King James II who fled to France from Kinsale in 1690.  More reason, besides "the yoke of tyranny" for the Catholic Irish to seethe and foment rebellion.  Can you blame them?

 

Here's a fun song from the Clancy Brothers that  tells the story of Irish frustration in a lighthearted way.  

Back to Cork for some music in a pub.  Sorry, too dark for good photos.  Next up ~ County Kerry!