This is Tom's standard fare each morning....the black stuff is black/blood pudding, a mixture of pig's blood and oats. GAG ME!!! Point being, the protein count for this plate has to be in the 1,000's. What looks like ham is bacon. If you want American bacon, which is not always available, it is "streaky bacon" and not very good. This bacon is like pork cutlets.
Each day we left our Dungarvan nest, we drove by this sign. We don't know what it means and frankly, had not noticed it.
One particular day, Kathy is driving and has to SLAM on the brakes, due to an oncoming car....never noticing the STOP sign cuz it doesn't say STOP. You are correct; it is an international shape, but somehow invisible to both of us.....because Tom did the same thing the next day!
We are leaving Dungarvan, headed to Dublin.
Back in Charleston, again?
Kathy has wanted to go to Waaterford ever since we started planning this trip.
Not for the history...
for the crystal! Did you know that Waterford Crystal was bankrupt and our of business during 2009 and part of 2010. Waterford City is very pleased to welcome the new visitor center and the renewed manufacturing of this priceless crystal with a history of 250+ years.
The new showroom is like being in a fairyland
What we did NOT know about Waterford is the city's connection with JFK.
They are justifiably proud of the Kennedy and US connection. This sign commemorates JFK's assassination and the year that he visited Ireland.
JFK had come to Ireland to commemorate the Famine. Read the inscription on the banner.....obviously, Kennedy did not make the return trip.
The Dunbrody was used from 1845 to 1851 to transport victims of the potato famine from Ireland to North America. It may have carried Patrick Kennedy, JFK's great grandfather to the US.
On the way out of Waterford, Kathy's peripheral vision picks up this sign. We are on another chase.
The search continues.
The trees close in.
A signal man out here? Why?
A hedge trimmer in operation.
The search continues.
This modern looking building fronts the more modest homestead where Patrick Kennedy was born and lived. We now understand the affection for JFK; it is not just because he is Irish descent, but the fact that his great grandfather, Patrick, was from Waterford....and in only 4 generations, his great grandson was elected President....however, we decided not to spend the $30 to read more about it.
We finally give up on the quest because we are running out of time. We head back toward the main road. Problem: we took many wrong turns, ended up hopelessly lost for nearly an hour. Even with a map and a few road signs, we could not find our way. A trip that projected a 2.5 hour drive, ended up being nearly 6 hours and not because we were taking lots of pictures!
We had to call our Dublin host 3 times to amend our arrival time. Getting lost was just the first of our problems. That was followed by heavy traffic and construction. A 2pm arrival became a 6 pm arrival.
The views of the Irish Sea from our new nest
