A few (semi-) representative photos from our recent week in Ireland (Co. Cork and Kerry). Matched by a few impressions.
Enjoying a panorama of the apparently lovely Glen of Aherlow.
The Rock of Cashel has commanding views over the surrounding landscape.
Inch Beach; isn't all the sun and (wind-swept) sand relaxing?
As you can see, the boats at Kinsale shelter in a land-locked harbour.
A view of the horizon from Sheep's Head Peninsula.
You can see up and down the coast for miles meters at Mitzen Head.
OK, so we had some rain (3 days solid, the rest showers) and coastal fog (2 days). Ireland is green and wet. Green as in Emerald Isle, wet as in "the wettest May in living memory" (according to Irish TV). Having got caught out in NZ, this time we were prepared for adverse weather—and we did wear our thermal underwear for two days in late May!
Other impressions? No smoking where food is servered—fantastic! Guinness is over-rated (but the "noitulovE" ad is a brilliant although anthropologically inaccurate incentive to drink it). Where was all the music we were expecting to ooze from every open doorway?
On a more serious note, the poverty was evident and many villages looked run down rather than "delightful" as described in the guide books. We were both saddened to hear how Irish grain was exported to England during the famine, which decimated the population to a staggering degree (for example, Sheep's Head Peninusla, population 600, was once home to some 8000). The ruins of abandoned stone cottages were liberally sprinkled throughout the Counties. One of the locals opined that by "standing by" during this period British politicians hoped the gain control over the dissident population, effectively by culling it. I certainly gained some insight into the distrust, if not veiled animosity, that some Irish folk seemingly still harbour towards the English.
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Oh, nooo, don't tell me that! Or, on the other hand, maybe all the rain was when you were there - when we go there (the 16th of June) there gonna be awesome weather. I'm sure.
I just wished that I didn't have that bad weather curse on me....
Our planning attitude with respect to the weather on this trip was "plan for the worst; hope for the best". It's like this:
E > R = D
where E = expectation; R = reality; D = disappointment. So, where your expectations are low (e) and the weather is bad (D!) it equates to the reality of the situation such that you are left feeling mostly ambivalent:
e = D! = :-|
In other words it is possible to find good in any climatic eventuality via the judicious use of rationalization.
I'm sure you'll have an Irish experience, be it wet, dry, or undecided.
I was in County Galway at around the same time, and it rained for a week straight. Every local assured us that it was the rainiest May ever, but we still had an amazing time checking out the coast, the cliffs of Moher, etc. Beautiful country, it's a shame you had fog too.
As for the Guinness, well, not everyone's perfect :)
Glad you had a great time Pat. We were more relaxed about the weather than the apologetic locals. I think when you have guests in your country, wherever that may be, it's only natural to want people to see it in a good (sun)light.