On Saturday we started out the morning by seeing some ancient Ogham stones. They date back to the 5th or 6th century.
These markers were found all around Dingle and brought together to protect them. There are a few different sites of these around Ireland. They are markers for tombstones of chieftains.
This is called a Gratto - which means a place to pray. It is a beautiful area and very quiet.
This is the Burnham Coaliste Ita. It was owned by Lord Ventry. He really loved plant life and exotic ones at that. He introduced many different types of plant life and birds to the island. Can you believe that all of this was for one family? Later he gave it to the nuns to run a boarding school there for 1 pound.
Here is the view when I turned around 180 degrees. I could get used to that!!!
This was the old watch building. It is called Sichru'. It was for a family to stay in and watch the water for any intruders. This Lord was well off because the building down here was huge in comparison to other servant places we saw.
The boys on the beach. They really loved all of the beaches!!! At the far left there used to be four ship wrecks. They were there for hundreds of years. The city of Dingle finally had to take them down because too many kids were playing on them and getting hurt because of the rotting wood.
This is the original gate that leads back up to the main house. It is amazing how they built these way back then with none of the tools we have now and it lasts.
This was the servants house, well one of them. There were a few big ones. I am not sure how many he had, but it was a LOT!
This is Irish - it means hundred thousand welcomes. It is what they say when somebody comes over.
This was from the original house, you can't see it real well, but there is a horse behind that gate. Again amazing how they can still use it when it is hundreds of years old.
Next we went to a beach - Ventry (which means Irish wood). There was plenty of sand that the boys played in and we took back into the car.
Michael got a ride from Dara - he was trying to wrestle with Dara, but I think Dara has the upper hand on this one :-) Michael was completely enjoying it!
Next we headed to Dunberg Fort. Back in the day, the farmers made underground forts to protect their livestock from the wolves and the weather. Here the boys are enjoying the view from the cliffs.
Isn't it absolutely beautiful!!!
AJ in part of the fort. There are underground tunnels underneath him. We couldn't go into them of course because they weren't stable.
The boys decided that this part of the fort that was covered over would be a great place to jump!!! These boys had never ending energy - I think it must have been the fresh sea air!
Here is a picture of the fort looking down on it. Again these lasted for years and the other amazing thing is that they didn't use any cement or anything to hold the stones together, they are just sitting there on top of each other for hundreds of years.
The boys were fascinated with this gentleman shearing the sheep. He was only doing the back legs at this time. If you look closely you can see that the sheep are all painted. Each farmer paints their sheep in a certain pattern and color to identify their sheep. So if one wanders out whoever finds the sheep knows who owns it.
These were called Beehive huts. This is where many farmers lived. There is not much room in there and they slept with their animals in there especially during the harsh winters. They are the most numerous and widespread field monuments in Ireland. They would have been inhabited from ancient times to 1200 AD
The sheepdog was really friendly and the boys didn't want to leave.
The boys - it is so nice to see brotherly love
There were quite a few of these throughout Ireland. Somebody had put fresh flowers on this one.
This is the famous Blasket Islands. It is one of the most written parts of Ireland ever. It was inhabited until 1953 when they were evacuated to the mainland. The lives of the inhabitants were very archaic because it was based largely on the barter system as well as the primitive living conditions. They had to take boats across the sea to get to the mainland that was very treacherous.
Look at those waves hitting the beaches, we are headed down to the far one in this picture next.
This is a typical view along the road in Dingle, there are many stone houses and fences so beautiful!!
The older boys talking while AJ is playing in the sand - I think we had a full beach in the car by the time we were done. :-)
Dara is telling the boys about a story of a witch that was in the area and ended up falling to her death and all that was left of her was .....
Her hair - can you see it up there? Middle left. There was also a witches cave where he scared the boys.
The boys decided it was wrestle time with Mr. Dara and I think Mr. Dara was winning yet again. Good thing he was such a good sport!!
The boys climbing on the rocks - they kept going farther and farther up.
I loved the color of the water here - it was so pretty!!!
This is the end of the a really, really long hill. It was the pier where the people from the Blasket Islands came to and from to sell their livestock, etc. There are the Curach boats again.
AJ checking out the underside of the Curach. The tar was hot and very hot
AJ said he was too tired to walk all the way up the hill (it was a ways) and Dara gave him a piggy back ride up most of the way
So of course Michael wanted a ride too. I told them they were crazy it was a steep hill.
This gives you an idea of how steep it was. Picture this all muddy and trying to get up and down with cows, sheep etc.
This is called Dead Man Island - as you can see it looks like a dead man lying in a casket
These mountains are called The Three Sisters. They look different from all sides and are a major landmark.
Here we are at another beautiful beach - did you know that Ireland is one place where they hold world championship surfing contests? I can see it now with all the great beaches there. The boys want to go back and learn how to surf.
It was nice for David to have another guy to wrestle with the boys, it made it more even, one on one, and they didn't let up at all! Any of them!
AJ smiling on the beach - loving it!!!
Michael also enjoying the beach - you can see Dead Man Island in the background
Brotherly love!!! I sure do love those boys!!!
This is called the Gallarus Oratory. It was built in the 7th or 8th century in a corbel style (an upside down boat). It is said that through the window in the back if you can fit through it you will go to heaven.
Well of course my boys love a challenge - so Michael went first since he was the smallest
You can see how small the window is on the other end - but he made it!!! And very happy about it!!
Then of course AJ had to try, I was a little more worried about him getting through that small window.
But he made it too!!! So according to legend both boys are going to Heaven. I am hoping they will no matter what anyway because they believe in Jesus.
Another view of the three sisters from the other side.
After the last beach we went back to Dara's music story and met his dad Michael (on the right). They played us some great Irish music!!
Here Michael is teaching Michael how to play the spoons. He was having a great time!! Of course he just loves to make noise!
AJ and Daddy at dinner!
After dinner there was a local fundraiser for a small school and church in a neighboring town called Camp. It was so neat!! It was really small and all local people. They did songs, poems, music, plays it was such great fun!!! Michael was a little tired and ended up falling asleep during it. To his credit it was almost 10 PM
Before we went to the fundraiser we stopped at a local pub and had a pint of Guinness. Well I had a half pint and the boys a pop. :-) It was such a cool pub, old school, and so awesome!!
It had a fireplace and was completely made out of stone. It was such a great way to end another fantastic day!!! We all had a great time!!! But that wasn't the end of David's night. I have to admit I was a bit jealous, but one of us had to stay with the kids in the B&B. But on Saturday night they have a ton of Irish music playing in the pubs. So Dara and his dad Michael took David out and showed him the small town hospitality of Dingle. He was able to meet the 6 time accordion champion of Ireland and many other musicians. He had a fantastic night out with the boys and enjoyed some great beer also!!!
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