Month: July 2015

Blennerville and the Tralee Ship Canal, Tralee, Co. Kerry

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An old favourite that never gets old…

chiarraigrrl's avatarAround Ireland

Tralee ship canal and Blennerville windmill
One of my favourite places probably in the whole country to visit would have to be Blennerville and the area near the Tralee Ship Canal, on the outskirts of the county town of Tralee, Co. Kerry. There are spectacular views out the Dingle peninsula toward Mount Brandon, and the majestic beauty of Tralee Bay.

Blennerville was once the port for the town of Tralee in the 19th century, and in addition to handling shipping requirements for the area (both import/export of goods and the emigration of people from 19th-century Tralee and its environs) this small village was where many ships were built over the years, including the tall ship the Jeanie Johnston. (Sidenote: when the replica famine ship was being built in Blennerville about 10 years ago, locals were taking bets as to how far out of Fenit she would get before she sank, given who from the locality…

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Visiting the last Howard Johnson’s restaurant- and other things to do in Lake George, NY

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Lake George
CBS Sunday Morning featured a delightful piece on the last Howard Johnson’s restaurant in Lake George, NY, this past Sunday- if you missed it, the video’s here, and is well worth a watch.

While visiting the last Howard Johnson’s, you might want to take in any of a number of other attractions Lake George village and its surrounding area has to offer. Lake George is located within the Adirondack Park, created in 1892, which is today the largest publicly protected area in the contiguous United States, greater in size than Yellowstone, Everglades, Glacier, and Grand Canyon National Park combined. Continue reading →

The annual Edinburgh-in-August recommendations

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Evening on the Royal Mile

Going to Edinburgh in August? Every year for the past 5 years or so, I write up a post with my recommendations from the thousands of shows available in Edinburgh during the month of August, between the Edinburgh International Festival, the Festival Fringe, and the International Book Festival– so once again putting pen (or keypad strikes) to paper, I submit to you, dear reader, my recommendations for Edinburgh in August 2015. I tend to focus on the Fringe and the Book Festival, never having quite made it to the actual Festival myself- but I hear the lineup this year is terrific. Continue reading →

Jerpoint Abbey, Co. Kilkenny

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One of my favourites…

chiarraigrrl's avatarAround Ireland

cloister arcade at Jerpoint to church
Rumour has it the remains of St. Nicholas (yes, that one) are buried near the abbey at Jerpoint. Rumour, and a guidebook or two. Supposedly, according to the story, the knights from Jerpoint Abbey were in Turkey during the Crusades, and while retreating, removed his body from Myra in modern-day Turkey and re-buried it at the Church of St. Nicholas west of the abbey.

Jerpoint Abbey is a spectacular Cistercian abbey dating back to the 12th century, and a wonderful place to have a good wander around. Founded around 1158, the original settlement at the abbey was set up by the King of Ossory, Donal MacGillapatrick, for Benedictine monks. By 1180, the Benedictines had lost favour, and Cistercian monks were brought in from Baltinglass to take over the abbey. The church with its Romanesque details dates from this period. According to our guide, the Cistercians were essentially a breakaway group…

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