Slainte

Life on the emerald isle is relaxed, so relaxed that there aren't a lot of free wi-fi ops; now that we're in Galway, we're cooking again. But we have some catching up to do. After we left Dublin, and a quick stop at Stephen Daedalus's Martello Tower, we spent the day resting and relaxing in Wexford at a resort on the shores of the river Slaney. The next morning we struck out for the West, stopping at the gorgeously ruined Rock of Cashel and the rather underwhelming King John's Castle (eh, a 12th-century castle, whatever) in Limerick, taking a wee detour through Cappamore, County Limerick, where Philip's ancestors (the O'Briens) resided. We pushed on to Newmarket-on-Fergus to our B&B where our host brought out his broadsword (really), a replica of an original chieftain sword from the, wait for it, O'Brien clan! Then he dragged out a boomerang and a didgeridoo! We were at home. Fantastic dinner at Durty Nellie's (best meal we've had in Ireland, land of heavy cream & blood pudding), next to Bunratty Castle. There's a castle, a ruin, or a castle ruin around every bend in County Clare.