Must Do's ...
- Adare, County Limerick
What You Can Skip ...
- Sorry, as I didn't explore much so I'm not quite sure.
on the drive to County Limerick...
I took the northern road from the town of Dingle back across the peninsula to Tralee and then the cross-country highway up to the town of Limerick. Tralee is the largest town in County Kerry and its name means 'strand of the Lee' (river). As I wanted to cover a lot of ground, I skipped driving to the tip of the Dingle Peninsula which overlooks the Blasket Islands. I'm certain it is a sight to behold, and later on my trip I experienced such an overlook that caused me not to care that I'd missed the view of these islands.
County Limerick ...
I must be fair in my assessment of Limerick, both the county and the city. Despite it is the County that we believe my leg of the Burke clan is from, in the province of Munster, I didn't spend much time exploring. The drive there your average Irish countryside. Nothing really stood out to me ... until I drove into Adare, County Limerick, Ireland.
Adare Village ...
In the Middle Ages, Adare was a market town and crossing point on River Maigue. A major settlement with an Augustinian Priory, Franciscan Abbey, Trinitarian Abbey, and Desmond Castle (built by the O'Donovan* clan). The main street is a mix of quintessential Irish architecture with English architecture (many thatched cottages). The street is so narrow and has a small curb that driving it was the only time I brushed a curb (pretty good for a newbie to driving on the right). It's known as one of Ireland's prettiest villages and has been designated a Heritage Town by the Irish government.
And there is the spectacular 5-Star Adare Manor Hotel & Golf Resort with 840 acres of gardens and land. Aside from being one of the top golf resorts, in terms of activities the Manor also offers: falconry, rental of a classic car, fishing, cycling, equestrian, archery, clay pigeon shooting, walking trails, and hot air balloon rides. Adare is definitely a tourist attraction but it's still worth visiting even if you simply drive through.
*O'Donovan is both an Irish surname and a hereditary Gaelic title. The O'Donovans are descendants of the 10th century Donnuban mac Cathail, ruler of the Irish regional kingdom of Ui Fidgenti, and are princes of Ui Fidgenti. Later in history they fell into obscurity for several centuries. Later still the O'Donovan became a feudal lord underneath the MacCarthy Reagh Princes of Carbery and dropped the limited but true royal status. The O'Donovan history is an interesting one ~ read here and here.
Limerick City ...
Limerick City was established as a Viking settlement in the 10th century and was eventually enlarged by the Anglo-Normans about 100 years later. They built King John's Castle, circa 1200, which is one of the best examples of Anglo-Norman architecture in Ireland. However, the castle is predated by St. Mary's Cathedral, found in 1172 by Donal O'Brien (one of the High Kings of Munster; more on the O'Briens later). Limerick sits on the River Shannon and is the fifth largest city in all of Ireland.
The architecture of the homes is outstanding ...
I drove to Limerick thinking that I'd explore the city a bit and spend the night there (despite that a friend in New York, who is from Galway, advised me to drive through it without stopping because it's known as "Stab City"). When I arrived in the city I truly was not comfortable as I drove through downtown. It did look rough. Although, I'm sure the fact that it was a cold, gray rainy day added to my impression, not to mention the thought that Carmel had already implanted in my psyche.
The time was close to 5pm, my usual time to check into a B&B for the evening. I knew I didn't want to stay in Limerick. I needed to decide what I was going to do ...
(I have so much to share about this county that I decided to share in its own post.)
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