May 21 Kenmare

Day 13 - Tuesday, May 21, 2002

And we thought the weather yesterday was bad. The 20 foot walk to the main building was a challenge in the weather. The dining room looks out on the bay and we were able to watch the tide rise almost to the top of the pier. This was clearly not a morning to do anything so we casually ate our breakfast and then headed back to the room. We lounged around for a while and then headed over to the pub for a drink and a bite to eat. We tried to figure out the chords to my only Irish tune in case we were called upon to play. I had picked up a couple of Irish whistles and had been driving Felicity crazy with them. Slowly the weather was beginning to improve, so we started too make plans to head out. Finally by mid afternoon, the weather was good enough to tolerate, we took off for the Beara Peninsula. On the road to Kenmare, we could see the Inchaquin waterfall, and it seemed the water flow had increased drastically. We felt we needed to go back.

It was too late to see the whole peninsula, so we drove along the coast and up to Healy Pass. The road along the coast is nice, but much of it is tree lined and it's hard to see the bay. The road up to Healy Pass is a beautiful narrow windy road. Fortunately, the tour buses don't do Beara. There are a few tight spots where letting cars by is tight. The waterfall on the Healy Pass road is beautiful. The view from the top of Healy (picture on right) is fantastic but so was the wind speed. The weather to the south looked ominous so we headed back the way we came and over to the Inchaquin waterfall.

The road through the glen is VERY narrow and you need to take your time, watching for cars coming in the opposite direction, cattle and sheep. Fortunately, the turnoff is not very well marked, so there is very little traffic. We like it that way.

As we approached the waterfall, it was clear that it was flowing very hard. We stopped for a photo op and a man came by and told us to continue on to the car park ahead. I'm pretty sure he was the husband of the caretaker of the area. The car park is at the end of the road where there is a house and the owners will sit you down for a cup of tea if you like. They also are in charge of collecting the admission fee which is about €4.00 pp. When we got there, the weather had turned sour as had Felicity's cold so she decided she didn't want to get out. I told the woman I would be the only one going. Kind hearted soul that she was, she permitted us to drive there so that Felicity could see the falls in their apparently somewhat rare glory. She opened the gate for us and we drove through.

This was perhaps the most spectacular setting that we had seen. When we got there, the rain was pouring down, but that wasn't going to stop me from getting some snap shots. Felicity was laughing hysterically at me as I attempted to record the moments in the wind and rain. As quickly though, as the bad weather arrived, it left. The sun came and went over the next hour or so, but the rain was gone for good. We were in an idyllic Irish setting. The waterfalls in one direction and the fields of the glen leading to Kenmare Bay in the other. Felicity changed her mind and got out and started taking pictures too.

A little while later, a couple approached and asked if we could take their picture and they would do the same for us. We of course obliged. Felicity headed to a picturesque spot and I saw the sun come out so I attempted to hustle to meet her. The ground was soggy and well.....didn't provide a good footing. My feet came out from under me and I landed with a resounding sort of splat - thud sound. Let the hysterical laughter return. I couldn't have gotten wetter if I had fallen in a river. It was all Felicity could do to keep a straight face as our new friends snapped our picture. We did the same for them and they continued down the trail. Felicity will not let me forget this for many years to come.

We spent lots of time up around the falls and could have spent more except we were late for dinner with Liz and Dick, a couple we had met at the B&B. We had made reservations at Casey's in Kenmare which, in addition to preparing a pretty fine meal, has entertainment that starts at 8:30 instead of the usual 10:00. With me still wearing very wet pants, we met them in the bar for drinks while we were waiting for our table. When we left, I fear my pants left a bit of their moisture on the upholstered chair that the nearest standing guest was quick to appropriate. This will probably be a story he will tell around the holiday table for years to come. I know that we will.

The music was good, not outstanding, but certainly entertaining. The group were clearly amateurs, but energetic. They forced their children to join in with songs and the occasional dance throughout the evening. They struggled with it but were good sports. This experience will either turn them into great performers or scar them emotionally for life. I'm guessing the latter. After dinner, we all headed back to Tahilla Cove to collapse.

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