Drombeg Stone Circle, Cork, Ireland

My daughter had been reading a series of books about time travel where the time travel was initiated by walking into a stone circle. When I saw all the stone circles near Clonakilty, I had to take her to the Drombeg Stone Circle.

As with most places in Ireland, the signage was somewhat lacking! We finally had to stop a man in a horse and buggy to ask where the stone circle was.

If you don't see the horse and buggy, the most dependable way to locate the stone circle is via its entry on the waymarking.com site. This site also has directions.

2.4 km (1 ½ ml) E of Glandore, 250 m down a path to the E of a byroad. Signposted (SN 381). One of the few stone circles in County Cork with proper signposts all the way, off the Glandor and Clonakilty Rd, it is a short walk from the sign posts with a proper car park.

Your mileage may vary.

Like Avebury, this is such a contrast to Stonehenge. As you'll see from my pictures, you can walk (and climb) all through the stones.

The wikipedia article is pretty sparse. Another reference site is here. The area's web site is here and has the following description:

On the horizon in the west there is a v-shaped hollow between two hills. At the Winter Solstice, i.e. 21st December, the sun sets into that hollow in alignment with the recumbent and portal stones of the circle.

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O'Donovan's Bar, Fishers Cross, Cork, Ireland

After a hard afternoon at Galley Head Lighthouse, we headed over to O'Donovan's Bar to get refreshed. After all, we hadn't had any alcohol since the Jamison's for lunch. O'Donovan's Bar at Fishers Cross is a family run establishment located about a mile from Kilkern Lake. Denis O'Donovan is the second generation proprietor. Denis sponsors the local road bowling team. Here's a picture from the '70s of Denis road bowling.

Their web site is here.

My son-in-law learned a valuable lesson at O'Donovan's Bar. Never leave a €50 note on an Irish bar.

Here's a really good map of the Clonakilty area. To find Fishers Cross, find Galley Head at the bottom and look due North.

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Galley Head Lighthouse, Cork, Ireland

Our son-in-law's cousin took us out to the Galley Head lighthouse outside Clonakilty. I have never seen a more awe inspiring sight.

Built in 1875, the lighthouse sits 130 feet above sea level overlooking St George's Channel.

Most people seem to ignore the sign warning "UNAUTHORISED ENTRY IS PROHIBITED." This picture comes from this web site.

You can even rent the keeper's house but there's a warning for potential guests:

Special Note: Guests should be aware that the station is situated on a clifftop.

Amen.

The wikipedia article is here and their web site is here.

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Charles Fort, Kinsale, Cork, Ireland

Charles Fort is just across the harbor from Kinsale. We just drove over there on a whim and it was one of the highlights of our trip.

It even has it's own ghost.

The wikipedia article is here and here're my pictures.

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Desmond Castle, Kinsale, Cork, Ireland

Desmond Castle, also known as the "French Prison," was built in the early 1500s. During the American Revolutionary War, it was used as a prison for captured American sailors. Now, it houses the International Museum of Wine.

The wikipedia article is here.

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St. Multose Church, Kinsale, Cork, Ireland

St. Multose Church sits at the top of a hill in Kinsale. Sorry about the clouds but it is Ireland!

It was built in 1190. In 1915 the Lusitania sank just offshore from Kinsale. Many of the victims were buried at St. Multose.

There's not much information on it on the web but Kinsale's web site is here.

My pictures are here.

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