The weather cleared to a mild evening so we went for a walk at 9.30 to the end of the wharf. Huge statue if Brendan the Navigator born here in 484 ad high on a cliff pointing out to sea. On the wharf under neath a statue dedicated to all lost fishermen. Still light at 10pm.
This morning we rang Margaret who we met in their motorhome at Cobh, she lives in Limerick and said when we get there we are welcome to park in her driveway and she will cook dinner. We said we were coming up today and she was delighted, very welcoming and nothing was a problem at all.
Roundabouts and bumpy roads through Adare, very pretty with hanging baskets of colourful flowers off the buildings along the road, thatched cottages and old ruins. Dry cleaners with laundry but not a public laundry.
Into Limerick drove through town to St John's Castle....closed off by Garda,,police. Phone call from Margaret we past her at the roundabout...she said to come anytime. So as we were unable to get into the castle drove to Margaret's.
Lovely welcome, cuppa tea and a scone, please do our washing, she doesn't have a dryer but a laundrematt not far for the dryer. So we put a load on and she took us for a walk about an hour.
By the time we got back the washing was done, so Tony cut her lawns back and front while Margaret took me to the laundrematt around the back of a supermarket, you wouldn't have known it was there. 2 drying cycles €4. So we sat in the car chatting, a lovely 'good woman' as the say here. A great one for a story and lots of craic. Got back the lawns looked great, Margaret cooked us salmon wrapped in Palma ham with rice and veges, we supplied a bottle of Rose that perfectly with the meal.
Then Margaret said she would take us into town to a pub for Irish music and dance.....great stuff!
The Locke bar, we arrived about 9pm and it was in full swing, Margaret asked for a hot water....no problem at all, and she put it a peppermint tea bags, Tony and I had Guinness.....be rude not to €4.60 a pint. Margaret got straight up in amongst the group dancing and gave a few quick lessons to those that didn't know how to do it and they were off.....it was 'grand'. We got to talking with a young couple at next table, he was French and she was French Canadian, over here touring and staying in a tent....it transpired they had nowhere to stay so without hesitation Margaret offered her back lawn. They were very grateful and we had a good old yarn together, enjoying the music and dancers.
As we were leaving another young couple nearby said thought we heard a kiwi accent...they were from Maungautoroto......they were staying in hotels, shame they hadn't spoke to us sooner.
Back at Margarets she brought out a bottle of Irish Mead 14% honey wine into which she put a slice of lemon in each glass, very nice little night cap. The young couple put up their very small 2 man tent, on the newly mown grass....although they were offered to stay inside but felt more comfortable out in their tent. A grand night of interesting storytelling with lots of laughs. Finished up about 1am.,
Margaret, Katherine and Thierre
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