A trip home

My parents are getting older so more visits home. Born in Dingle but I actually grew up in Ballyferriter 'Back West.' The family farm and houses for uncles aunts. They all lived close to each other.

I figure another 10 years in New England then back here. A lot of friends work for multinationals in Dublin, Tipperary and other counties and can do so partly remotely. The internet has changed the world.

Georgeous scenery, Max. It has been quite a few years since my two trips to Ireland but both were memorable. I have fond memories of County Kerry, Killarney and a B&B I stayed at there. Killarney National Park was beautiful.

There is a old German word I will misspell 'Weltzmerst' which is a deep longing for a place you've never been to. As someone of Irish ancestry baptized in it's history and literature
and avocation of archaeology I look at land with ancient borders of family holdings and can hear countless generations with stories we all share.

Sounds very romantic the way you voice things, but being second generation Irish I can only say the food alone would be enough to keep me here in the US

I initially thought that post above was a joke. It's from lack of knowledge or lack of travel unfortunately.

Nothing romantic about it. I just posted some quick iPhone 7 photos in the photography thread.

Ireland has some of the best restaurants in Europe now and has been rewarded for it. Fresh sourced produce from home and throughout the EU can be sourced daily.

Last nights dinner was locally caught Sea Bass and foraged vegetables all caught, gathered, and cooked within a few hours.

You saved on airfare at least.

Max, I agree with you.  Scotland gets the same bad rap and it is misguided, at best.  Yes, I have had typical dishes like fish and chips and haggis but have also eaten in some amazing restaurants around the country, including those with a Michelin star.  As you note, the fresh locally sourced food is exceptional and the influence of other countries from the EU all add up to a fantastic food and restaurant scene.

grayhane, if you ever have a chance to visit Ireland (or Scotland, for that matter) dig a little deeper into the food scene and you may be very pleasantly surprised.

My family on father's side left Dublin over 100 years ago and the only thing I'd have to go "back" to is the family crypt in the cemetery there - there's currently 2 ancestors in residence there and 2 vacancies should I choose to return for my final rest. The crypt is in a "nice" part of the cemetery in close proximity to Abraham (Bram) Stoker and Arthur Guinness but thats not saying much because when my father and brother returned in 1998 they found most of the cemetery essentially in ruins. For hundreds of years people paid the cemetery society for perpetual care and the funds were invested and used for upkeep but in the 1960s the clever business types concluded that this perpetual care thing was a mug's game so they bankrupted the societies and all care and upkeep ceased unless it was done by family of the departed. By 1998 the result looked like something out of a gothic horror film, headstones overturned shoulder high grass and trees actually growing up through headstones in some cases.

I just did a little research and learned that the Abraham Stoker buried in the Dublin cemetery near my ancestors had to be the father of Bram Stoker the author. Same names can be confusing.

I've also heard that the Irish food of today is outstanding. But from the looks of it I'd need to bring a fork from home. I wouldn't know how to eat with just 2 knives. :-)

Nice scenery. Thanks for the armchair trip.

Thanks for sharing, Max. The last time I was back there I did not get time to venture to the coast except for a brief spell in Bundoran which didn't have the dramatic coastline like your neck o' the woods. Right you are about the food: I lived in the UK about 25 years ago and the cuisine as well as awareness about food in general has changed radically. Would really love to return with enough time to get the most out of it. Cheers, Alex