We left County Cork and passed near the location of the assassination of Michael Collins during the Irish Civil War. He was shot by one of his countrymen who thought that he had sold out to the British. His entourage had thought that he should ride in an armored car but Collins refused. “I am safe here because no one from County Cork would shoot me.” He was wrong.
Michael Collins was born in County Cork. (Ireland says the word County first. Everyone identifies with their county. It is called Pride of Place.) His father was the seventh son of a seventh son which is said to have prophetic powers. He said that Michael was headed for greatness. (I wonder if you are told that all your life if it motivates you.). His father was 75 when he was born and his grandfather was in his 70’s when his father was born. They carried with them many years of Irish history.
Michael quit school and immigrated to London where he joined fellow countrymen at the local Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA). One would arrive at a GAA and make friends and walk out with a job. They gave him a helping hand in London. Here is where he learned about the IRB (Irish Republic Brotherhood), a secret organization dedicated to overthrowing the British government.
Collins was second in command during the Easter Rising. Many were arrested except Michael.
Collins was wanted by the British, but they didn’t know what he looked like. He had spies in Dublin Castle where the British had their headquarters.
A flying column was a small, highly mobile guerrilla unit of the Irish Republican Army (IRA). These full-time fighters lived “on the run,” slept in safe houses, and used local terrain to launch sudden ambushes against British Crown forces before disappearing. The British police were afraid of them so they sent in WWI veterans who were called the Black and Tans due to their former military clothing.
The Squad sometimes called The 12 Apostles was a special group of assassins organized by Michael Collins. Britain sent fifteen James Bond types to Ireland to squash the opposition. However, the Squad got their names and location and assassinated or wounded all of them. In retribution, the next day, the British came to Croke Park and started to machine gun down innocent fans who had come to watch a football match.
The Wind that Shakes the Barley starring Cillian Murphy is a widely recommended movie about this time period. Liam Nelson was the lead in the movie, Michael Collins, which is mostly true even though some Hollywood liberties were taken, AND Julia Roberts has an atrocious Irish accent.
Stone circles were built during the Bronze age (2,200 – 500BC) for ritual and ceremonial purposes. There are around 100 examples in southwest Ireland.
Sheep are sheared twice a year. Now it’s done only for the sheep’s well being because nobody is wearing this type of wool anymore, but rather merino wool instead.
in 1977.
Sheep Dog Demonstration
Muckross House
Wow! These are the biggest antlers I have ever seen. I stood by them so one could appreciate the antlers of the Great Irish Elk which became extinct 10,000 years ago!!!
Ring of Kerry
We drove by Inch Beach which was featured in the opening scenes of Ryan’s Daughter (1969).
We are in the western area of Ireland where specific places called Gaeltacht regions are where only Gaelic is spoken. During the hunger years, they were not allowed to speak Gaelic.
Gaeltacht is a district of Ireland, either individually or collectively, where the Irish government recognizes that the Irish language is the predominant language of the home.
Michael D. Higgins was the President of Ireland and spoke Gaelic. The language was almost dead, and he started a TV station that is completely in Gaelic. It is now popular to be a fluent Irish speaker. A student can even elect to go to a Gaelic school.
Our guide speaks little Gaelic but his children do, especially the youngest. They mostly use it when they don’t want their parents to know what they are saying.
The western part of Ireland hosts school children with home stays were they live and breathe Gaelic for one month. They are sent home if they speak English.
A mass rock is a large stone or boulder used as an outdoor altar in Ireland during the 17th and 18th centuries. Catholics used these remote, hidden locations to attend secret religious services when British Penal Laws made practicing the Catholic faith illegal and outlawed priests.
Whiskey must age three years and a day in the barrel to be called Irish whiskey.
Irish Music
A jig has 6 counts to a measure. It consists of three tunes. The musicians plays one tune for 25 seconds and play three different variations, then continue to another set by the same composer so it it seamless.
A reel has 4 counts to a measure. A set is a song of dancing polkas and slides.
The musicians learn by ear. These songs have been around for 500 years with micro changes.
Our private concert was a toe tapping good time.
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