Journey To Ireland and Northern Ireland (Part 2)

June 5, Sunny, with a light breeze, temp. 15C. We slept warm and cozy last night and woke up with another delicious, Irish breakfast. We are on our way to Galway, in the Irish Republic, by way of the Coast Road.But first, we stop off at Belleek Pottery in the quaint village of Belleek, which borders the Irish Republic. Belleek Pottery is the oldest and most famous pottery producing fine glazed porcelain in Ireland. Uninteresting to me, mom seemed to be in the right place.

We stayed in Belleek for a while and found Fermanagh Crystal just around the corner. Brian Flannigan, the owner, treated us to a demonstration of how he cuts the designs in the crystal, a true art form. It was a real treat and I actually bought two whiskey glasses with the Cassidy Crest on them accompanied with the Irish Harp (Ireland's national symbol) on both sides. They are nice!

By lunchtime, we are on our way out of Belleek through BallyShannon and Sligo to Galway.

On the way, we notice in Cliffony, what looks like a big castle sitting on a hill in the far distance, so we decide to check it out. After going about 10 miles down a narrow road, we meet a bicyclist and stop to ask her about what we have discovered as a gorgeous, yet big, house. Thanks to the lady because if it weren't for her, there is no way we would have made this discovery.

It used to be Lord Mountbatton's (Prince Charles's favorite uncle) house. The IRA assassinated him in 1979 along with 3 others on a fishing boat. The mystery is why he was not more careful or thoughtful with his actions during these times. The house was huge and sat on a high cliff neighboring the Atlantic Ocean. It was now owned by someone else and was private property.

On our way again…

Our next stop would be in Drumcliff, to see W.B.Yeates's grave, as well as the high cross that sat so beautifully with its Celtic design in the neighboring graveyard. The church and graveyard weren't in the best shape, but volunteers were making an effort to fix it up.

"Cast a cold Eye

On Life, On Death

Horseman Pass by"

W.B.Yeates June 1, 1865 - January 28, 1939

We arrive to Galway by 20.00 and decide to stay at a B & B called Lawndale. It sits upon the Galway Bay with a nice view of the harbor. What's in Galway? Well, the Church of St.Nicholas, where Christopher Columbus prayed before his long voyages. Galway is a college town and just a neat, fun place.

My first question to the owner of the B & B, "Where can we listen to good, traditional Irish music"? She answers, "You're lucky tonight. Every Tuesday night at Monroe's Pub is live sessions with traditional Irish set dancing". Need I say more?

By 20:30, we are at Monroe's Pub awaiting the show, which begins at 21.30. We are hungry, so we split a large pizza to pass the time and ease our hunger.

21:20- The pub is beginning to fill up, the air is a little smoky, and the glasses are filled with Guinness, including mine. I am excited and ready to hear fantastic Irish music. We arrived here at the right time. The place is packed and we have the best seats in the house, neighboring the dancing with a bird's eye view of the band.

The dancing and music begin. Another 3-man band, except this time playing guitar and 2 box accordions. Wow, this is Irish culture and I love it. High paced dancing with quick spinning and a rapid, beating foot movement, similar to clogging and square dancing. It is called Set Dancing and goes back to the 16^th Century and was brought to Ireland by the Scottish and French. It is spectacular to watch. High speed turning that would leave most dizzy. This is sport and the dancers really are in good shape.

The dancers are young, old, short, tall-all shapes and sizes. We are sitting together, but it is nice to talk to some of the dancers between sets and especially nice talking with one of the dancer's father. He is a nice, jolly old man just chatting away with me like we have known each other forever. This was an exceptional, cultural experience belonging to Irish life and tradition.

June 6, Waking up in Galway, we now see the Irish rain and raining it is. Our plan of visiting the Church of St.Nicholas, Christopher Columbus's praying sight, would have to wait. And of our view of Galway Bay is not visible due to the rain. Oh, well, we must be on our way. Hopefully, the rain will stop before we get to our destination, the Cliffs of Moher.

We spent much of the morning in Tara Hall, home of Royal Tara China. I have to admit, they really had nice China and mom seemed to especially enjoy it. The China is hand made from start to the final painting of the China, same as it has been done for the last 300 years. The mansion, Tara Hall, is a 17^th Century mansion (1750) and was formerly the seat of the Joyces, one of the 14 tribes of Galway. Ireland is rich in
history and culture and it seems as if everywhere we go, we find something new.

From there, we traveled along the Coast Road to DunGuaire Castle, close to Kinvara. This castle was built in the 1520's and served as a family home to the DunGuaires. It stands on the site of the 7^th Century stronghold of Guaire, where the King of Connaught dominated the shore of Galway Bay. Luckily, the rain had eased up long enough for us to get out, take some pictures, and go inside for visit.

Like I said before, being in the presence of these Irish castles throughout the countryside is something that totally fascinates me because of their preservation, history, skirmishes, age, and just the idea of Kings, knights, medieval banquets, and chivalry. Seeing these castles in person is much more educating than the mere pictures I have only seen in history books.

Moving right along through Kinvara and BallyVaughan, County Clare was gorgeous with breathtaking landscape surrounding us. The infinite, green fields on both sides geometrically separated by ancient stone, rock walls were simply amazing because of the time and effort that someone had to take to place each stone in its place. And, the fact that the walls had withstood the duration of time to still be standing as strong as ever, was miraculous.

We have now been blessed with sunshine, which means we will be able to see the breathtaking sights of the Cliffs of Moher. Although the sun is shining, the wind is blowing heavily and can literally blow you off the cliffs if you aren't aware at all times. A short walk to the cliffs and we are there.

Wow! Breathtaking, rocky, jagged, high, dangerous, divine, windy, beautiful, panoramic, heavenly, enormous, tranquil, and scary. These are the thoughts racing through my mind. The Cliffs of Moher reach 700 feet above the Atlantic Ocean and run for nearly 5 miles. In addition, they are home to many species of birds making their homes in the rocks and gorges along the cliffs. The view of the beautiful scenery is overwhelming and in all directions. This is definitely a "don't miss" sight to see in Ireland, but it is
extremely dangerous and several people fall to their deaths each year, even with the warnings and fences, simply because they test fate and get too close to the edges.

We traveled back to the small village of Doolin. And I do mean small! With a population of 200 and only one main street with town shops and a few restaurants, we missed it on our way to the Cliffs of Moher. Luckily, we found it passing back through.

Doolin is a one-street, quaint, little village that rests peacefully along the rugged coastline on the Atlantic Ocean. It has only 3 pubs, but is known for the best traditional Irish music in all of Ireland. This is perfect for me because I loves to listen to live, traditional sessions. Credit must be given to mom, though, because if it weren't for her reading in the back seat during our journey, we probably wouldn't have ended up here.

We found a nice B & B, St.Anthony's, and walked down the street to check out the shops. Interestingly, there were a lot of international people living in Doolin. We met some Germans, a Canadian guy, a British lady, and a waitress from South Africa who all live here now. Nearly all of them said they ended up here after passing through and falling in love with the place. However, the British lady said it gets boring during the winter.

Evening had arrived, we had eaten, and only live music and fresh Guinness were on my mind. Our first stop was at O'Connors, with a 3-man band of guitar, flute, and box accordion. They were basically playing sets of the traditional jigs and reels. The pub was quite packed and the glasses were filled with strong stouts. I really enjoyed the music, but Dad thought they took too long in between sets, which they did, but I guess they were on Irish time. We stayed there until about 22.30 and headed over to another pub down the
street called McDermmot's Pub. At this point, I was feeling good and pleased with the music, but had no idea what was coming…

22.30- We walk into a packed McDermmot's, which was by far, much livelier. The bar was crowded and a little smoky, but that is typical for a real Irish pub. I order a thick, dark, fresh Guinness and sit on a small bar stool located near the bar. I was close to the band with a clear view and am feeling great right about now. Mom and dad stand nearby.

They had the audience's attention and were simply, JAMMING!!!. They were awesome, lively, and played long sessions displaying their talent modestly on every instrument. The band playing was the C�ili Bandits and played some of the best Traditional Irish music I have ever heard.

They had passion, fire, and enthusiasm to play and their love for performing showed. They were a 4-person band made up of a bodhrán (pronounced bow-ran), a mandolin, a violin, and a guy who played guitar, mandolin, and didjeridu.

The bodhrán was thumpin' and was the heartbeat of the band. The guys playing the mandolin and guitar were good too, adding the main rhythms, but the violin was the soul of the music. She played it well and made the strings "squeal". They played well together and were having fun, which are the ingredients for great music.

Hopefully, and I am sure, we will hear them again someday. On my way to the bathroom, I even met a lady with her daughter and husband from Clemmons, North Carolina. It really is a small world.

If you have a passion for traditional Irish music, peacefulness, beauty, and breathtaking sights, Doolin is a must. And, it is safe to walk down the street at night, too. Doolin, I'll be back!

June 7, We wake up to a beautiful, sunny day and are on our way to County Kerry to journey along the beautiful "Ring of Kerry", which makes up the southwestern corner along the coast of Ireland.

It took some time getting there, but by mid afternoon, we were driving along the narrow, curvy, high, and dangerous roads along the Atlantic Ocean with breathtaking views of countryside, water, valleys, and mountains.

Shortly after reaching the ring, we take a detour leading us to the Ring of Skellig, which is another road off the Ring of Kerry along some smaller, rockier islands. Mount Eagle, in particularly, is a jagged, unpopulated, small island that is home to many birds. It is amazing the way it sits alone and just pops out of the ocean with the sun and clouds in the midst.

Again, the views along the Ring of Skellig were miraculously captivating. It seemed like we were driving straight up a narrow, old road in the middle of pastures with earth as shoulders. This meant that every time we met another vehicle or tractor, we had to stop and "Squeeze" by. It was quite an experience.

As we made it to the top of the road, we were simply blessed with a magnificent, panoramic view of the ocean, mountains, and valleys of green pastures. And, as if it couldn't get any better, I was fortunate to catch a brief sighting of a rainbow. Imagine that, a rainbow in Ireland only meant one thing- a pot of gold somewhere and a Leprechaun trying to hide it.

The mountains seem to rise out of the sea. The green pastures filled with either cows or sheep fenced in by ancient, stone fences that look as if they had been precisely stacked throughout the years to withstand father time. It was marvelous!

Another common site through the countryside is stacks of peat bog, which is basically unfertile land that has been dug out and dried. Some Irish people still burn it. When burnt, it smells like popcorn. It was burning last night in our restaurant and I actually thought someone had been popping popcorn.

After making it back onto the Ring of Kerry, we were quite hungry and tired. We ended up in another small village sitting on the Atlantic Ocean, Waterville. We stayed at a B & B called Sunset House with the most beautiful view of the mountains coming out of the sea.

Soon after arrival, we ate at another Fish 'N Chips restaurant, which was actually the best one. Afterwards, we were delighted with the most beautiful sunset over the mountains and ocean. The clouds were puffy, like enormous cotton balls and huddled together while the orange sun gazed through on to the ocean. It really was something to behold.

June 8, After another Irish breakfast, we were on our way. We continued haphazardly along, stopping on the side of the road when the scenery inspired us, which was quite often. Mom really enjoyed all the wild rhodadendriums.

We stopped off in the small village of Sneem, where I bought a handmade Aran sweater. And then, yet another surprise. Dad and I met and talked with Mr.Martin Scheen. He was friendly and on vacation too. We didn't bother him with taking any pictures or ask for his autograph, just a friendly and brief chat with the president of "West Wing". It was, however, unbelievable to meet him in such a small village.

We left Sneem after brunch and are heading to Glengariff. Again, we were driving along a dangerous road nicknamed "Tunnel Road", which was a narrow, high, mountainous pass overlooking grazing sheep in rocky pastures on both sides. It was so narrow, that when a two-ton truck and tour bus met, the short line of cars behind them had to back up so they could get by each other. It was quite funny, but nonetheless another part of Irish culture.

Continuing onward through Skibbereen, I took my parents for a short climb and short visit to the Beacon in Baltimore. It was interesting and overlooking a ritzy, little sailing community smothered in-between land and mountains along the Atlantic Ocean. We stayed briefly and were on our way.

It was evening by the time we ended up in the village of Kinsale, which was basically the get-away spot for Europe's finest. With luxurious yachts filling the harbor, I definitely felt out of place and ready to leave. By 21.00, we found a B & B about 3 km outside of the village. We were hungry and tired, as we had just finished the challenging "Ring of Kerry". We would sleep well tonight.

June 9, After breakfast, we were on our way again, this time to Blarney, a small village outside of Cork City. It is home to the Blarney Castle and Blarney Woolen Mills. It was my second time here, but still as nice as ever. Blarney Castle is well known for the Blarney Stone. Travelers wait in line to climb
to the top and kiss the Blarney stone upside down. The legend is that if you kiss the stone, you will have the gift of gab. We decided we would forgo this and walk the garden trail to see what we could find in the woods. Besides, we already have the gift of gab, or so my teachers always told.

It was interesting because it was filled with folklore and superstition, something the Irish are known for. There was a witch's kitchen, a sacrificial altar, a Druid's cave and Druid's circle. It was mysterious to take this journey back in time to the Druids and imagine what life must have been like then. We didn't hang around too long, though, and on our way back to the car, it began to rain.

After some shopping in Blarney Woolen Mills, we decided to stay in Blarney for one last night of Irish Music. Our B & B was the Glenmaroon House and was, in my opinion, the nicest one yet.

One thing we have noticed about Ireland is that many of the castles and other attractions are located in small, rural villages.

21.00- Now it's evening. Our destination, the Muskerry Arms pub to hear a band called Scapa Flow. I was told that the band gets its name after a stretch of water in upper Scotland where the Germans sank their ships.

This band was large and really mixed it up. They played some traditional ballads, but on a modern level. They were made up of a tin whistle, bass, a box accordion, bodhran, congo drums, guitar, and mandolin. Simply put, they were enjoyable to watch and listen and it was obvious they were local and having a good time.

We were sitting with an older Welsh couple who was really friendly and chatty. Then, shortly before the band was starting, their "fan club" made up of friends, wives, and relatives came in. This was a treat and real culture!

I learned a lot by talking with the family and even got introduced to the band, as well as getting a song played for me. The band played and announced a song for me and by the time we left, everyone in the pub knew who we were.

The audience came alive towards the end of the night as the band livened it up even more and played Irish anthems that many danced with. It was a wonderful evening and luckily, the bass player's wife, Mrs.Lilly O'Driscoll, told me if I was ever back in
Blarney to look them up. Will do!

June 10, Waking up this morning wasn't so easy for me. Last night was really nice and I think I had a few too many of those dark Guinness's. Unfortunately, the lady at the B & B was really "talkative" as she noticed my dodgy condition. She was really hospitable and friendly, as were most of the B & B owners.

Our first stop was in the small town of Cahir, pronounced Care, located in County Tipperary to visit Cahir Castle, a 13^th century stronghold of the powerful Butler Family. It is one of Ireland's largest, best preserved castles and the movie "Excalibur" was filmed here.

The most interesting feature of this castle, other than its preservation, is its line of defense. Each court or section has different means of defense in case an attacker was fortunate to break through. The castle's history runs deep through the years. Eventually, after hundreds of years, the family left the castle after realizing how hard it was to keep it.

Our next stop, also in County Tipperary, is the Rock of Cashel also known as St.Patrick's Rock. Its origins as a center of power go back to about the 4^th or 5^th century AD. It was given to the church in 1101. St.Patrick visited here in the 7^th century baptizing kingship.

It is HUGE! By far, the largest castle we have seen. The view from the castle is amazing, as it is possible to see for miles in each direction, which is another reason it was such a favorable spot for kings.

Located behind the castle or to the west about 300 meters, is Hore Abbey, which is the last Cistercian Abbey to be founded in medieval times in Ireland and was founded in 1272.

I visited here shortly and it is amazing just how old these buildings are. The Abbey is nearly in ruins, as mainly the outside and interior walls remain. The roof is of course gone, but it is over 700 years old. The view of the "Rock" is wonderful from here and I am picturing in my mind what it must have been like on a daily basis to look up from the Abbey at the massive castle sitting up above the landscape.

From Cashel, we headed straight towards Dublin. In my mind, I am thinking of how wonderful this trip has been. I don't want to leave. It is sad to think we must leave Ireland. I somehow feel connected. But, I guess it is time to go. We found a B & B located near the airport. Our last night in Ireland…

Tomorrow we will be on our way to London. I am not too excited about visiting London, for all reasons. Oh well, I will be back next summer.

Journey to Ireland and Northern Ireland

Our journey to Ireland and Northern Ireland was a true adventure that began on June 1, 2005. We saw, tasted, heard, felt, and learned something beautiful, amazing, historical, factual, and interesting every day.We traveled nearly a 1000 miles haphazardly around Ireland and Northern Ireland, from Dublin to County Fermanagh/Cassidy-land in Northern Ireland, visiting Enniskillen, Bally Cassidy, Devenish Island, Irvinestown on to Belleek, down the western coast through BallyShannon and Sligo to Galway along Coast Road to the mesmerizing sights of County Clare to Doolin and the Cliffs of Moher to the southwest corner of Ireland with the panoramic beauty engulfing us along the Ring of Kerry and the Ring of Skellig in Counties Kerry and Cork, not missing the beautiful coast villages of Waterville, Sneem, and Glengariff, up through Blarney to Cahir and Cashel in County Tipperary ("It's a long way to Tipperary") back to Dublin. Just remembering it makes me exhausted.

It was challenging and demanding driving on the opposite side of the road and on the opposite side in the car on sometimes not-so good roads that were originally designed for horse and carriage and haven't been changed much during the last, uh, 1000 years, but we managed. Some of the two-lane highways were as wide as normal single lanes. I again, felt like a young, fearless rally driver, especially when racing through the mountains and coast roads. Just remember, think left, think left! It was also exciting when Dad was driving, just ask Mom.

We stayed comfortably and economically at family-owned bed and breakfast's that were fantastic. The owners were nice, friendly, and the hospitality was second to none. Many gave us traveling "places to go and see" tips that were especially helpful, as well as general discussion about anything coming to mind.

And let's not forget the traditional Irish breakfasts, made up of link sausage, bacon (also known as country ham), eggs over-easy, orange juice, toast with jam, cereal, and coffee for mom and me. It is a doctor's worst nightmare, high cholesterol, but none-the-less, filling and delicious, especially the sausage.

We explored the area in Northern Ireland, BallyCassidy in County Fermanagh, where our family, the Cassidys or O'Caiside, descend. Did you know that there are over 40 million Irish-Americans in America? I am 7^th generation and proud to return to my roots on the Emerald Isle.

We met many friendly people who we shared a conversation and laugh with. Although we didn't meet any Cassidys, we met many people who were either related or knew a Cassidy.

One gentleman even said, "Cassidys are a great, respected family name here in Ireland." And that I believe, Cassidy is a great and respected name wherever you go, hence our motto "Frangas non flectes" meaning "Thoust may break, but not bend". Through the ages it has been and will remain a great name. I think it's true to say, "We've never met a stranger we didn't know".

We saw many breathtaking and beautiful sights that captured our eyes and our hearts. As soon as we thought it couldn't get any more beautiful, another marvelous sight would grace us. Welcome to Ireland, land of tranquility and beauty.


We visited many castles (Dublin Castle, Castle Archdale, Monea Castle, DunGuaire Castle, Blarney Castle, Cahir Castle, and the Rock of Cashel). They amaze me with their history and preservation. There were even a few castles that just seemed to appear along our journey out of nowhere.

And I did not realize all of the great writers coming out of Ireland: Oscar Wilde, W.B. Yeates, Jonathan Swift, Bram Stoker, George Bernard Shaw, and James Joyce. And my relative, Mor Ó Caiside, who wrote in 1147 the poem Banshenchas (The Lore of Woman), which tells the history of women of the world.

We were also privileged to listen to some great, live traditional Irish music sessions in various pubs. The beats of the bodhrán, rhythms of the guitar and mandolin, spirit of the tin whistles and flutes, the stringing of the violin, and pumping of the box accordion, that played together harmoniously were music to my soul. In addition to the music, I especially enjoyed the friendly discussions with locals and other travelers, the
"Irish Pub feeling", as well as drinking the fresh, dark pints of Guinness that belong to Irish tradition and culture.

For me, one way to experience the culture is to visit the pubs and talk with the people. You can learn much by just talking and listening. The pubs serve as meeting places where people go to talk, listen to music, and have a good time, but not to get "drunk", like one might associate with pub life. I learned many things about the culture through conversation with someone while we were in the pubs. Pub life belongs to Irish culture and it was great to experience it.

Touching to me, is the Irish are culturally proud and passionate people willing to chat and enjoy life. I heard when first arriving to Dublin, that there is Irish time and normal time. A gentleman told me that we, the Irish, have been here for so long that there is no hurry. To me, that statement says is all. The Irish are surrounded with beautiful countryside, loughs , valleys, cliffs, green pastures, and many stories to tell. These are even more obvious in the culture through art, poetry, writings, stories and superstitions,
and especially the music. Their passion for life is obvious.

This trip was absolutely wonderful. It was my second time, but was just as beautiful and captivating as the first. It was nice traveling with my parents. We saw many things and traveled far and were fortunate to do it together. I have read about and researched my Irish roots, as well as been interested in Ireland for a long time, however, I have learned more genuine and real information through traveling in Ireland than from reading any book.

I am already seriously planning my trip back for next summer. There is just something about the Emerald Isle that keeps pulling me back. Is it the beautiful landscapes, friendly people, traditional music, long history, passionate culture, or my roots? I don't know, maybe it is a combination of everything or just my desire to travel to Ireland.

Below is a day by day diary I kept. It is filled with the details of our travels in Ireland. I recommend that if you have read this far, to continue to really understand our trip. Hope you enjoy!

June 1, The journey begins. I meet my parents at Gatwick airport in London at about 9:30 in the morning. I had arrived the day before and toured around the city during the day before returning to the airport, where I would sleep for the night. I wanted to greet my parents as they departed from the airplane.

They were tired after a long journey from Mocksville, North Carolina, as was I after waiting in Gatwick Airport all night, but it was a happy reunion and the wait was worth it. It was wonderful seeing them again and I was proud that they made the journey. After breakfast, reuniting, and changing airports…

We are now on our way to the Emerald Isle.

The flight was nice and quick, but we wouldn't have known it because we were all asleep. What a power nap! I awoke just as we were flying over Dublin Bay. The anticipation and excitement of returning to Ireland was an awesome feeling for me.

14:40- We arrived in Dublin, Ireland safely. Mom says to me, "I'm ready"! O.K., we will see! I was still just amazed that we were all together in Dublin, Ireland.

From Dublin Airport, we rented a car for our 10-day adventure in Ireland. It was a "Great Car", a blue, 4 door Nissan Almera. Mom thought it was small, and it was, but small is important in Ireland because of the narrow and sometimes not-so-good road conditions. Oh, the challenge; driving on the opposite side of the road, as well as the opposite side in the car. No problem, let's go!

And now, we are on our way to our Bed and Breakfast, located on Clontarf Road, about 4 miles outside of Dublin City Center.

16:00- We were all tired, but relieved that we had finally reached our destination and wouldn't have to fly on any airplanes for a while. The name of our B & B was Slievenamon B & B and was located on the Dublin Bay, a major shipping port with boats coming in from all over the world. It is a beautiful home filled with amazing antique furniture and the owner is super friendly. The view from our window on the top floor is the Dublin Bay and Wicklow Hills and he claims that it is the best view in Dublin. I think we all agree on that. The view of the bay and the distant hills was a taste of the sights to come.

By the time we get situated and relaxed, it is already evening. It is nice to be in Ireland again, especially with my parents. A much-awaited return after one year was definitely worth the wait. I am thrilled to be back and this is going to be a wonderful trip. I take a short stroll down to the beach and just absorb my surroundings. This is Ireland and we are here. It is a bit windy, but sunny and nice.

Tonight, we will just relax and travel down the road to have a nice dinner together.

June 2, 8:00- Overcast skies, sunny, temperature 15C. We wake up early and enjoy our first-of-many Traditional Irish breakfasts, made up of link sausage, bacon (which we call country ham), eggs over-easy, orange juice, toast, cereal, and coffee for mom and me. It is a doctor's worst nightmare, high cholesterol, but none-the-less filling and tasty.

Let's see Dublin! By 10:30, we are in Dublin. On our way to join a hop-on, hop-off guided bus tour of Dublin, we stop and look at a famine memorial along the River Liffey. The statues are life size and detailed to show the severity of the great famine of Ireland.

Dublin City Tour- This is what we saw in Dublin: the Custom's House on the River Liffey, which was destroyed in an attack during the War of Independence in 1927 (see the movie "Michael Collins"). The General Post Office on O'Connell Street, which was the sight of the abortive Declaration of the Irish Republic in Easter 1916 (also "Michael Collins").

We got off the bus to visit Trinity College, which is home to the "Book of Kells" and the movie "Educating Rita" was filmed there. We visited Dublin Castle and had a short lunch there.

We saw Christ Church Cathedral on our way to a long visit at St.Patrick's Cathedral founded in 1192, where we went inside. Beautiful, graceful, high arches, decorative stained-glass windows, historic, monumental, are just some of the thoughts while inside the cathedral. On site, a monument reads, "Near here is the reputed site where S. Patrick baptized many of the local inhabitants in the 5^th Century A.D". It
was just unbelievable to be here!

From here, we visited Guinness Brewery at St.James Gate. It was about 17.30 by now, so unfortunately, we couldn't take the tour because the last bus would be coming shortly, but we did have time to go inside briefly. I learned this about my favorite beer: Arthur Guinness, on the 31^st of December 1759, took a 9000 year lease at $45 annual rent per year for Guinness Brewery at St.James Gate in Dublin. Now, it's the largest stout brewery in the world producing 300 million pints a year. In 1862, the traditional Irish
harp was adopted, symbolizing the special bond between Guinness and Ireland.

20:30- Evening comes and we are worn out after a full day of touring Dublin. Now, the "interesting" people come out in Dublin. The only thing on my mind is listening to traditional Irish music over a few pints of Guinness, while the only thing on my parent's mind is food and getting out of the city center. So, after "discussing"this matter, we leave the city center and head back in the direction of Clontarf to a pub, "Pebble Beach Pub", we had heard mentioned earlier.

But, first, our first "Fish n' Chips" experience. Chips, meaning french fries by the way.

By 22:00, we were in Pebble Beach Pub and I was happy. Traditional Irish music in a nearby, local, friendly pub, with a few pints of fresh, thick, dark Guinness, and my parents made for a relaxing and enjoyable evening.

It was a 3-man band of guitar, flute, and mandolin playing traditional Irish music, including "Star of the County Down", which I requested. It became livelier as the night progressed, especially when an elder fellow sung "Our Wedding Day", a beautiful Irish song. It was a special treat for everyone listening. In Ireland, pub culture is interesting because it is where friends meet to talk over a few pints. Not to
get drunk, but as a meeting place. I really have a deep passion and love for traditional Irish music and it's best in the small pubs as the unison of the flute, mandolin, and guitar play harmoniously together.

We sat and talked with a young couple, Neal and Fionna, who were friendly and kind and told us a lot about the area and Ireland in general. We talked about Bill Clinton, cars, the economy, Irish Culture, American Culture, and everything else near and far.

Irish people are friendly and always ready to join you for a conversation. In addition, they think highly of Bill Clinton because he did a lot of work for the peace process in Northern Ireland. That's good for us, not only because he descends from the Cassidy's, but because we also like him. One lad told this joke; "Bill plays the saxophone, but he also has learned to play the har-Monica"! Our friends said that Bush is only seen as a figurehead, where Clinton was a person and a president.

June 3, We began the day with a 5-mile hike in the nearby, small, fishing village of Howth. The scenery was beautiful, as was the weather. Sunny skies and only a light breeze. It was an enjoyable, yet tiring walk along a narrow trail on high cliffs that neighbor the Irish Sea. The sights were breathtaking, especially "Ireland's Eye", which was a rocky, green little island about 600 meters off the coast
accessible by boat. We continued to the end of the trail, where we saw a lighthouse overlooking the Dublin Bay.

It was a nice hike and by the way, it was mom and dad's idea.

All in all, Dublin was delightful and filled with a lot of history, but was similar to any other big city with a large population and a lot of international people. Irish Culture lies in the countryside, though.

We left Howth shortly after lunchtime and were on our way to County Fermanagh (Cassidy Land), a border county in Northern Ireland. Sights of green fields and modern, stone houses were throughout the countryside on our way.

Now the difficult task of trying to find a B & B. It was about 19.30 on a Sunday when we went through Enniskillen and BallyCassidy on to Irvinestown. We were also a little hungry, but luckily we found another fish 'n chips place to eat. In Irvinestown city limits, we accidentally visited a hotel that had been bombed earlier, so we decided it was best not to stay there. It was interesting, however, to see first hand results of the
"troubles". In addition, it was the only time we had felt a little uneasy there, like we didn't belong. Maybe it was also because of our imagination and being tired, hungry, and the thoughts of the past would always be in the backs of our minds.

We ended up staying at Fletcher's Farm B & B outside of Irvinestown city limits. It really was a farm, too and the owners were a delightful, old couple. If you take the time to talk with the B & B owners, as well as anyone, you will find yourself in a conversation because the Irish are warm, friendly, and genuine.

We missed Bill Clinton, who has worked diligently for the peace process in Northern Ireland, by one week. He had visited in Enniskillen just the week before and people were still talking about it. Luckily, we got to read last week's newspaper.

June 4, Weather is cool with rain-like clouds, temperature is 15C. Last night was a bit cool in our room because the lady forgot to turn the heater switch on, but it was not too bad.

Today we are going to explore County Fermanagh and learn about this area where all Cassidy's descend. Cassidy is a County Fermanagh family and is the 5^th most common of the native Irish names. Cassidys were hereditary ollavs and physicians to the Maguires, rulers of Co.Fermanagh from 1300-1600. Our family motto, "Frangas Non Flectes", means thou mayst break, but not bend.

10:00- We barely make the small boat/ferry to Devenish Island, which is located near Enniskillen on Lower Lough Erne. The ferry ride takes about 5 minutes and there is only about 11 people altogether on the boat. I have read a lot about Devenish Island and its connection to the Cassidy's over the past year and I am really excited, proud, and relieved to be here.

And there it is…The round tower, St. Molaise's House, and St.Mary's Abbey from a short distance.

St.Molaise founded Devenish Island in the 6th Century as a monastic dwelling. The ruins of a monastery, two churches, an oratory, graves, and a well preserved round tower still remain on the island. Also, a non-traditional Irish Cross (because of the open face) that dates back to the 15^th century, which stands to the left of St.Mary's Abbey. I am really fascinated by the awe and beauty of Celtic crosses, but this one was interesting with its open face.

The Cassidy's served as "erenaghs", hereditary land managers for the church's property and studied and worshipped here at Devenish Island. In addition, in the cemetery closest to the shore are gravestones with the names of Cassidy physicians and priests dating back to the early 1700's.

Following Devenish Island, we took a guided tour around Lower Lough Erne. It was fabulous! Our guide, Mr.John Cunningham, who is a local historian and has written 20 books about the history of Co.Fermanagh, as well as a pageant for the Cassidy Clan Rally of 2000, was knowledgeable and professional showing us around Fermanagh. He showed us and explained to us of many interesting facts and places we wouldn't have found or known on our own.

The first place we stopped was at BallyCassidy Post Office, located in BallyCassidy, which is about 4 miles north of Enniskillen. BallyCassidy is a small area, but I am proud to be standing in the ancestral home of all Cassidys. BallyCassidy is a small, rural area known as a townland. It is without a pub or grocery store and the post office is the only sign of its existence. Across from the post office, is the Cloughbally Corn Mill, which lies on the BallyCassidy River. It was really interesting to be here.

Our next stop was at Killadeas Church, which was built in the 6^th century and was home to the Killedie Monks, "Servants of God". Mr.Cunningham took us to the graveyard where we saw some interesting and ancient tombstones, made of river stones. They are assumed to be river stones because you can see where there have been rocks or other debris caught in current wearing small crevices in the back of the stone. The
bishop's grave, in particularly, had the outline of his figure on the side with a carving of his face on the back of it. It was quite remarkable.

Then, we visited the Cassidy Ancient Rath, which was a meeting place for the Cassidy Clan in a protected circle of trees so the clan could meet together safely. It was common among ancient Celtic Settlers.

Then, we visited Monea Castle, which was originally a Maguire stronghold and built in about 1620 of Scottish design. It was well preserved to be such an old castle. I really am interested in the history and the common sight of these old castles in the countryside.

The day turned out to be a wonderful, enlightening, and educational. A magnificent person and guide who explained and guided us to places "off the beaten track" along Lower Lough Erne in County Fermanagh. For example, we saw where the Americans dumped there unused war supplies after WWII, beautiful scenery and panoramic views along the lake and country side, heard many interesting, historical, sad, happy, and shocking stories from the county, and the list goes on.

All and all, County Fermanagh wasn't too different than the rural areas of the Carolinas. Green fields and valleys were prominent everywhere along Lough Erne and the rest of the county. There was peat bog and bog cotton, colorful flowers, numerous farms and tractors, and many friendly faces. And most importantly, instead of throwing your hand up like we would do in Mocksville, North Carolina, we learned quick to give a "thumbs up" when meeting someone on the road. I felt at home and welcome in County Fermanagh

We learned that there aren't as many Cassidys living in the area as I previously thought. The most prevalent of past and present are the Maguires. The Cassidys were scholars and physicians, and many remain that today, but have moved out into the world to help others. Maybe that can be applied to me. Maybe it's in my roots, blood, and hereditary that I have went out unto the world. I am proud and lucky to be here, especially with my parents, in "Cassidy Land", where all Cassidys descend. The purpose of this trip to County Fermanagh was to literally see and learn where our family originates. My next trip to Co.Fermanagh will be to meet and talk to some Cassidys with the hope of learning and connecting our family lines. Now that I have a feel for the area and made some essential contacts, this goal is realistic.

Unfortunately, White Island, which has the Janas God (God of war who was believed to show up on the battlefield as a crow) rock carvings and Boa Island were closed due to foot and mouth scare.

By the evening, we were exhausted again, but that's traveling. We walked around a bit in Enniskillen and ate at the Oscar Wilde Restaurant, dedicated to Oscar Wilde. Of course, I filled up on Guinness and Baileys for desert. It was a nice restaurant and filled with the works and quotes from Oscar and a few from other Irish writers.