We are now in Castle Haven, a wonderful, sheltered harbor off of Castletownshend. Went ashore and hike up the hill to a ring fort, great views of the ocean and the land. So much of Ireland that we have seen is where the land meets the ocean that is a shock to climb a hill and look landward. We kind of forget there is more to Ireland than the seashore.
Walking down the hill we heard a little dog yipping and remarked that in two months in Ireland, that was the first dog we had heard making noise. And there are a lot of dogs in Ireland, mostly off-leash but usually well behaved. Not this one, he came barreling out of the yard, up the hill and bit me! And then he would not back down and kept coming at us. We had to do the alpha male thing and start attacking him. Finally the owners came out and got him away. I don't think I have ever seen Paul so mad. We went into the local pub, they knew right away which dog it was and they called the Garda for us. Found out the dog is supposed to be wearing a mussle, has bitten before and one woman in the bar was bitten twice. I don't understand dog owners like that. Had to go to the nearest doctor in Skibbereen for antibiotics because he is a farm dog.
If you ever make it to Castletownshend go to the pub Mary Ann's, the food is to die for. We had blue mussel from Roaring Water Bay (one bay over) and shrimp from the area. So good! We are going back tonight for dessert!
Lately, everyone we meet asks us if O'Bama will be winning again. They are proud of his Irish heritage. I guess Obama was in Dublin earlier this year to have large crowds meet him and they are waiting a longer visit next spring that he has promised. People are so up on the US news here.
Did you know Ireland has already has two female presidents, Mary Robinson and Mary McCluskey? I asked the waitress how they managed to pull that off and she said it was because they are so fiesty!