What we have seen and done.
The continuing chapter of our flying visit to Southern Ireland in April as I write to the beautiful strains of Hayley Westenra and the hikoi 'marches' on towards Parliament but Helen Clark finds Shrek the Sheep's company more enjoyable....keeping up with NZ politics and current events. (Now outdated when you read this because my attention has been diverted from the keyboard by domestic events.)
After leaving Cork, visiting Blarney Castle and historic Cobh on our second day in the Emerald Isle, late Saturday afternoon saw us in the Irish tourist mecca of Killarney in County Kerry. My trusty Lonely Planet Guidebook informed me that this is where I would find plentiful supplies of leprechaun-adorned t-shirts, mugs, tea towels etc to purchase - souvenirs for my children and grandchildren. But I ended up coming away empty handed because there were only cheap key rings and plastic gimmicks to choose from, or expensive Irish linen, the latter of which is very beautiful but young people don't have much need for doilies and supper cloths these days.