Kerry Gold

Trust me to find something to write about within a slab of butter.

After watching the Kerry Gold advertisement, I was again struck by strange curiosity. What and where on earth is Kerry?

I always find Irish place names enthralling: along with the bilingual thing, where all the towns and counties have both an English and an Irish name, they all have a very rural feel to them. They sound like they should be happy, quiet little places, with cows herded through the streets and pubs where the community meet for the chance to watch the only TV in the village. Kilkenny, Kerry, Kilarney. Jolly names. I mean, they all sound feminine and joyous. Shannon, Kerry, Ennis and (Susan) Boyle. Oh to borrow a car (car rental Dublin) and travel the roads, just to stand by the signs in picture glory…

Which way again?

They’ve even got a place called Limerick. Now that is awesome.

Speaking of the place and the thing:

There was an Irish city whose name,

was shared with poems of fame

Their wit, joy and glee

Bring pleasure to me,

And anybody whose likes are the same!

For that I apologise.

road trip pt3: Ireland

Finally, after arm twisting myself into submission, I will do the proper road trip segment. Although in the spirit of not boring you readers with my travel plans, I’ll keep it short and sweet.

Ireland, aside from the beer, has 3 key sites that I truly want to see and experience for myself. The Giant’s Causeway, Avondale House and Oscar Wilde’s childhood home. Reasons?

i) The Causeway because it’s cool and giants made it.

ii) Avondale because I studied Parnell at school and feel he deserves a head’s up.

iii) Oscar Wilde’s home because he was a genius and it puts me in Dublin ready to live it up for any remaining time.

Of course again, I will be driving up and down the country. After the A4 experience, I will probably be feeling quite poor, so a Corsa it will be (from the reputable irish car hire). I looked at the E-Class Mercedes, but I think that’d be a tad excessive for my wife and I.

Speaking of Corsas, OPEL or VAUXHALL? Personnally I think the OPEL logo looks nicer, but I’m sure somebody can sing Vauxhall’s praises…

road trip pt2: irish brewery tour

After reading this post, I felt I had to first post a travel link that included beer. I’ll get around to the real road trip post for Ireland eventually, but for the moment, here’s Willbaforce’s (or Katie Hammel’s seeing as she’s done the research – see source) recommended brewery road trip for Ireland.

With Ireland being the initial choice destination, I thought it merry to suggest a tour of brewery(/ies). Obviously, for the global appeal, we have to attend the Guinness brewery in Dublin, but let’s go further. Let’s try beat the lesser travelled path.

Sample route idea.

So, let’s get the big one out of the way first. The Guinness storehouse. Here you wander solitary, in this brewing behemoth. You hear stories that the international production of Guinness is kept completely by this one place. I have my doubts, but know that it at least covers Ireland and the British Isles. It’s tasty in it’s own right. I think it’s too heavy to enjoy too much.

Moving on then, in the tasty hire car (Audi A4 from Car Hire Ireland) to Carrow. Relatively new, the Carrow Brewing Company offer a selection ranging from stout through to red ale. Certainly looks tasty.

Then on to Kilkenny, where St. Francis Abbey Brewery offers Irish Budweiser, as well as Ireland’s number one real ale, Smithwick’s.

Cork’s Kinsale Brewery offers a good mixture, and a tour provided by the master Brewer at the facility.

Finally, at Inagh is a little tidy pub / brewery set up, namely the Biddy Early Brewery. Combining both the start and finish of beer into one welcome finish for our trip. Smooth.

There it is. Now if only I had the money to start it tomorrow…

Well. Even if I don’t, it’s written down now, so my wife will eventually bear the strain of me tasting beer after beer. After beer. After beer…