My previous travels nine years ago saw me using HelpX as a way to work for food and board. It granted me some absolutely amazing experiences, and I met some truly wonderful people through it.
On this trip, I haven’t really locked in any extended stays anywhere, and seeing as hosts usually prefer long-term helpers, I was surprised when Christine was happy to have me for two nights.
Christine, her son Brian, and her daughters Aisling and Clare live just outside the town of Kildare, a short drive from Dublin. I arrived around midday, and as I drove up the driveway I was greeted by two very enthusiastic guard dogs: Tyson the Labrador and Perry the Jack Russell. Christine came out to meet me, and we hit it off straight away. After fresh scones and a cup of tea, I was out surveying the vast yard I was about to mow. While it wasn’t sprawling acreage, it was a sizeable property, and I spent most of the afternoon finishing just the area behind the house.
Christine made a farm-style dinner, which was extremely satisfying after hours of lawnmowing. That evening, her kids took me out to a famous pub—not the closest one, but the oldest in the area. It had a thatched roof, beautiful interior décor, and the proprietor, now 90 years old, was still working behind the bar. By sheer luck, part of the pub was booked for an Irish dancing rehearsal, and we sat and listened as a guitarist and a whistle player accompanied the dancers. After a couple of pints and a game of pool, we headed back and called it a night.
The next day, Christine showed me how she makes her sourdough bread. While my attempt didn’t quite measure up to hers, her kids still complimented it. I then helped her shift some hefty bags of potting mix and fill planters for a new vegetable garden. After that, it was back on the mower. By the end of the day, I’d managed to finish the whole front of the property, including along the nature strip. Big day. After another lovely dinner, Christine and Clare drove me out to the ruins of Dunamase Castle. A very impressive spot—made all the more magical by the setting sun.
Sadly, that was all the time I had in Kildare, as I was back on the road the next morning, heading for Cork.
Along the way, I stopped in Kilkenny for breakfast and then drove on to the Rock of Cashel—another ancient site with a cathedral and an old Romanesque chapel. I’m constantly in awe of the history and construction of these places. It’s definitely one of the things I’m enjoying most about Ireland. I was lucky to arrive just as a guided tour was beginning, which offered exclusive access to the Romanesque chapel—an area otherwise closed to the public.
I hopped back in the car and drove to Tipperary for lunch, then continued down to Cork.
I had four nights in Cork, which gave me time to catch up on blogging (still trying) and recharge a bit. I also managed to get out to Midleton for a tour of the Midleton Distillery, where they make many of Ireland’s most popular whiskeys—Jameson, Redbreast, Powers, to name a few. I arrived a little early and managed to jump into an earlier tour. It was a fairly standard distillery tour, but the history and sheer scale of the complex were impressive. I also added a separate tasting to my booked following the tour. I was amazed that I was the only one to do so and had myself an exclusive private tasting experience. Ha! I got to try some more premium whiskeys all while having a good chat with the expert, Alex.
While on the tour, I met a group of four Americans who were also spending time in Cork, and we decided to meet up that evening to find some traditional pub music. I first went to the popular venue Coughlan’s and managed to catch the tail end of a modern Irish gig—awesome, but that was it for the night there. The Americans had found a lively spot a short walk away in a bar called Sin-é. It was snug and bustling, the music was fantastic, and I managed to snag a great spot to watch and listen when the others went off in search of late-night food. I stayed until closing and had a laugh when I bumped into them on my way home—still hunting for food.
On my last day in Cork, I explored a bit more of the city, walked around Elizabeth Fort, had a beer and lunch at the Franciscan Well Brewery, and finished some laundry in preparation for the next stretch.
Cork was a lovely town, and I picked a great spot to rest up.
Tomorrow, it’s off to the west coast!
