Gaelic Roots, The Show

While we were on our way to Killarney, our bus driver told us about a show that had been running for about two weeks and would be continuing through the summer until the middle of October. The name of the show was Gaelic Roots, The Show.

This show is being held at the Killarney Avenue Hotel which is across the square from the Killarney Plaza Hotel. So it was a short walk for me to go to the show. There was a small number of people from our tour that opted to go that night. Those people who heard about it from us and wanted to go were out of luck as it was a night off for the cast on our second night in Killarney. As soon as I heard about it, I wanted to see it and not seeing it was not an option. So, I made sure that I was there in plenty of time to get in.

I arrived about 30 minutes early so that I could get a good seat. I first thought that the seats near the front would give me the view that I was looking for. After about ten or fifteen minutes, and with the help of other people sitting in front of me, I realized that I might not have picked the best seat to sit in. I looked further back and realized that some of the chairs were set up on risers. I headed back to get to the front of the last riser, and tripped and fell almost flat on my face at the first riser. I did a bit of damage to my ankle, but I knew that it would heal. There was not severe damage done except to my pride.

I found the seat that I wanted and had a very clear view of the show. It was a mixer of song, music, and dancing and you could tell that the cast was having fun with it.

The cast is a renown group of international Irish performers. The O’Neill Sisters were the singers and came in from New York to do this show for the summer. It is something that they believe in and they were happy to do so. Tomas O Se is a Kerry Minor football star and a world class Irish dancer who has danced with Riverdance. Kelly McDonnell is a world class Irish dancer who has danced with Michael Flatley. Tony Flaherty is a world renowned musician and plays with The Gaelic Roots Band. They cover a lot of instruments including the flute, the bodrhan, the fiddle, and more. There are also the Gaelic Roots Troop Dancers who have danced with Riverdance and other productions.

When the performance starts, it’s as if you are going back through the mists of time. The music is not just from the modern era, but also from further back in time. I think that maybe, “Danny Boy” is the only one that I have previous heard. I don’t know about the rest of the audience, but I was mesmerized for the entire performance. The show lasts for two hours and there is a fifteen-minute break about half way through. It gives you a chance to stretch your legs and come back to earth before continuing on in the world of fantasy. The cast received a well-deserved standing ovation.

Going back to the hotel, I chanced on some of my friends from the tour. One of them decided that I could not do the short trip back to our hotel by myself, but needed someone with me. I really didn’t but I decided to humour her.

Would I go to Gaelic Roots, The Show again? With a resounding yes, I would go again if I have the chance. I love the Irish music and dancing and don’t have much chance to see the dancing. 

Donegal Castle

In the town of Donegal on Tyrconnell Street, you can visit a castle that was originally built in 1474 by Sir Hugh O’Donnell, the chief of the O’Donnell clan at the time. It is situated on a bend the Eske River. The site was chosen for defense purposes.

The castle stayed in O’Donnell hands until 1607 when the O’Donnell leaders left Ireland in the flight of the Earls. This was precipitated by the English who decided to rid Ireland of the “pesky” Irish chieftains. The O’Donnell chief at the time was Hugh Roe O’Donnell. Hugh decided that if the English were to have his home, he certainly would not make it easy for them, and the castle was torched.

The next owner of the castle and its grounds was Captain Basil Brooke. He must not have found the torched castle very comfortable as he rebuilt it in 1623. The style that he chose for the addition of a wing was a Jacobean manor style. He also added windows and a gable. The castle stayed in the Brooke family for many years until, in the 18^th century, it was in a ruinous condition.

The Earl of Arran made a donation of it to the Office of Public Works in 1898. I believe that he just didn’t want to spend the money to restore or to tear down what remained of the castle.

The castle was partially restored in 1989 to 1996 and still has the original cobblestone floors. It also has the original trip stairs. These stairs can be quite trick to navigate. All the steps are at uneven heights to trip any sword fighters coming up the stairs. They also turn to the right to give the defenders an edge the fighting.

The garderobes were designed so that enemy soldiers would not be able to either use a spear or shoot an arrow up the chute taking the waste down to the river.

Currently, the castle is open to the public for tours. They allow 35 people on each tour and the tours last for approximately 30 minutes. The castle is also used to hold special events such as Gaelic festivals.

When we were there, it was enjoyable to stretch our legs after being on the bus for a couple of hours. We followed the tour guide, except some of us used the newer staircase rather than use the trip stairs for reasons of safety. 

Day Fifteen – Road Trip, April 2016

We were able to sleep in this morning! I didn’t have to set the alarm for 5:30 am! I was able to set it for 7:15 am! The reason why: our activities were all in the neighbourhood of Killarney.

After a leisurely typical Irish breakfast, we crossed the street at our hotel to board upon the jaunting cars. I think that our group filled four of the cars. We had eight passengers in the one that I was in and we then had a pleasant ride through Killarney National Park to Ross Castle. The park is either within the city limits or are on the outskirts because we didn’t have to go too far to get there via city streets. On the way, we saw a few deer and were told that more deer would be out this evening when there were not so many people around.

Ross Castle is an old keep on the shores of the Lower Lake. It is in beautiful surroundings and has a history that goes back to the 15^th century. We were given time to wander the surroundings and take pictures. After all, pictures are the best souvenirs, especially if you have a digital camera. It will be interesting to look into some of the history of this castle.

After travelling back to our hotel by jaunting cars, we then boarded our bus to travel to the town of Kenmare where we had lunch. If you are ever in Kenmare, P.F. McArthy’s is a good place to eat. They have a pulled pork sandwich that I found delicious.

After lunch, we continued on our journey along the Ring of Kerry and through Moll’s Gap back to Killarney. We had a couple of stops along the way, one at Ladies’ View where the view is spectacular and another at Muckross House. We were given an hour at Muckross House and it was almost as if we all scattered to the winds. My brother and I took a different route than most of our companions and still managed to cover just about everything. Apparently, Muckross House has tourists visits all year round.

As we boarded the bus to return to our hotel, some of us did not know exactly where we were. It took about half an hour or less to travel the distance. Once we were delivered back to our hotel, we were free from any activities and could go where we want for dinner.

At this point, I should mention about the entertainment that I attended last evening. The name of it is “Gaelic Roots, The Live Show” and was held in the hotel across the square. The O’Neill Sisters are among the very talented cast. It is a venue that blends music, song, and dance with its serious parts and humourous acts. It is a show that is well worth seeing. The audience gave them a standing ovation because of the fine work that they did.

Early morning again tomorrow.