Day 18: Newcastle West to Killarney National Park. 50 miles, 780 miles total.
As of that morning Wildcamping-7 nights, Campgrounds-3 nights, Youth Hostels-2 nights, Hotels-5 nights. 17-nights total.
No sumptuous breakfast photo here, I believe the landlady of the B&B would have been offended. She was very nice, and we had sat for some time the evening before watching footage of a traditional Irish dance/music festival on her TV. Throughout Ireland I was impressed by how contemporary and mainstream traditional Irish culture is. Everything; the music, the dance, and the sports as reflected in the sports section of their newspapers.
I did sneak this one photo at breakfast. It was hard, the kitchen where she was preparing breakfast was immediately adjacent and I got the place settings at least. The very nice room had only cost 40 euro, and I wasn't about to try and take advantage of her good nature. Observing my unforced appetite, she did ply me with extra toast.
The other guests were interesting, two married couples. One couple was checking on their prodigal son who had recently moved from Dublin to Newcastle West, the other was a younger couple with an infant that had cried much of the night. They were apologetic but as a parent and grandparent myself, I have come to believe that those who complain about little children are feckless dweebs who oughtta go hang it up. Children are a gift.
Anyhoo.... Rapid progress that day on the N21, N23 and N22. Although it was a Friday the traffic wasn't bad and the shoulders, except for a few stretches were adequate, even generous.
The weather was wet.....
Part way along I stopped in at the crowded main drag of Castleisland to eat (and I wish I had photos) and noticed the posters for an upcoming boxing tournament, but leaving town I came across what I thought, as reflected in the prominence of the sports pages of their newspapers, one of the most quintessentially Irish experiences of my trip; a horse race. I was riding along and heard someone talking through a loudspeaker giving race commentary....
Friday was apparently the junior division, the mail races to come that weekend.
I believe these guys were taking bets....
