Who: Sally Cordrey of Centennial
Where: Lake Caragh in County Kerry. This spectacular untouched mountain wilderness is just off the beaten path of the Ring of Kerry. Autumn colors sprinkled the Emerald Isle in every direction. We traveled from Galway to Cork.
Best meal: Pub food and a Guinness, of course! Pubs are now nonsmoking, and the local grub is terrific. We enjoyed Irish lamb stew, quiche, crab claws, fish and chips.
Best deal: Blarney Woolen Mills for authentic Aran Irish sweaters. Two locations, next to the Blarney Castle near Cork and next to the Bunratty Castle near Shannon. Sweaters were marked down 50-70 percent.
Best time to go: November is the beginning of the offseason. Airfare was half the price of summer fare; car rental 30 percent savings, and rooms are always available at bed and breakfasts everywhere. We saw very few tourists and tour buses on the road. We were able to walk right into the Blarney Castle; workers told us that the wait could be as much as three hours in the summer. The weather was cool, light rain and some sun. We never needed umbrellas!
Best travel tip: Try to find your ancestors’ homestead or graveyard. We took what detailed information we knew to the local post office and asked. Folks are very friendly and eager to help. The postmaster or pastor of the local church is bound to lead you in the right direction.
