They were up early the next morning and had a light breakfast. They knew the Ring of Kerry was a popular attraction and they wanted to get a jump on the number of tour buses that would bombard the shops and restaurants along the way. Not only would they get ahead of the buses they would travel in the same direction as them. Marshall was very surprised to hear that in spots along the way the road would not be wide enough for some larger vehicles to pass on-coming traffic, therefore, all buses travel in the same direction. It was decided that Tessy would drive, as she was more familiar to driving on the other side of the road. They had ordered a picnic lunch for their journey. They packed what they needed for the day, picked up their picnic basket, climbed into the car and set off.
They headed in the direction of Killorglin, famous for its Puck Fair then carried on to Glenbeigh, home of the Kerry Bog Village. As they travelled onward the coastal and mountain scenery was captivating! At times, Marshall swallowed hard and his eyes grew wide with fear and amazement at how their side mirror somehow missed the on-coming vehicles.
“Holy crap! Now, I understand why we are travelling in the same direction as the buses!” The terrified Marshall burst, as he witnessed a large holiday coach barrelling towards them. Tessy just laughed.
They found themselves hungry by the time they reached Caherciveen and found a nice spot to enjoy their picnic. After they ate, they wandered the old barracks of the Royal Irish Constabulary and the Marina.
Marshall was reading through the tour information, “Looks like we have a few stops along the way. One being the Staigue Fort. It says here, it’s one of the largest, well preserved forts in Ireland dating back somewhere between 300 and 400 AD. Hmmm, that ought to be interesting.”
They reached their destination and as they explored the ruins Marshall marvelled, “Wow, this is a true wonder of ancient architecture and technology. It just baffles me how this has survived all the storms, wars and the other elements through the years.” He ran his hand along the outside of one of the stone structures feeling the cold, rough stone not yet ready to give in to age.
The quaint and charming little town of Sneem was close by so they drove in to visit its cheerfully painted shops and cottages. Tessy dropped in to some of the lovely wee shops to pick up a few treasures to take home while Marshall patiently followed behind.
Tessy was looking forward to the next largest centre on their tour, Kenmare, on the mouth of the River Sheen. It is known for its exquisite lace and she was not going home without something pretty! She found, and fell in love with, a stunning lace shawl but it was over the budgeted amount she had allotted herself.
“It’s lovely, dear. Buy it.” Marshall urged, not seeing the problem.
“Oh but, love, it’s so expensive!” she leaned close and whispered.
“I insist you get it. I can see you love it and I know you will use it often. We’re on our honeymoon and you deserve it!” Marshall insisted.
“How did I get so blessed?” Tessy gushed, quite excited about her new purchase.
“You can show me your appreciation a little later.” Marshall said as he gently leaned into her.
Tessy nudged him back.
Their journey ended by driving by the beautiful Lakes of Killarney and passed the Muckross House. By late afternoon they were pulling back into the parking lot of their guesthouse. It had been a very full day! They were starving and ready for a pint. They freshened up and headed to a nearby pub.
Once they were comfortably seated with a Guinness set before them, Tessy let out a long sigh. She had done all the driving on the treacherous roads around the Ring of Kerry and she was bushed. Marshall smiled at her, “You must be exhausted. I’m sorry you did all the driving today.”
“Aye, I am a bit weary. I did appreciate you offering a couple of times. It’s just that by the size of your eyes most of the day I could tell ye weren’t going to enjoy it much.”
“Man, I’ll say! I can’t count how many times I thought we were going to lose that side mirror!”
Tessy laughed.
Marshall chuckled adding, “I’ll drive to Tralee tomorrow,” and they clinked mugs.
Tessy had just enough energy to write of their day before hitting the sack that night. In the morning, she thought back to see if she could remember any dreams. Aye, she thought, the hospital again where she couldn’t open the door. She wrote it down and glanced over at Marshall stretching awake.
“Mornin’ love,” she smiled.
“Morning,” he answered, leaning over to sleepily kiss his wife. He sat straight up and exclaimed, “We’re heading to the castle today!” Then he leapt out of bed.
Tessy giggled, “Aye, that we are.”
They quickly dressed and went down for breakfast. There was no time to linger this morning. Marshall couldn’t wait to head out. Tralee was less than an hour drive and the castle was even closer. They would arrive before check in but Marshall didn’t care!
When they pulled up to the main gates of the castle, Marshall stopped the car. He picked up Tessy’s hand and kissed it. “Well, my lady, shall we?”
Tessy smiled at her anxious husband, “Aye.”
They drove up the long winding carriage drive and when they pulled around the bend there stood the stately castle covered in climbing greenery at the far end. Marshall parked the car and they stepped out to take a good look at the magnificent structure stretched before them. Hand in hand they ascended the front steps to the brightly painted doors guarded by two noble lions. At the top of the stairway was a large, seemingly uninterested, hound. Tessy stopped to give him a few gentle pats and he wakened enough to wag his tail. Marshall knew, without a doubt, the dog and Tessy would be dear friends by the time they left. They entered the grand lobby to see an elegant oak staircase at the far end with one set of steps leading up and a set of steps on each side leading down to the reception desk. They made their way down to the desk to check on their reservation. After a pleasant exchange with the clerk, as suspected, they were told their room would not be ready for a couple of hours.
“You are more than welcome to have a look around the Castle and grounds while you wait or may I suggest you take a drive into Tralee just three kilometers away. There’s plenty to see and do. If you drop by the Tourist Office I’m sure they would be able to help you find something.”
“Thank you. I think that is exactly what we will do.” Marshall smiled, gently ushering Tessy up the stairs to the lobby.
After poking around different public areas of the castle they took the short drive to Tralee watching for signs directing them to the Tourist Office. They were lucky enough to arrive just in time to take the one hour walking tour of the town. They joined the group and enjoyed hearing all about its history. They discovered Tralee was founded by the Geraldines in 1216 and that there is still a honeycomb of Medieval streets and alleyways hidden beneath its Georgian streets. Once the tour was over, Tessy and Marshall stopped for a quick bite before heading back to the castle. They were sitting in a quaint little pub on an outside deck waiting for their lunch when Tessy’s phone chimed. She threw Marshall a surprised look and rummaged around in her purse to retrieve it. When she answered, her eyes widened in surprise. It was a short conversation and she lay the phone down on the table. “That was Inspector Donnelly.”
“Really? What’s up?”
“Well, he’s been in Dublin the past few days. Seems he did find Agnes and went to see her. But, he found out very little. He said she was extremely frail and confused. However, he did say he thinks she does know more than what she was letting on.”
“Wow! I can’t believe he located her so fast but I suppose they do have plenty of resources.”
“Aye, I’m sure.”
“Are you still thinking of going to see her?” questioned Marshall.
“Aye. He gave me the name of the hospital.”
“Okay, that’s what we’ll do then.”
“As soon as we get checked in I’ll give Keenan a ring and let hi
m know.”
They finished and made their way back to the castle to check in. Driving up to the fortress for the second time did not lose its appeal. It was still just as exciting to know they were going to be staying there. It would have been quite a Citadel in its day and apparently is proclaimed to even have its own resident ghost. Tessy was a little more thrilled about this fact than Marshall.
They entered the lobby and wandered past the antiquities and stood at the top of the stairs that looked down to the reservation desk. Tessy took Marshall’s hand and pointed to the couple standing at the desk.
“You have got to be kidding me!” Marshall blurted.
There stood, none other than Stanley Hainsworth the Third of Boston with his wife barking out complaints of some sort. He turned and saw Tessy and Marshall watching them. One could almost see the cloud of embarrassment hovering over him. She finished her rant and they disappeared up the other set of stairs.
Tessy and Marshall slowly made their way to the reservation desk. The young man that had assisted them earlier, looked rather frustrated. He did his best to smile and welcome them back saying their room was now ready.
Tessy gave him a sympathetic smile and said, “Are ye havin’ a bit of a rough day?”
The young man’s lips twitched upward and replied, “Maybe a little, but nothing we can’t handle.”
Tessy laughed, “Well, good for ye. My hats off to ye for handling difficult customers the way ye just did.”
“Thank ye, Ms. McGuigan. We hope ye enjoy yer stay.”
They took care of all the formalities and were directed to their room. They stepped into their room on the third floor and stopped in their tracks. It was exquisite. There was a basket of fresh fruit, a small bottle of champagne on ice, and two Waterford crystal flute glasses arranged on a charming little table. The kids had thought of everything!
“Oh my, Marshall! Bless their hearts.”
They took a few minutes to be in the moment and explore all their room had to offer. They were far from disappointed!
Marshall picked up the bottle of champagne and held it towards Tess. “Shall we, my lady?”
“Oh Marshall, ‘tis a bit early in the day, is it not?” She looked at her watch and discovered it was later then she realized. Marshall mischievously grinned and quipped, “It’s five o’clock somewhere!”
“Marshall Tayse, you are incorrigible!” Tessy smiled as Marshall popped the cork.
He poured them each a glass and as he handed Tessy hers, he leaned down and kissed her. “My life could not be more blissfully complete. I love you so much Tessy McGuigan.” The glasses chimed as they tapped and he kissed her again.
Tessy thought before she had too much champagne she should give Keenan a call and let him in on her conversation with Inspector Donnelly. There wasn’t much to report, but she wanted to ensure Keenan knew she was still serious about paying Agnes a visit, especially now that she knew where she was. After she hung up the phone, Marshall looked at his wife, “Well, what did he say?”
“Well, he’s certainly not keen on the idea and can’t, in his words, figure out why I am so hell bent on this but I do think he’ll make an appearance and join us.” Tessy held up her glass for a refill and added, “And that will be enough talk of Agnes Haggerty and Inspector Donnelly until we get back to Dublin.”
Tessy and Marshall enjoyed their champagne and sampled some fruit while they looked over the pamphlets they had picked up at the Tourist Office. The plan was to tour Dingle Peninsula tomorrow and then take in all the sights of Tralee on their last full day.
They freshened up and headed down stairs to the little pub for a bite. They stopped at the formal dining room to make dinner reservations for the next evening. The pub was empty except for the barman. He looked up and welcomed them, “Good evenin’ to ye! Welcome to Pappy’s Bar. Come have a seat. Would ye care to have a table or join me at the bar?”
Marshall smiled down at Tessy and made a suggestion. “Shall we belly-up to the bar for a bit?”
“Aye, that sounds grand.”
They ordered pints and some food, which they devoured after their long day of sightseeing.
“Now be sure to come back later on in the evenin’ for the tales about the castle,” said the barman.
“What kind of tales?” Marshall asked as he finished off his pint.
“Tales of lore,” he said and leaned forward as if sharing a secret. “and ghosts. Aye, we have a few of them here.”
“We’ll have to come back and hear the whole story before we go.” said Tessy as they got up to leave.
“Ghosts?” said Marshall as he followed Tessy out of the pub.
They returned to their room and although it was fairly early, they readied for bed. Marshall stepped out from the bathroom with his toothbrush still stuck in his mouth and mumbled, “You don’t really think there are any ghosts wandering around here do you?”
Tessy chuckled, “Well love, I wouldn’t want to put any money against it.”
“Thanks a lot!” Marshall groaned.
“They’ve been around for many a year and they haven’t hurt anyone, yet. I think you’re safe, love. Most ghosts are just poor lost souls who haven’t found their way home yet.”
20
Beaches, Caves, and Ghosts
Marshall woke the next morning quite relieved they hadn’t experienced any paranormal activity through the night. Tessy chuckled at him, shaking her head. They dressed and went down to the restaurant for their lovely buffet breakfast. They recognized some people from the pub last evening and chatted with them briefly. They, too, chuckled reassuring them that no ghosts had made an appearance in their room either.
It was time to get a start on their Dingle tour, so they wished their breakfast companions a wonderful day, grabbed their backpack and travel information and set off. They spent the day viewing some of Ireland’s most beautiful scenery. They witnessed everything from mountain regions in the north to the magnificent beaches and west coast seascapes. Some of the more remote areas are Gaelic speaking and many of the road signs were written only in Irish. Marshall was very thankful his co-pilot was the beautiful Irish lass that she was.
While driving the coast they stopped at Dingle Bay to watch for Dingle’s famous resident, Fungie the dolphin. They had read that Fungie was first spotted in 1983 and has been a permanent resident ever since. Unfortunately, he must have been off visiting somewhere else that day. It was close to lunch and they decided to stop for a bite at one of the friendly pubs in Dingle.
They were cheerfully greeted by a motherly woman, “Well, hello there! In for a bite, are ye?”
“Aye,” Tessy returned with a smile.
“Well, ye’ll not be disappointed. Come. Come… let’s get ye seated.” As she got them settled with menus and water she chatted on, “So, where are ye from, then?”
Marshall excused himself and headed to the washroom as Tessy conversed with the woman. “We are from Canada.”
“Canada!! My, what a lovely country. I visited a cousin of mine living in Canada a few years back. Had a wonderful time. But speaking to ye, I’d say that ye from this side of the pond”
Tessy laughed. “Aye, from County Cork, originally.”
“Aye, thought so. Oooh, Cork and Kerry… so famous for our wee folk! Before ye get in yer car take a wee walk out back and down the path. I think ye’ll enjoy what ye see.” And she winked at Tessy. “Now, I’ll just wait for your husband to return and give ye a few minutes to decide. But I’ve got a dandy fish chowder on for the special today that will make your eyes pop!” and she trotted off.
Marshall returned, they each ordered the fish chowder with a large cheese scone, and it was delicious! As the woman tidied their table she chatted on, “My, ye’re fortunate to catch such a sunny clear day. It rains a mite in this part of the world. Ye’ll get some fine views of the Blasket Islands off in the distance today. Ye’ll also be wantin’ to get a picture or two of the beehive huts built by the fle
eing monks durin’ the Dark Ages. They’re quite a prize in these parts. Now, let’s see what else…. hmmm… well, if I think of any other sights I’ll let ye know,” and again she trotted off.
When they finished, and were ready to leave, they thanked the chatty woman and said their good byes. There was a short line-up at the cash register so while Marshall stood in line Tessy decided to take the woman’s suggestion and pop out to the back garden.
“Marshall, love,” Tessy leaned in close to her husband. “I’m just goin’ to take a wee wander out to the lovely garden in the back. I won’t be but a minute.”
“Okay, honey. I’ll meet you at the car.”
As Tessy reached the lush shaded oasis she could feel the positive energy pulling at her. She was sure she heard soft tittering coming from under the ferns. She turned in time to see a purple flash shooting down a path heading into the bush and brambles. She quickly followed, but to no avail. It was gone as fast as it had appeared. She took a minute to enjoy her surroundings before heading to the car. As they drove out of the parking lot Tessy peered deep into the woods. She was hoping to catch another glimpse of any magick.
They stopped at a few more historic landmarks, beaches and viewpoints along the way then returned to the Castle. They had just enough time to have a short rest and freshen up before enjoying their romantic dinner. What another perfect day, Tessy thought to herself as she slipped into a darling print dress for their enchanting evening. She grabbed her new lace shawl and threw it over her shoulders.
They confirmed their reservation in the formal dining room and were immediately seated. The room was elegant and beautifully decorated. They each ordered a cocktail while revelling in royal ambiance. They eventually decided on appetizers and a superb bottle of wine.
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