“Oh Marshall, I cannot believe, here we sit, in these magnificent surroundings, enjoying this incredible dream. It’s like a faerie tale!”
“Well, my lady, you are my queen.” Marshall held up his wine glass.
Tessy laughed and brought hers up to meet it, “Slainte.”
Tessy was having a hard time making an entree choice. Everything looked amazing! She was just about to decide when there was a loud commotion at the front of the restaurant. All eyes turned to see the well-dressed couple. Tessy and Marshall were not overly surprised. Yes, it was Mr. and Mrs. Hainsworth!
“We DO have a reservation. Take another look!” demanded the irate guest.
The desk manager thumbed through the list and shook his head. Tessy could tell he was trying to calm her down without raising his voice.
“I realize our reservation was for an hour ago. I was busy an hour ago. Now I’m ready to eat. Go and find us a table. Now!” she commanded.
Her husband, Stanley, remained speechless. He looked embarrassed and ready to slink out of sight.
“Mrs. Hainsworth, I’m sorry, but when we didn’t hear from you we had to let your table go. As you can see all our tables are now full.” The reservation manager made a sweeping gesture towards the restaurant. “If you would like to have a seat at the bar we will accommodate you as quickly as possible,” he offered, doing his best to defuse the situation.
“Pardon me!” barked the disgruntled woman. “Me! Sit at a bar like a common hooker!” she gasped. “How dare you!” she exploded.
Stanley gently reached for her arm to motion her out. She snatched her arm away and gave him a hostile glare. By now, the whole restaurant had turned to watch the escalating saga. The female restaurateur graciously glided over to the desk and in a calm and confident manner quietly conversed with the reservation manger and excused him.
“Now, Mrs. Hainsworth, I understand you would like a table.”
“Finally, someone with some brains!” the woman huffed.
“Well, as my very capable reservation manager has stated, your reservation was for an hour prior. You did not call to let us know you would be arriving late and, as you can see, we currently do not have any available tables. You are welcome to wait in our lounge area. Other than that, I’m afraid there is little else we can do for you.”
“Well, I never! I will see to it that no one steps in your restaurant ever again. Come Stanley, we are leaving!” And with that she marched out with poor Stanley shuffling behind.
The restaurateur scanned the room with a sweet reassuring smile to all her guests and headed back to her duties as if nothing had happened. Soon the bitter stench of the disagreeable intruder passed and the room returned to its elegant ambience.
Tessy and Marshall carried on with their romantic evening. The rest of their dining experience was wonderful. Tessy remarked what a perfect ending to this perfect day. Marshall’s risqué reply was, “The day isn’t over just yet, my queen.”
Tessy giggled and teased, “So, you’re not going to fret over ghosts tonight, then?”
“Oooh… thanks a lot! Way to ruin the moment.”
Tessy laughed heartily.
After their meal, they took a stroll around the beautiful grounds and over to the elegant gazebo. The large greeter dog followed them out for a visit and a few pets before the clouds rolled in and the wind got up. Tessy pulled her new lace shawl up around her shoulders. Marshall put his arm around her to help shield her from the breeze. “Looks like we should head in, dear,” he smiled down at her.
“Aye. We could very possibly have a rainy day for touring Tralee tomorrow. But wasn’t it wonderful it held off for our lovely day today?”
When they got back to the room, Marshall’s amorous mood had not faded. That was a good thing as Tessy had anxiously anticipated making love with her husband in the Castle. It was a once in a lifetime experience. She suggested he wait for her in bed while she changed into something special. She did not have to ask him twice! She appeared a few minutes later in a lovely new satin nightgown. Marshall let out a sigh of delight and pulled back the covers for her. She wrapped her arms around him and they kissed. Marshall suddenly pulled away looking at her, “They won’t be watching, will they?”
Tessy laughed, “Who?”
“The ghosts. How uncomfortable would that be?”
Tessy laughed again, “Well, we’ll turn out all the lights and stay under the covers.” And with that, she reached over and turned off the bedside lamp.
In the morning, Tessy got up and looked out the window. Yep, her prediction was correct! It was pouring buckets! She looked over at her sleeping husband and crawled back into bed. Marshall awoke and wrapped his arms around her.
“I’m in no real rush to head out there any time soon!” Tessy giggled as she returned his affection. They snuggled and kissed. Marshall ran his hands over her soft satin nightgown. This dark dreary morning had taken a turn for the better. They lounged in their room ordering room service instead of going down for breakfast.
“Man! I could get use to this lifestyle.” Marshall held up his coffee cup.
Tessy chuckled, “Aye, ‘tis grand, for sure. But don’t get too attached, love, it’s only going to last one more night!”
“Spoilsport!” Marshall frowned.
They freshened up and reluctantly left the room to scout out more of the castle. The rain eventually let up and they headed off to Tralee to visit the Kerry County Museum. They read it had won many prestigious awards. Upon entering, they found out you could get dressed in period costume and travel back in time to wander the museum’s reconstructed streets of Medieval 1450.
“Look at these costumes, love! Let’s get dressed up and take some pictures.” Tessy excitedly suggested as she hunted through a rack of clothing.
Marshall wrinkled up his nose.
“Oh, come on. Don’t be a stick in the mud.” She held up an outfit in front of Marshall to see the size. “Perfect,” she smiled as he gingerly took it.
Tessy slipped on a loose-fitting peasant dress over her clothes and cinched it with a tie.
Marshall was dressed in a guard’s uniform, complete with spear. It wasn’t long before he was enjoying the experience. They had a few pictures taken in amusing poses and even some with a group of other garbed tourists. By the time they were done Marshall was heartily laughing.
They took in the rest of the museum highlights and soon were on their way to the Blennerville Windmill just outside of town. Marshall, especially, was quite intrigued seeing Irelands largest working mill in action. It was much larger than what one would think. The creaking sound of the huge sails turning was mesmerizing but quite eerie.
“Where to next, my lady?” Marshall asked as he ushered Tessy to the car.
Tessy pulled a brochure out of her purse. “Crag Cave in Castleisland,” she said has she waved the brochure in front of his nose. “It’s about 20 minutes in the opposite direction from Ballyseede Castle.”
“As you wish,” Marshall laughed and slipped in behind the wheel of the car.
Once they arrived they were treated to a virtual wonderland of stalagmites and stalactites, many of them over a million years old.
“I bet my daughter, Janie, would love to see these. Although, being a geologist, she has probably seen thousands of them in caves all over the world.” Marshall marvelled.
“Aye, I can’t wait to spend some quality time with her. She would have so many interesting stories to tell.” Tessy smiled.
They finished the tour and headed back to the castle. They were both quiet on the way. As they pulled into the parking lot Tessy sighed, “I can’t believe this is our last night here, already.
“I know! It went by so fast. But let’s make the best of our last night.”
“Aye, love. That we will.” Tessy smiled at her husband’s positive attitude.
They freshened up and then went down for another entertaining evening at the Castle pub.
The barman
was in fine form! When they arrived, he was telling the gruesome tale of how the Earl of Desmond was beheaded on the grounds of the Ballyseede Castle as a warning to those plotting against Henry VIII.
The barman scanned the room as he spoke, “Off with his head!” he shouted and paused for effect. The crowd gave an audible gasp. “Then… his head was placed in a cage and displayed for all to see on London Bridge.” Everyone made a face at the thought of a head in a cage hanging from a bridge. The barman continued. “Following his demise, the Crown took over the property and it was given to Robert Blennerhassett in 1590 with the rent of one single red rose a year to be presented on Midsummer’s Day. So, late at night, when all is quiet, if ye hear footsteps running down the corridors it could very well be the Earl of Desmond, himself, still trying to escape the terrible deed. Or, ye just might be lucky enough to catch a glimpse of our most frequent visitor, Hilda, the last of the Blennerhassets. She lived in the castle until her death in 1965. She quietly wanders the halls and places an invisible rose on each pillow.” He stopped and looked about the room. Dozens of wide open eyes stared back at him. He laughed and shouted, “Now, who’s ready for another pint?” Everyone laughed and turned back to their table and bar mates to discuss the hauntings in the castle.
It was late when they finished up their pints. Marshall and Tessy took their time strolling back to the room. They wanted to drink in every remaining minute of this amazing experience. As Marshall unlocked the door he noticed a movement at the end of the hall. Tessy followed his gaze and stared at it. The figure looked solid enough, but upon closer inspection, one could see the wall behind it. Marshall and Tessy looked at each other, mouths agape. They turned back towards the apparition. It was gone. A wide-eyed Marshall looked at his wife. Tessy chuckled and quipped, “Well then, luv, to answer your question, I do believe there are ghosts here,” and she entered their room.
Marshall sputtered and stammered, “What… seriously… did you see… that wasn’t… no?”
“It’s all fine, love,” Tessy calmly answered him. “She’s not going to hurt anyone. That’s probably Hilda just making her rounds.”
“How the hell am I supposed to get any sleep now!”
Tessy smiled at her husband. “I can think of something we can do to tucker you out.” Marshall grinned. Ghosts or not, they were still on their honeymoon. He hung the “Do Not Disturb” sign on the door and closed it. He hoped the ghosts could read.
21
Cliffs in the West – Suburbs in the East
After a somewhat restless night, Marshall woke to see Tessy already up and standing at the window.
“Morning sweetheart,” he sighed, his voice groggy and low. “What are you looking at?”
“Oh, mornin’ love,” Tessy swung around. “Just taking one more long look over the magnificent grounds to embed them into my memory. ‘Tis been such a magical experience.” She didn’t bother to mention she saw a purple flash duck into the tree shadows before she turned.
“That’s for sure,” Marshall agreed as he eased himself out of bed. “Especially after last night!” he yawned on his way to the washroom. He heard Tessy giggle as he closed the door.
They savoured their last breakfast then took one more stroll around the grounds to snap a few pictures. They wanted to make sure they had lots to show the kids when they got home. Today they were off to see the Cliffs of Moher and then land in Galway for the next couple of days.
As they packed up the car, the big hound came out to sit close and watch. Tessy stopped what she was doing to go over and lavish him with pets.
“Well now, ‘twas a pleasure meetin’ ye. Ye are a fine, handsome boy and a very good dog. Ye enjoy the rest of your summer welcomin’ your guests.” she cooed. When she stopped, he lifted his massive paw begging for more. Tessy laughed and complied. When she stopped, the dog slowly started back to the castle with his head down. He turned to take one more glance at Tessy, saying his good-byes, before climbing the steps to take his morning nap and greet his next guests.
Tessy and Marshall got in the car and reluctantly drove past the castle, down the carriage lane and out the gates. They stopped just outside to take a picture of each of them standing under the name before carrying on.
They headed to Tarbert to meet the ferry and cross over the River Shannon. While they got there in good time, they arrived to see their ferry sailing off in the distance. There was a small café and gift shop so they got out to wander. They entered a café where some locals were sitting at the coffee bar.
“Top’o-the’mornin’, to ye,” smiled the gent sitting closest to the door.
“Good morning,” Marshall replied. “Do you happen to know when the next ferry leaves?” he added.
“Aye. Should be in about half the hour. Come on in and have a seat,” the jolly fellow invited. “Paddy’s the name,” he continued, stretching out his hand.
Marshall reached out and gave it a hearty shake. “It’s nice meet you, Paddy. I’m Marshall and this is my wife, Tessy.” And she, too, took his hand.
“Thank you for the invite, but we’ve just finished breakfast so we’ll probably just wander a bit.” Marshall smiled.
“Do as like but know ye’re welcome,” Paddy waved and smiled.
Just as they were turning to leave Paddy called out. “Make sure ye head on up to the observation deck on the ferry to watch for the dolphins. They’ve been spotted this mornin’. Ye don’t want to be missin’ that!”
Marshall smiled and waved, “Thanks. You bet!”
They walked around the quaint town until they noticed the ferry returning. They returned to the car and waited. The vehicles all inched their way on and before they knew it they were sailing away. As it was a very short passage across, Tessy and Marshall hurried to the observation deck hoping to see a school of dolphins eager to entertain and delight them. Tessy made sure the camera was ready at a moment’s notice. It wasn’t long before they were rewarded with the sight of dolphins diving and swimming alongside the ferry. People were leaning over the railing snapping pictures and laughing at their amusing antics. Tessy got some wonderful shots before they had to return to their vehicle. They soon taxied off the ferry at Killimer and headed up the coast toward the Cliffs of Moher.
As they drank in the beautiful scenery they chatted of all the wonderful things they have seen and done so far. It truly was a magical holiday. Tessy couldn’t wait to show the kids all the pictures they had taken and try to explain to them just how amazing it has been.
When they reached The Cliffs, they were as majestic and breathtaking as one would imagine. Just their sheer magnitude alone was enough to take your breath away. They stopped at the Visitor’s Centre, then wandered the trails along the edge. As they stood and look over the ridge, strong winds tugged at them. The view went on forever. It was like standing on the top of the world. They took some stunning photos of the jagged cliffs and the hundreds of sea birds swooping and plunging.
“Look at those wee Puffins resting on the ledges. Aren’t they adorable with their odd shape and brightly coloured beaks?” Tessy laughed.
“Yes, they certainly are beautiful birds. But, man! The cry of all these gulls is almost deafening!”
“Aye, ‘tis loud, to be sure.”
They took a long look before getting back into the car and heading up to Galway. Along the way, Tessy spied a lovely looking café in a little fishing village and they went in and enjoyed a tasty bowl of chowder with soda bread while chatting up some of the friendly locals. Tessy was so proud to be from Ireland. She adored all this beautiful scenery wrapped in a rich, colourful history with wonderful people.
It was a delightful hour and they would have loved to stay and visit but they wanted to take the coastal route to Galway, which was going to lengthen their journey somewhat, so thought they best be on their way.
It was late afternoon when they reached Galway. They found their B&B and got settled. It had been a long day and they were tired. Neither Tessy or
Marshall were very hungry after their late lunch so they decided to just have a cup of tea and a scone in their room. Tessy wrote of their day and they both fell into bed.
Tessy lay in bed the next morning trying to recall any dreams during the night. They had subsided over the last few nights. She smiled, the only thing she could remember was herbs, just herbs. She let out a sigh of contentment. Marshall rolled over and laid his arm across her waist. “Did you sleep well, honey?” he questioned.
“Aye, I did, love.”
“Good. What would you like to do today?”
“Well, let’s see all Galway has to offer. We can check how far Kylemore Abbey is and possibly drive out there tomorrow.”
“Sounds like a plan, my lady.”
Tessy gave her husband a quick kiss and leaped out of bed. “Well, come on lazy bones, we’ve no time to be lollygagging in bed, then!”
Marshall chuckled and complied with his wife’s wishes.
They spent a leisurely day exploring Galway on foot enjoying the many entertaining Buskers on Shop Street and in Eyre Square. They stopped at one of the outdoor cafes for a scrumptious lunch of fish ‘n’ chips. While Marshall opted to stay and watch more street buskers Tessy wandered numerous shops. She admired the rare and famous Connemara marble jewellery unique only to Ireland. And, of course, the equally famous Celtic designed Claddagh ring displaying the lovers’ symbol of two hands cradling a crowned heart. But in the end, her only purchase was a lovely colourful Celtic designed tablecloth.
Tessy stopped to pick up Marshall before heading back to the B&B to freshen up.
They had been told by many to make sure to stop by and have a pint or two at a must visit pub in Salthill, Galway’s seaside resort. It was packed full of vintage and old antiques hanging everywhere. They found the highly-recommended pub and ventured in. They had not been steered wrong. What a place! There was stuff hanging everywhere. The pub was packed and the band was lively and hilarious. The atmosphere in the whole room screamed, party!
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