A good start with breakfast whipped up by John who knows his way around any kitchen. And before long we were all gathered around the table, lingering over good food and conversation. No one was in a hurry — just an easy, relaxed start to another day in Ireland.
We strolled our botanical pathway down to the sea, lush with ferns, cypress, hydrangeas and rose bushes, along with enormous prickly-stalked plants we’ve affectionately named “elephant rhubarb.” Our walkway — really a narrow, single-lane road — winds between a field of lambs on one side and a pasture of cows on the other before finally opening up to a beautiful view of the sea. It’s a lovely little slice of Ireland right outside our door.
Waterville Heritage Trail, has an outdoor walk that tells the history of this little seaside village. Displays share stories of Waterville’s past, including its important role in the transatlantic cable that connected Europe and North America.
Further down the Waterville promenade, is a statue of Charlie Chaplin, who first vacationed here with his family in 1959 and returned for many years.
Bridget, with her wealth of knowledge and experience in spa management, treated us to backyard haircuts by day and relaxing facials in the evening.
Our next house guests, Arne and Susan, arrived and wasted no time jumping aboard our touring bandwagon. Next stop — Valentia Island to the Tetrapods, Honey Bees and Skellig Experience.
A few of us are planning to visit Skellig Michael next week, if weather permits, but first we stopped at the ‘Skellig Experience’ to learn more about this remarkable island. The exhibits tell the fascinating story of the early Christian monks who settled on this remote, rocky outpost more than 1,400 years ago, building stone beehive huts and a monastery high above the Atlantic.
As shown in the exhibit, one of the most remarkable sights on Skellig Michael is its ancient beehive huts, built by early Christian monks more than a thousand years ago. Made entirely of carefully stacked stone without mortar, these dome-shaped cells sheltered monks who chose this remote, windswept island for a life of prayer and solitude. It’s hard to imagine a more dramatic — or challenging — place to call home.
Next stop … the Valentia Bee Experience which is one of the more unusual stops on Valentia Island. The owner has created a fascinating bee exhibit inside a converted bus, where we learned about the life of the hive and the importance of bees.
The real experience, though, is the Bee Beds — specially designed beds positioned directly above active beehives. Safely separated from the bees, you can hear their gentle hum, feel the warmth and subtle vibrations of the hives, and breathe in the natural aromas of honey, beeswax and propolis.
Talk about buzzing through history! Along the rocky shoreline of Valentia Island are fossilized tetrapod footprints dating back nearly 385 million years — left by one of the earliest four-legged creatures making the move from water onto land. Long before dinosaurs roamed the Earth, this little fellow was already leaving tracks behind. Pretty incredible to stand beside the Atlantic and realize we were looking at footsteps that have survived hundreds of millions of years!
One of our tastiest little finds on Valentia Island was an unassuming roadside stand serving freshly baked sausage rolls — hot, flaky and buttery on the outside with savory sausage tucked inside. We also sampled the hearty lentil soup and sandwiches piled with meat, Emmental cheese, lettuce, tomato and pesto. Simple, fresh and delicious — everyone walked away happy and full.
No need to travel far for our next adventure — Waterville has its very own craft brewery! At McGill’s Brewery, owner and brewer John Duggan gave us a behind-the-scenes tour, sharing the story of the brewery and his passion for brewing as he checked the kettles and walked us through the process.
There’s something especially fun about enjoying a pint after you’ve met the man who brewed it — another great little taste of Waterville!
All too soon, it was time to say goodbye to John and Bridget as they hopped the train back to Dublin and headed on to more adventures in Belfast and Northern Ireland.
What a joy it was to have John Flannigan and Bridget Flannigan here with me in Ireland. Really, does it get much more Irish than that?
We laughed, explored, shared stories, traveled some crazy little roads, raised a few glasses and made memories I’ll treasure long after this trip is over. There was something especially meaningful about experiencing a little piece of Ireland together — a place so deeply woven into our family name and history.
John and Bridget, I loved every minute of our Irish adventure together. Sláinte to family, to Ireland and to memories that will last a lifetime.
The adventure continues! With Susan and Arne now on board, who knows where the road will take us next? Stay tuned — there are plenty more Irish adventures ahead!
Jane in Spain 