Ireland trip Day 3, Killarney, Co. Kerry, Ireland

We actually landed an hour early in Shannon, 8:30am here 2:30am in Independence.  I fail to see the value of flying at night as there was no sleep to be had!  Too crowded, plus, just as you are about to finally drift off the pilot lights the seatbelt sign (accompanied by a "ping") or someone calls a steward, again accompanied by a "Ping".  All the lights were off but the individual lights are so bright they invade the space of many others so reading is out (forgot the book light and Kindle's are not backlit!)  I finally gave up and played video games on the back of the seat in front of me.  It was pretty neat to fly into the sunrise and I could see egrets along the coast as we did our final approach.  Got my first stamp in my passport, sweet!  Our team leader, Mark-who is 22 and cute as a button- and coach driver met us and we were soon on our way to Killarney, Co.Kerry.  After a short stop in Adair I fell asleep.  I get to see it again though, so no worries.  Killarney isn't a very large town, population 14 and a half thousand (in the Irish way of saying things) but it is lovely--painted buildings and doors and many windows adorned by flower boxes and baskets.  The center of town is a regular warren of streets and alley-ways and the whole driving on the left side of the road is going to take some getting used to!

 One of the side streets in Killarney, it's so cute!

 This was in the window of a pub!  After all the time Larry spent with the American Legion I had to take the photo.  It's the charter to American Legion Post 2 named the Fr. Francis P. Duffy, dated 21 September 1951.  Think this must be because Ireland was neutral in World War II but many men enlisted in either the British Army or the US army.

 All the street signs (all signs really) are in both English and "The Irish" (on top)  Irish is a Gaelic language.

St. Mary's Church of Ireland steeple.  There is also a St. Mary's Catholic Cathedral here.  Confusing.


I had my first glass of Guiness (I did promise Scott I'd try it in Ireland,  I've tried it in the States and thought it alot like tar.)  It is as advertised better here, especially with black currant juice added!  (Thanks Bri for the tip!)

On the menu for our first dinner in Ireland (among others) Southern Fried Chicken!  Too Weird!