July 4, 2012.  
Here we are in Kinsale.  This picture is a short ways from where Arbella is docked.  First and foremost upon our arrival, it was off to the Kinsale Yacht Club to celebrate with a Guinness.  



The following day we rented a car and took off to explore the countryside.  We called, Mike's cousin, Sean Lyons in Castlegregory to see if he and he and his wife Catherine might be home and have a little time to visit with us.  Catherine was working, however, Sean had a free day and was gracious enough to give us a tour of his little corner of Ireland.  When we arrived in Castlegregory, we pulled over on the street and gave him a call.  We told him we were in town and he said, "Are ye driving a maroon car?"  Turns out we were parked right in front of his house.




Sean is as Irish as they come.  He has a fabulous smile that lights up the room (although you can't tell it from this picture) and a wonderful Irish brogue spoken at a very fast clip.   He is very entertaining and you have to pay careful attention to catch everything. Right after we arrived, he took us across the street to his pub.  The pub is where they entertain and its like having an extension of their home where someone serves it up for you.  Its a wonderful thing.



Here we are at Sean's Golf Course ... the links.  It was very cold and windy here, but it didn't seem to matter to these hearty people.  There were plenty of golfers out there shooting into the wind.  





Along the way, this herd of cows briefly blocked the road.  Lots of cows and sheep here in the land of butter and wool.



Here we are at the local church in Castlegregory.  Celtic crosses are seen everywhere.  This cross next to the church goes back to 600 AD.



And here we are in the adjoining graveyard.



After lunch, we said our good-byes to Sean and headed home.  Here's a picture of the typical countryside.



On the way, we had a rainbow.  It was a great day touring.  Signing off. Barb