Ireland is not like a lot of Europe in that it's not completely accessible by public trains or buses. To see many of its attractions a car is necessary. Accordingly, we took our lives in our hands and rented a car. It was terrifying, but the only way to see what we saw this last weekend! And it was SO nice to have transport at our beck and call!
So, the first leg involved pulling the kids out of school an hour early and driving south, with a quick stopover and potty break at Blarney castle. We looked through the gates at the grounds, not having the time (and the urge to spend the $40 family entrance fee for such a short visit) to go inside. So we did not kiss the famous stone (ew!) and will not be having the gift of the gab. Alas. But we were motivated to get back on the road so we could get to Gary's requested visit - the megalithic Drombeg Stone Circle on the south coast. They're Ireland's most famous stone circle, about 2300 years old. Someone with a sense of humor had left wine, cheese and flowers arranged on the altar stone in the center. Maybe they were French; if it had been an Irishman they would have left Guinness beer.
Also present at the site is a Fulacht fiadh (have fun pronouncing that!), a communal cooking pit with a hearth. Hot stones were taken from the fire and dropped into the water trough, and tests have shown they could boil seventy gallons of water in about fifteen minutes. Hot bath, anyone? Spence, you're looking rather grungy - hop on in, dude! 
After we had seen Drombeg, it was getting dark and our hotel was 100 kilometers away in Killarney. So we drove through what I'm sure is some of the most beautiful scenery in Ireland - in pitch black darkness. Luckily I have a good imagination (and Google earth) to help me see what we missed! We made up for it though the next day in the Ring of Kerry, so it's all good.
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