Hot days in Ferrycarrig

Good evening blog watchers. We have been having a wonderful time staying with John and Bernadette Parle here in the sunny Southeast. Touring County Wexford makes one a true believer in Ireland's charm and natural beauty, no doubt. We've had absolutely glorious hot sunny weather since leaving Dublin. On the way down we stopped at the Abbey of Glendalough and had a great time driving the back roads with Eoin Parle. Over the last few days, we've spent some time on the stunning beach near Curracloe where the film 'Saving Private Ryan' was shot. Deirdre has been swimming in the Irish sea there, and the boys have been making excellent sand castles. We've also spent some time in the town of Wexford, been down to the sea at Kilmore Quays, explored the grounds around Johson Castle, toured a famine ship in New Ross, found our way out of an extensive hedge maze at Dunbrody Abbey and watched the surf pounding at the foot of the lighthouse on Hook Head.

Yesterday John Parle and Dan Egan took me to the county final hurling match at Nowlan Park in Kilkenny. County Wexford (the Yellowbellies sponsored by Wexford Cheddar) and County Dublin ( the Arnotts? sponsored by...Guinness?) played a thrilling, head-bashing, knee-snapping match that saw the favourite Wexford squad narrowly defeat Dublin in the dying seconds by one score. If you ever get a chance to see a hurling match, go. It made NHL hockey play-offs look a bit silly, especially considering NONE of the hurling players get paid a cent to play, and the effort they make in the game far surpasses anything routinely seen in professional sports.

Tomorrow is our last day in Wexford; we will be renting a car and winding along the very skinny roads towards Waterford and the Rock of Cashel. We'll be staying later in the week at Clare's Rock Hostel in the Burren, County Clare, near the cliffs of Moher, Dingle and Galway. We meet up with Dan Egan again in Mayo on Saturday and will spend some time on the farm where Deirdre's mother was born before heading back to Dublin. Having hard luck trying to get more pictures on this thing, but will try next time we have high-speed access.

Hope everyone in Calgary is recovered from the flood. HOT AND SUNNY IN IRELAND!!?!!