It was actually a snapshot of County Limerick, plus a tiny corner of County Kerry.
There is no doubt that away from Dublin, with its weekend focus on boozy gatherings, we are seeing Ireland at its very best; picturesque scenes, ruins, beautiful countryside, good food and friendly Irish people.
We set off early this morning to complete a circular tour in the car. Our first destination was the scenic drive along the Shannon river between Askeaton and Tarbert.
The castle ruins in Askeaton. The Hellfire Gentlemen's Club, built in 1740, and next door to the castle, is being restored. Askerton is a very quaint village with plenty of interesting buildings, but we were too busy looking for a cafe, to stop and explore the place.
We found our cafe at the next town, Foynes, right next to the Flying Boat Museum. Excellent coffee, and cakes plus an excellent museum. Perfect.
The main street, docks and the River Shannon, viewed from the tower.
From 1939 to 1945 Foynes was the landing place for the flying boats that linked North America with the British Isles. Big Pan Am clippers would set down in the estuary and refuel. It was a very exciting time. After the war, Shannon airport was built and flying boats stopped flying to America.
The building in the photograph was used for accommodation for passengers. Now closed.
We found out that Irish Coffee started in Foynes. A flying boat had to return to Foynes, due to bad weather. The passengers had been in the air for ten hours and were cold and feeling quite miserable. The barman thought that they needed more than a cup of coffee, so added whisky and cream. And a new drink was created in the process.
There was a replica of a B314 commercial flying boat. This flying boat contained a 14 seat dining room, delux suite at the back of the plane and sleeping berths for all the passengers. This flight was only for the rich, as a ticket from New York to Foynes cost $375.
Walter admiring the large flying boat.
Walter thought the seats were a trifle uncomfortable for a long haul flight, which took 13 hours to get to Newfoundland, and then there was another journey to New York after that. But there was room to move around, huge washrooms, large cabins and the seats converted into spacious beds.
We drove on to Tarbert, and ate our packed lunches, while looking out over the Shannon Estuary. We also watched the ferry that took passengers and vehicles from one side of the estuary to the other.
Behind us was a very large power station, not included in the photograph.
On the way through the town we noticed a restored gaol which was a museum. It also had a cafe, which I must admit influenced our decision to stop. We needed our after lunch coffee.
The gaol was called the Tarbert Bridewell, and was one of about ten built in Ireland by the English during the 19th century. They got their name from Bridewell prison in London. This particular gaol was built in 1831. The gaols were used for short term offences, anyone who received a longer sentence was sent to Tralee.
All offences were treated severly, and as most of the offences were due to impoverished people stealing in order to feed families, the punishments were harsh. Many people were transported to Australia, for minor offences.
The displays and explanations in the museum clearly showed the harshness of the system.
Walter posing with the policeman on duty.
The man in the centre was caught trespassing on a farm.
The man's subsequent court case. He received a 10 shilling fine.
The sentence that stayed in my memory was for the woman in the photograph below. When her husband died she was left without any income, and seven children to support. She was caught stealing two cabbages, and although she organised a petition so she could be released from prison, she was sent to Australia, together with her youngest child, a baby. The remaining six children were sent to workhouses. The baby died on the voyage to Australia, and the woman never returned to Ireland. It was a one way journey. So very sad.
We needed our coffee after viewing the museum but it was well presented and quite powerful.
Our next stop was in the eastern part of Co. Limerick, a town called Kilmallock. In the meantime we drove on aome very narrow and twisty roads through Listowel, Abbeyfeale, Milford and Charleville. All looked great places to stop and have a look around, but no time.
A ruined castle alongside the road. Not quite a ruin around every corner but there were plenty of them.
Kilmallock. An interesting small town now, but during the middle ages it was Ireland's third largest town, after Dublin and Kilkenny. The town developed around a 7th century abbey and from the 14th to the 17th centuries was the seat of the Earls of Desmond. Consequently this town has many ruins.
A 15th century tower house, which I think was the King's castle.
The abbey, partially restored. A most magnificent building still, and it was quite daunting to walk around amongst the ruins.
The windows still look amazing, even though the glass was long gone.
The Catholic church, with the convent school on the other side of it. Still going strong.
I love the characterful pubs here.
We were amazed at the large number of huge new houses everywhere. We asked the owner of the camping ground who explained they were built during the boom years, the 'Celtic Tiger' years, between the mid 1990s and 2007. People were able to get huge loans from banks, bought land from farmers and built huge houses. We passed hundreds of them on our travels today. Of course the little houses that some of them replaced now lay in ruins. The owners were lucky that they were able to renegotiate deals after the 2008 recession. I guess they still have their enormous houses and equally enormous debts.
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