Slaney Manor
Wexford
March 12

I spent the morning twiddling around in Dun Laoghaire, and didn’t leave until noon. After a wonderful Irish breakfast, I wandered around by the ocean taking pictures before I finally got too cold and went back to Windsor House to pack and check out. Parking at the same car park as yesterday, across the street from the harbour, I spent a couple of hours at the bagel shop updating the blog and uploading photos to Flickr. To stretch my legs before driving south, I walked up the hill to check out a little store I’d seen yesterday afternoon that advertised interior design. I thought they might sell fabrics; it turned out they didn’t, but I found some darling cup and teapot candles. The sales clerk, pressed into service by his daughter, told me he thought Nolan’s, down the street past Dun Laoghaire shopping center, might sell fabrics. Off I went, but of course I couldn’t find it, so I asked a woman walking past me. She pointed me to Shaw’s, which didn’t sell fabric either, but I did get some buttons. It was late enough now that I wanted to get on the road, so off I went.

I drove past James Joyce’s museum in the Martello Tower, which he immortalized in Ulysses, and headed south. The road was narrow and windy, reminding me of the California coast, but without the trees and tailgaters. I would have loved to stop and take pictures, particularly of two stone gates I passed through, but there was nowhere to pull off the road. I zoomed along, passing all kinds of adorable little houses. Out of the blue, I saw a DIY sign, so I stopped at what turned out to be similar to Lowe’s, only nicer. I found an electric kettle, for 55 euro, so I might actually get one before I go home. I really liked the one at Leeson House. This store had a tiny (as in only one rack) haberdashery section, where I found a packet of embroidery threads. Not colors I would normally have chosen, but beggars can’t be choosers!

Farther on down the road, I saw a carpark with a sign that said beach somewhere in it. I didn’t stop because the carpark was closed. But the next one I saw had several cars parked in front of the locked gate, so what the heck! I stopped too. I wandered along the beach, trying not to pick up every single shell I saw. I picked up several rocks for Colette too. I found lots and lots of rock oyster shells, two kinds of snails, a sea urchin case, and some kind of egg case (empty of course) that I didn’t keep because I figured it would just smell and look gross after a couple of days. I did photograph it though, so I could identify it somewhere along the line. By now it was about 3 p.m., so I found the N11 and scooted south.

I got to Wexford around 6 p.m. and managed to stumble onto the road to Cork, so thought I’d go that way. Just a couple kilometers down the road, I saw a sign for a bed and breakfast, rooms 45 euro. Slaney Manor is a typical middle-class landlord’s residence, complete with barns and farmyard. The barn has been converted into rooms, and I am staying in the largest room I’ve had so far. Lucky horses to have such large stalls! And I have an electric blanket, so I’ll be nice and cozy despite the chilly room. The room was 65 euro but I think it’s a fascinating chance to see a bit of Irish history. Breakfast will be in the manor house, and you can bet your boots I’ll be there at 8 a.m. sharp.

The grounds are very well kept, and there’s a castle as well. I plan to walk around after breakfast and visit the mud walled cabin, an example of a typical Irish home in the 18th and 19th centuries. There is an English school here too, which is quite busy in the summer.

Tomorrow I’m planning to go back into Wexford and stop at the craft shop I saw. I also hope to find a shop called Madra Dubh, which is reputed to have embroidery supplies. I only found vague references to this shop on the internet, so who knows what I’ll find. Then I’ll get on my way to Fermoy and Cork, hopefully long before noon. Fermoy is where my great great grandfather was born (see the postcard page), and I’m hoping to photograph the same locations as the photographs, and find new postcards. In Cork I’m going to try and find a button shop, and another computer battery.

But, before I get to Cork, I am going to do my best to get lost. Yes, there’s a ferry involved. And a windy narrow road as well, I’m sure. I’ll also cut a whole 12 miles off my route, and I’m sure that’ll be a huge timesaver! The ferry ride had better be worth it…

Daily Links
James Joyce’s Martello Tower
Dun Laoghaire
Slaney Manor
Wexford, County Wexford