Friday July 10
Killarney to Inch Beach

Another misty day but the sun was winning the battle, although just barely, at Inch Beach.

Here's Deirdre enjoying a few rays.

Inch Beach is a haven for surfing schools.  There were several located right on the beach and the water was alive with surfing students.  Wetsuits are required if you want to avoid hypothermia.

This little beauty, about an inch and a half across, looks like a jeweled pincushion.  I would have liked to bring this home with me, but I wasn't sure if its inhabitant was deceased or not.  And whether or not that was the case, the smell was quite unpleasant so it seemed better to photograph the fellow and go on my way.

True to her Labrador heritage, Little Lucy stood ready to spring into lifesaving action should the occasion arise.

Lots of fellow canines were frolicking on the beach and this was the day I really missed the real, live Lucy.  How she would love Inch Beach!  I can just see her dashing in and out of the water and plowing her face through the sand.

Rain set in shortly after our departure from Inch.  For this reason, Deirdre and I opted out of the short walk Christopher had on offer once we reached the town of Dingle.  We didn't want to start the next day's hike with wet socks and boots.  Sadly we missed a sighting of Fungie the dolphin, a convivial creature who has adopted the Dingle area over the last 25 years.

Dingle is a charming town, smaller than Killarney, but just as touristy in its own way.  Here's Strand Street, where our B&B is located.  We're in Murphy's B&B, not to be confused with Murphy's Pub B&B right next door.  It was almost 10pm when I took this shot!

I feel I've come home in Dingle.  It is the land of the Sheehys.  Here's one old family business:

...which supplies another family business, Sheehy's Anchor Down Restaurant.  I imagine way back sometime we are related in some way or other.  It still startles me to see my name around here.  It's not all that common back in Canada and the US.

So this was an unusual day for us, spent partly in and out of shops rather than on the trail.  Dinner at Paudie's Pub where I enjoyed a pint of the local brew, Crean's Irish Lager.  Delicious!!  After dinner a few of us went to Murphy's Ice Cream, a Dingle original.  I enjoyed Dingle Sea Salt ice cream along with a scoop of Kerry Cream Vanilla.  That's my ice cream quota for the summer!