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An Insider's Perspective of Scenic Ireland - Post #1

by Ward Gahan
3 Comment(s)
An Insider's Perspective of Scenic Ireland - Post #1

My wife Mary and I, recently traveled to Ireland for a family funeral. Rather than dwell in the sadness we were feeling, we decided to make our trip a celebration of life, visiting many places near my childhood home in Co. Tipperary, Ireland. Because our company is guided by our purpose - Sharing the Joy of Ireland through authentic goods, gifts and experiences - we thought you might like to see an “insider’s” perspective of scenic Ireland.

Bench overlooking "The Vee"

This picture above was taken during one of our day trips. It captures a beautiful view from a spot off of Vee Drive in Co. Tipperary above Clogheen. Vee Drive is considered to be "Ireland's best driving secrets." (So remember, you heard about it from the team at Biddy Murphy that is committed to sharing the joy of Ireland!) As you sit on this bench, you are overlooking the Golden Vale. "The Vee" as it's called, is surely a picturesque route. At the right time of year – mostly late spring or early summer – the Vee is dressed in purple rhododendrons. It’s a quiet, twisting road of sheep, tractors and as you'll see below, cows too! Photo opportunities are plentiful, and a striking chain of hills, provide for an amazing backdrop.

If you had the opportunity to sit on this bench and have a chat with someone special, who would you choose? Let us know by dropping us a comment below or you can also post it on our Facebook or Instagram page.

Ward & Mary The Vee 2021

That’s Mary and I stopping for a quick selfie overlooking the lush Irish landscape. Be sure you read that correctly. It was a selfie. That’s it. If you read anything else into that, get yer mind out of the gutters!


‘The Vee’ itself is 2,000 feet above sea level, a dramatic hairpin bend above Bay Lough, the ‘Golden Vale’ between Knockmealdown and Galtee Mountain Ranges. As you can see, it offers incredible panoramic views. 

Milking Time Ireland 2021

Take it from this “insider,” whenever you are traveling through Ireland, you need to be prepared for “Irish Time.” You’ll hear people in the states say “I'm not late, I’m on Irish time.” Being fashionably late is so deeply rooted in the Irish culture, it has almost become the norm. Perhaps the pace of life in Ireland is a wee bit slower. Given that we're visiting and thinking about the loved one we lost, approaching our days a little more slowly and with intention seemed to be fine on this trip.

But there is a downside to this pace. It’s a challenge to get someone in Ireland to stick to a specific time. You’ll most likely hear someone say “after dinner” - which actually means the midday meal. If you are able to nail someone down to a specific meeting time don’t be surprised if they are running 15 minutes behind as that doesn’t qualify as being late. As we experienced above, it was evening milking time and the cows had their own schedule. Their timeframe obviously takes precedence over ours.

Although the pace may be a little different than what we are accustomed to in the states, we can’t tell you enough about the quality and craftsmanship of the products produced in Ireland. And as you can see from these photos, it's no wonder that many of our maker-partners use the scenery around Ireland as their inspiration as they craft their high quality, unique goods. You'll find the deep hues of the countryside literally woven into the fibers of our blankets, caps and clothing. Because we have been in the states for many years now, you can count on Biddy Murphy to pack your order quickly and ship it to your door from our Midwest, USA warehouse as soon as we can. Rest assured, there’s no “Irish Time” when it comes to our customer response.


I called this "Post #1" because I’ll be sharing more photos from our recent trip to Ireland in a later blog post. Feel free to share photos of your own. We’d love to see what you’ve experienced along your journeys to Ireland.

Slán go fóill - Bye for now

Ward

by Ward Gahan

POST COMMENTS

Jim Gallagher
Jim Gallagher

I would love to meet my three grandparents who were born in Ireland for a conversation. I never met my paternal grandparents, and would like to talk with them. My maternal grandfather lived a long life. I would love to ask him some questions about his days in Ireland.

Kathleen
Kathleen

I’d love to sit on that bench with my Nanny (my Dad’s Mom) as she and I were supposed to take a trip to Ireland after I graduated college. She passed away before we could take that trip. I loved asking her questions and learning more about her experiences.

Carla
Carla

That Vee sounds lovely! I went to Youghal on a whirlwind trip of Ireland so I was looking for the Vee in relation to what I have seen in the beautiful island! It’s only about an hour drive north off Youghal , that wonderful seaport town!

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