Ring of Kerry

Monday, June 2, 2019 -- Among the things I wanted to see in Ireland is the farms -- most specifically the sheep farms. Today we are driving around the Ring of Kerry. We have driven by beautiful fields with sheep grazing but I'm anxious to hear more about this staple of Irish culture, and today I get my chance. We visited a sheep farm and I got a close look at the Irish sheep -- big fluffy white sheep with black faces -- they are so pretty! But the highlight of the trip was the demonstration of herding skills trained into the border collies.

For this demonstration, the farm owner asked a neighbor to come by with his dogs. Johnny came with a couple of border collies. He leaned casually on the fence and used only a small metal whistle which is placed in his mouth. On command, one of the dogs ran into the field where the sheep were grazing. The dog rarely barked but his posture and stare left no doubt that he was in charge. He stopped, paused, and started as directed by Johnny's whistle and the sheep unanimously obeyed.

The owner of the farm explained to us that sheep are naturally afraid of wolves, even though wolves have been hunted to extinction here in Ireland. The fear is still inbred into the sheep and the sheep see the dog as a wolf. So they naturally herd together as protection from the "wolf". The dog is trained to leverage this extinct to control the direction of the sheep. We watched the dog as he worked in a pasture so far away that we could barely see him. Then he herded the sheep up the hill and around and into the pen against which we were leaning. On command, he herded them back down into the field where they could go back to grazing and the dog came running back to Johnny.

We were then treated to a demonstration of sheep shearing. The thing that amazed me was the kind, gentle manner of the young man doing the shearing. He selected a sheep who was clearly anxious about the process and was trying to get away, but the young man stroked it and held it in such a way that it was completely relaxed before he started the shearing. After the sheep was sheered, the "brand" of the farm was stenciled onto his hide with paint. All the while he was working on it, the huge sheep was completely relaxed and seemed to view the entire process as a visit to the sheep spa!

We toured the barn area and saw many lambs, including one that was only 2 days old.

Johnny had also brought a second dog along -- a mother with five little pups. The mama was keeping a close eye on her little ones but let us pet and hold them. The one that I held was shivering from the cold but snuggled in my arms. Jim held a larger one and I did check his pockets to make sure he didn't bring the little one home. Okay -- the driver said he wanted to search my bag for the same reason. They certainly were adorable.

We returned to Killarney and boarded a large, flat bottom boat for a tour along Loch Leane, located within Killarney National Park. There are 3 lakes here and we were on the lowest one. The weather today was rather cool (in the mid-50's) and misting rain but the inside the boat was warm and cozy. The lake is very deep and still, and we got a beautiful view of the lake through the enormous glass windows. At one point, Jim and I stepped outside to the back of the boat and it was still not cold. Our guide pointed out the remains of a 16th century monastery and Ross Castle. We spotted a couple of things that reminded us of beautiful Lake Nockamixon in Pennsylvania: we spotted someone in a kayak (which Jim and I enjoy at home) and then we spotted a heron -- similar to the Great Blue Heron that we see on the East Coast of the United States, this is a Grey Heron and it's native to Ireland.

We marveled at the beautiful Rhododendron which were blooming everywhere in the park and in the hills surrounding it. The captain explained that plant was introduced to Ireland and then became quite invasive. Every year they destroy huge amounts of it but it keeps growing back, and although it is very beautiful this time of year, it is crowding out native species. Still, it is breathtaking with its delicate purple blossoms and it grows so abundantly here, not like the small plants we see around our home. These plants are sometimes 10 to 12-feet tall.

We finish our boat ride and return to our hotel for the night, and we dined in the hotel restaurant. The food was excellent again (I don't know why Ireland has a reputation for bad food). Jim tried the dry-aged beef -- at the front of the restaurant were large glass-front cases where the drying process occurs. He had the 28-day aged sirloin. Jim said it was delicious and so tender you could cut it with a fork. They had an item on the specials called John Dory -- so I tried that. It turned out to be a delicately flavored firm white fish fillet, prepare in a light lemon cream sauce. It may be the best fish I have ever eaten anywhere. Another full and wonderful day in Ireland.