...In God's Country...

One of the very few plus points to emerge from our recent 4-1 FA Cup defeat at Stamford Bridge was it enabled me to then "suggest" to The Good Lady that we avail of the opportunity to head off down south west to visit her brother, his wife and their kids, on the weekend of the FA Cup Fifth Round.  With Everton not having a game on that weekend, why not opt for the stress free delights to be found in deepest, wildest south west Kerry?  Karen's brother lives not far from Ballinskelligs - a location spoilt with heavenly views everywhere you look.  Maintaining a very tenuous Everton connection, it was twelve years since we were last viewing the magnificent Kerry skyline from Slate Quarry, out on Valentia Island.  That was a supposed quiet stress free weekend, months before Karen gave birth to our first child.  It ended up coinciding with Everton's rapid decline and last day Great Escape back in 1994, when Gareth Farrelly earned himself entry into Everton Folklore with a misfired attempt at hitting Row Z which somehow found the back of the Park End net!  The day before our fate was to be sealed at Goodison Park, we paid Slate Quarry a visit, where there is a grotto, set high into the rock.  Being true to my faith.....I emptied my pocket of whatever coinage I possessed....got down on bended knee......put it into the "offerings" and prayed like never before for Everton to remain a top flight club.  I'd like to think my monetary contribution had the desired effect twenty four hours later!

Anyway, enjoy the images below......Kerry, if you've never been, is a "must see" destination before you pop yer clogs!

A Little Piece Of Heaven.

Click on images to enlarge...

       Glencar, from a car, afar - the road to Cahirciveen!                          Half way up St. Finan's Way, near Ballinskelligs

                     Portmagee Channel                                                View of the mainland from Slate Quarry, Valentia Island

 View of the mainland from Slate Quarry, Valentia Island                View of the mainland from Slate Quarry, Valentia Island

   View of the mainland from Slate Quarry, Valentia Island                  Skellig view, from Chapeltown on Valentia Island

     On the road from St. Finan's Bay to Ballinskelligs                                                  Ballinskelligs Bay

        The Skellig Islands, seen from St. Finan's Bay                             The Skellig Islands, seen from St. Finan's Bay

             Puffin Island overlooking St. Finan's Bay                                           Ducalla Head, as seen from St. Finan's Bay

                           Ballinskelligs Bay                                                                   Ballinskelligs Bay

                       View across Ballinskelligs Bay                                                                              St. Finan's Bay

            On the road to Ballinskelligs from St. Finan's Bay                                                  Skellig Michael

 The Skelling Islands - inhabited by monks since the 6th century                     View from The Glen, St. Finan's Bay

                      Descending into St. Finan's Bay                                                               The Skellig Islands

            View from The Glen, St. Finan's Bay                                                                  St. Finan's Bay

                            St. Finan's Bay                                                                             St. Finan's Bay

                     The Glen, St. Finan's Bay                                                                    The Glen, St. Finan's Bay

     Bentee, overlooking Valentia Harbour and Cahirciveen                       Leaving Cahirciveen, heading for Glenbeigh

                King's Head, Kells - on the road to Glenbeigh                                  King's Head, Kells - on the road to Glenbeigh

                           Macgillicuddy Reeks                                                                             Macgillicuddy Reeks

                    Macgillicuddy Reeks                                                 Snow topped Macgillicuddy Reeks, on the road to Fossa

                 Macgillicuddy Reeks, near Fossa                                     Let there be light! Macgillicuddy Reeks, near Fossa

     Clouds gathering over Macgillicuddy Reeks, near Fossa                                     Approaching Killarney

All photographs taken by Colm or Karen Kavanagh

Please do not re-use without prior permission!

Scenery kindly provided by Mother Nature (obviously a Kerry woman!)

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