Herve's Bar & Grill

[Giaguara]

Ha that garda thing nails it

The best lock ins in Ireland you can have in Cape Clear. It's got 2 pubs, and they are open any day needed (including Xmas and Good Friday, when they are closed off everywhere else). In an island with 150 inhabitans (Cape Clear that is, Eire has a few more) there is no need for a garda, so if they need one they will ship one with the next ferry from Baltimore (yep, there is Baltimore in Ireland).

[Rhisiart]

You can also catch a small tourist boat to the island from Skull. When I was on the boat the captain was telling rude Catholic jokes over the intercom. None of the tourists on board seemed to be listening, but I had a good chuckle.

Incidentally, I camped in Skull with some British and Canadian cyclists in the mid-1990s. One of the party - Big John - was attacked by an amorous donkey who clearly took a fancy to him. Poor old John turned around after folding away his tent to face a very aroused donkey leaping up onto him. Believe me, it was an horrific sight to behold.

When Big John eventually recovered, he said it wouldn't have been so bad if the donkey hadn't been so ugly! Unfortunately he decided to relate this story in graphic detail during his best man's speech at my wedding reception. I'll never forgive him for that.

[Giaguara]

Heh. Schull, I guess it would be spelled, but then everything in Gaelic can get spelled in a lot of different ways, good language for dyslexics. Schull is nice too, but I've always taken the ferry from Baltimore. But doesn't matter which one to take, as long as you get there. (Unline us one Christmas, missed the ferry so we stayed in Baltimore, then went to Schull..)
Hm... would that be 'West Britain'?

[Rhisiart]

Originally Posted by Giaguara

Schull, I guess it would be spelled

Yes, you're right. It is spelt Schull. My memory lets me down.

Originally Posted by Giaguara

Hm... would that be 'West Britain'?

No, my West Britain euphemistically refers to Wales (where I live). I would never describe any part of Ireland as 'British'.

Interestingly though, people born and bred in Ireland who behave pompously or arrogantly towards others are often referred to as the West British.

This insult exists because there is still wide spread belief in Ireland that the British are all stuck up snobs. Some indeed are, but the vast majority of modern day Brits are either easy-going gentle folk or, sadly, celebrity-obsessed dipsticks with no imagination whatsoever.

[Giaguara]

Well, if there is one difference between the British and the Irish (like), it must be that the civilized countries don't wear Holly Hill pink (color).
Wales... been there once. Spent 1/2 day to find a person who would speak Welsh to write a postcard to my then-boyfriend (knowing it would take him good babelfish and other skills somewhere far far away form any Welsh speakers to get it translated). Maybe should do a Cardiff weekend one of the free weekends around...

[Rhisiart]

Originally Posted by Giaguara

Wales... been there once. Spent 1/2 day to find a person who would speak Welsh to write a postcard to my then-boyfriend ....

At the risk of turning this into a private discussion (which I am enjoying), let me tell you that to find a person in Wales who speaks Welsh as their first language (and there are 750,000 of them) you have to go inland away from the coast and cities. The same is true for the native languages in the Basque Country and in Ireland (as you probably know). Here's some info on Wales.

[reed]

Esgusodwch fi!
Mae fy hofrendfad yn IIawan o lyswennod.

http://www.omniglot.com/language/phrases/welsh.php

http://www.cs.cf.ac.uk/fun/welsh

Hope this helps Giaguara.

[Rhisiart]

Da iawn Reed. Bendigedig!

BTW, Giaguara my family and I lived in North Cork for four years, spending our summer holidays west of Dingle (near Ballyferriter). My wife is fluent in Irish.