The Ring of Kerry

We are staying at the Grove Lodge where Sue's family stayed in 2004. This B&B, located in Killorglin, County Kerry, is a lovely inn with beautiful flowers and bird feeders.


One of our first stops on the Ring of Kerry, a road that circles the peninsula, was the Staigue Fort. This rock circle, about 20' high and 8' thick, was built about 2000 years ago. It protected families and livestock from attackers.


Beautiful vistas of farms and the Atlantic can be seen along the way.


We stopped at a slate quarry on Valencia Island where slate has been mined since the early 1800's. Slate for the roof of the Paris Opera House came from here. A Madonna sits in a grotto high above the mine opening. The quarry operated even during the famine years.


The roads are narrow . . . sometimes only big enough for one car. When sheep decide to share the road you have to be doubly careful.

The Gap of Dunloe

Killarney National Park is the largest in Ireland, preserving lakes, forests, wildlife and castles. At Ross Castle, we boarded a boat for an hour long ride through the lower, middle and upper lakes. We passed under a few bridges to reach our destination, the start of the pony cart ride over the Gap of Dunloe.


The pony takes a break and gets a drink at a natural spring.


We spotted a beautiful pheasant on the shore of the lake.


Our pony, Queenie, pulled our cart up and over the Gap of Dunloe. The sparkling lakes along the way are constantly fed by springs and streams.

The Rock of Cashel

After searching for Browners in Borris, we drove to the Rock of Cashel where St. Patrick baptized an Irish king in AD 450. The strategically located fortress was fought over by Irish clans, invading Vikings and Norsemen, and finally given to the Catholic Church in 1150. It was abandoned a few hundred years later following the plague and destruction by the English.


Today, the ruins are a national treasure and are being restored. This photo shows the round tower as seen through the missing roof of the cathedral.


The ruins sit high above the surrounding countryside. The Hore Abbey is located on the green flatland below the castle.

Tracing the Browner Family Tree

The Dunbrody, a replica of the cargo ship built in 1845. It became a famine ship and brought human cargo to the U.S.


The John F. Kennedy monument at the harbor at New Ross, Ireland. JFK, Eunice Shriver and Jean Smith visited New Ross when JFK was president. His grandfather Fitzgerald was from County Wexford, and the JFK Trust funded the Dunbrody replica, helping to preserve this part of Irish history.


Moss covered headstone at the "old cemetery" near Borris. Maybe my great grandfather's grave?


Gene at the gate of the "old cemetery".

My great grandfather, Philip Browner, was born in County Wexford, Ireland, in 1850. He emigrated to the United States in 1868 and became a U.S. citizen in 1870. A blacksmith and machinist by trade, he may have taken a ship from New Ross, which is situated up the river from Waterford. A replica of a famine ship (or "death coffin" as they were known because of the number of emigrants that died aboard), has been built and is on display in New Ross. The population of Ireland before famine and emigration was 8 million . . . which was whittled down to 4 million in just a few decades.

After visiting the Visitor's Center in New Ross, checking their data base for Browners (there was no Philip Browner) and seeing the Dunbrody, the replica ship, we drove to Borris where it is believed Philip Browner worked on a large estate. We were given directions to the "old cemetery" and located it 1-1/2 miles down a country road behind a farmer's pasture. The oldest grave was dated 1772, but search as we might, no Browner headstones were found.

Ireland in May

Wicklow Mountains waterfall with gorse in foreground.


Gravestones through window at Glendalough monastery ruins.


Gorse showing its goldenrod colored blossoms.

We boarded our flight in Phoenix on May 4, flew to Philadelphia, then connected to Dublin, arriving at 8:45 am on May 5. About an hour and a half later, Dublin airspace was closed due to the ash blowing in from the volcano in Iceland. We are lucky to be here and aren't concerned that our flight home might be cancelled . . . yet.

It rained the first day and misted the morning of the second. But it is beautiful here! Spring is making itself known, with dogwood and cherry trees in full bloom, and gorse, a bright yellow bush that grows along hedgerows and in fields, showing goldenrod colored blossoms. There are an abundance of roses and wildflowers, tulips and daffodils.

Our first tourist sight was Glendalough, a monastery founded in the 6th century by St. Kevin. The community flourished, but was under siege numerous times by Vikings and Norse, finally succumbing to the English in 1398. The ruins today are rock structures with a still standing, 100' tall round bell tower. Gravestones surrounding the old church buildings date from the 1700's to modern times. The property overlooks a green valley, complete with rock walls, trees, a stream and sheep grazing in the fields.

After leaving the monastery, we drove the Old Military Road which passes through the Wicklow Mountains past waterfalls, peat bogs, and what I suppose was heather or heath. The breathtaking views that the guidebook promised were stifled by a hanging mist. But that only added to the charm of the drive. Along the way we stopepd at Greystones, a harbor town overlooking the Irish Sea.

And there are birds here! Lots of them, too. Song birds, doves, crows and swallows. One of my next stops will be a bookstore to find a guide to Ireland's birds. We've already seen deer while driving the Wicklow Mountains, and a pheasant dashed across the road as we headed to our hotel the first day.

Happy 75th Birthday to Fritz!

Un hombre guapo con bigote.

Joan planned a surprise 75th birthday party for husband Fritz . . . and was he surprised! When they walked into the private room at the Phoenix Grille he was greeted by about 30 of his family and friends.

Everytime we visit Mexico, Fritz introduces himself to waitresses as the "hombre guapo con bigote": handsome man with the mustache. Now that he's 75, we call him the "hombre VIEJO con bigote"!

Easter was a week late!

All the kids.


Ready to hunt eggs.


My basket spilled!


Crazy Grandkids!


Beautiful Grandchildren: Araby, Riley, Shawnda, Sarah and Matt

Shawnda arrived the day after Easter, so we planned our Easter gathering for the following Saturday. All five grandchildren, three great-grandchildren, Sarah's foster children, spouses and friends joined in the fun. We hunted eggs and had birthday cupcakes for one year old Jack.