But it hasn’t always been that way here in Cobh, the port for Cork. We have come to the end of our jig around the Irish Sea at Cobh in Ireland.

For much of the nineteenth century the Irish were under oppressive colonial rule by the English. Forty thousand Irish convicts left Ireland through the port here at Cobh bound for the penal colonies in Australia. During the potato famine and its long aftermath several million Irish left for the US and Australia as free but very impoverished migrants.

Today things seem much happier in Cobh, although our guide on our side trip into the west Cork countryside is pretty intense about the English!

The side trip took us down the green coastal countryside to Bantry Bay and then in a loop back to Cobh.

We passed through a number of picture perfect villages with names that sort of roll around in your mouth and refuse to come out.

It is not all beer and skittles though in these parts. The guide’s story telling reveals that these parts are suffering issues in common with other parts of the world: Rural depopulation, inflation, interest rate rises, lack of workers in hospitality, housing prices and so on. Sounded like the Courier Mail!

Of the several spots we stopped at along the way the highlight was the last, I suppose that is why it was last! Gougane Barra was an absolutely beautiful locale.

Here below the Shehy Mountains is the source of the River Lee that later flows through central Cork and then into the harbour at Cobh.

One can see why St Finn Barre chose this as the spot for a monastery in the seventh century. The group had a late lunch in the Gougane Barra hotel. A sixth generation establishment, would be great spot to stay a few days. Lunch was all cooked up using local or nearby sourced produce, including the Stag stout! Simply great and we had to get their little cook book, ‘Cooking with Katy’ for future reference.

Back in Cobh the town was celebrating Australia Day, apparently an annual event. But Allthego was a bit suspicious that it may be a marketing ploy and ‘Australia ‘ Day happens whenever a ship is in with a lot of Aussies! Anyway flags were out and a band was playing Waltzing Matilda, though we didn’t hear Bound for Botany Bay!

We now leave these parts and have a sea day ahead as Lands End is passed and the White Cliffs of Dover beckon. Got to get out the Dame Vera Lynn song book!