The Inlaws in Ireland!

Sheila's parents (Barb and Paul) made it to Dublin!

Seriously, they do better with jetlag than I do. I can't handle it. By 9 a.m. here I was ready to regurgitate and it was all I could take to head straight to bed for a few hours (I'm not a late nighter!). But they basically stayed up the whole day. Even Sheila and I headed back to bead after their 5 a.m. pick up!

Impressive.

Maggie took them into Blackrock to show them her favorite bookstore (Raven) and then to the now-infamous Starbucks-by-the-Sea.

Then  we had a bite to eat and adopted the Greek "nap time" before heading down to Bray via the seaside road. Here is a video of the Bray seafront.

As Barb put it, climbing Bray Head was on my "bucket list*". Despite the look of it, reviews online described Bray Head as more of a "walk" than a climb. Let's face it, Ireland doesn't have mountains, really, they have hills. So I emphasized that (mostly because I wanted the kids to come along with me) but Barb kept calling it "the mountain." So we headed down south toward the mountain.

Here is from Wikipedia:

Bray Head (Irish: Ceann Bhré) is a 241 m (791 ft) hill and headland located in northern County Wicklow, Ireland, between the towns of Bray and Greystones. It forms part of the Wicklow Mountains and is a popular spot with hillwalkers. At the top of the head is a concrete cross which was placed there in 1950 during the holy year.

Also here is an essay about Bray Head written by two Sixth Classers, John Power and Jared Egan!

Sheila, Barb and Paul stayed back, preferring a local casino and pub while Maggie, John and I headed up!

We had no idea how long or difficult it would be so promised to head back if we weren't at the top within an hour.

Fortifying with bananas.

Over the Edge, First Stop

Head this way.

We made it in no time. Here are the kids by the cross.

Brey from the top.

Dalkey Island and the Muglins, Howth in far back.

The cliffwalk to Greystones.

The Wicklows.

 
The views from the top were stunning. You could see all of Dublin Bay, Dalkey, Dalkey Island, Howth and behind us the twin Sugar Loafs of the Wicklows.

While on top a group of horses slowly headed by.

We checked them out, and then headed back, Maggie via trail and Johnny, naturally, the hard way down a rarely-used path full of rock and bramble.

Home safe, we tucked everyone in bed. Tomorrow we are off to Galway, home to the Kerwin Clan!



*That link is to ten things to do in Ireland before you pass.... I've got many covered already!