Kerry - Wierd & Wonderful

RiderOnTheStorm

There are threads here for good eating places & sights to see in Kerry (and lots of good stuff there), but I thought we could have a new thread for the wierd & wonderful stuff thats in The Kingdom. Stuff that doesnt usually make it to the papers or the guide books. Whatch fink?

I will start the ball rolling.

Ballybunion has the only lifesize statue of Bill Clinton in the world. He is in a golfing pose, and its situated outside the garda station.

The song 'The Cliffs of Dooneen' is about the cliffs in the townsland off Doon, just up the road from Ballybunion. Lots of folk think its about Co Clare, as it mentions Kilkee & Kilrush (and west Clare!) but its a Kerry song.

The Jesse James pub in Asdee (or Astee on some signposts) is the supposed birthplace of Jesse James father before he left to go to the USA. The pub is decorated with wild west trappings and Jesse James memoribilia.

ejmaztec

RiderOnTheStorm wrote: »

There are threads here for good eating places & sights to see in Kerry (and lots of good stuff there), but I thought we could have a new thread for the wierd & wonderful stuff thats in The Kingdom. Stuff that doesnt usually make it to the papers or the guide books. Whatch fink?

I will start the ball rolling.

Ballybunion has the only lifesize statue of Bill Clinton in the world. He is in a golfing pose, and its situated outside the garda station.

The song 'The Cliffs of Dooneen' is about the cliffs in the townsland off Doon, just up the road from Ballybunion. Lots of folk think its about Co Clare, as it mentions Kilkee & Kilrush (and west Clare!) but its a Kerry song.

The Jesse James pub in Asdee (or Astee on some signposts) is the supposed birthplace of Jesse James father before he left to go to the USA. The pub is decorated with wild west trappings and Jesse James memoribilia.

This is more weird than wonderful because the genealogists reckon that Jesse James had nothing to do with Ireland, and that the outlaw's ancestors were Welsh.:(

RiderOnTheStorm

i dont think it matters weather its true or not. But the pub is there, and it does claim to be the birthplace of JJ's father. I think the truth of it is a great topic to discuss over a pint !

In 1903 over 1000 lined up on a dirt track in Ballyfinnane (between Firies and Tralee) to see Charles Stuart Rolls, later of Rolls-Royce fame, drive a car for a mile up the hill. He did 1,200 yards in just over a minute, which in fairness must have been sensational at the time, as well as remarkably dangerous as the roads were not built for cars let alone ones going at 50mph.

It was the first motorsport event in the country.

http://www.discoverkerry.com/kerrymotorclub/100yrsindex.htm

ejmaztec

RiderOnTheStorm wrote: »

i dont think it matters weather its true or not. But the pub is there, and it does claim to be the birthplace of JJ's father. I think the truth of it is a great topic to discuss over a pint !

It might turn nasty.:eek:

555guy

Deleted User wrote: »

In 1903 over 1000 lined up on a dirt track in Ballyfinnane (between Firies and Tralee) to see Charles Stuart Rolls, later of Rolls-Royce fame, drive a car for a mile up the hill. He did 1,200 yards in just over a minute, which in fairness must have been sensational at the time, as well as remarkably dangerous as the roads were not built for cars let alone ones going at 50mph.

It was the first motorsport event in the country.

http://www.discoverkerry.com/kerrymotorclub/100yrsindex.htm

I never knew that ,... must go in search of the plague placed there , presume its the old Killarney - Tralee road.

555guy

555guy wrote: »

I never knew that ,... must go in search of the plague placed there , presume its the old Killarney - Tralee road.

Yeah. On the left hand side a couple of miles on the Tralee side of Firies.

chupacabra

I suppose the Panda sculpture donated by the Peoples Republic of China in Sneem would count as both weird and wonderful.

chupacabra

chupacabra wrote: »

I suppose the Panda sculpture donated by the Peoples Republic of China in Sneem would count as both weird and wonderful.

That's only a block of marble given by a passing Chinese ambassador.

On the other hand, did you know that the inspiration for either James Bond (or possibly "M" in the Bond series) and first head of the British Secret Service was born in Sneem?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Melville

@Lachattegitane

@Lachattegitane.

Just think, there might be no secret service if instead of being a go getter he just ambled behind busses, stopping to smell the flowers and going for a snooze amidst all the glorious scenery...:D;)

LaChatteGitane

Oh, aye Connor. The Lord needs his numbers (my late MIL would say). I'm a flower sniffer myself, but appreciate a whole number of people are go getters. And that's how it should be : different strokes for different folks... but with consideration for others. :cool:

BOT Interesting story about William Melville though. Keep em coming. Love to read about the weird and wonderful.

kingdumb

There is a Korean war memorial in Lixnaw !

chupacabra wrote: »

I suppose the Panda sculpture donated by the Peoples Republic of China in Sneem would count as both weird and wonderful.