Day 8 - Blarney & Killarney

We try to find a table for breakfast and are about to join other Aussies who have begun eating there, when a woman from another group comes to inform us that this round table for eight is taken! Every blessed seat! Our friends stand up with their half-eaten breakfasts and join us to find another spot. We should have stayed regardless and just said: 'Tough luck, lady. The early bird catches the worm.' The waiter seems surprised we can't find a vacant seat and reluctantly says we can use a table reserved for a different group. As our meal ends he is very quick to take our plates and usher us away so as to get it ready for its assigned group. Well! We are paying guests too!
We travel out of Waterford and pass by some magnificent scenery of misty mountains, shimmering sea views and rolling green hills down to the water's edge.
We stop for a short while at the village of Blarney, and then at the

Blarney Woollen Mill shops, eateries and Blarney Castle where we have been before. We meet a Scottish piper on the way to the castle and some of our group pose for a photo with him. Tony decides to climb the ancient steps while I am happy to enjoy the garden views and chat with others in our tour group.
Blarney Castle was built around 1210, destroyed in 1446, then rebuilt. The Blarney Stone is a great tourist attraction, with visitors prepared to hang upside-down over a sheer drop to kiss the stone, which is said to give the gift of eloquent speech. Tony declined to kiss the stone. I think he's already got 'the gift of the gab', when he's in the mood.
We cross the Kerry Mountains en route to Killarney, then drive further to Tralee where we stay at The Rose Hotel for two nights. Beautiful furnishings in our rooms. In the evening we drive to a traditional Irish farm, Muckross Farm, for a tour around the farm, and later for dinner and a musical recital with harp and accordian.