| Almost anyone who has been to Ireland on vacation | | | | light andever-increasing fog caused the town to take |
| will tellyou that vacationing in the "Emerald Isle" is an | | | | on a hauntinglook. Across the street from the |
| unforgettableexperience. There is something about | | | | B&B, there was a small parkwith a memorial |
| the friendliness of thepeople, the haunting beauty of | | | | overlooking the cliffs and the harbor. Asingle |
| the land, and the incrediblehistory that makes you | | | | streetlight just added to the incredible scene. I |
| want to return again and again. | | | | musthave taken a half roll of film at that spot, trying |
| I found myself in that situation in the summer of | | | | to get theperfect picture of a truly unique place. |
| 2000, asfinally, after several years of failed attempts | | | | While in the pub at the mouth of the harbor, we met |
| to return to | | | | friendlylocals and European tourists. Like the owners |
| Ireland (I had gone there in 1994), five of us decided | | | | of the B&B,they were surprised that Americans |
| to gofor a 10-day trip. We decided to go in May, | | | | would know about |
| 2001, which gaveus more than enough time to plan a | | | | Dunmore East. They said that the town tends to |
| route. | | | | cater to |
| One day, while looking at a map, I noticed a small | | | | Europeans, and that people from the U.S. are rarely |
| towncalled Dunmore East on a strip of land jutting | | | | foundhere. Ironically, one of the owners of the |
| into the oceansouth of Waterford. I was intrigued by | | | | B&B was a New |
| this place andenvisioned a weathered old hamlet that | | | | Jersey native who fell in love with the village. |
| wasquintessentially Irish. This, I hoped, would be one | | | | Dunmore East is the type of place where you park |
| town inwhich we would definitely stay. | | | | your carupon arriving, and do not use it until you |
| We almost never made it to Dunmore East, thanks | | | | leave. It is a verywalkable town, with everything |
| to abizarre series of events. On the way out of | | | | being within a 1-square-mileradius. I spent the |
| Dublin (where wehad stayed the first night), one of | | | | afternoon of our second day there doingjust that, |
| our cars suffered ablowout, and soon our two cars | | | | and discovered places in town that people in |
| were hopelessly separated. | | | | carswould clearly miss. For instance, there was a |
| We returned to the B&B in Dublin, hoping our | | | | sprawlingpark with benches, paths down to the |
| two friendswould get in touch. The next morning we | | | | rocky coast, andgrassy areas for lying in the sun. |
| heard from them,and were once again on our way, | | | | There was also a windingroad that ended up at a |
| but we had lost a day. Wequickly passed through the | | | | small beach called (I believe), |
| Wicklow Mountains and, afterwhat seemed like an | | | | "Ladies View." It was a pristine place with views of |
| eternity, we pulled into Waterford andcontinued along | | | | theharbor, driftwood along the beach, and salt spray |
| the winding road toward Dunmore East. | | | | in the air. |
| After ten miles of driving through rolling farmland | | | | I continued my walk along a coastal road, and soon |
| andwindswept ridges, we finally saw houses and | | | | foundmyself walking into a business district. I had |
| lights in thedistance. We pulled into Dunmore East | | | | accidentallydiscovered "downtown" Dunmore East! |
| just as the sun wassetting behind us. Coming down | | | | Apparently, we werestaying in the harbor part of |
| the hill into town, we sawthe ocean in front of us. | | | | town, which we had mistakenfor the village itself. |
| This was indeed a spectacularlocation. | | | | The center of town was very charming,with several |
| Our B&B was on the main street overlooking | | | | old shops, a few pubs, and some morewinding lanes. |
| the harbor. Itwas foggy, and we could just make out | | | | On our second and final night in Dunmore East, we |
| the green cliffs thatformed the harbor. Down the hill | | | | endedup eating at one of the pubs in the center of |
| from the B&B was an innand a pub on the | | | | town. Afterdinner, we walked back to the B&B |
| water. Winding lanes, a church and oldcemetery, a | | | | through the mist and fog,wishing that we could stay |
| park, and thatched-roof houses all added aunique | | | | a few more nights. But alas, wehad to move on, and |
| charm to the village. | | | | though we found some terrific placesin the next |
| Seaside villages can often have an eerie, | | | | several days, nothing beat this little seasidevillage |
| surrealatmosphere to them at dusk, and Dunmore | | | | south of Waterford. |
| East was noexception. The combination of waning | | | | |