Yesterday we had a great adventure. Part of the adventure was finding the place - Kerry Crafted Glass. Fortunately I had checked Google Maps rather relying on the GPS and there was a small sign. Terrance was great - a true craftsman and artist who very much enjoyed sharing his skill at working in glass. Although I have been to several large glass factories and their demonstrations, it is very different to have an individual up close and personal explain to you what he is doing. I do know from the little glass project I did at Corning that it is far more difficult than he made it look. First he made a little glass elephant and then a vase to demonstrate the difference between solid glass works and blown glass works. After buying some of his beautiful glass, we went on to Tralee to the Kerry County Museum. The museum had a wonderful exhibit of black and white photos from 1950 to 1975 from County Kerry taken by Padraig Kennelly and his wife Joan O'Connor. They were great photos, but really shocked me is that secondary education was not free in Ireland until 1967. I remember being struck when I first started looking at census roles to figure out family history that the greatest thing my ancestors accomplished by moving to America was to gain their children an education. The museum also had a lovely quilt exhibit and an extensive history display. We ended the adventure by driving to and over Conor Pass on the Dingle Peninsula. Unfortunately the mists never left the mountains. I guess Joe and I were lucky when we came in 2002. I will blog about dinner another time.
Shaping the glass
Adding the trunk
Shaping the trunk
Adding the tail
The elephant - who will now go into a kiln to slowly cool over the next 24 hours
Starting the vase
Blowing air into the glass to shape it into the mold
Adding the handle
Knocking on the metal tube to break the vase free.
A woman's work was never done. In 1971 half of all rural homes in Co Kerry had no toilet of any description and no indoor running water.
Even when public school was available, it was pretty terrible. On the news during this trip was that more Irish children were choosing to study higher maths. They were quite pleased with this.
Lassies catching the goat for the Killorglin Puck Fair
One of the beautiful quilts
Who knew they had suitcase bombs in 1884
What the view from Conor Pass should look like.
What it did look like. See if you can spot the blue of the lake.
A little better view below the mist.
This is Inch Beach - a joke I think. Notice Dad bracing himself against the wind as he checks his photo.
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