May 4, 2000

Traveling Through the Emerald Isle

Although the shadow of AIDS has shortened, many Jews are still in denial doubt about its presence in the community

http://www.jewishjournal.com/ old_stories/article/traveling_through_the_emerald_isle_20000505/

Even if you grew up Jewish in America in the olden days, part of your musical repertoire was "When Irish Eyes are Smiling" and Jimmy Cagney belting out George M. Cohan's "H-A-double R-I-G-A-N Spells Harrigan."

Thus a trip to the Emerald Isle, where folks go around kissing the Blarney Stone, has always been on our traveling wish list. So when our daughter, who lives in London with her husband and two young sons, suggested renting an Irish cottage for a week of transgenerational bonding, my wife and I went for it.

The Davillaun Cottage turned out to be a rather resplendent two-story house in County Mayo, on the northwest Irish coast on the outskirts of the harbor town of Westport.

It included four bedrooms, two bathrooms, a comfortable living room with a fireplace, an enclosed garden terrace, complete kitchen, and washing machine and dryer -- room enough for four adults, plus 4-year-old Benjamin and 1-year-old Gabriel.