MICHAEL: There once was a county called Limerick, and poems named likewise made slim tricks.

Made up by Ed Lear, he learned it from here, and that's how we get silly limericks.

Hello and welcome to Ireland with Michael.

I'm Michael Londra, and in this show, I get to tell you everything I love about my home country the best way I know how, through music.

Today, you guessed it, we're in Limerick, but although you'll find plenty of good humor in this western county of Ireland, you'll also find the utmost luxury at 5-star manor hotels, Ireland's own Casablanca from the golden age of aviation, and a bustling metro center from which to explore the darling villages and country beauty which this county has to offer.

It's also where I went to college, so I have many fond, if slightly hazy, memories of this storied county, which defies just about every category that you can try to box it in.

The only option is to see it for yourself, so join me as we do just that.

♪ ♪ ANNOUNCER: Ireland with Michael is made possible by... ♪ ANNOUNCER: Whether traveling to Ireland for the first time, or just longing to return, there's plenty more information available at Ireland.com.

♪ ANNOUNCER: CIE Tours, sharing the magic of Ireland for 90 years.

♪ ANNOUNCER: Aer Lingus has been bringing people home since 1936.

If you are thinking about Ireland, Aer Lingus is ready when you are to take you home.

♪ MICHAEL: We begin our travels in Limerick City, the bleak backdrop of native son Frank McCourt's Pulitzer Prize-winning memoir, Angela's Ashes, as well as its film adaptation.

Well, as you can see by the gorgeous weather and blue skies today, it doesn't in fact always rain here, like you'd be thinking if you saw the movie, and looking at these lovely Georgian townhouses, you'd be forgiven for thinking you were in the heart of Dublin instead of a world away, in Limerick's very own Georgian quarter, Newtown Pery.

Built to a grid plan in the late 18th and early 19th century, the distinctive architectural style of this neighborhood continues to define revitalized city center well into our modern era.

But the thing is, Limerick's history stretches back farther than these treasured buildings, like way farther.

♪ We're at the 800-year-old castle called King John's.

The island on which it sits is some pretty hot property, with Viking raiders being the first on record to establish a permanent fort here.

When the Anglo- Normans arrived, Domnall Mór Ua Briain, King of Thomond, at first burned the place to the ground just to keep it out of their hands.

Like with all real estate, it's all about location.

Overlooking the Shannon, the place prospered, with one Spanish ambassador of the day saying, "Limerick is stronger and more beautiful than all the other cities of Ireland."

♪ So James, could you tell me what your role is in this amazing building?

JAMES: Absolutely, so I'm part of the historical animation team here in King John's.

So, our role is animator.

We're not drawing cartoons, but we are bringing history to life when you come in here.

We'll be playing medieval board games, medieval music, doing archery demonstrations, and sword fighting as well, which would be my bread and butter.

MICHAEL: So, really you bring history to life, and I know the history of this castle is super complicated and long.

Are you able to kinda give me the condensed version of what it is?

JAMES: Yeah.

Quite quickly, the castle was built under the orders of King John, who's the bad guy from "Robin Hood," and then it served as a seat of English power within the region for decades, up until the '20s, when the barracks here was burnt down.

After that, then it was a housing estate until 1989, and then finally a tourist attraction.

MICHAEL: So, with- with the history so deadly and full of war and strife, I- from what I hear, you have a few kind of spirits in the- JAMES: Oh, yeah, if you're a believer, this- this castle is chronically haunted.

MICHAEL: You had an experience, and I'd love you to take me down to the depths of this building to, I can't believe I'm saying this, see where it happened.

JAMES: Let's go.

MICHAEL: All right.

♪ With all of the death that has happened in this part of the castle, there's definitely some energy, that it's kind of terrifying me, and I know that you had a pretty scary experience.

Can you tell me what happened?

JAMES: Oh, yeah, yeah, absolutely.

So, it was 2021, it was July, middle of a heat wave, and as you can feel, the air's quite still here.

MICHAEL: Yeah.

JAMES: But there was a gust of wind from this wall that came through me, and I heard a kind of an exhale of breath.

(exhales slowly) So, I spun and I saw nothing at the Norman wall, and so I spun and looked further over at the corridor to the sally port, and I watched this black form roll past the corridor, around the elevator, and down, past the light, into one of the siege tunnels below.

And I giggled, (laughs) and I didn't come down here for two weeks.

Yeah.

MICHAEL: I- I'm gonna go.

Bye!

JAMES: We'll see you soon.

MICHAEL: You know, the castle had seen its fair share of sorrow and loss of life, and a song that I wrote about grief just seems right.

♪ If you ask me ♪ What I really need ♪ The thing in life ♪ That's like the air I breathe ♪ ♪ Without a thought or hesitation ♪ ♪ I would say it's one more day ♪ ♪ In this world with you ♪ ♪ If I made ♪ A wish on distant stars ♪ I could find ♪ The heaven where you are ♪ ♪ Every night ♪ I get down on my knees to pray ♪ ♪ For one more day ♪ In this world with you ♪ ♪ One more day ♪ To wake up here beside you ♪ ♪ One more night ♪ To hold you in my arms ♪ All I have ♪ I would give to see you smile ♪ ♪ Just to live one more day ♪ ♪ In this world with you ♪ ♪ Said goodbye ♪ At least a thousand times ♪ ♪ But you're still here ♪ You're in this heart of mine ♪ ♪ And I would walk the Earth ♪ ♪ Until I've found a way ♪ For one more day ♪ In this world with you ♪ One more day ♪ To wake up here beside you ♪ ♪ One more night ♪ To hold you in my arms ♪ All I have ♪ I would give to see your smile ♪ ♪ Just to live one more day ♪ ♪ In this world with you ♪ All I have ♪ I would give to see your smile ♪ ♪ Just to live one more day ♪ ♪ In this world ♪ With you ♪ (audience applauding) Follow the River Shannon west to where it opens into its estuary and you'll come to the town of Foynes, once a bustling hub for transatlantic flight, and the reason why might just surprise you.

In the early days of aviation, the network of airport runways we have today didn't exist.

The simple solution, land on the water.

It's those golden days of the first commercial flying boats, which cross the Atlantic in 16 hours, which this museum at Foynes brings to life.

♪ All this history, however, would've been lost to obscurity were it not for one very special person, Margaret O'Shaughnessy.

So, Mag, we're- we're somewhere in the roof of a plane.

Where exactly are we?

MARGARET: You're very privileged.

You're in the cockpit of the Yankee Clipper, Boeing 314 flying boat, the only one in existence in the world.

Now, when I say the only one, I should qualify that.

It's a 100% replica.

Thank you to Boeing for giving us the blueprints.

12 of these beautiful aircraft were built and started service in 1939.

There was only the 12 ever built.

Unfortunately, they crashed, they were scrapped, and none exist.

In actual fact, I just remembered, it was the Boeing 314 was the first Air Force One.

The first time an American President flew during the war, he had to go to Africa and meet up, and Roosevelt, he went in one of these.

MICHAEL: Now, tell me, why Foynes?

Like, what was the reason they came here?

MARGARET: Oh, we're lovely here, Michael.

MICHAEL: (laughs) Is that the reason?

MARGARET: Not at all.

When Juan Trippe and Pan American Airlines wanted to expand into Europe, they engaged Lindbergh to go and do some trial runs and see, and his choice was the Shannon estuary, but it was to be where Shannon Airport is today.

But there was too much work to be done, things started happening, and they looked for an alternative.

Foynes was a port since 1840, deep water, sheltered harbor.

We had most of the oil companies based here to provide fuel.

We had a train service into Limerick, a one-carriage train service.

So, we're actually here in the original airport terminal today.

MICHAEL: When it was up and running, it became quite an attraction and brought in the glamorous set.

Am I right?

MARGARET: You're dead right.

You see, to go from North America to Europe, outside of a military flight, you had to come here.

MICHAEL: Ahh!

MARGARET: So, you left from New York or Baltimore.

You went to Newfoundland, you stopped, you refueled, and then came on here, so this was the gateway.

And what I say to people, really, It was like the Casablanca of Ireland.

♪ MICHAEL: You know, crossing the Atlantic back in those days was a long and arduous journey, not to mention expensive at about $6,000 in today's money, but you did get five-star service, a seven-course meal, and (patting) you even got your own bed.

♪ And it was in this little airport where something monumental was first invented, something world-changing, groundbreaking, and mouth-watering.

I'll let Margaret tell it.

♪ MARGARET: The flight left here as normal, heading for New York.

MICHAEL: Yeah.

MARGARET: And, always these flights depended on weather, and the pilot would have to judge as he went if the weather got too bad- MICHAEL: Oh, yes.

MARGARET: Would they continue or would they come back?

So, on this particular night, the weather did get too bad, so all the catering staff were brought in here, to the restaurant in the terminal, and were told, "Prepare food and drink "for these miserable passengers coming back," and they did.

But Joe being Joe said to himself, "You know, they are cold and miserable," so when he was doing the coffee, he nipped a little bit of good Powers Whiskey into it.

And one of the passengers came up to him afterwards and said, "Chef, that was great coffee, was it Brazilian?"

And Joe was thinking for a minute, and he said, "No, it was Irish," and that's how the Irish coffee began.

MICHAEL: Wow.

MARGARET: So, today, you are going to go through the process.

MICHAEL: Okay.

MARGARET: And I'm going to show you how to make it the original way.

MICHAEL: Right, 'cause let me tell you, I do make one or two back in the US.

MARGARET: Do you make them or drink them now, Michael?

MICHAEL: Well, you know, whatever it takes.

MARGARET: The first thing we're going to do is spoon into the glass.

MICHAEL: Okay.

MARGARET: You put the spoon in, why?

So that the glass won't crack, okay?

And you're going to get rid of that.

MICHAEL: Yes.

MARGARET: You're going to get one spoon of brown sugar, and we're going to put it in.

So, the next thing is put hot liquid in.

MICHAEL: Grand.

MARGARET: So that we keep the glass warm.

MICHAEL: Yes.

MARGARET: You can't have a cold Irish coffee.

Who wants a cold Irish coffee?

MICHAEL: Yes, who wants that?

No reason for it.

MARGARET: But always leave room for the whiskey.

MICHAEL: Yeah, yeah, yeah.

MARGARET: Okay.

MICHAEL: There's no fear of that.

MARGARET: So, now, this is the important part.

MICHAEL: Yeah.

MARGARET: We get our whiskey.

MICHAEL: Right.

MARGARET: And I'm going to measure.

Now, the only thing about Ireland is, you know- MICHAEL: Yeah, while no one's looking- MARGARET: Bend the elbow.

MICHAEL: Right?

MARGARET: Right, good stir.

MICHAEL: Good stir.

MARGARET: We don't want brown sugar- MICHAEL: No, BOTH: At the bottom of the glass.

MICHAEL: Yeah, it needs to be sweet.

MARGARET: Now, this is just over the back of the spoon very- MICHAEL: Yeah.

MARGARET: Very- MICHAEL: See, that's beautifully done.

MARGARET: So, the whole idea of drinking an Irish coffee is to drink the hot liquid through the cool cream.

MICHAEL: Oh, yeah, that's, yes.

MARGARET: And there, look at that now.

MICHAEL: See, yours is lovely.

MARGARET: Sláinte.

MICHAEL: Sláinte.

Cheers.

MARGARET: Cheers.

MICHAEL: As if Foynes and its champion, Margaret, weren't already interesting enough, you'll never believe who her best friend was.

None other than the wife of famed aviator Brigadier General Charles Blair, who flew the first passenger flight non-stop from here to New York.

She actually had a pretty successful career herself.

Maybe you've heard of Maureen O'Hara?

Yes, that Maureen O'Hara.

So, Mag, there's a meeting of Limerick and Hollywood here.

Can you tell us more about here, this wall of fame?

MARGARET: Yeah, well, here you have Marilyn Monroe drinking her Irish coffee, and here we have, of course, Maureen O'Hara, who has the special connection to here.

MICHAEL: So, tell me about that special connection you personally have with Maureen.

MARGARET: Oh, we've been friends all through, from 1987 until she died.

So, she opened the museum, and, of course, we became lifelong friends, and we miss her terribly, but- MICHAEL: Look at the legacy you have.

MARGARET: We have a big legacy, Michael, and for today, I would very much like to present you with your very own Oscar, which is, of course, Maureen's.

MICHAEL: This is such a special memento and obviously describes just how she felt about the place.

MARGARET: Exactly, and, of course, she has given us 750 garments, of which her Givenchy Oscar dress is just one of them.

We're going to have great fun putting these on display and letting people see the glamour of Hollywood mixed with the Irish-ness.

MICHAEL: While Irish coffee was originally prepared as a welcoming drink at Foynes, there's also the tradition in Ireland of the parting glass, the final hospitality offered to departing guests, and it wouldn't be an Irish tradition unless it was set to music.

Here's a bunch of Donegal musicians, called Onóir, singing "The Parting Glass."

♪ Of all the money ♪ That e'er I had ♪ I spent it ♪ In good company ♪ And of all the harm ♪ That e'er I've done ♪ Alas, it was ♪ To none but me MICHAEL: How in the name of God does a bunch of four lads come together?

DIARMAID: We didn't really know one another.

You know, we knew of each other, but we were what, 30?

Well, I'm younger than you guys, so I was like 27.

Yeah.

(laughing) But, yeah, like, we were in our 30s by the time we kind of said, "You play music, I play music, let's- let's do this as a thing," you know.

So, it was kind of random chance.

♪ They were sorry ♪ For my going away ♪ And of all the sweethearts ♪ ♪ That e'er I loved ♪ They would wish me ♪ One more day to stay MICHAEL: Ye think differently about the songs, and a lot of these songs are kind of locked into a formula, and you've taken them out of the formula and make people listen through, I guess, a different lens in a way.

What do you- have you started singing live yet, or are you only studio musicians?

TOM: So we booked a show back in April.

It's just a 200- seater theater.

We just thought we'd do it and see how it goes.

It sold out within, was it two hours?

DIARMAID: Yeah.

TOM: It sold out in the first show, and with the hype of that, we put a second show on, and it sold out in 30 minutes.

So, we said, "Boys, there's maybe something here," you know, so we kept at it, and we're now booked towards- into next May, June.

♪ So fill to me ♪ The parting glass ♪ And drink ahead ♪ On every fault ♪ And gently rise ♪ And softly call ♪ Good night and joy ♪ Be with you all ♪ MICHAEL: 20 minutes outside Limerick, on the River Maigue, this is the village of Adare, meaning "ford of the oak."

Historically, a market town which hosted three monasteries in its day, it's remained a tourist destination since 1226, when Henry III gave a grant to the Judiciary of Ireland to hold an annual eight-day fair following the feast of St. James at his Adare Manor.

There's a visual tension on the main street here between classic Irish architecture and the English influence of a planned estate village.

It's that estate which continues to define Adare today as a grand hotel us Irish would call salubrious, and rumor has it they're even going to let the likes of me check in.

♪ Checking in at Adare Manor, I was made to feel right at home.

MAN: Welcome to the Manor, Michael, is it?

MICHAEL: It is, it is.

MAN: You're most welcome.

MICHAEL: Well, thanks very much.

MAN: Come on in.

MICHAEL: And that's what impressed me most, that in the midst of all this grandeur, the place never felt stuffy.

♪ Of all the luxuries in this great estate, this is probably my favorite, and indeed the most luxurious.

Tried and tested by all the staff before a guest had ever checked in, they found the best bedding, so good and so luxurious that guests can now buy this bedding.

♪ Here, it's all about the architecture.

The detail that blew me away is that Adare Manor is a calendar house.

That means 365 leaded windows, 52 ornate chimneys, seven stone pillars, and four towers to mark the annual tally of days, weeks, weekdays, and seasons.

Why?

Because why not?

And from my own share of those 365 windows, I can see Adare's world-famous golf course, where, I'll have you know, I am expected.

Only, my swing's a little rusty, or more like non-existent.

Alan, we're here on the grounds of this grand estate, and you have a very, very important job on this beautiful, beautiful estate.

ALAN: Yeah, I'm the- I'm the golf course superintendent here, and I suppose, the golf course- the golf course is my responsibility.

MICHAEL: I, in truth, know nothing about golf.

In fact, I know so little that when I heard that the Ryder Cup was coming here, I kind of thought it had something to do with tennis.

I'm that bad, so you're starting from the ground up.

Tell me about the importance of the Ryder Cup and what it means to this estate.

ALAN: So, the Ryder Cup is the biggest event in golf.

It's a biannual event, with the best European golfers playing the best American golfers.

MICHAEL: And millions will watch from around the world.

ALAN: It's the biggest golf event on TV.

MICHAEL: As you know, you're starting with a complete beginner, and I'm sure you've taught thousands of people how to play a game of golf.

Do you think you could give me a few tips?

ALAN: Before I started here, I used to play a lot of golf, but not so much anymore.

MICHAEL: Well- ALAN: But I could try.

MICHAEL: Look, work a miracle.

ALAN: Yeah.

MICHAEL: Teach me how to at least hold a putter.

ALAN: I will, yeah.

We'll do that, yeah.

MICHAEL: All right, so.

♪ How do I hold it?

ALAN: Yeah, you're right-handed?

MICHAEL: Yeah, I'm right- handed, yeah.

ALAN: Left hand on top.

MICHAEL: Oh, left hand on top.

Okay, so I've been doing it all wrong.

ALAN: And then it's literally a case of getting the motion.

MICHAEL: Yes.

ALAN: So it's- the way I would describe it, it's like having a triangle, and it's the pendulum of a clock, and then you pick your line.

So this is pretty much a straight putt, nice and steady, and I say let the ball do the work.

The ball will get to the hole.

You don't have to belt it at the hole.

MICHAEL: So, if I just- the ball will do all the work?

ALAN: Let the ball do the work.

MICHAEL: And we're off.

ALAN: And we're off.

ALAN: Not bad.

MICHAEL: Now, I've also heard about something called a home- court advantage.

ALAN: Yeah, European players are noted for being shorter hitters, straighter hitters, so they're more accurate off the tee.

In that sense, our fairways will be narrowed, our rough would be growing up, and the potential would be that greens may be a little bit slower than what the Americans would be used to.

MICHAEL: Oh, very good.

ALAN: Yeah.

MICHAEL: I've heard about one other aspect to a golf course, the 19th hole.

Is there any chance that we can go there now?

ALAN: We could do.

MICHAEL: Let's do that.

♪ Thanks for joining me on my travels around County Limerick.

I'm Michael Londra, and I hope to see you next time on Ireland with Michael, but for now, sláinte.

Cheers.

ANNOUNCER: Want to continue your travels to Ireland?

Your choice of Ireland with Michael DVD Season One, Two, or Three, with bonus concert footage, is available for $30.

Ireland with Michael: A Musical Journey CD, with songs from Michael and his guest artists, is available for $20.

Ireland with Michael Companion Travel Guide, featuring places to visit, as seen in all seasons, is also available for $30.

This offer is made by Wexford House.

Shipping and handling is not included.

MICHAEL: To learn more about everything you've seen in this episode, go to IrelandWithMichael.com.

ANNOUNCER: Ireland with Michael was made possible by... ♪ ANNOUNCER: Whether traveling to Ireland for the first time, or just longing to return, there's plenty more information available at Ireland.com.

♪ ANNOUNCER: CIE Tours, sharing the magic of Ireland for 90 years.

♪ ANNOUNCER: Aer Lingus has been bringing people home since 1936.

If you are thinking about Ireland, Aer Lingus is ready when you are to take you home.

MICHAEL: OK, put your hands up in the air!

Come on, let's get a-waving.

♪ In my heart its rightful queen ♪ ♪ Ever loving, ever tender ♪ MICHAEL: That's it.

♪ Ever true ♪ Like the Sun your smile has shone ♪ MICHAEL: Go on, Wexford.

♪ Gladdening all it glowed upon ♪ ♪