Tuesday Carriage

Tuesday morning is set for a communal ride in several jaunting cars or jarvies through the Killarney National Park up to Muckross house, a grand residence now a museum. The conveyances are wagonettes seating six or seven people drawn by an Irish cob horse. Unlike the jaunting car driven by Barry Fitzgerald in The Quiet Man, the passengers sit facing inward.

Our horse is named Molly, 16 years old. She works two days a week and is spelled by Julie two days and **** who works 3. Cobs work until they are 26, then retire and generally live until they’re 32. Our driver says she loves the work and attention and knows the routes so well, if she could handle the tips, he could stay home. Cobs are distinguished by their smaller size, their hairy fetlocks, and their strength and endurance. On the other hand, walking and pulling on hard surfaces is hard on their knees, so they need the days off. The driver is fifth generation in the trade, inherited it from his father who died 12 years ago. Only licensed drivers can operate them, and licenses can only be inherited, cannot be bought or sold. He’s full of chat and information. The park is 11,000 acres. No motor vehicles allowed.Among his gems: Rhododendrons are huge, but considered weeds in the forest. The needles of yew trees poison the earth beneath and are therefore discouraged in a forest. Fallen trees are left to rot for ecological purposes unless they block a path. A few years ago, someone proposed making a sequel to The Quiet Man to be called The Quiet Woman, but it was scrapped when they couldn’t find one. Molly takes us to Torc Waterfall for a stop and photo op.After the waterfall, Molly takes us back to the Muckross House boathouse. As our driver gets off to tie her up, she decides to trot away independently, much to the consternation of the passenger riding shotgun. The driver yells “Stand, Molly!” but Molly has other intentions, so he has to trot alongside and jump back onto the front seat as Molly takes us back to a turn-around at the great house, where she turns and takes us back to the boathouse again, stopping this time in the proper orientation.