Cheers!

On our last night in Ireland we learned that the city of Galway is a vibrant and rocking place… even on a Wednesday evening in March! I was determined to end the trip on a high, so when we checked into our hotel on Eyre Square the first thing I asked at the front desk was where the best fish and chips were to be found. We were directed to McDonagh’s on Quay Street, and boy was it good! This might sound a little weird, but an order of their famous cod and chips with a side of curry sauce… very tasty indeed!

Thanks to those of you who are following the blog and especially our recent journey through parts of Ireland. Your support and encouragement is always appreciated and – though happy to be home – I wish we could have stayed longer! In addition to seeing parts of the country for the first time, Sam had a chance to get to know his family from that side of the pond, and I had a chance to re-connect with some old friends… always a good thing. After wandering through the city center streets in what felt like summer temperatures, we rounded out our last evening in Ireland the only way we could… with one more smooth and dark pint of Guinness each. So… the photograph below is a toast to you all. Cheers!

Back to the Burren

When we originally planned our trip south, high on the agenda was seeing the unique and rocky landscape of the Burren. We had hurriedly driven from Enniskillen to Sligo to Galway in an attempt to get there early enough to explore the area, but that didn’t work out so well. We arrived at the Poulnabrone Dolmen right before sunset in the rain and cold, with our original plan being to spend the night in Galway. At that point, we were not too excited about the prospect of having to back-track about an hour to get to Galway, so you can see why we made the decision there and then to cut our losses and move on toward Killarney. In hindsight it was a good decision, since we were able to make better use of our limited time in and around the Killarney area. However, now that we had adjusted our return plans, it meant we had a chance to make up for that and at least be able to spend an afternoon exploring the Black Head area of the Burren which is located right up against the Atlantic shoreline.

The Burren is a wild landscape, one that initially appears to be devoid of life. Though the striking rock formations and apparent lack of soil might suggest no vegetation, on closer inspection the area is teeming with life. This remarkable area is hard to do justice to in a photograph… large swathes of rock blanket the stark landscape, with cracks and holes everywhere to be seen.

Believe it or not, we were basking in warm sunshine and mild temperatures of about 60 degrees for most of our last day, and as the rocky landscape probably absorbed/reflected the warmth, these two Mainers who were just coming off one of the snowiest winters ever were very content to soak in some rays. As the sun slowly went down over the distant horizon there was a layer of mist or fog offshore that contributed to a somewhat subdued but beautiful sunset.

Sam and I had wandered for about half a mile out onto this barren and rocky surface, and while we sat together and admired the setting sun, we both appreciated the uniqueness of our surroundings. This last photograph was made by Sam, and I think it was the best one of the evening. After watching the sun slowly and elegantly sink below the horizon, we headed off into Galway to enjoy our last night in Ireland.

The Cliffs of Moher

When we woke on Wednesday morning, we resigned ourselves to the fact that it was actually time to start our journey back. With flights scheduled for the following day, and to get us in a good position to make the drive back to Dublin an easy one, we decided to spend our last night in Galway. The road from Killarney to Limerick to Galway is a pretty one, and there was plenty to occupy us along the way.

Visiting the Cliffs of Moher when in Ireland is sort of like visiting the popular valley of California’s Yosemite National Park in the summertime. You know it is going to be an impressive sight… especially if you haven’t seen it before with your own eyes… but you also know that you will be sharing your visit with others… many others!

The last time I saw the Cliffs of Moher, I can remember the surrounding area being very simple. We parked the car, hopped the wall and explored the beaten path along the cliffs. Not any more… there is a parking lot about a quarter of a mile away from the cliffs, a visitor center literally built into the hillside, and plenty of places to spend your euros on Irish souvenirs. Much of what we have seen so far on our trip was quaint and seemingly natural, so forgive my cynical attitude toward how this place had changed.

But then there were the cliffs themselves… and boy were they impressive! They tower 656ft above the crashing waves of the Atlantic Ocean, and they seem to stretch for miles along the coast of County Clare. Our wonderful streak of weather continued on this day, allowing unobstructed views of the Aran Islands, some 9 miles off in the distance. At the highest part of the cliffs, O’Brien’s Tower stands tall and can be seen from miles away. Built in 1835 by local landlord Sir Cornellius O’Brien, it was designed to be used as an observation tower by Victorian tourists who visited the cliffs at the time.

Sam and I explored the high path along the coast (where you see the people standing in the first photograph in this post), and despite my fear of heights – and falling – we even hopped the fence and followed the trail higher. I hugged the side of the path furthest from the ocean, but we were never really in any danger – even though we encountered a memoriam to those who had lost their lives on the cliff path – which was placed strategically right where you climb the fence and take your life into your own hands. When you see pictures of places like this it’s easy to nod and remark about how impressive it looks… but when you see it for yourself, it can literally take your breath away. Quite stunning!

Hole of Sorrows

The Poulnabrone Dolmen in County Clare is one of Ireland’s most striking and famous landmarks. It can be found in the Burren, a stark, limestone sculpted landscape just below the city of Galway on the west coast. The Burren is home to more than 90 megalithic tombs, and the Poulnabrone Dolmen is one of the most impressive.

Poll na mBrón in Irish meaning “hole of sorrows”) is a portal tomb in the Burren, County Clare, Ireland, dating back to the Neolithic period, probably between 4200 BC to 2900 BC. – Wikipedia

We had an unbelievable lunch with friends in Enniskillen earlier in the day – I should probably mention that good food has been quite central to our journey so far – before making the trip down toward Galway and the Burren. We made good time on what were often narrow and winding roads, but as it neared sunset we were still not where we wanted to be. Racing toward our destination, we saw clouds, rain, sunshine, and even a rainbow… and we had visions of great light and a composition that included the rainbow pointing toward the dolmen. However, when we arrived about fifteen minutes before the sun was officially supposed to set, thick clouds had rolled in from the western sky and we saw nothing but rain, rain, and more rain.

Even though the light was disappointing as we tried to make a photograph, and we both battled raindrops landing on the lens, we were excited to explore what is an amazing piece of evidence from Neolithic times. When restoration work was carried out in 1986, excavations revealed the buried remains of between 16-22 people. Though our visit was brief, we both agreed that this was one of the coolest Irish historical sites that either of us had seen.