Our Ring Around Ireland

In 2019, we realized a long-awaited road trip around parts of Ireland. Hopefully, at some point, I’ll have time to flesh out these footprints with the notes from my journal. Weiterlesen

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Our Ring Around Ireland
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Donnerstag, 27. Juni 2019 um 10:00
☁️ 61 °F
Höhe über NN: 56 ft
Irland Dingle 52.142006, -10.27074152°8’31” N 10°16’15” W
Harry Clarke’s Stained Glass Windows
27. Juni 2019 in Irland ⋅ ☁️ 61 °F
Harry Clarke is a Dublin-born stained glass artist who was lost to the world in 1931 ... at the young age of 42. He is described as ... “Ireland’s major Symbolist Artist whether in his illustrations or in his stained glass.”

I’d heard his name before, but didn’t recall seeing any of his art. So, when I read that there are six twin lancet windows that he designed in a chapel in Dingle, we made a point of checking them out before leaving town.

The Díseart Chapel — or more appropriately, the Chapel of the Sacred Heart — is on the third floor of the former Convent of the Presentation Sisters. The docent who admitted us to the building, warned us that the stained glass in the sanctuary was mass-produced in Germany and that we would immediately notice the difference once we saw the Harry Clarke windows above the choir stalls.

She was right. I was so enthralled with the Clarke windows that I didn’t even take any photos of the ones in the apse. Not sure how to describe these amazing works of art ... faces more animated with large, expressive eyes ... exquisite and fine detail work ... more organic somehow ... definitely more artisanal with rich colors that catch the light.

The Mother Superior who commissioned the 12 windows that illustrate the life of Christ from his birth to his resurrection, shelled out £1,000 back then. A princely sum in 1922, I’m sure. Now these windows are priceless.Weiterlesen
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ReisenderYes, amazing works of art.
06.12.20Antworten
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Donnerstag, 27. Juni 2019 um 10:15
☁️ 63 °F
Höhe über NN: 75 ft
Irland Dingle 52.1421, -10.27069452°8’32” N 10°16’14” W
The Lady of the Lantern
27. Juni 2019 in Irland ⋅ ☁️ 63 °F
Before we left the Díseart Chapel, I found another series of murals ... also painted by Eleanor Yates, the artist from Denver, Colorado who painted the “Last Supper” in the nuns’ dining room at the former Convent of the Presentation Sisters.

This series was painted in what would have been the community room of the sisters. Today, the room is used as a music/presentation room. I was disappointed that the equipment sitting against the walls detracted from the paintings, but it is what it is.

The subject of the murals was Nano Nagle — the founder of the Sisters of Presentation in Ireland. The daughter of landed Irish gentry, she dedicated herself to the education of the kids of poor families. Going from hovel to hovel, she searched out these kids, earning herself the nickname of “The Lady of the Lantern.”Weiterlesen
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Donnerstag, 27. Juni 2019 um 10:45
☁️ 63 °F
Höhe über NN: 1.362 ft
Irland Beenduff 52.181782, -10.20779252°10’54” N 10°12’28” W
Conor Pass
27. Juni 2019 in Irland ⋅ ☁️ 63 °F
Leaving Dingle, we headed to Conor Pass, using it as a short cut for today’s drive. The 7.5-mile road runs over the Brandons, Ireland’s highest mountains ... at 1,500 feet. The road is narrow and curvy ... at times just wide enough for one vehicle. We were lucky and didn’t encounter any other vehicles in those sections.

The road through Conor Pass is described as being very scenic, with views of Brandon Bay and more ... across a lushly green once-glaciated valley dotted with “loughs” [lakes]. On a clear day, you can apparently see all the way out to the Aran Islands. That wasn’t the case for us today as much of the distant scenery was veiled by a mist that wasn’t making any effort to lift. We enjoyed the views nonetheless.

Had we built in another day for our stay in Dingle, it would have been great to hike in this area.Weiterlesen
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Donnerstag, 27. Juni 2019 um 13:30
☀️ 73 °F
Höhe über NN: 46 ft
Irland Adare 52.5642, -8.79094552°33’51” N 8°47’27” W
Lunch Time!
27. Juni 2019 in Irland ⋅ ☀️ 73 °F
The route we selected for our move today took us through the Village of Adare, where we hoped to visit some ruins ... possibly tour a castle ... and have lunch.

Food first. After parking the car, we stopped at the Info Center and asked for a recommendation for lunch. We were given several options for pub grub ... all sounded good. What determined our final decision ... seating availability. Adare was hopping today!

The food at Aunty Lena’s was delicious ... though the portions were a little bigger than we expected. The Beef & Guinness Casserole I ordered was essentially a stew topped with mashed potatoes and served with buttered vegetables. Mui got the “Goodness Bowl,” which included greens, as well as tasty tidbits of quinoa and falafel. He asked that it be topped with a fillet of salmon to increase the protein.

I broke down and finally ordered a Guinness. I don’t care for dark-colored beers, but I figured I couldn’t visit Ireland and not taste it ... a bit malty with a molasses back note. I’ll stick to Rockshore, in the future ... also brewed by Guinness.Weiterlesen
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Donnerstag, 27. Juni 2019 um 15:00
☀️ 77 °F
Höhe über NN: 49 ft
Irland Adare 52.569589, -8.7824552°34’11” N 8°46’57” W
Sightseeing in Adare
27. Juni 2019 in Irland ⋅ ☀️ 77 °F
After a filling and tasty lunch, we set out to explore Adare for a bit.

When I picked Adare as the waypoint for today’s drive, it was because I wanted to see the thatched cottages in the village. Turns out that two of the cottages, built on the orders of the Countess of Dunraven, burned down in 2015 and the others house restaurants and shops. They weren’t the charming cottages I’d been envisioning. Oh well.

I was also hoping to check out the ruins of a couple of monasteries. Turns out that in place of two of the ruins there are churches now — the Trinitarian Abbey, where the monastery by the same name once stood, and the Church of St Nicholas, built on the grounds of the Augustinian Friary. Both churches have beautiful stained glass windows, so at least we had a chance to see them.

The third ruins — those of the Franciscan Friary — are indeed ruins, but they are only accessible from the grounds of Adare Manor … not open to the public, but can be seen on a tour. Since we had some exciting plans for later in the day, we didn’t have time for a tour unfortunately.

But I at least got a shot of Desmond Castle reflected on the River Maigue before we left Adare ... even if it met taking my life in my hands to do so!Weiterlesen
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ReisenderSuch photo clarity with your camera -- makes your pics so pretty.
06.12.20Antworten
Two to TravelThanks ... the photos I shared here are 50/50 with my iPhone and my Fuji XT-10. I do process and export them through Lightroom, but the editing I do is minimal and certainly nothing that would much improve the clarity coming out of the phone or camera.
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Donnerstag, 27. Juni 2019 um 16:15
☀️ 75 °F
Höhe über NN: 72 ft
Irland Cullenagh River 52.938923, -9.29158252°56’20” N 9°17’30” W
Ennistymon’s Old Cemetery
27. Juni 2019 in Irland ⋅ ☀️ 75 °F
Leaving Adare, we had no other planned stops on our way to Doolin. Nonetheless, we ended up taking a quick break in Ennistymon when I spotted ivy-clad ruins in what looked like a field of crosses.

Sitting atop Church Hill, the photogenic ruins were of the old St Andrew’s Church. A Protestant church built in 1778, it apparently fell into ruin when a new church was built in town.Weiterlesen
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ReisenderLots of "residents!"
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Donnerstag, 27. Juni 2019 um 17:00
☀️ 72 °F
Höhe über NN: 33 ft
Irland Doolin Point 53.014712, -9.39810853°0’53” N 9°23’53” W
Atlantic View B&B
27. Juni 2019 in Irland ⋅ ☀️ 72 °F
We arrived at the Atlantic View B&B just before 5:00p. It is located on the outskirts of Doolin, in County Clare.

Our ground floor room — #9 — is plenty spacious with a recently renovated en suite. We have all the amenities we could ask for ... except perhaps a luggage rack on which to place our suitcase.

Because we are on the ground floor, we see just a sliver of the Atlantic Ocean and the Cliffs of Moher from the picture window. For that reason, Eileen, the proprietress, said she’s reserved us a table-with-a-better-view in the breakfast room.Weiterlesen
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ReisenderVery nice.
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Donnerstag, 27. Juni 2019 um 20:30
☀️ 68 °F
Höhe über NN: 509 ft
Irland Cliffs of Moher 52.971813, -9.42634552°58’19” N 9°25’35” W
The Cliffs of Moher
27. Juni 2019 in Irland ⋅ ☀️ 68 °F
Once we were settled into our room @ the Atlantic View B&B in Doolin, we decided to take advantage of the delightful day to visit the Cliffs of Moher ... just a 10-minute drive from the guest house.

Yes, it was already 6:00p, but the days are long in Ireland this time of the year. Plus, we were hoping that at that hour the tour busses would be gone ... as would most of the independent visitors. We were not disappointed. I’d be surprised if there were more than 20-30 people viewing the Cliffs and hiking the paths while we were there.

After checking out the exhibits at the Visitor Center, we headed off to see the Cliffs. The rays of the sun lit the face of the Cliffs, allowing us to see details that would have been hidden otherwise. Walking north first, we went to O’Brien’s Tower, which was built in 1835 as a lookout for visitors to enjoy the views. Alas, the tower is under restoration, so we didn’t get to climb up to the observation terrace.

Instead of continuing past the tower, we retraced our steps and headed south. The paved path eventually gave way to a dirt path that hugged the top of the cliffs. The barrier wall designed to keep visitors away from the edge disappeared as well. With nothing to stop us from tumbling down the 700-feet+ tall Cliffs, we stayed safely on the path.

We stopped frequently for photo ops ... sitting on boulders on and off to enjoy the scenery ... and the solitude. I’d resigned myself to visiting the Cliffs of Moher with people crawling all over the place, so it was especially nice to have it mostly all to ourselves.

We would like to have stayed to enjoy sunset here, but that wasn’t set to happen until after 10:00p ... too late for us after a long day of driving.Weiterlesen
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ReisenderI wonder how long the entire path is -- everything is so green, of course -- it's Ireland!
06.12.20Antworten
Two to TravelThe Cliffs themselves are 5 miles or so, but I think the path in total out to Hag's Head is probably longer. At the north end, there is a nearly 4-mile trail that goes all the way into Doolin as well.
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Donnerstag, 27. Juni 2019 um 21:00
☀️ 66 °F
Höhe über NN: 33 ft
Irland Doolin Point 53.014709, -9.39818753°0’53” N 9°23’53” W
Day 9: Image Gallery
27. Juni 2019 in Irland ⋅ ☀️ 66 °F
Photos from today are at this link:
https://eenusa.smugmug.com/Europe/Ireland/Irela…
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Freitag, 28. Juni 2019 um 08:00
⛅ 61 °F
Höhe über NN: 33 ft
Irland Doolin Point 53.014718, -9.39816453°0’53” N 9°23’53” W
Day 10: Exploring County Clare
28. Juni 2019 in Irland ⋅ ⛅ 61 °F
Our loop drive today took us through many locales ... the most interesting of which was the karst landscape of The Burren.
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Freitag, 28. Juni 2019 um 11:30
☁️ 64 °F
Höhe über NN: 56 ft
Irland Ennis Friary 52.844486, -8.98269552°50’40” N 8°58’58” W
Ennis Friary
28. Juni 2019 in Irland ⋅ ☁️ 64 °F
We started off our day by backtracking to Ennis, about 40 minutes from Doolin, to check out the photogenic ruins of the Ennis Friary.

Founded by the Franciscans in the 13th century, the friary was built on an island where the River Fergus divided. Today, the island is incorporated into the streets of Ennis. Of the original structure, only the choir at the east end of the church survives.

The €4pp admission, which was covered by the Heritage Card, gave us access not only to the ruins but to the exhibit hall set up in what was once the nave of the church.Weiterlesen
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ReisenderAmazing much of the structure stands after all the centuries.
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Freitag, 28. Juni 2019 um 12:00
☁️ 64 °F
Höhe über NN: 46 ft
Irland Ennis Friary 52.846134, -8.98198952°50’46” N 8°58’55” W
A-wander in Ennis
28. Juni 2019 in Irland ⋅ ☁️ 64 °F
As is the case in most big cities, finding parking in Ennis was a challenge. We eventually found a car park and paid for two hours. When we left the Ennis Friary, we still had about 45 minutes left, so off we went for a stroll around town.

We checked out the free “Clare Museum,” where nothing much caught our interest. But our walk along the banks of the River Fergus took us to a corner where a sphere captured our attention. Known as the “Centurial Sphere” this piece of art marks the 100th anniversary of the Easter 1916 uprising. The text carved into the galvanized steel sphere is apparently from songs about County Clare and its cultural heritage.Weiterlesen
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Freitag, 28. Juni 2019 um 14:00
☁️ 64 °F
Höhe über NN: 190 ft
Irland Kilfenora 52.990198, -9.2166352°59’25” N 9°12’60” W
Lunch Time!
28. Juni 2019 in Irland ⋅ ☁️ 64 °F
Our destination as we left Ennis was the Burren National Park. But the GPS wasn’t pointing us in the right direction. So, we programmed the village of Kilfenora into the GPS instead.

This small village is home to the Burren Centre, which served us well. Not only did we get directions to the park, but the tea house at the facility served as a lunch stop.

The menu was limited, but we both found something to order ... even if what we were served was not what we expected. The egg and mayonnaise dish I ordered after the cashier explained that it was chopped eggs, thus making me think I’d be getting an egg salad sandwich, turned out to be halved eggs with a side of coleslaw. Mui’s smoked salmon salad turned out to be rolls of smoked salmon with a side of potato salad. No matter, the food was tasty. The scone that was served with clotted cream and jam made for a delicious dessert.

I apparently took no photos of the food ... so how about a mural or two instead!Weiterlesen
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ReisenderClotted cream with with scones and tea ... to die for, eh? Did you also have jam?
18.12.20Antworten
Two to TravelBut of course ;-)
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Freitag, 28. Juni 2019 um 15:00
☁️ 64 °F
Höhe über NN: 394 ft
Irland Lough Aleenaun 53.021942, -9.13336853°1’19” N 9°8’0” W
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Carran Church Ruins
28. Juni 2019 in Irland ⋅ ☁️ 64 °F
Despite the map provided to us at the Burren Centre in Kilfenora, we still had difficulty finding the “entrance” to the Burren National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that protects Ireland’s unique karst landscape. That we were driving instead of hiking may have been part of our problem since there is no vehicle access within the park.

Oh well. Instead, we decided to take a rural road that looked like it cut through some karst landscape. The bonus? We knew this route would take us to another interesting spot.

I’m not sure what it is about ruins that I find so photogenic. It doesn’t matter what kind of ruins they are ... castle, farm, manor house, church, or city. It doesn’t matter how old they are. I just have to take a couple of photographs.

And that’s how we came to stop at the ruins of the Carran Church.

There’s not much left of the church that served the largest parish in the Burren between the 13th and 16th centuries. To get to the ruins, we had to park along the road, climb over a stone wall, and walk along a long path with overgrown grass. We didn’t dally long as there wasn’t much to see, but for a “ruins lover” it was worth the short trek.Weiterlesen
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Reisender Love this picture.
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Reisender This one, too!
18.12.20Antworten
Reisender Anything legible? (doubtful)
18.12.20Antworten
Two to TravelNope ... totally weather worn.
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Freitag, 28. Juni 2019 um 15:45
☁️ 64 °F
Höhe über NN: 427 ft
Irland Poulnabrone Portal Tomb 53.048697, -9.14002753°2’55” N 9°8’24” W
A Megalithic Dolmen
28. Juni 2019 in Irland ⋅ ☁️ 64 °F
Continuing up R480 after our stop @ the Carran Church ruins, we found ourselves driving through land that was inhabited as far back as the New Stone Age ... if not beyond. The people who farmed on the plateau back then lived in impermanent houses. The tombs they built, however, were quite substantial. A number of them have survived to this day as markers for sacred places. The Poulnabrone Dolmen is one of them.

This megalithic portal tomb, which dates back over 5,000 years, is considered a Burren geo site. It sits on a limestone karst plateau and is one of two such tombs in the Burren. Its name means “hollow of the millstone.”

The tomb consists of two tall portal stones with a capstone. The entrance leads to a stone-lined rectangular chamber (closed to visitors). A low, oval-shaped cairn of loose stones stabilizes the structure.

When the fractured capstone of this dolmen had to be replaced in the late 1980s, the tomb was excavated to reveal the remains of 33 individuals — from infants to adults — and the personal possessions with which they were buried.

As fascinating as the tomb was, the landscape in which it sits is perhaps more so. The ground is covered with patches of grikes (ditches) and clints (blocks separating the grikes). These are classic elements of the karst landscape for which the Burren is known. It was fun to wander around in this landscape, hopping from block to block ... seeking out and finding colorful flowers, especially wild thyme, which grows in abundance.Weiterlesen
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Freitag, 28. Juni 2019 um 16:30
☁️ 66 °F
Höhe über NN: 26 ft
Irland Ballyvaghan 53.118261, -9.15067253°7’6” N 9°9’2” W
Charming Holiday Cottages
28. Juni 2019 in Irland ⋅ ☁️ 66 °F
Deciding to take the coastal road back to our B&B in Doolin, we continued up to Ballyvaughan, where charming holiday cottages with thatch roofs made for a lovely photo op.
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Freitag, 28. Juni 2019 um 18:00
☁️ 66 °F
Höhe über NN: 33 ft
Irland Doolin Point 53.014751, -9.39814853°0’53” N 9°23’53” W
Day 10: Image Gallery
28. Juni 2019 in Irland ⋅ ☁️ 66 °F
Photos from today are at this link:
https://eenusa.smugmug.com/Europe/Ireland/Irela…
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Samstag, 29. Juni 2019 um 07:00
⛅ 55 °F
Höhe über NN: 33 ft
Irland Doolin Point 53.014736, -9.39804353°0’53” N 9°23’53” W
Day 11: Doolin to Oughterard
29. Juni 2019 in Irland ⋅ ⛅ 55 °F
Today was another moving day ... from County Clare to County Galway this time. It was a delightful sightseeing day, making the 60 miles or so between our accommodations pass in no time at all.
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Samstag, 29. Juni 2019 um 09:30
⛅ 61 °F
Höhe über NN: 23 ft
Irland Poulsallagh 53.061094, -9.36208953°3’40” N 9°21’44” W
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Limestone, Erratics, & Stone Fences
29. Juni 2019 in Irland ⋅ ⛅ 61 °F
Leaving the B&B in Doolin, we made a wrong turn and found ourselves on the coastal road — R477 — heading north. It was a more scenic route, so we didn’t mind.

This small mistake worked in our favor as we again got to drive through the section of the Burren where it meets the Atlantic Ocean. When we drove this road yesterday, the scenery was all washed out by the glare of the sun. The light was perfect today.

Not only did we get to enjoy the vast karst landscape juxtaposed against the blue of the ocean, but we got a better look at the erratics left behind by the ice sheet that once covered the land before receding and melting away some 15,000 years ago. As well, we got to see the stone walls built out of rocks cut out of the Burren.Weiterlesen
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Samstag, 29. Juni 2019 um 10:45
⛅ 63 °F
Höhe über NN: 30 ft
Irland Scanlan’s Island 53.139069, -9.10254253°8’21” N 9°6’9” W
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Shanmuckinish Castle
29. Juni 2019 in Irland ⋅ ⛅ 63 °F
Once we reached Ballyvaughan, we connected to N67, following the road signs towards Galway.

It wasn’t long before we stopped for a photo op. What had caught my attention was a tower house that looked largely intact. It was set against the backdrop of Pouldoody Bay, an arm of the Atlantic Ocean. Even with the bay at low tide, the scenery was photogenic.

Turns out the tower house — which I later learned was named Shanmuckinish Castle — was far from intact. In fact, little remained except for the land-facing side, making us wonder how it remained upright!Weiterlesen
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Reisender Nice!
18.12.20Antworten
Reisender Whew, I shudder to think how much backbreaking effort went into all these stone walls.
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Reisender Yes, me, too.
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Samstag, 29. Juni 2019 um 12:15
⛅ 68 °F
Höhe über NN: 30 ft
Irland Dunguaire Castle 53.142292, -8.92606153°8’32” N 8°55’34” W
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Dunguaire Castle in Kinvara
29. Juni 2019 in Irland ⋅ ⛅ 68 °F
Another photogenic castle — Dunguaire — was our next stop on today’s drive. This 16th century tower house, complete with an intact bawn surrounding the grounds, has a true castle ambiance. Situated atop a rocky outcrop on Galway Bay it called out to be photographed.

The castle’s location right off N67 makes it a popular stop. Seeing the number of people buying tickets for the tour of the tower house, we decided to skip it. Instead, we went up the steps near the front entrance and walked the path that circumnavigates the bawn, enjoying views of the bay and the village of Kinvara.

Since it was such a lovely day, we backtracked a bit from the castle to check out the village next. The streets were quiet; the pubs still closed. We spoke with a few locals, took in the views along the harbor, and enjoyed the colorful flowers before getting back in the car to continue our drive.Weiterlesen
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Reisender Always cheery!
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Samstag, 29. Juni 2019 um 13:30
🌧 68 °F
Höhe über NN: 49 ft
Irland Killannin 53.386036, -9.21290853°23’10” N 9°12’46” W
Lunch Time!
29. Juni 2019 in Irland ⋅ 🌧 68 °F
From Kinvara, we continued our drive by way of Galway. As we approached the big city, we decided to take a pass as neither one of us felt like dealing with the crowds or the traffic.

While staying at the guest house in Doolin, I had come across a brochure for Brigit’s Garden in Rosscahill. Since it was on our way to Oughterard, we stopped there for a wander around the grounds.

But first, we needed to sate our rumbling tummies. The café on site served our purpose admirably.

Mui ordered the falafel Buddha bowl which, included hummus, pickled beets, marinated butter beans, salad leaves ... with a garlic cashew mayo dressing/dipping sauce. I opted for the butter bean stew, which was reminiscent of a bean stew popular in Turkey.Weiterlesen
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Our Ring Around Ireland
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Tag 11
Samstag, 29. Juni 2019 um 14:45
⛅ 68 °F
Höhe über NN: 66 ft
Irland Killannin 53.386522, -9.21246553°23’11” N 9°12’45” W
Brigit's Garden
29. Juni 2019 in Irland ⋅ ⛅ 68 °F
Our tummies sated at Brigit’s Garden Café, we were ready for a stroll. We paid the admission and went off to explore the grounds. In hindsight, we should have skipped the garden itself.

There were very few blooms in evidence to add color to the landscape. Nonetheless, we wandered around the Celtic Gardens Walk which is designed in four quadrants. Each one represents one of the Celtic fire festivals ... Samhain (Halloween in October); Imbolc (St Brigit's Day in February); Bealtaine (May Day); Lughnasa (Harvest Time in August).

Then, we followed the meandering paths through the woods and meadows stopping to check out a few things that caught our eye. I’d say our walk was more for exercise than anything else.Weiterlesen
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Tag 11
Samstag, 29. Juni 2019 um 16:00
⛅ 66 °F
Höhe über NN: 39 ft
Irland Killarone 53.418751, -9.27569853°25’8” N 9°16’33” W
Aughnanure Castle
29. Juni 2019 in Irland ⋅ ⛅ 66 °F
Just outside Oughterard, we made our last sightseeing stop of the day at Aughnanure Castle. Dating back to around 1500, the castle’s name means “the field of the yew trees.” I have no idea if the trees that surrounded the property were yews or not, but there sure were a lot of them.

What made this castle different was the ruins of the round watchtowers ... one on the perimeter wall and another one on what would have been the inner defensive wall.

Since we had time to spare, we wandered up into the tower house for a quick look-see. As has been the case with all of the tower houses we’ve visited so far, there was nothing much to see here, but the view from the banqueting hall made climbing the narrow, circular staircase worthwhile.Weiterlesen
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Tag 11
Samstag, 29. Juni 2019 um 18:00
⛅ 64 °F
Höhe über NN: 49 ft
Irland Oughterard 53.424522, -9.31166553°25’28” N 9°18’42” W
Carrowntober House
29. Juni 2019 in Irland ⋅ ⛅ 64 °F
We found Carrowntober House — our base for three nights —on the outskirts of Oughterard. We were graciously welcomed by the proprietor who showed us to our garden-view room.

After settling in, we walked into the village to pick up snacks for dinner. Intending to eat at one of the picnic tables at the B&B, we did not dally in the village. Turns out that was a good thing as it started sprinkling on the walk back. That light rain turned into a downpour soon after we were back in our room ... no al fresco dining tonight!Weiterlesen
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