Reset search
Ireland—Cycles & Stone Circles
  • Diane and Darryl

Ireland—Cycles & Stone Circles

A 21-day adventure by Diane Read more
FollowInsightsCalendarShareShareBucket list
Newest first
  • Trip start
    May 29, 2025
    Diane and DarrylIreland—Cycles & Stone CirclesDiane and Darryl
    Aerial view of Knowth
    One entrance into KnowthTombs at KnowthRoyal residence on top of Knowth in early Middle AgesRock art on "kerbstones" of KnowthCeremonial site at Knowth (restored)Newgrange (restored in the 1970s)Newgrange solstice entrance and "window box" on topView from Hill of TaraAt the Hill of TaraDublin street sceneThe River LiffeySamuel Beckett bridge in Dublin

    Dublin and Brú na Bóinne

    May 29 in Ireland ⋅ 🌬 64 °F

    Yes, it is wet in Ireland! But the off-and-on rain didn’t slow us down.

    We spent yesterday, our first day in the country, walking around Dublin, visiting its castle and gardens, and just trying to stay awake until a decent bedtime.

    Today we took a day tour to the Neolithic sites of Knowth and Newgrange, in the Boyne Valley, aka Brú na Bóinne. These archaeological sites are ceremonial passage tombs which were built around 3200 BC—older than the pyramids of Egypt.

    The tomb entrances of each aligned with the sun on either the winter solstice (Newgrange) or the equinox (Knowth).

    We also visited the Hill of Tara, which started as a tomb site, but later came into use as a coronation place of Ireland’s pre-Christian kings.

    Dublin is a lively city, with several pedestrian boulevards full of people and live-music pubs. The river that divides the city has a pleasant promenade and scenic bridges.    Read more

  • Diane and DarrylIreland—Cycles & Stone CirclesDiane and Darryl
    Coast of Northern Ireland
    Mural in a Belfast Protestant neighborhoodMural in Protestant neighborhood"Peace wall" (more like keeping the peace?)Black Taxi tour drivers in BelfastMural in a Belfast Catholic neighborhoodCatholics identify with the Palestinian causeBelfast architectureCarrick-a-Rede rope bridge (we did not do this)Lunch restaurant door (used in Game of Thrones)The Giant's Causeway CoastBasalt pillars at Giant's CausewayAt the Giant's Causeway UNESCO World Heritage site12

    A Day in Northern Ireland

    May 30 in Northern Ireland ⋅ ☁️ 57 °F

    An early morning pickup on a small-group tour bus brought us a couple of hours north of Dublin to Belfast. Along the way, our driver gave us a condensed history of Ireland, from the Neolithic people, to the Celts, to the English rule, to Irish independence in 1921 and into the period of the “Troubles.”

    This conflict started in the late 1960s as a peaceful civil rights movement by Irish Catholics who wanted fair treatment and representation in the English-dominated system of government. But tensions between Republicans (mainly Catholics), who wanted a united Ireland, and Loyalists or Unionists (mainly Protestants), who wanted to remain part of the UK escalated into nearly 30 years of violence from paramilitary groups on both sides, including the IRA.

    The highlight of the Belfast visit was to take a Black Taxi tour with a local driver who has experienced the political strife firsthand. Although the bombings and the worst of the violence has ended, many areas of the city are still segregated into Catholic and Protestant quarters. Our driver took us to both sections, where there are murals representing the views of each side, but these days, many are about cooperation and reconciliation. Still, we heard that a fair amount of mistrust and some violence still exists.

    To curb vandalism and personal attacks, several walls throughout Belfast separate the citizens by religion in the areas of greatest conflict. Every evening in the city, gates along the walls are shut by 6 or 7pm. Sadly, the walls have only increased in number and height since the formal peace agreement in 1998. And residents of Belfast are not clamoring for their removal – rather, they see them as a safety device. A sobering visit.

    On a more uplifting note, our day tour continued its travels north, on a mostly sunny day! Scenic green pastureland with windmills in the distance and sheep and cows in the foreground eventually led us to the north coast where we could look across the Atlantic Ocean to Scotland. Our final destination was to the “Giant’s Causeway”—a section along the coast where ancient lava has cooled into hexagonal blocks or basalt columns. Very popular place, but pretty cool to step up and down among the worn columns.    Read more

  • Diane and DarrylIreland—Cycles & Stone CirclesDiane and Darryl
    Detail of a letter from the Book of Kells
    Symbols of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and JohnFirst letters are fancy!1Inside the Long Room of the Old LibraryIn the LibraryArchitectural detail at Trinity CollegeKayaking on the River Liffey in DublinGetting very wet!The Spire, a sculpture near our hotelThe Dublin Portal1Back side of the Dublin Portal

    Dublin: Trinity College & Kayaking

    May 31 in Ireland ⋅ ⛅ 64 °F

    Today was our day to take a break from tour buses and venture out on foot. We started with a visit to see the illustrated manuscripts of the Book of Kells at the old library of Trinity College here in Dublin.

    The Book of Kells is an intricately decorated, book telling the story of the life of Jesus Christ, written in Latin, on vellum around the year 800 AD. The book is surprisingly small (about 13 x 10 inches), but includes nearly 700 pages (in four volumes now). It is thought that the writing was done by only three scribes.

    We learned the story of how it was written in a monastery on Iona in Scotland, and carried across the sea to Ireland to protect it from Viking raiders. Later, it was moved from place to place to keep it safe from destruction by the British (Protestant) kings and their armies. Finally, sometime in the 1660s it was given to Trinity College.

    As we were leaving Trinity, we ran into Julie Rose! We knew she was going to be in the country around the time we were, but what a coincidence to be in the same place at the same time. We arranged to meet her and her traveling friend, Mary, for dinner later.

    After the college visit, we got into kayaks on the River Liffey with a guide and about ten others. Mostly we saw the underside of bridges, which were handy for sheltering from the rain, but we also had to keep moving (it was a lovely sunny day before and after our river excursion!).

    As we go about our day, we keep walking past The Spire and The Dublin Portal—great landmarks. The portal is an interesting idea—we can wave at people in Philadelphia, Brazil and elsewhere (and they wave back!). Check it out at www.portals.org    Read more

  • Diane and DarrylIreland—Cycles & Stone CirclesDiane and Darryl
    At Lough Bray
    View of Dublin Bay from Killiney HillPeat bogs and heatherLough Tay (aka Guinness Lake)Our lunch pubOur lunch companionUpper Glendalough LakeUpper Glendalough lakeClose-up of Irish green (ferns on top of lichen on top of moss...)Lower Glendalough lakeChurch ruins at the Glendalough monasteryMonastery structure and roundtower in backgroundView from the busDriver John handing out our local whiskey shots

    Wicklow Mountains & Glendalough Lakes

    June 1 in Ireland ⋅ ⛅ 55 °F

    Another day back on a day-tour bus—this time to the countryside south and east of Dublin. We started with a walk up Killiney Hill, a short drive from Dublin. We got a great view of Dublin and its coastline.

    We drove through heather-covered peat bogs (who knew they weren't just in the lowlands?) to get to Lough Tay, also called Guinness Lake, in the Wicklow Mountains. It's nicknamed Guinness Lake because the Guinness family originally owned a home there.

    After lunch in a traditional Irish pub (Guinness beef stew!), we carried on through windy mountain roads to what remains of a monastery at Glendalough. The structures that remained date from the 1100s.

    From there, we walked on part of the long-distance trail system called the Wicklow Way to the two lakes there -- upper and lower Glendalough.

    Throughout the day it was pretty windy, and occasionally rainy, but mostly it was as sunny as it probably gets in Ireland.

    Back onboard the bus at the end of the day we toasted to a great experience with a small taste of Glendalough whiskey.    Read more

  • Diane and DarrylIreland—Cycles & Stone CirclesDiane and Darryl
    Loch Eske from our e-bikes
    The 15th century Donegal Abbey is right behind our B&BDonegal CastleBanquet room of Donegal CastleDonegal Castle fireplaceSt. Patrick's Cathedral in Donegal TownA famine graveyardA famine pot (stones representing potatoes)Seen in a shop windowDonegal Bay from our B&B from doorSeamus leaving after dropping off our e-bikesScene from our bike rideLoch Eske

    Arriving in County Donegal

    Jun 2–3 in Ireland ⋅ 🌬 57 °F

    After a 4-hour cross-country bus trip from Dublin, we arrived in the town of Donegal. We took time to look around the center of town—all 3-4 blocks of the commercial/tourist district. The modest Donegal castle was open for tourists and the banquet room had been recently restored.

    Of note, a small exhibit described a connection between the Choctaw Nation in America and the Irish in the 1800s. Not long after the Choctaw endured the Trail of Tears, they heard about the plight of the Irish who were suffering from the Great Famine of 1845-47. Feeling an affinity for their suffering, the Choctaw took up a collection and raised $170, equal to tens of thousands today, which they sent to Ireland through a U.S. Famine Relief Organisation. In 1990, Choctaw leaders came to Ireland to take part in a re-enactment of a famine walk undertaken in 1847. In 1992, Irish leaders took part in a 500-mile trek from Oklahoma to Mississippi. A plaque on Dublin's Mansion House that honours the Choctaw contribution reads: "Their humanity calls us to remember the millions of human beings throughout our world today who die of hunger and hunger-related illness in a world of plenty."

    After a night in a B&B overlooking Donegal Bay, we met Seamus from Ireland By Bike and two fellow bikers on this self-guided trip around County Donegal. Fortunately, the overnight gale winds had diminished and there was a bit of sun (for a brief period). With e-bikes, the wind is a little less daunting, but we’re still getting rained on off-and-on. Today’s ride was a warmup 16-miler around Loch Eske on small country roads with little car traffic. We were stuck behind a tourist horse-and-buggy for a while!    Read more

  • Diane and DarrylIreland—Cycles & Stone CirclesDiane and Darryl
    1Quiet country roads
    Inver Bay on the North Atlantic OceanA brief splash of sunMcSwyne's Castle ruinsA view of Killybegs while waiting for laundryGuinness comes with foam art!2Some fish & chips!The despised government building at the marinaOur planned route--we cut off the trip down the point

    Cycling Donegal to Killybegs

    June 4 in Ireland ⋅ 🌬 52 °F

    Our first real cycling day was meant to be a 34-mile ride, but because of the weather (rain), we cut off about 8 miles so we could get into town to do some laundry. It's been a day of logistical challenges. First, the Garmin with our route wouldn't work, but we were able to use the written instructions and a previously-downloaded route on RideWithGPS. Next, Darryl discovered his phone plan wasn't working, and finally, the laundromat we'd planned on visiting was boarded up with no sign. Diane hiked nearly a mile to a self-serve laundry at a gas station.

    Despite the rain (even some hail!), it was a beautiful ride on very quiet country roads. Lots of sheep! Some cows. We hugged the small bays of the Atlantic coastline all day.

    We've arrived in Killybegs, a traditional fishing village. The residents and business owners are up-in-arms about a new government building under construction smack dab on the harborfront, blocking the view of the quaint (and active) marina from the visitors and residents. See our photo.    Read more

  • Diane and DarrylIreland—Cycles & Stone CirclesDiane and Darryl
    Slieve League cliffs
    View over Fintragh BayLots of foxgloves bloomingMuckross HeadIt's windy out here!Slieve League cliffsClimbing to the Giant's Table at Slieve LeagueSignal tower in the backgroundMural outside the Rusty MackerelCurly-horned sheepOur B&B

    A Rainless Day Along the Northwest Coast

    June 5 in Ireland ⋅ ☁️ 54 °F

    Yay, we didn’t get rained on today! We left Killybegs and soon were cycling along the coast of the North Atlantic.

    Today’s sights included views of a couple of signal towers, which were placed by the British to watch for invasion by Napoleon (it never happened); more sheep and beautiful green landscapes.

    Toward the end of our ride we came to an area called Slieve League (meaning “Mountain of the Flagstones” in Irish). It is among the highest sea cliffs in Europe.

    On the way back from the cliffs, we stopped for an early dinner at The Rusty Mackerel, which is also the name of a local dish.    Read more

  • Diane and DarrylIreland—Cycles & Stone CirclesDiane and Darryl
    Riding along the peat bogs out of CarrickHarvesting peatMalinmore Court Tomb, 3000 BCMalinmore Court TombColors identify the sheep ownerSilver Strand (beach)One 81 Napoleonic signal towersAnother signal towerFisherman's cottage at the Folk VillageRoof detail: peat layer under thatchingRe-creation of early Christian standing stoneStanding stone in GlencolumbcilleRhododendrons are in bloomToday's ride

    Archaeology around Carrick

    June 6 in Ireland ⋅ ☁️ 54 °F

    Today’s bike route was predominantly inland, but still included some coastal riding. After all, this one-week bike trip roughly follows the northernmost section of the “Wild Atlantic Way,” a 1,600 mile route along the entire Irish west coast.

    The day began by riding through the Glencolmcille valley, with recently harvested peat bogs. The farmers cut out clods of ‘turf’ and leave it lying on the ground to dry. We wondered how anything dries here, but saw that there were also crates in the fields containing turf chunks that were covered on top and ventilated on the sides.

    This valley is rich with archaeological sites, and our biking guidebook sent us to a few. The Cloghanmore court tomb in Malinmore (among Ireland's first permanent structures) dates to 3000 BC. All that is left is a ring of rocks and an entranceway. Another type of Stone Age structure is the portal tomb (also called dolmens). The 4000-year old Malinmore Dolmens were located in someone’s front yard! Several standing stones are also in the area. It is possible that some of the standing stones pre-date the arrival of Christianity, but were later inscribed with crosses and religious symbols. In many cases the stones mark burial sites or other places of significance.

    An optional coastal route diversion took us down to a lookout over a scenic beach cove—the Silver Strand (An Trá Ban).

    After leaving the coast again, we arrived in the village of Glencolmcille, and its folk village. Folk villages are living history sites where visitors can get a glimpse into the past. This village contained homes representing rural farming and fishing life in the area from the 1700s up to the mid-1900s (still pretty basic accommodations).    Read more

  • Diane and DarrylIreland—Cycles & Stone CirclesDiane and Darryl
    Looking down the Granny Valley
    Teelin BayOur quiet backroadsA court tombOn the way to Port villageYoung sheep--furry hornsOne of two memorials to those lost at seaThe North Atlantic Ocean from PortLooking up Granny ValleyAssaranca WaterfallWalking over the dunesMaghera Beach and cavesBird's-foot-trefoil, a grassland wildflower native to IrelandA farm on an island?Heather by the roadside

    Carrick to Glenties

    June 7 in Ireland ⋅ ⛅ 52 °F

    Today was our longest riding day—about 40 miles. But with the e-bike and several stops for photos, the ride passed fairly quickly. Fortunately, after a brief rain shower at the start, the rest of the day was dry. We even got a little sunburnt!

    As we stopped for a photo of the landscape, not far out of town, we noticed a court tomb right in front of us. Kind of fun to stumble on one ourselves, rather than being directed to it.

    We set off for the remote hamlet of Port, formerly one of Donegal’s centers for fishing. Port has a couple of memorials to fishermen and sailors whose lives were lost at sea. It was chilly and windy there on the northwest coast, so we didn’t stick around. Besides, we had the beautiful ride down through the Granny Valley to look forward to. It really was spectacular!

    At the bottom of the valley is the Assaranca waterfall (Eas a' Ranca). It was a popular stopping place for drivers and camper vans, but we took the opportunity to picnic on some Dubliner cheddar, oranges and oatcakes
    Also in the area is Maghera Beach and caves. The beach has fine white sand. To reach the beach, we followed a path through grass-covered sand dunes dotted with yellow flowers.

    The tide was low, the beach was very wide, and a couple of the caves in the cliffs were accessible. Don’t get caught at high tide! One legend tells of a man and dog who entered one of the caves. The two disappeared, but eventually the dog emerged weeks later in Glencolmcille having lost all of its hair. No trace was ever found of the man.    Read more

  • Diane and DarrylIreland—Cycles & Stone CirclesDiane and Darryl
    Nairn Beach at Portnoo
    Kilclooney DolmenSecond smaller dolmen nearbyKilclooney Dolmen accessed through a sheep farmE-bike kaput--waiting for a pickupRescued by The PopeHighest sand dune in EuropeGaelic & EnglishBeef and Yorkshire pudding

    Around Glenties—Abbreviated

    June 8 in Ireland ⋅ ☁️ 54 °F

    Darryl’s birthday had both pleasant and unexpected surprises. The beginning of our journey featured the Kilclooney Dolmen, considered one of the finest examples in Ireland. It has Ireland’s' second largest capstone at approximately 40 tons, and dates to between 4,000 to 3,000 BC. The monument is located on private sheep farmland, and we had to climb over stiles and ensure all gates were closed behind us.

    Portal tombs (dolmens) consist of a single short chamber covered by a capstone, which always slopes from front to back. The angle at which the capstone slopes is usually 22 degrees. Sometimes smaller stones would have been inserted between the standing and capstones in order to achieve the correct angle. The reason why this angle was used is unknown. Like the earlier court tombs, the portal tombs were used as burial chambers after cremation.

    That was the pleasant surprise. Unexpectedly, Darryl’s e-bike power controller shut down and was impossible to get started without attaching a cable we didn’t have to a power supply we obviously didn’t have. Fortunately, we had cell service, and although Seamus was hours away from us, he called a friend to pick us up. The friend was John Paul — “The Pope,” a local taxi and bus driver.

    So even though the bike ride was cut short by 10 miles, John Paul offered to drive us to the coastal sites we were missing—among them, the amazingly sculpted and wide Narin Beach at Portnoo.

    Across from the beach, Inishkeel Island lies just off the mainland. The Island is accessible on foot at low tide. John Paul said that some techies moved in from California and elsewhere during COVID, and brought internet to the otherwise very remote island.

    At Maas, we looked across to a bulb of land jutting into the sea, and John Paul pointed out the tallest sand dune in Europe.    Read more

  • Diane and DarrylIreland—Cycles & Stone CirclesDiane and Darryl
    Rock of Cashel, ancestral home of ancient Irish kings
    Our hotel, The Butler House (formerly the dower house)The garden of The Butler HouseStone blocks from Nelson's Pillar, blown up in Dublin by the IRACeltic cross in the Kilkenny museumRoof detail exposed in old Kilkenny churchKilkenny pedestrian laneTombstone of a monk--resting on a quilted pillowBrownshill Portal Tomb (Dolmen)Capstone weighs over 150 tonsRock of CashelRock of CashelVaulted ceiling of church at Rock of CashelRock of Cashel church and its roundtowerInside the chapel at Rock of CashelImagined original detail in chapel at Rock of Cashel

    Now Driving on the Left—More Archaeology

    Jun 9–10 in Ireland ⋅ ☁️ 61 °F

    We left County Donegal by a morning bus, along with the new friends we made on the bike trip. Julie and Elise, who live in central Pennsylvania, were going to Dublin before heading home; we needed to travel there to pick up a car for the remainder of our Ireland trip (no car rentals in Donegal).

    We've found it's a little more challenging driving on the left than it is biking on the left. Knowing that our small vehicle is positioned within the narrow lanes tests our abilities, but we're getting the hang of it!

    On our first day out we had one stop of interest, which was the Brownshill Portal Tomb. The granite capstone is believed to weigh over 150 tons, making it likely the largest of its kind in Europe.

    We arrived for the night in the town of Kilkenny, whose origins date back to the 6th century, but the church, its castle and much of the town structures are from medieval times.

    Our hotel (The Butler House) was the dower house for the Kilkenny Castle (where Lady Grantham would have lived if Downton Abbey was set in Ireland!). The hotel has beautiful gardens in the back and a good view of the castle.

    An anachronistic feature of the garden is a grouping of square stone blocks, carved with letters, surrounding the lily pond. The stones came from the base of Nelson's Pillar in Dublin, which was blown up in 1966 by the Irish Republican Army because of its symbolism of British power. No one seems to know why the remnants were brought to the Butler House garden in Kilkenny.

    In the morning, we visited the Kilkenny museum, which is on the site of the town's old church and graveyard. The museum houses many artifacts of the time, including letters, petitions, ceremonial swords, etc. We also learned that there is a Carnegie library in Kilkenny. One of the petitions complained about some women who sold "half-baked bread," but the descriptive plaque suggested it could have been that the bakers guild just didn't want the competition from women who were trying to support their families.

    From Kilkenny, we drove on toward Cork for our overnight, but first we stopped at the Rock of Cashel—a castle ruin and church high on a rocky hill. It was the traditional seat of the kings of Munster (early Irish rulers) as early as the 4th century. The chapel at the site was originally richly colored with precious pigments such as gold leaf, lapis lazuli (blue) from Afghanistan and vermillion (red) from Spain.    Read more

  • Diane and DarrylIreland—Cycles & Stone CirclesDiane and Darryl
    Drombeg Stone Circle
    The OPW lawn-mowing guys taking a breakThe presumed cooking site at DrombegGorteanish Stone Circle on Sheep's Head peninsulaView from Gorteanish Stone CircleWalking the Sheep's Head Way to get to the stone circleAnother Napoleonic era lookout towerView from “Fionn mac Cumhaill's Seat,”Windy walk at “Fionn mac Cumhaill's Seat"Village of Allihies and our lodgingsToday's drive around the peninsulas

    Driving the Southwestern Peninsulas

    June 11 in Ireland ⋅ 🌬 59 °F

    Heading southwest from Cork city, we set out to see more Neolithic sites in County Cork. The Drombeg Stone Circle is a circle of 17 standing stones, believed to have been built around 3,000 years ago. Like most of the stone circles, the pillars are aligned so that at winter solstice the sun sets at a point on the horizon aligned with the central axis of the circle. Also at this site are the remains of several huts—one with a prehistoric kitchen with an adjacent well. The cooking site contains a rectangular trough which is presumed to have been used for boiling water to cook meat. Experiments conducted during excavation in 1957 showed that 70 gallons of cold water could be brought to a boil in 18 minutes by rolling fire-heated stones into the water. The water remained sufficiently hot for almost 3 hours.

    We enjoyed talking with a couple of Office of Public Works (OPW) workers who were there to mow the grass. They were very knowledgeable about the site and appreciated the skill of the early occupants of this area.

    Moving on, we arrived at the Gorteanish Stone Circle, located along a long-distance walking route on Sheep's Head peninsula. This set of 11 stones was unknown until the 1990s, when it was discovered during clearance work for the trail. No local stories or folklore have been recorded about it, and it is unclear why it has apparently been overlooked until recent times. In the early 2020s, University College Cork archaeology experts excavated the site, then faithfully restored the stones to their original standing position.

    We continued circumnavigating the Sheep's Head peninsula, following the coastline of Bantry Bay, a large and calm inlet of the Atlantic. The road was very narrow and winding, but awesomely scenic. We stopped for a very gusty walk at “Fionn mac Cumhaill's Seat,” a high point along the route.

    We stopped for the night in the village of Allihies, on the Beara peninsula. There’s only one restaurant in town (but 3 places to drink, we gathered).    Read more

  • Diane and DarrylIreland—Cycles & Stone CirclesDiane and Darryl
    Driving along the Beara peninsula
    Village of EyeriesBallycrovane Ogham StoneArdgroom Stone CircleLots of crossing into fieldsArdgroom Stone CircleArdgroom Stone CircleGleninchaquin Park waterfallAt Gleninchaquin ParkFamine hut at Gleninchaquin ParkAt Gleninchaquin ParkGleninchaquin Park hikeSheep doing some back-scratching?Uragh Stone Circle, looking back at Gleninchaquin waterfallLandscape around Uragh circleUragh Stone CircleFamine hut

    More Stone Circles - the Beara Peninsula

    June 12 in Ireland ⋅ ☁️ 63 °F

    We really can’t get enough of these ancient stone features! But first, we wanted to see Eyeries, a town where the residents have all decided to paint their homes and businesses in cheery vibrant colors.

    Next up was the Ballycrovane Ogham Stone. At over 15 feet tall, it is the tallest known Ogham stone, carved in the 4th–6th century AD. Ogham is an ancient Irish alphabet and is the earliest written source for the Irish language. The carvings were barely visible to us.

    A little ways up the road was the Ardgroom Stone Circle, reached by walking through a farmer’s sheep and cow pasture. Stone circles are made up of an uneven number of free standing stones—varying from 5 to 17. The stone circle at Ardgroom once consisted of 11 stones. One stone is now missing and one has fallen.

    We had to skip the Cashelkeelty stone circle because there was just no place to put the car on the very narrow road. So we headed into Gleninchaquin Park for a nice hike among spectacular views of lakes, valleys and a massive waterfall. No rain, but very humid, and lots of annoying flies near the top.

    Not far from the park is the Uragh Stone Circle, made up of four low stones and a massive, 10-foot tall fifth stone. Set against a backdrop of mountains, lakes and the waterfall at Gleninchaquin Park, this circle was one of the highlights of our Neolithic explorations!    Read more

  • Diane and DarrylIreland—Cycles & Stone CirclesDiane and Darryl
    We're wearing shorts!
    A view of the bridge we were standing onMuckross Lake in Killarney National ParkBike and walking path in Killarney National ParkMuckross HouseDarryl found a native Irish orchidMuckross AbbeyA yew tree in the middle of Muckross Abbey

    A Car-free Day - Back on Bikes

    June 13 in Ireland ⋅ ☁️ 61 °F

    We’re now in County Kerry, not far from the very touristy Ring of Kerry drive. That route goes along the next peninsula up from Beara, but we’re skipping the tour coach madness. At least on our other two peninsulas, no vehicles larger than a panel van or small agricultural machinery could fit on the roads.

    Our 2-night lodging is in a former manor house on Muckross Lake, next to Killarney National Park. The hotel offers bikes to guests for free, and since it was actually a little sunny, we went for a ride around the lake and took in the surrounding sites of the Muckross House mansion, its grounds and an abbey.    Read more

  • Diane and DarrylIreland—Cycles & Stone CirclesDiane and Darryl
    Mullaghmore Hill
    Burren National ParkLimestone landscapeShells from ancient seabed in the BurrenWildflower meadowCracked by mountain-building pressure and eroded by rainLady’s bedstrawKidney vetchWild thymeBird's foot trefoilUnknown mushroom varietySpotted orchidPurple Spotted orchid

    Burren National Park

    June 14 in Ireland ⋅ ☁️ 63 °F

    Today was about a different kind of rocks--not standing stones, but limestone. The Burren, from the Irish ‘An Bhoireann’, means a rocky place. This lunar limestone pavement was formed 350 millions years ago as a tropical seabed when Ireland was below the equator. (Ireland is now at 53 degrees north of the equator.)

    But even with all of the rocky landscape, meadows have formed and this was nearly the perfect time for wildflowers. Today was mostly about looking for native orchids and other interesting wildflowers, so enjoy the floral show.    Read more

  • Diane and DarrylIreland—Cycles & Stone CirclesDiane and Darryl
    Aerial view of Caherconnell fort
    Poulnabrone DolmenAnother Napoleonic towerDunguaire castle ruinsPretty thatched hut near Dunguaire castle"Trad" session (traditional music)Galway swansGalway pubOur Galway music pub

    Archaeologic Explorations & Irish Music

    June 15 in Ireland ⋅ ☁️ 63 °F

    The main attraction today was a visit to the Caherconnell Stone Fort. It is owned by the Davoren family, who have farmed sheep and cattle at Caherconnell for five generations. They run a really good historical tour of the fort and offer sheepdog demonstrations. This is an active archaeologic site, and excavations indicate that the fort was occupied from around the early 10th century to the early 13th century.

    We were then taken to see a demonstration of how sheepdogs are used on the farm to this day. At one point, the farmer got a dog to separate one sheep at a time from the flock and drive it to the farmer. Each dog responds to a unique whistle tone/tune from the farmer, because there might be as many as ten dogs working at a time. It can take up to four years to train a dog (we wondered how long it takes to train the farmer to all of the whistle tones!).

    Just up the road from the farm, is the Poulnabrone Dolmen, another stone age burial site. Radiocarbon dating indicates that the tomb was probably used as a burial site between 3800 and 3200 BC. This was the first stone site we've visited that was roped off -- all of the others we've been able to walk close up to.

    After our day of discovery, we arrived in the university town of Galway -- a bustling tourist destination as well. We found a pub that had music starting before our bedtime, finally! It was crowded and we enjoyed the 'craic' (had a fun time) talking with a couple from Philadelphia while listening to traditional Irish music. Scottish bagpipes have been referred to as sounding like "a bag of cats," but the Irish version of bagpipes are softer, more like a "bag of kittens."    Read more

  • Diane and DarrylIreland—Cycles & Stone CirclesDiane and Darryl
    Kylemore castle (now an abbey)
    Connemara National ParkAcross the bogsUp to Lower Diamond HillWindy on top!Turnip sowerKylemore's Victorian gardenHead gardener's homeUndergardeners' home at back, tool shed in frontUndergardeners' kitchenIn the Kylemore castleHooded crow

    Connemara Natl Park & Kylemore Abbey

    June 16 in Ireland ⋅ 🌬 63 °F

    Today’s drive took us from bustling Galway through lake-filled valleys to Connemara National Park. A 2-mile trail takes you from sheep pastureland, across “blanket bogs” via a boardwalk, and up to the top of Lower Diamond Hill, with spectacular views (if you can stand up in the wind!). The hillsides are dotted with white quartz rocks, looking a bit like distant sheep.

    A short drive farther along the road is Kylemore Abbey, a Benedictine monastery in active use by nuns today. The property was originally built in the late 1800s as the Kylemore Castle and Gardens by the Mitchell Henry family. Many of the rooms and outbuildings are refurbished in period design, giving a sense of how the family and its workers lived. The ambitious Victorian walled garden the Henrys designed included hot water heated greenhouses for “exotic” (for Ireland) fruits like bananas, melons, grapes and figs. Outside the walls are quiet woodland trails, lined with rhododendrons (unfortunately past their blooming season). It was interesting (but not surprising) that the head gardener was held in high esteem and his home on the property reflected that. The five under-gardeners lived together in a much smaller “cabin,” which was still considered well-appointed for the time.

    Much of the garden fell into disrepair in the early 1920s, but the nuns have been getting grants and working to restore the property.    Read more

  • Diane and DarrylIreland—Cycles & Stone CirclesDiane and Darryl
    Aerial view of Rathcroghan Mound
    Rathcroghan MoundOweynagat cave, Ireland's Gate to HellOgham inscriptions within the caveA tight squeeze!Roadside sceneryOne last castle ruin (Maynooth)

    Farewell Ireland, One More Arch. Site

    June 17 in Ireland ⋅ ☁️ 59 °F

    Today was mostly a driving day, requiring about 4 hours to cross the country back to Dublin. But we enjoyed the scenery along the way, and found a great guided tour of another archaeological site. The Rathcroghan Mound has not been excavated, but rather studied using MRI-like methods and ground-penetrating radar techniques so as to leave the site intact. The site is presumed to be a gathering place and the inauguration site for the pagan kings of the region.

    We were also taken onto a farmer’s land to view a limestone cave opening, which is regarded as one of the chief entrances to the Irish Otherworld. The cave, known as Oweynagat, is also infamous in early Irish literature as Ireland's Gate to Hell. The festival of Samhain, traditionally held at Rathcroghan, is the night when malevolent spirits from the Otherworld ventured out of the cave to create a world ready for winter. In the Christian tradition this day is celebrated as Halloween, or All-Saint's eve.

    Early Medieval ancestors created a stone entry into the cave, which was roofed with large slabs. Two of these slabs bear ogham inscriptions (4th-8th century), one of which translates to “[the stone] of Fraoch, son of Medb.” It is presumed this refers to the legendary Connacht warrior Fraoch and to the great Warrior Queen Medb of Connacht.

    The tour guide wove in lots of old Irish lore from the Táin Bó Cúailnge (The Cattle Raid of Cooley) an epic from Irish mythology. This is the story of Cú Chulainn, the boy warrior who in single combat holds off Medb’s army.

    It was interesting that these legends were well-known to the other guests on the small tour (all Irish), but fairly new to us.

    Ireland is a beautiful, GREEN, country. Most of our travels took us through wild, rugged areas. Although it was often windy, the temperatures were warmer than we expected. A light shirt under a rain jacket was sufficient. After Donegal, the rain tended to come more overnight, and the daytime sprinkles/mist would come and go.

    Next up for us is Iceland, which we’ll share in a separate blog. Thanks for joining us!    Read more

    Trip end
    June 18, 2025
  • 2025© FindPenguins
  • Home
  • About us
  • Group Tracking
  • Press
  • Terms
  • Privacy Policy & Cookies
  • Help Center
  • Legal notice