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Ireland & USA 2016

May - June 2016
A 44-day adventure by Trotting the Globe Read more
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  • TravelerIreland & USA 2016
    Day 6

    Clontarf

    May 15, 2016 in Ireland ⋅ 🌙 9 °C

    Met our tour guide this afternoon and went into Dublin on the tour bus to Glasnevin cemetery. On the way we stopped at Merrion Square Park to see a fantastic statue of Oscar Wilde reclining on a huge rock. Also stopped at the park next to the National Cathedral & then on to the cemetery where Charles Parnell, Daniel O'Connell & Michael Collins (among others!) are buried. There are over 1.5 million people buried in Glasnevin Cemetery. The mound where Parnell is buried also has 11,000 people buried there. Michael Collins's grave was covered in fresh flowers and is one of the most visited. We only had a short time there but to do it justice you would need several hours.
    Returned to the hotel, drinks at 6.30 & then dinner at 7.
    First two shots of the Wilde sculpture and installation in Merrion Square Park, third is where he grew up at 1 Merrion Square. Next is the mound where Parnell is buried , Next is O'Connell's tomb and finally Michael Collins's grave covered with fresh flowers.    Read more

  • TravelerIreland & USA 2016
    1
    Day 7

    Ulster American Folk Park, Omagh

    May 16, 2016 in Northern Ireland ⋅ ☀️ 14 °C

    First day on the tour. The countryside reminded us of Tasmania, especially the road through the midlands. The main difference was all the hedgerows. Apparently there are no large fields here - all the land is divided into small fields. It's so green everywhere, dotted with beige coloured cows & sheep, some with black faces. Crossed the 'border' (you wouldn't know it was there!) into Northern Ireland and continued on before crossing back into Ireland and then eventually back into Northern Island again to the Folk Park outside Omagh. The Park brings the story of Irish emigration to life, starting with the thatched cottages of Ulster, to boarding a full-scale emigrant sailing ship and on to the log cabins of America. The first cottage was the single room cabin that housed a family with 12 children. It dated from the late 1700s with the windows and door being added in 1845. We worked our way around the park including the school house, meeting house and various other buildings until we reached the 'docks'. Ulster Street, a street of original shops, led to the dock, where we 'boarded' the ship to see the conditions people lived in on board. We left the ship and were in the American Street, a street typical of those the emigrants saw when they arrived in the new country. The last house we saw was a Pennsylvania Log House which is a replica because the original is still in the US and is actually occupied.
    First shot is one of the early cottages, second is a peat bog (peat is burned in the fireplaces in the parks buildings), Next two are looking down Ulster Street & one of the shops, next is on the docks and the last is the Pennsylvania Log House.    Read more

  • TravelerIreland & USA 2016
    Day 7

    Donegal

    May 16, 2016 in Ireland ⋅ ☀️ 11 °C

    Visited Donegal Castle in the centre of the town. The only part that has been restored is the tower. At one stage centuries ago the roof was removed to avoid paying the roof tax and it stayed that way for over three centuries. The stone fireplace in the tower survived in remarkable condition depite being open to the elements but anything made of wood was lost. Spent some time looking around the town and walked down to the bay, then on to our hotel for the next two nights. After dinner we walked back into town and went to The Reel Inn, well known locally for its nightly traditional Irish music. It was fun listening to the music (only one tune was familiar) but even more fun watching the characters in the crowd. Despite some of them being pretty much under the weather there was a sense of joy and cheerfulness about the room and everyone was just there to share a good time. It was still getting dark just after ten o'clock!
    The days are long here - light at 5 a.m. and still light well after 9.30 p.m. Once again we were blessed with beautiful weather and the sun was quite hot in the afternoon. The standard greeting everywhere in Donegal is "you're very welcome to......" wherever it is that you are, be it the hotel, the castle or a local shop. It's a very friendly town.
    Some shots of Donegal Castle and one of the bay.    Read more

  • TravelerIreland & USA 2016
    1
    1
    Day 8

    Donegal

    May 17, 2016 in Ireland ⋅ ☁️ 11 °C

    Our luck has run out and now we know just why it is sooo green here - started raining at breakfast! Heading along the Wild Atlantic Way today. Drove through the fishing port of Killybegs to Teelin where we had to change to a minibus to climb the road to the Slieve League Cliffs. Paddy, our guide, said the cliffs were there and they'd been looking for them all morning!! The fog was so thick you could barely see over the edge of the path, let alone see cliffs that are 1,972 feet high! The fog cleared very slowly and we could see the Atlantic waves but not the cliffs. Had scones and coffee in Teelin and then continued on through the countryside to Triona Design to see the 150 year old loom and a demonstration of weaving of Donegal tweed.
    On to Adara and we had some time to kill before dinner so had a look in some of the shops selling sweaters and tweeds.
    Met one of the great characters of the trip so far! We went into one shop and there was no one at all in there. Eventually a man came in but didn't bother with us and we continued to look at the sweaters. When he heard us speak he said "Australian" and something else we couldn't understand as he spoke so fast and with such a thick Irish accent. Then he said something and we heard "George Bailey" and it was clear he was talking cricket. I wasn't sure I heard correctly but I thought I heard an expletive - I did, and from then on every second or third word was an expletive. When I asked the size of a sweater on the wall he said "How would I ........ know? I can't ....... see from here". When he realised I don't like some sports he wanted to know what was wrong with me. He was hilarious and I couldn't stop laughing when we walked out.
    Had an early dinner at Nancy's in Ardara, a seventh generation owned restaurant. Had the best vegetable soup I've eaten in a very long time & beef and Guiness pie - all absolutely delicious. On the way out the owner asked if we would like a drink and gave us a nip of moonshine. It was actually quite delicious, with a slight caramel taste. Then back to the hotel for an Irish storyteller. A nice way to end our stay on Donegal.
    Some shots of the. Outcry side, buildings in Ardara and inside Nancy's.    Read more

  • TravelerIreland & USA 2016
    Day 9

    Belleek, County Fermanagh

    May 18, 2016 in Northern Ireland ⋅ ⛅ 10 °C

    Went for a walk before breakfast - beautiful crisp, clear morning.
    First stop Belleek Pottery Factory just across the border in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. The factory tour was fantastic and showed every step in the production process of a piece of Belleek Pottery. The workers take about four years to complete an apprenticeship and it's considered a job for life. The pieces are handled by 16 pairs of hands before completion. Belleek has a very high standard and any piece that is not perfect is destroyed - they don't have seconds. Some of the painting e.g. the shamrocks, are painted freehand and the flowers are all made by hand. The small Museum was interesting and had a mirror that took two craftsmen one year to complete. This was one of the best tours of its kind we have seen.
    The Belleek,factory entrance, some of the workers & the mirror that took one year to make.    Read more

  • TravelerIreland & USA 2016
    Day 9

    Sligo, County Sligo

    May 18, 2016 in Northern Ireland ⋅ ☀️ 9 °C

    Stopped at Drumcliffe Churchyard to see the grave of W B Yeats, Ireland's most famous poet. It's a very simple, unadorned grave, with a quote from one of his poems carved into the ground before you enter the churchyard.
    Then went on to Lissadell House, a large country estate now owned by two Dublin barristers. Its more austere than stately on the outside but very interesting inside. It was the home of the Gore-Booth family and one of their daughters, Constance Markievicz, became a key figure in the Easter Rising of 1916. One of the members of the family had worked, for many years, for Lord Mountbatten and last year Prince Charles came to pay his respects as this woman had been very good to him on the many occasions he had visited Mountbatten. It was the furst timee Charles had been to Sligo since Lord Mountbatten was murdered.
    First shot shows some of the thousands of dry stone walls wa saw. Second is the church where Yeats is buried, third his grave and the last three of Lissadell House & coach house. We weren't allowed to take photos inside.    Read more

  • TravelerIreland & USA 2016
    Day 9

    Galway

    May 18, 2016 in Ireland ⋅ 🌙 10 °C

    Arrived in Galway - very busy city with lots of traffic but it still has a bit of an old town feel to it, which they pride themselves on. Our hotel, which is directly opposite Eyre Square (where they used to hang people), is very old and the rooms are huge. Had a walking tour of Galway with Conor, a PhD student of archaeoastronomy. He was fascinating and explained how certain phrases, such as " won't give them the time of day" came about. Part of the medieval wall has been preserved in the shopping mall and we continued on to see the medieval town. An original church remains, as does a castle that is now a bank. The centre of the city is pedestrian only and it was jam packed with people, locals and tourists. Conor pointed out the best pubs with Irish music and another that sells 150 types of whiskey. One of the pubs was started by the man who beheaded King James. With the money he earned for the job he came back to Ireland and opened a pub and called it The Kings Head and it's still going! Some of the pubs have changed very little inside if at all over the centuries.Read more

  • TravelerIreland & USA 2016
    11
    Day 10

    Connemara

    May 19, 2016 in Ireland ⋅ ☀️ 11 °C

    Started to drizzle as we drove out of Galway on the way to Connemara.
    First stop the Celtic Crystal Centre in Moycullen County. The crystal was stunning and the demonstration awe-inspiring. The cutters have to have a Diploma in Art & another in Graphic Design before they can work there and they then have to train for another seven years to be able to work as a craftsman. The work of Donal, who demonstrated for us, was amazing - all done freehand and from memory, no patterns or templates are used in any of the work here. The company specialises in incorporating Celtic designs and symbols into their patterns and they are unique in the world in doing this. (The Waterford factory has closed and moved its operations to Eastern Europe.)
    Next stop Dan O Hara's Farm in Clifden. We went through some pretty bleak countryside to get there. The land is no good for farming and all that seems to grow there are gorse, some low shrubby bushes and sheep ( LOTS of them). We stopped in at the reception area and then went up the hill in a carriage pulled by a tractor to Dan O Hara's homestead. He was a tenant farmer who enlarged the window and door of his house but as this was illegal he was subsequently evicted and emigrated to America. We stopped at a peat bog on the way up the hill and saw how it is dug up by hand and then continued up to the homestead where peat (or turf as the Irish call it) was burning. This was VERY welcome as it had started to rain. What was even more welcome was the moonshine we were given - pretty potent stuff. It is still illegal to produce moonshine but it would seem that everyone ignores that fact!!
    After dinner we went to Murty Rabbits pub to listen to some music. Wasn't very crowded so it was very pleasant.
    First shot is the piece made by Donal that took 21 hours to make. Second is the reception area at Dan O'Hara's, third is digging the peat, fourth and fifth are O Hara's homestead. Last is of the musicians in Murty Rabbits pub.    Read more

  • TravelerIreland & USA 2016
    3
    Day 11

    Galway

    May 20, 2016 in Ireland ⋅ ☀️ 11 °C

    Raining again this morning but at least it isn't cold. It seems that the lovely weather we had when we first arrived is pretty unusual and rain is the norm. Dominic, our guide/driver is a veritable treasure trove of information and being in the bus is like having a mobile history lesson. Today it was the history of the origins of the IRA, up to Michael Collins's early years.
    The countryside looked very green despite the amount of rock everywhere. There were miles and miles of dry stone fences everywhere and it's easy to see why, because there would be no shortage of rock for walls or anything else.
    Travelled to the Cliffs of Moher and unlike the trip to Slieve League Cliffs there was no fog and we could see them clearly. A very imposing sight rising 700 feet from the sea. We walked up to O'Brien's Tower but it started to rain more heavily and spoiled our viewing. Watched a short IMAX-style movie showing a birds-eye view of the cliffs. Stone rain became heavier as we drove to Bunratty, where we stopped for lunch at Durty Nelly's Pub. Didn't have time to go into the castle and moved on to the Foynes Flying Boat Museum to see a replica Pan Am clipper and hear about air travel in the 1930's & 40's.
    The journey to the hotel in Killarney was through very lush land but very few stone fences in these parts. Nice hotel and beautiful dinner but weariness meant an early night. Dominic has a rest day tomorrow so we have a new guide/driver for the day. The European Union imposes strict rules on drivers and they must rest after 6 days driving. He is tracked every day, how many/how long breaks he has, the speed he drives etc etc. After 3 weeks this information is fed into a computer and if he is found to have broken any rules his job is at risk.
    First two shots show the stonewalls in the countryside, next two are of the Cliffs, next is Bunratty Castle and the last at the Flying Boat Museum.    Read more

  • TravelerIreland & USA 2016
    2
    Day 12

    Ring of Kerry, Killarney

    May 21, 2016 in Ireland ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C

    Went for a walk before breakfast - crisp but dry (for a short time)! By the time the group photo was taken after breakfast it was starting to drizzle and once on the coach the rain had started!! Batt (Bartholomew) our fill-in driver for the day, started the trip around the Ring of Kerry. This is one of the most picturesque routes in Ireland, starting in Killarney, around the Dingle Peninsula & ending in Killarney. This was a wonderful day full of beautiful scenery and some interesting sights, made all the more enjoyable by Batt's singing and jokes.
    First stop was a sheepdog demonstration. The shepherd explained the different breeds of sheep, the one with four horns was interesting! Couldn't believe it when we came across a woman who was guiding another group and, when she found out we were from Tasmania, asked if I knew someone she knew in Bream Creek, which I did. It's a very small world!
    Then we continued through some of the most beautiful countryside of the trip. The rain cleared and it made such a difference. We passed Macgillycuddy's Reeks, the highest mountains in Ireland and the rugged coastline. Next stop was the Skellig Experience on the tip of the peninsula. We watched a short film on Skellig Michael, an island about seven miles off the coast which had been inhabited by monks wanting to live in isolation over 2000 years ago. They built stone huts and 650 steps to the top, where they believed they could be closest to God. They did this with virtually no implements and the results are amazing. Some scenes from Star Wars VII were, and some of Star Wars VIII will also be, filmed here.
    Lunch at the Smuggler's Inn and then on to Moll's Gap with magnificent panoramic views of the valley, the Skellig Islands & hills. The man selling honey at Moll's Gap was also selling 'holy water' (poteen) for €5, which you had to ask for as it wasn't on display. Apparently everyone, including the Garda, know he sells it but no one bothers about it. There were a couple of other old timers up there, one playing the accordion and his dog would start howling when he stopped playing. The other one had a lamb, baby deer & fox, which were real drawcards.
    Stopped at Sneem for home made ice cream and then continued on to Killarney.
    Before we had dinner we took one of the jaunting cars ( horse-drawn carriage) through the Killarney National Park. It was so lovely and green everywhere.
    First shot is the four-horned sheep, second is Portmagee,the fishing village near the Skellig Experience, next shows the Skellig islands in the distance, next two are from Moll's Gap and the last is of the man holding the fox.    Read more

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