"The Quiet Man", a fjord and bog lands

Flexibility can have great rewards! Mary, our hostess, recommended we drive out to see more of the countryside rather than spend time in the city. So, we decided to head into the country and just pop into Galway for a quick peak in the evening. Wow, are we glad we listened to Mary! 

First stop, Cong. This is where John Wayne filmed "The Quiet Man". The town also had an abbey and a fishing house used by the monks over the Cong River. The tranquility of the place is hard to put into words. 

The abbey was built in the 12th century, where a 7th century monastery had been. There are a few remanets of the cloisters still standing. The fishing house was built in the 15th or 16th century. Fish were a staple in the diet of the monks, so this little house made fishing in the cold a bit easier. They could use nets or the hole in the floor while they sat by a fire to keep warm!

Heading toward the Killary Fjord, we spotted some amazing critters! The black faced Connemara Mountain Ram. Just look at those horns!! On to the fjord...created by a massive glacier. We stopped in a cute little pub in the villag of Leeann at the fjord for a pint before heading on to do more exploring!

Our next stop was a "find". We noticed the bog fields were being cut for peat. This is essentially dead plant material that is cut into "logs" that are dried out and used for burning to heat homes in the winter. Rising heating costs are turning more people back to the use of peat to help cut their electric bills. The problem is peat is a very low oxygen, high carbon material. The bog is great for absording the carbon and only becomes a negative when used as fuel. It is an age-old tradition in rural areas. 

As our trip continued, we passed by beautiful countryside and lots and lots of sheep! We stopped to tour Aughananure Castle, which was built in the 16th century on Lough Corrib out from Galway. There is a 1000 year old yew tree on the property! 

We finished up our day with a drive through the City of Galway. While there is much to do and see in the city, we have enjoyed the countryside SO much more! Back to visit with our neighbors for the evening. 😊🐂Læs mere