Travels With Wesley

We spent the early part of the morning walking around the town of Dingle. Some scenes from the walk.

The best ice cream ever!!!

St. Mary’s Church

Sean loaded us up in the Vagatron for a walk to a waterfall.  The girls look so happy, they had no idea what was to come.

It could have been a very nice, scenic walk, unfortunately Ireland was crying.  Nice scenery:

We got back to the Vagatron drenched. Javonne’s comment resonated, “The river runs through me.”

We spent another night at the Dingle Bay Hotel, and departed early this next morning.

A short post, more later.

Day eight of our journey started out with a stop at the Cliffs of Moher. http://www.cliffsofmoher.ie/

O’Briens tower: http://www.cliffsofmoher.ie/about-the-cliffs/obriens-tower/

And some more views:

We were on a bit of a tight schedule, as we had to get to Tralee to meet a train.  We crossed the River Shannon on the ferry on the way.  Rob and Kristinia wouldn’t be smiling soon.

We were about to lose them in Tralee.  A profound sadness was descending over the group.

Sean asked Gina to guard the Vagatron.

In Tralee, we said goodbye to Rob and Kristinia, as they left to catch a train to Dublin returning to Dallas.  No more butt-slapping as we got out of the Vagabonder.

http://www.tralee.ie/

http://indigo.ie/~tedcarr/abouttralee.html

We were joined in Tralee by Pub Patty and Za Za Javonne for the remainder of the trip.  A sad loss but a welcome addition.

Some sights of Tralee:

After leaving Tralee with our two new Vagabonders, we traveled to the Glanteenassig Wood nature park for a walk.  http://www.discoverireland.ie/Activities-Adventure/glanteenassig-wood/78255

It was another misty Irish day, making for a rather damp walk, but enjoyable nonetheless.

An enchanted forest.  We might have been in the Middle Earth.

Totally enchanted, we left the pretty park, and took a foggy ride over Connor Hill to Dingle for our over night stay, in fact our only two night stay of the trip.  View from Connor Hill.

Dingle is a delightful town, a good choice for our only two night stay.

Gina and I spent several pleasant evening hours at the O’Sullivans Courthouse Pub, talking with locals and listening to music.

We were spied upon by a couple of lurkers.

We ate a late, excellent meal at the Dingle Pub, then returned to the hotel, another full day.

Another day in Ireland, another adventure.  This time we were off to the Aran Islands, via water taxi from the port of Rossaveal.  Once again, we left without Kristinia and Rob.  I’m beginning to see a pattern here, boat ride, no Rob and Kristinia.  Hmm, have to think about that.  It was a misty day, not much chance for photography before getting to Inishmore, the large island.

As soon as we hit the port, we lost our intrepid traveler, Jeannie, who hopped on a bicycle for a solitary and slightly damp tour of the island.  Being more sensible(and older), we hopped on a mini bus and went off to the World Heritage Site of Dun Aonghasa, a stone fort with walls that were first erected ca. 1100 BC. The site is located on the south side of the island, on a cliff rising above the ocean.

Interestingly, there was no barrier or fence along the sheer cliff edge.

I actually saw one person lying down and hanging over the edge to get a photograph.  No comment.

Here is a motley looking crew.

Doug (recovered from vertigo from hanging over the edge), Kathy, Chris, John, Mother Mary Lou and Gina.  This was a typical Irish day, alternating between misting and sunshine.  Mostly misting while we were on Inishmore.

The little village of Cill Mhuirbhigh (Kilkmurvey Village) below Dun Aonghasa.

This stone structure was on the slope below Dun Aonghasa.  No description was offered, but Rick and I determined through exhaustive research that it was used by the rulers of Dun Aonghasa to house the prisoners captured in the many raids and battles in the area.

One of the ways one could get around Inishmore was by horse drawn carriage.  Here is a rather attractive one.

Na Seacht dTeampaill (Seven Churches) http://www.emmedici.com/journeys/aran/echiese.htm#seacht

http://www.visitaranislands.com/features-of-inis-mor-island-the-aran-islands/na-seacht-dteampaill-the-seven-churches-2806

After the mini-bus dropped up back at the port, Gina wanted to walk back up the road to check out a trailer she saw.

Gina had become addicted to a BBC production called Father Ted, a silly story about a priest who was exiled to a remote island because of continued idiocy, the series was filmed on Inishmore, and the trailer featured in the film.  Now ain’t that exciting?

Some other scenes.  A fine dwelling indeed:

The not so lucky Luck Star Bar:

I wonder where this used to lead?

A Protestant church on a very Catholic island:

We returned to the the mainland aboard the Happy Hooker, docking at Doolin.  http://www.doolinireland.net/

We spent the night in Liscannor at the Cliffs of Moher Hotel, which must not have made much of an impression as I don’t remember much of anything about it.  Or I was very tired, which is remotely possible I guess.  We did have a good meal at Vaughan’s Anchor.

With another irish breakfast under our belts and seaweed soft skin, we headed out for another day.  Our first stop was the only museum of our trip, the Museum of Country Life at Turlough Park in Co. Mayo. And what a museum.  Very well done, modern, with interactive displays and very interesting.

http://www.museumsofmayo.com/country-life-museum.htm

Gina and I had stopped to look at the exhibit of hurling balls, and struck up a conversation with the curator of the exhibit, a young Irish lass by  the name of Clodagh Doyle.  She told us she had been “living and breathing” hurling balls for 5 years.  One of the earliest balls found was made over 800 years ago, and preserved in a bog. http://www.museum.ie/en/exhibition/hair-hurling-balls.aspx

Another exhibit I found interesting was about Irish Travelers.  The origins of this ethnic group are unclear, but the group has been identified as far back as the 12th century.  They are often mistaken for gypsies, but are not related to the Romany Gypsies.  Many have immigrated to the United Stated over the centuries,  there are estimated to be as many as 10,000 living in the States.  I have a very distinct childhood memory, sort of like a faded old snapshot, of a Tinker, as they are sometimes called, in my very small hometown in Kentucky, his horse drawn wagon parked at the bottom of the hill downtown next to the railroad tracks, selling his wares.  (Contrary to what you might think, motor vehicles were prevalent at this time in Kentucky, the Traveler’s cart just happened to be horse-drawn.)

http://www.grtleeds.co.uk/Culture/irishTravellers.html

http://www.travellersrest.org/Travellers.htm

The Country Life Museum was a worthwhile stop, a beautiful setting as well.  And this couple certainly added to the setting:

And how was your day, son?

The Turlough Round Tower, visible from the museum grounds. http://www.roundtowers.org/turlough/

After leaving the museum, Gina and Mother Mary Lou shared a laugh.

After a fine lunch at Cronin’s Sheebeen,  we visited  Croagh Patrick, the holiest mountain in Ireland.  Here, at the statue of Saint Patrick, Jeannie adopts the appropriate pious stance:

The beauty and the beast at Croagh Patrick.

Several of the group wanted to pay homage by walking up to the top of the Shrine on our knees, but Sean, our intrepid guide, said we didn’t have enough time.  Some information on Croagh Patrick.  http://www.croagh-patrick.com/visitorcentre/holy-mountain

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/04509b.htm 

We then drove to the Doolough Valley, the path of the tragic hunger walk where, during the famine of the 1840s, up to 400 poor Irish died on a stormy night after walking from Louisburg to the Delphi Lodge to get an allotment of food.

http://www.ianohio.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=798:the-tragedy-at-doolough&catid=148:illuminations&Itemid=603

This is a lovely valley, and the Black Lake looks like a jewel in the valley.

But on a dark and dreary day, you can almost hear the souls of the lost Irish calling out from the depth of the lake and the unmarked burial spots along the road.

It was a terrible time for Ireland, made much more difficult by the uncaring British overlords who were exporting food from their estates while the Irish starved.  The small shrine below commemorating the tragedy.

This interesting plot next to the shrine provided some mystery until Kristinia and I decided that it was the burial spot for the favored hound of the Lord of the Delphi Lodge.

The weather had turned gloomy while we were at the Black Lake, but as we drove to the Connemara National Park, things brightened considerably.

Sean demonstrated his seesaw abilities to Kathy, for which she was quite grateful.  In the background, Doug with his BIGGER camera is racing to get a shot of this historic occurrence.

I think the Connemara region is one of my favorite spots in Ireland, just behind the Co. Antrim coast.

The picture below is that of a neolithic circle of stones Rick and I discovered.  After some study, we determined that the ancient Celts used the circle for religious purposes, including the sacrifice of Irish virgins to mollify the gods.

After this remarkable discovery, We all loaded up and headed out for a night at the Abbyglen Castle Hotel, outside the town of Clifton, Co. Galway.

Another full day and a great dinner at the Abbyglen, we retired for a much needed night sleep.  In case you hadn’t guessed by now, our days were very full and there was no problem sleeping.