Sweating on a livelihood

Elizabeth standing in Galway Bay

The Claddagh

 This morning we set out for Elizabeth to fulfil her obligation to her mother and get her feet wet in the waters of Galway Bay. A short walk from the hotel down Claddagh Quay (where the Claddagh Ring originated) alongside the Corrib River and out to a somewhat rocky beach where Elizabeth ditched the socks and boots and gingerly entered the water. The water was just a tad cold – her feet went numb almost immediately! Exiting the water and heading back to the hotel for breakfast we came across one of the locals (well he married a Claddagh girl and had been there 36 years so he is not a local yet) who was a fisherman and played rugby for Munster. He showed us ‘The Claddagh’ a traditional Claddagh Hooker which belonged to a mate of his and was used in a Guinness Christmas ad a number of years ago. We had a great chat and personal tour around some of the areas of the Corrib River including the salmon weir and the Cathedral.

Cemetery on Inis Mor

Cliffs at Dan Aonghasa Inis Mor

After the personal tour we boarded a ferry to the Aran Islands to Inis Mor. Inis Mor is the largest of the Aran Islands and the people of the islands must be some of the hardiest people in the world. To survive and indeed make a living on these rocky outcrops showed their determination and resilience. There is very little natural pasture on the islands, just lots and lots of limestone rock. To make the pasture for cattle and sheep the farmers would go down to the ocean and collect seaweed and sand and spread it over his patch of ground which would be designated by rock walls. Obviously a long term project which would take generations to build up anything resembling reasonable grazing land. Most of the families would obviously make their living through fishing which was also an extremely dangerous way to earn a quid. The designs on Aran Sweaters had their origins in individual family patterns and served the rather gruesome purpose of identifying fishermen washed up on the Galway coast.

Dun Aonghasa

On Inis Mor we headed around to the seven churches where St Brecan established a monastic community and also to Dun Aonghasa the World Heritage site which is a prehistoric fort called the ‘most magnificent barbaric monument in Europe’. The first construction of the fort dates to about 1100BC and while the view is truly spectacular you have to wonder what the fort was to protect – I don’t figure it was worth battling over a view in prehistoric times. The fort has three separate walls and also a ‘cheval  de fris’ which is a series of upright stones set up to prevent the cavalry charging up to the fort. Given the surrounding countryside was really hard work it seemed a bit of overkill but obviously it was important enough to labour for years and years along with just trying to survive. In some ways it matched other parts on the island where a rock wall was built around an area of solid rock. There was not a blade of grass and seemed completely worthless but it was ‘Paddy’s’ patch of rock and he didn’t want anyone else laying claim to it.

Tomorrow we leave Galway Bay and explore the Cliffs of Moher.

Love to all

S&E

The Love Story

Clew Bay from Croagh Patrick

Croagh Patrick covered in mist

 Today we headed to Croagh Patrick and ventured part of the way up the mountain. The top of the mountain was shrouded in mist so we did not get to see the cone shaped top of the mountain. It would have been good to spend more time at Croagh Patrick and actually climb the whole way but it was not possible with the tour. We’ll just have to put it on the list of places to return and complete – that is getting to be quite a long list now!! Even climbing part of the way up Croagh Patrick rewarded us with amazing views of the coast line and it was not hard to see why it was a pilgrimage place for St Patrick and so many people throughout history. The mountain is famous for being the place where St Patrick fasted for 40 days, and each year on the last Sunday in July, some 30000 people make the climb to the summit to celebrate Reek Sunday. The views over Clew Bay, even from only part way up were amazing. Also on the shores of the Bay was a stark memorial to victims of the Famine in the form of a Death Ship. It makes us realise the profound impact this period of Irish history had on the country.

Kylemore Abbey from across the lake

From Crough Patrick, it was off to Kylemore Abbey in County Connemara, another beautiful location. The Abbey is owned by the Benedictine nuns who arrived there after their abbey in Ypres in Belgium was destroyed in World War 1. The Abbey, formally Kylemore Castle was built in 1876 by an Englishman, Mitchell Henry, as a gift for his beloved wife Mary. They honeymooned in Connemara and loved the area so much that Mitchell used his inheritance to buy the land and build the Castle for the love of this life. It is easy to see why he chose there, we could easily have moved in! From what we read about him, Mitchell was genuinely a generous man who looked after the local people on his estate. Tragedy struck with Mary’s death from dysentery and he couldn’t bear to bury her, so a mausoleum was built and she was placed there, where his remains were later returned after his death.

Part of the walled garden at Kylemore
Abbey

The nuns purchased the Castle in 1920 and moved in, starting a school which continued right up until 2010. Students from Australia even came over to attend with the likes of Indian Princesses  The Benedictines are still running the show today, which is the most visited attraction in Western Ireland. Our tour guide Angela told us that Sr M Magdala is her happiest sitting at the till ringing up the money! The estate also includes a beautiful walled Victorian Garden some distance from the Abbey with parts of the original hothouses still visible. All in all, the visit was lovely.

The rest of the afternoon was spent travelling into Galway with spectacular views over the Loughs that feed into the Corrib River that flow eventually into Galway Bay.

Tomorrow we head to the Aran Islands to check out a prehistoric fort and island life.

Love to all

S&E 

Fe Fi Fo Fum

Elizabeth's black and white photo
of the Titanic gantry posts.
Actual gantry was three times higher.

During our time in Belfast we headed to the Titanic Belfast display which was amazing in the way it

Titanic Belfast

told the story of the design, construction, sinking and rediscovery of the ship. It is phenomenal even now to think of the scale of the construction of the Titanic and the fact that some 15 000 men worked on building it. The posts showing the gantries where the Titanic and Olympia were built are only a third of the height of the actual gantry at the Harland and Wolff shipworks so that gives some sense of the scale of the undertaking. The ride in the display through the contruction listening to the stories of the workers was extremely well done. The display outside showed the disproportionate number of third class passengers who perished when the Titanic sank. That was quite confronting until you then looked at the percentage of crew who lost their lives – it is true they literally went down with the ship.

We had quite a shock with the cost of items once we entered Northern Ireland and the money changed to pounds sterling rather than the Euro particularly when you consider exchange rates. The cost of fuel on the signs was virtually unchanged but rather than being 1 Euro 20 it became 1 pound 20. Admittedly it was at the Europa  but our two drinks at dinner cost 11 pound or about $23 – needless to say the drinks have been somewhat limited and I have to say that as well as being significantly cheaper I prefer Spanish beer.

Oil rig in for refurbishment
Harland & Wolff shipyards

Yesterday we headed up to the Northern Ireland coast and where the Irish Sea meets the Atlantic Ocean and the Giant’s Causeway. The Giant’s Causeway is one of the three World Heritage areas in Ireland and is an amazing geological formation. Finn McCool was the giant who started to make the causeway to go and fight the giant who lived in Scotland. As he headed over to Scotland he realised that the Scottish giant was much bigger than him and he became quite worried because he would lose the fight. As the Scottish giant then came to Ireland Finn McCool had his wife dress him in baby clothes, put a dummy in his mouth and leave him in a crib. According to legend, the Scottish giant realising if Finn McCool was only a baby then the giant must be huge so he retreated to Scotland. Finn McCool realised he had a lucky escape so pulled down the causeway leaving only the remnants we see now. Looking around the headland there are a number of things which Finn left behind – things like his pipe organ, Humphrey his camel, the chimneys of his house if you but use your imagination. This is such a great story and it was really good fun to walk around and look at the amazing scenery around.

Giant's Causeway

Columns in Giant's Causeway

Today we headed to St Patrick’s cathedral in Amagh which is the seat of the Catholic cardinal in Ireland. It was certainly a very different experience to St Patrick’s in Dublin as there were children preparing for confirmation and a mass about to start. While it was certainly a tourist experience it was also a place of worship and had a completely different feel. In legend, St Patrick established his first church in Amagh in 445 and so now Amagh is the location as the head of both the Catholic Church and Church of Ireland within Ireland. It also has two St Patrick’s Cathedrals – one Catholic and one Church of Ireland courtesy of King Henry VIII and his reformation. It is certainly quite interesting that this small city (the smallest city in Ireland with a population of 15 000) in Northern Ireland is the location of for the head of both Religions. Just shows the power of St Patrick in Ireland. The current Catholic cathedral was commenced in 1840 to replace their earlier cathedral which obviously had a conversion after Henry VIII. Typically the Catholics had their ‘revenge’ – the Catholic cathedral is on a higher hill than the earlier cathedral!!

St Patrick's Catholic Cathedral Amagh

Leaving Northern Ireland we headed back to the Republic of Ireland and the Marian shrine of Knock. A number of villagers in 1879 saw an apparition of Our Lady with St Joseph and St John the Evangelist and since then it has become a major pilgrimage site. Much of this is due to the local parish priest from the 1960s Monsignor Horan who was obviously an entrepreneur extraordinaire. He set about building a huge church to seat 10 000 people, getting an international airport constructed and then having Pope John Paul II visit in 1979 for the 100 year anniversary. At the papal visit, John Paul II conferred the title Basilica upon the church as it has relics from St Therese of Lisieux. Monsignor Horan was one influential character. We arrived in time for the anointing mass in the parish church which was just an amazing time of grace.

Tomorrow we head to Croagh Patrick and then to Galway.

Love to all
S&E

In Dublin's fair city ...

Cliffs of Slieve League

 The blog has been on hiatus for a few days as we concluded our self guided part of Ireland and then linked up with the tour in Dublin. Since the last post we have explored the wild north west around Donegal and then headed across the country.

'Turf' drying around Slieve League.
You can even buy a turf insense
burner to get that smell!

The wild Atlantic way of the north west coast proved spectacular and as equally wild as we expected. The views were breathtaking both from the jaw dropping beauty of the high cliffs of Slieve League and the bitterly cold wind coming straight off a bleak, grey Atlantic Ocean. Tough people and tough sheep obviously inhabit the Donegal region of Ireland. As we reached the the cliffs of Slieve League and poked our heads out of the car to investigate we came across some mad cyclists from Scotland who were on their fourth day of riding across the top of Ireland after leaving from Scotland. We did say that they would be used to the weather but they were wanting to go home because it was too cold for them! That made us feel a little better.

As we headed back to Donegal (Duneegawl) don't forget to stretch out the last syllable, we continued to see signs in support of the Donegal lads as well as green and gold banners everywhere. Radio was also talking up the important match against Tyrone so we figured it must be coming towards the business end of the season. We had also heard comments about semi-finals and then low and behold we found ourselves travelling through downtown Balleybofey with thousands pouring to the footy ground. Not a parking spot in sight in the whole town and people decked out in their colours and traipsing in the pouring rain to the ground. The sign of true dedication to support their team in an all-important final - but no we then found out that it was actually the first round of the season. Obviously take their Gaelic football seriously in Ireland - and the people of Donegal must have thought it was a very long winter waiting for the Gaelic football to start again. Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that Donegal lost the final of the All-Ireland last season beaten by the folks from County Kerry. Now wearing the Wallabies jersey during the time in Killarney and Donegal was a safe bet because both counties wear Green and Gold!

After again making sure we dried out by the fire in Bryan’s delightful little cottage, we headed to Dublin so that we could meet up with the Globus tour. Telstra again let us know that we ventured into Northern Ireland on the drive. Given that in years not too long past the border would be fiercely patrolled it was very uneventful – indeed if Telstra had not let us know we probably would have been unaware for some time. It eventually did become evident when the speed limit went to 30 in the town – the realisation did dawn that this was in mph rather than kmph.

Altar of St Patrick's - easy to see
the church is moving and not square.

St Patrick's stained glass window

Dublin saw us tour the Guinness Storehouse in the afternoon and sample a pint (well Stephen did). The tour was very well done although not as personal as the Jameson tour. The Guinness tour would obviously cater to much larger numbers so has to rely on technology. We figured that as Guinness apparently uses two thirds of the Irish Barley crop each year; the other third must go to Jamesons and the other whiskey distillers so bad luck if you need some for stock. By the way it is true – Guinness tastes better in Dublin (perhaps it is just the atmosphere?)

Joining the Legacy of St Patrick tour we headed to St Patrick’s Cathedral which was very different to the other cathedrals we have visited during our time. Not sure if it was the fact it was a Church of Ireland (Protestant) cathedral or just the way it was presented but it really felt more like a museum than a place of worship. All the statues of prominent people and the display of the flags of the Irish regiments didn’t seem to fit a church.

Door of reconciliation St Patrick's. 

Well stone from St Patrick's Dublin

Exploring Dublin we wandered around the streets (and saw Molly Malone’s statue) and took a boat trip down the Liffey avoiding showers, hail stones and thunder which is apparently extremely rare in Dublin (they don’t really get storms – our comment would be no wonder it would never get warm enough to generate any thunder and lightning), before we headed to the National Gallery and the Museum and managed to see the missing Caravaggio (The Taking of Christ) which had been sitting in the Jesuits dining room covered in grime before they loaned it permanently to the National Gallery. Can’t believe that the Jesuits did not realise it was there – unlike them to miss the importance and value of the painting! We also looked at the fascinating ancient gold jewellery that has been found in bogs in Ireland as well as some of the ‘bogmen’. Obviously the Romans did not know about the gold of the Irish kings otherwise they may have been more interested in invading the place. None of the bogmen in the displays died of old age so BC Ireland was not a place for the faint hearted.

St Patrick's grave in Downpatrick

We have now made our way to Northern Ireland for a couple of days staying in Belfast. Our accommodation is the Europa hotel which has the distinction of being the only hotel in Belfast which continued to operate right through ‘The Troubles’ and apparently then also has the record of being the most ‘bombed’ hotel in the world. We travelled to Belfast via Downpatrick and the St Patrick’s Interpretive centre which was excellent. Again on entry to Northern Ireland the only indication that you move from one country to another is that the road markings change from yellow to white – a far cry from the old border crossing on the road according to our guide. The armed soldiers, barbed wire, barricades and searches have all gone. A tour around Belfast to see the ‘peace lines’ (i.e. bloody big fences three times the height of the Berlin wall between neighbourhoods) and some of the street art really brought home some sense of the tragic history of ‘The Troubles’. Only the English and obviously the Irish have some part in it as well could call the 30 years of terrorism, attacks and brutal law enforcement by the euphemistic title of ‘The Troubles’. It is all the more poignant as Prince Charles is currently in the west of Ireland visiting Galway and Mullaghmore where Lord Mountbatten was killed by a member of the IRA some 35 years ago. While the majority of the country has embraced the trip – police arrested 2 republican activists last week with explosive materials. Old wounds ......

Love to all
S&E

Walking = wet

Bridge on the Gap of Dunloe -
before the rain set in

Newborn lamb - still with cord on
the wrong side of the fence! I'm sure
mum just wanted a break and she
did go back!

 Another Irish town, another lovely little Irish cottage and another fireplace to sit before and write the blog. We have arrived in Donegal after our time in Killarney which was lovely although very wet.  Yesterday we headed off to explore the Killarney National Park and walk between MacGillycuddy’s Reeks in the west and Purple Mountain in the east through the Gap of Dunloe. Obviously once we decide to start walking it is a signal for the heavens to open as after we started we go absolutely drenched. The weather forecast was for mainly fine but that obviously did not apply to the Killarney National Park. We caught the shuttle bus out to Kate Kearney’s Cottage and commenced our walk in dry but windy conditions. Into a stiff headwind it was a bit difficult as we climbed some of the hills and then the driving rain started to make it an even more ‘enjoyable’ experience. To tell the truth we can at least claim to have some appreciation of the ‘true Ireland’ after the last few days have been fine and sunny. Our hosts in Killarney Riona and Paddy said it served us right for saying to them that the weather in Ireland had been very pleasant!! After we finished our trek we dried out a little at Brandon’s Cottage and then caught the boat back to Ross Castle on a cruise through the three lakes. It was truly spectacular countryside although very different to the lush green countryside of other parts of Ireland. Our boat driver was an absolute blast who managed to get us back through the lake system without getting wet – he was most worried that the rain was coming down over the mountains. Apparently he is an Irishman who hates the rain – we figure he would be miserable most of the time.

Creek beneath Torc waterfall -
with amazing moss covered trees
and rocks. Anyone would think it
was wet a lot of the time!

After having a quick look around Ross we caught a Jaunting Car back to Killarney and then back to ‘The Shed’ to sit in front of the blazing fire. There are so many of the beautiful horses in Killarney and it was such a fun way to go back to town – just to go slowly along the road at the pace of a trotting horse. It did make you think however of how long it would have taken to get around when that was the only means of transport. Imagine going across Australia at that pace!

In front of our 'Jaunting Car'

As we travelled up the west coast of Ireland the countryside changed and actually looked a little drier – hopefully we won’t get as wet tomorrow. While the grass was still green it was not quite the same Emerald green that we have been used to. As well as not being as green there were even more rock walls and even smaller paddocks. Driving today we passed a number of groups of cyclists – with a cycling challenge and I must say I felt for them – the temperature didn’t get into double figures and they were struggling with what the weatherman described as ‘a stiff breeze’ (it certainly took our breath away whenever we were out to look around).

You know you’re in Ireland:

1. When all the ‘shout outs’ on the Radio are to children making their first communion and confirmation
2. Every town has a memorial to some battle or uprising against the English
3. You can find an Irish pub which is genuine – you can have a morning coffee with two blokes at the bar having a Guinness
4. People can say ‘Jesus’ or ‘Jesus, Mary and Joseph’ in the conversation and it sounds normal
5. ‘Fook’ doesn’t sound like a swear word

Donegal is back on the Wild Atlantic Way and so tomorrow we will check out more rugged coast lines.

Love to all.

S&E

We are Mizen you but having a great time

View from bridge at Mizen Head

 The Wild Atlantic Way was calling today and so we started in Kinsale even though that apparently is meant to be the end. It is probably quite appropriate for our time in Ireland that we do it in reverse.  After some of the spectacular coast line we then joined the Ring of Kerry for equally spectacular scenery through the Killarney National Park before reaching our little cottage just outside Killarney for the night.

Bridge out to signal station

Seals at Mizen Head

Mizen Head is the most South-Westerly point in Ireland (love how they are so specific – maybe it is like every child wins a prize – another place can claim to be the most South-Easterly, South-South-Easterly etc) and a very spectacular point also. The day started off cold and wet after quite a bit of rain overnight (they must have thought they were almost in drought – it had been 3 days with no rain) but by the time we got to Mizen Head it had thankfully cleared. The wind also dropped during the night so all up today was very good on the coast. It was clear to see it could be an extremely wild, rugged and inhospitable place if the weather was not good. A signal station and light are installed on the head but due to the height of the cliff there is no lighthouse as such. Some time was spent walking around the headland where we managed to see some seals seemingly sheltering in one of the inlets. Apparently some basking whales are also spotted from time to time but we missed them today. Mizen Head has a bridge over one of the inlets out to the Signal Station which Stephen managed to negotiate with a minimum of fuss – may have been a different story if Elizabeth’s suggestion that a glass base of the bridge was embraced. The Fastnet lighthouse was visible in the middle of the ocean and it is apparently officially the most southerly part of Ireland. Little wonder that it is such a danger to shipping, sticking up in the midst of the open ocean.

Bantry Bay

Upon leaving Mizen Head and heading to Bantry Bay a clear change occurred in the landscape. The bright green fields of grass gave way to more windswept rocky outcrops and cattle gave way to sheep in the paddocks. As we wound our way to Killarney National Park the scenery while very different was no less spectacular.

Another lovely cottage awaited us outside of Killarney where we made use of the fireplace, ensuring we are warm tonight before we go hiking tomorrow in the National Park.

Ladies View of the lakes -
Killarney National Park

Love to all

S&E

Just a little kiss

Witches kitchen at Blarney Castle -
with the tree growing amongst
the rocks.

Beautiful green landscape of
Blarney Castle

 If you notice any difference with the blog today I can assure you that it is purely co-incidental although those with strong Irish ties and a belief in the myth and legends of the Emerald Isle would hold that the Blarney Stone has taken hold. Blarney castle and the associated gardens were quite spectacular and held a certain mystical charm and of course we did venture to the top of the castle to engage in the long standing tradition of kissing the Blarney Stone. Tradition holds that it increases ones eloquence and many famous orators, performers and public figures have embraced its charm in the hope that it would imbue them with the eloquence of angels. While that may be the history associated with this particular piece of stone, I can’t see that in this carries any specific weight in today’s modern world.

Western Red Cedar -
aka Whomping Willow

We did congratulate one of the gardeners as the grounds were just simply magnificent. Indeed in wandering through the grounds containing the poison garden with Wolfblane, Hemlock and assorted other exotic plants; an amazing western red cedar tree which grew in all sorts of directions; and the rock garden with the witches kitchen, druids cave and other magically created areas we thought that J K Rowling must have visited a number of times to gain inspiration for Harry Potter. The Western Red Cedar bore a remarkable resemblance to what I imagine would be the way the Whomping Willow would wield its branches.

Old Head Kinsale with Golf Course -
no getting those wayward drives back!

Being filled with Irish spirit we decided to imbibe some more with a visit to the Jameson Distillery in Midleton.  Coming from our very own distillery town and with a preference for the Bundaberg Spirit we were interested in what these people from the northern hemisphere could offer. It turns out that it was quite an education, now having some glimmer of an understanding of the ‘pot still’, ‘malt’ and the rivalry there is between the Irish and the Scots in terms of whiskey making. Having been indoctrinated with the Irish version of events it will remain to be seen where we stand later in the trip after visiting Scotland. We of course felt duty bound as guests of Jameson’s to sample their wares. Whether straight, with ginger and lime, in fudge or chocolate it is a most pleasing product.

We ventured down to the Old Head of Kinsale to yet another part of the rugged Irish Atlantic coast and what must be one of the most spectacular golf courses in the world. The big gates keeping those uninvited out of the course unfortunately proved a deterrent but we purveyed the accessible parts of the headland. Fortunately the wind funnelling up over the cliffs and through the narrow valley was in an onshore direction as it kept us firmly planted on the land and not sailing off over the cliff. We even managed to spy a penguin colony on the rocks although you have to accept our word for it because in the photo all you can see are little dots floating in the water. We were in need of Meahgan’s ‘stalker lens’ to prove the fact.

Entrance to Golf Course

The black dots are penguins - trust us

Tomorrow we continue to explore the Atlantic coast as we make our way to Killarney and the Ring of Kerry.

Looking back over this post perhaps there is something to that Blarney Stone, or maybe it has more to do with imbibing the Jameson spirit both as a drink and in the chocolate and fudge! 

Love to all

S&E