Blogs from Connemara, County Galway, Ireland, Europe

We had read reviews describing Connemara National Park as being rugged - but we weren’t sure whether it was going to be distinctively rugged. Was it one of those places it’s worth going out of your way to see, or is it one of those places to see when you’re passing through? A google images search didn’t really answer our questions and the grainy backgrounds of the John Wayne movie ‘A Quiet Man’ gave us some hope, but it was filmed in the 1950‘s, so... will the area have changed much? We went ahead and booked a weekend there anyway and so when our flight lands at Knock Ireland West on an overcast Friday afternoon we’re filled with a lot of expectation, and a little apprehension. From arrivals we pick up the hire car and a ... read more

Okay, somehow i will try to make this quick.... First of all, I survived my first day of driving in Ireland...Yeah!!! Second of all, this place is so- charming and picturesque...I feel like royalty on vacation at a country cottage. It's a fairytale, and a relaxing night well deserved after white knuckling it all the way from Dublin. I could not have made it without a great co-pilot either. Warren is a great travel partner and compliments my high string when it comes to stressful situations like this. Without the GPS system and Warren telling me to stop veering off into the lefthand ditch...I'd probably still be trying to find my way past all the round abouts. I think there should definitely be a seperate lane for strictly tractors and tour buses....Ugh! Unfortunately, we did not ... read more

My friendship with a Connemara Pony “I must stay there for a couple of days when I’m in Ireland!” I promised myself after viewing those beautiful photos of Connemara. Where there is a will, there is a way. I was there some months later. Having taken a rental bike for the whole day going along the Connemara Loop under the typical Irish weather, sunshine and rain and sunshine and rain, I survived and was able to return to the hostel safely, even though I almost crashed into a crowd of sheep blocking the road. There near the hostel, I enjoyed an amazing sunset at Killary Fjord, the only fjord in Ireland, with ranges of mountains surrounding the crystal blue water. Those mountains inspired my plan for the next day. I decided to hike up to the ... read more

Saturday, July 4 -Galway, Connemara National Park. We have been so busy. I’m just catching up with our journal. Saturday morning we spent time relaxing around the breakfast table with our hosts, Liz and Joe. At 10:00, Liz led us into Salt Hill so that Dean could use the pool. It is a lovely facility with 3 pools, a gym, mini-golf, midway rides, etc. While he swam, Liz, Jackie, Jeff, and I strolled the “prom(enade)”-a walkway running the length of the strand at Galway Bay. When you reach the end, it is tradition to kick the rock wall. Next, we all went into Galway for market day- stalls selling produce, fish, cheeses, and crafts lined the streets near the old church. It was fun to wander around through the crowds. Before Liz left us for the ... read more

Wednesday, June 24 Connemara National Park Today’s activities were an easy choice, we were going to drive back towards the north and see Connemara National Park and Kylemore Abbey. The abbey was practically next door to Connemara so we were almost obliged to stop. As we drove over a bridge on the approach to the abbey I let out an ooooh and ahhhh at the beautiful image of the abbey set on the lake. Kylemore Abbey, Pretty (and) Expensive Kylemore Abbey had started out as rich person’s country estate before it was eventually purchased by nuns from Belgium who had fled the fighting of World War I. Today, the nuns run the abbey and have a school for girls when they aren’t overcharging tourists who come for a visit. By the time we arrived at Kylemore, ... read more

After our late night last nite, we all slept a little later than normal. After a quick run thru the shower, we were on our way for the day. We made a quick stop at the grocery to pick up some snacks for a picnic lunch. Our first stop of the day was the town Cong. We spent a good amount of time in the Cong Abby and on it’s grounds. We then ventured over to the TI for directions. The TI pointed us to the Quiet Man’s Cottage from the film the Quiet man (John Wayne). After a snap, we headed for the Ashford Castle. Ashford Castle is a high end hotel and golf course. It was only a 10 minute walk from the TI and we are glad we went. Although, we chickened out ... read more

Our home for our time in the Connemara is tended by a British couple, the Skeltons, who have been doing the B & B thing for many years, first in their native Portsmouth and now in Ireland. We really enjoyed interacting with the couple. While Dave is the front man and the one we interacted with most often, it is pretty obvious that Diane rules the roost. Although he is well into his sixties, Dave has not outgrown that decade and continues to wear his hair as long as it probably was when he went to Beatles concerts! Diane keeps an absolutely immaculate house and you could bounce a penny off those well-tucked bed sheets…and we should know. We began our day in the Connemara with a huge breakfast prepared by our hostess. Diane made us ... read more