O Ro the Rattlin' Bog

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Hello everyone!! Sorry it has taken me so long to update, but I had a lot to write and I've been keeping busy around England. However, now I have to write about my favorite trip so far...Ireland! I was absolutely amazed at how serene, peaceful and natural everything in Ireland was, completely different than England or the US. We drove for miles and miles and saw nothing but hills, rivers, and sheep. I do not think the pictures I will put on here even do it justice, it is really something that should be experienced for itself, but hopefully I will let you experience it the best that I can through my writing and photos!

On Thursday morning, Erin and I departed for our journey to Ireland. The rest of our Royal Holloway friends had gone on Wednesday, but we wanted an extra day at school to get some work done since it was reading week and we didn't have classes. We walked to Egham station, took a train to London Waterloo (at rush hour!), took several tubes to Liverpool Street Station, took the Stanstead Express on a 45 minute train ride to Stanstead Airport, went through airport security, got on a plane and flew to Shannon, Ireland and finally took Bus Eirrian to Galway, where we were staying. Phew! It was certainly a lot of traveling for one day and such a short distance! Once we got to Galway, we checked into our hostel and went to get something to eat and explore the city.

Galway is on the west coast of Ireland, a city of just over 70,000 people and Ireland's fastest growing city. Also, Galway is considered the Cultural Capital of Ireland. There is a lot of history, scenery, nightlife and culture all in one! In the summer they are famous for several festivals they hold. The center of town is Eyre Square and our hostel was right down the road from that, so it was a good location. It was nice being in Galway because it wasn't a huge industrial city, but it also wasn't the middle of nowhere, yet there was still a lot of beautiful scenery and culture.

Erin was the perfect traveling companion in Ireland, since that's where her roots are (Erin Kelley O'Hare, you can't get any more Irish than that!) so she was very excited about going to her 'homeland'! Erin and I traveled and stayed together, but our other Royal Holloway friends also went to Galway that weekend. They stayed a few days longer and stayed in their own hostel, but we were still able to meet up with them, which is what we did when we got there Thursday. After getting something to eat at the Kings Head Pub, we went to find the rest of the group at their hostel. They hadn't eaten yet so we went out to eat with them, and then went to a pub to experience an important part of the Irish culture! We weren't out too late though (considering we had been up since the crack of dawn and had an exhausting day!) and we had to get up early in the morning to explore Ireland some more.

A few nights before we left, Erin and I booked tours we found online. We didn't know what to expect, but they were associated with Hostel World and other student groups so we figured they would be decent tours. Well we certainly didn't know what we were getting ourselves into over the next few days!! So on Friday we had our first tour booked through Galway City Tour Company to the Cliffs of Moher and the Burren. As soon as we get onto the bus, we saw two stuffed leprechauns sitting in the front seat...always a good sign! The tour was mostly young college students so it was definitely catered to our crowd. Desmond, our bus driver and tour guide, was 70 plus years old, and certainly full of life...he made the tour for us! The first thing he told us when we got onto the bus was "I had a lot of oysters last night, and there's a lot of pretty ladies on this coach, so I might be chasing you. We're gonna be stuck up on the cliffs 200 meters above the Atlantic Ocean...You're gonna have to decide which is worse...getting a kiss from Desmond or running off the cliffs 200 meters into the Atlantic Ocean...there's no where else to go". At this point, we thought Desmond was a little crazy/amusing but didn't think too much of it.

Our first stop was to Dunguaire Castle built in the 16th Century on Galway Bay. The castle is open inside to tourists in the summer, so we could only see it from the outside. Unfortunately the tide was out so we didn't get to see it surrounded by water, but it was still beautiful. It would be too dark by the time we returned to Galway to see it surrounded by water, as Desmond told us 3 times (He tended to repeat himself over and over again in the same sentence...I don't know if it was old age or just an annoying tour guide habit, but I could only take so much). As we were getting off the bus to see the Castle, Desmond told us he would be looking for our Claddagh rings. Claddagh rings are the typical Irish ring you always see with two hands, a heart and a crown , symbolizing friendship, love and loyalty. In Ireland it is often worn as a wedding ring, but many people wear it just because of the nice symbolism. The ring originated in the Claddagh region of Ireland, just over the bridge from Galway, but we didn't get a chance to get there! If I were to get one, I would want it to be from Ireland so it was "authentic" but we didn't have time to buy one (but I did buy a claddagh necklace at the airport). There is also more symbolism involved with claddagh. If your ring is on your finger with the heart facing outwards, it means you are single and your heart is open to love. If it is facing inwards, however, it means your heart is taken. Therefore, Desmond wanted to investigate to see which of us were single. As soon as Erin got off the bus, he grabbed her hands to take a look. She didn't have one yet, but he was very curious which way it would be facing. Little did we know this was only the beginning of our adventures with Desmond.

Our next stop was for a "coffee and wee wee stop", as Desmond called it. We were up in the Burren, in the middle of nowhere, so chances for a stop aren't often I suppose. Unfortunately, the restaurant Desmond usually stops at was closed for a fashion show (don't ask me what kind of high end fashion they're promoting up in the Burren) but he was very upset no one informed him about the closure. So we moved onward with our adventure to see a cute farm and Irish nature. The tour was nice because instead of riding around in a bus all day, we often got off to take pictures, even if only for a few minutes. The natural beauty of it all was just so amazing - not like the US at all. For miles and miles you would just see greenery and sheep! Next we went to see some true Burren landscape. The Burren is a region of Ireland surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean and Galway bay famous for its rocky limestone landscape. According to Desmond the rocks are 15,000 years old and formed by the ice age (and he is the self proclaimed King of the Burren, so he would know). The area is also famous for many tombs, such as the Dolmen which has been there since 4000 BC.

Next we stopped at another ancient castle, O’Brien Castle in the Burren dating back to 1500 BC. This time Desmond told us (3 times) that it is now privately owned and there is an electric fence around it so you can only take pictures from a distance. Well, a crazy tourist on our trip (from Russia, I think, who previously got lost at the first castle and Desmond had to chase him down) decided to hop the fence to get a picture inside the castle. On the way back he knocked over a few rocks lining the fence. Oy...Desmond would not have been a happy camper if he knew about this!! Moving on, we went to Kilfenora to see the High Crosses. The idea of the crosses dates back to the 7th Century and is also known as the Celtic Cross. The cross combines a typical Christian cross with a circle. The story is that when St. Patrick came to Ireland, he combined the traditional Christian symbol with the symbol of the Pagans, to make them conform to the cross (though this may be a myth). The idea of a circle is very important in Ireland. A symbol represents eternity, and our tour guides also pointed out that everything in life comes full circle, hence why the circle is such an important symbol. Kilfenora is home to some of the original high crosses dating back to the 12 century. Recently they were restored and moved inside because the weather was eroding them, however one remains outside. There is also a graveyard at the Cathedral with many high cross memorials.

Although we were all enjoying our time in Kilfenora, Desmond was sure to hurry us along because "the quicker you finish sightseeing, the quicker we get to eat lunch...we want to make sure we beat that other coach there". So we quickly took our pictures and got back onto the bus so we could move on to Doolin to eat lunch. Doolin is another small, cultural town on the coast and the perfect place to get some seafood chowder and brown bread for lunch...traditional AND delicious! Along the way, as we were speeding through the mountains to make sure we beat the other tour, Desmond told us a story about the Matchmaker. In the town of Lisdoonvarna, it was traditional for parents to try to marry off their children as soon as possible, so at birth, the matchmaker would assign a life partner for a boy and a girl. Today there is still a Matchmaker festival every September, where those in need of finding a match can go. Maybe I'll go back in a few years....

After lunch, we moved on to the highlight of our trip: The Cliffs of Moher. The cliffs rise nearly 400 feet over the Atlantic Ocean and offer a spectacular view. For me, this was the most exciting part. I've spent my whole life looking at the Atlantic Ocean from the Jersey shore, and now I am seeing it from the other side! It was amazing to see the natural beauty of it all. We walked along the cliffs, right next to cows grazing in a pasture. Desmond warned us that just a few days ago there was a fatality when a boy standing too close to the edge blew over. I'm actually surprised this doesn't happen more often, considering how windy it is up there! There is a specific part set aside for tourists which offers a sheltered and controlled view of the cliffs. For the more adventurous types however, you can journey past the sign that says "Do not go beyond this point" to get a more beautiful view. I am definitely glad we did, because it was so amazing to see the cliffs, ocean and greenery. Once again, the crazy tourist on our trip decided to lay down right on the edge of the cliffs, 400 feet above the Atlantic Ocean...Desmond would not be pleased again! I don't even think the pictures can do it justice. To walk along the cliffs and see the ocean and feel the wind blowing was something you have to experience in person!

After nearly getting blown away off the Cliffs into the Atlantic, we boarded the coach for our final stop of the day - the Atlantic Coast. The coast is rocky (and once again Desmond told us fatality stories) but so beautiful! According to Desmond, we were facing Southwest this time, towards New York and Boston. It would have been a beautiful place to watch the sunset, but it was an overcast day. On the way home, we got stuck behind some cows in the road - an Irish version of a traffic jam! Then I tried to sleep because by this point, I had had enough of Desmond and his repetition of facts. By the time we got back to Galway, I was glad to bid him farewell because my ears needed a rest. I thought that would be the end of Desmond...little did we know what Saturday was to hold!! When we returned to Galway, Erin and I went to grab some dinner, and then met up with our friends. We did some pub hopping to complete our evening and told our friends about our fantastic tour and how ridiculous Desmond was and they said they were doing a Galway City Tour tomorrow, so we knew they'd like it.

Saturday morning, Erin and I made our way to a bus stop for Healy Tours, which we had booked before leaving for Ireland, to do a tour of Connemara. We took about 3 buses to get to where the bus left from (and it ends up it was right around the corner from our hostel...Ireland's disorganization at it's finest!). When we got there, we saw the Galway City Tours and our friend Desmond from yesterday. Since our friends were taking that tour today, we went over to say hello and to say HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Sarah, since she was celebrating the big 2-0 in Ireland! When we went to their bus, Desmond remembered us from the day before so we made sure to tell him how much we enjoyed his tour yesterday (half sarcastically!). He asked if we were coming on his tour today, but unfortunately we had already booked with another company and paid a deposit. However, out of the goodness of his heart, Desmond told us we could join his tour that day since our friends were on it. At first I wasn't too sure, since I didn't know if I could handle another day with Desmond, but he was so convincing, and I did want to spend some time with my friends, so we decided to do it! Therefore, we got two tours for the price of one plus only a few dollars deposit to Healy Tours!

So once again we had to switch on and off of buses several times (at least the Irish acknowledge that they're completely disorganized!). Of course, as soon as we got on the bus, I had to announce to the tour guide that it was Sarah's birthday! She claims she didn't want anyone to know, but I know that deep down she enjoyed it 😉. Desmond came on the bus and did an Irish jig for Sarah as well as gave the birthday girl a kiss. Luckily, we got to experience a new tour guide today - Declan, the owner of Galway tours. He also enjoyed the fact that it was Sarah's birthday and kept picking on the birthday girl throughout the tour! Declan was an excellent story teller and tour guide, and we really learned a lot from him (unlike Desmond's repetitive babbling!)

Our first stop was to Cong, a small town located in a valley between two lakes and home to the filming of "The Quiet Man" with John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara, their claim to fame. We saw the remains of the Cong Abbey, which dates back to the 12th Century and was once home to 3000 monks. From the Abbey, we were able to wander down a beautiful nature trail - luckily we had the perfect weather to do so! The trail led us to Ashford Castle, once owned by the Guinness family, and now converted into a luxury hotel. Unfortunately the hotel charges to wander on its property, so we could only observe from a distance. We walked back through the nature trail and walked around Cong a bit more before getting back on the coach and heading to our next destination.

A lot of our tour on Saturday was just driving around and seeing the countryside. Luckily our tour guide Declan was an excellent story teller and he kept us entertained with stories about fairies and other fun things. Next came my favorite part of the trip. As we were driving through Connemara, we passed a bog in a valley, so Declan taught us a song! It went like this...

O-ro the rattlin' bog, the bog down in the valley-o
O-ro the rattlin' bog, the bog down in the valley-o

And in that bog there was a tree, a rare tree, a rattlin' tree
With the tree in the bog
And the bog down in the valley-o.

Now on that tree there was a limb, a rare limb, a rattlin' limb
With the limb on the tree and the tree in the bog
And the bog down in the valley-o.

Now on that limb there was a branch, a rare branch, a rattlin' branch
With the branch on the limb and the limb on the tree and the tree in the bog
And the bog down in the valley-o.

(Repeat, adding a line each time)
Now on that branch there was a twig, a rare twig, a rattlin' twig.....

Now on that twig there was a nest, a rare nest, a rattlin' nest.....

Now in that nest there was an egg , a rare egg, a rattlin' egg.....

Now in that egg there was a bird, a rare bird, a rattlin' bird.....

Now on that bird there was a feather, a rare feather, a rattlin' feather .....

Now on that feather there was a flea, a rare flea, a rattlin' flea .....
and the flea on the feather
and the feather on the bird
and the bird in the egg
and the egg in the nest
and the nest on the twig
and the twig on the branch
and the branch on the limb
and the limb on the tree
and the tree in the bog
and the bog down in the valley-O!!!


It was so much fun singing as we drove along, and the song was reminiscent of a childhood song I remember about "A tree in the hole and the hole in the ground and the green grass grows all around all around!"

So we continued driving and stopped for a lot of photo ops as well as heard a lot of jokes and fun stories! Our next stop was to Kylemore Abbey. Kylemore Castle was originally built in the 1800s by a wealthy English politician as a private home for his wife and children. In 1920 it became an Abbey for Benedictine nuns fleeing World War I, and it is still used as a school and home for nuns today. Walking around you do not see the nuns, because they are praying for peace, which is the primary purpose of the Benedictine nuns. There was such a sense of serenity walking around the grounds of the Abbey and we all felt so calm. It was amazing walking along the lake and seeing the mountains right next to us and feeling completely at peace with nature.

Our next and final destination of the day was the Quiet Man Bridge. Although I've never seen The Quiet Man, apparently it's a very prominent part of the movie. When we got there, Declan told us we all needed to get off the bus. Although it was starting to get dark and we were all exhausted, we all got off to take a few pictures. As we were congregating on the bridge and Declan was parking the bus, all of the sudden he steps off the bus with a cake and fully lit candles!! A while back, we had made a stop in a small town for a quick coffee break and some shopping. He ran into a bakery and bought Sarah a birthday cake and we all sang to her on the bridge! It was definitely the best part of the trip and made everyone's day. It was incredibly nice of him and made us love Galway City tours even more! We then headed back to Galway and at the very end Declan did an impression of Desmond which was priceless, but the only people that understood it were me, Erin and another girl who happened to be on the same tour the day before with us! We were laughing hysterically and everyone must have thought we were insane, but it was so accurate! Then to make a perfect end to our day, as soon as we got off the coach Desmond drove by with his coach from that day and blew us kisses! It was the perfect ending to another wonderful tour of Ireland!

After a brief crisis in which Erin thought she lost her camera (it was only in Becca's bag!) we went out to dinner for Sarah's birthday and then to a pub in Claddagh where they were playing traditional Irish music and dancing. I think it was the perfect birthday celebration for Sarah and a great end to our trip! On Sunday, Erin and I went took the bus back to Shannon for the airport to take our plane back to London! At the airport, I got to do a few last minute things I didn't get to do the rest of the time in Ireland. For one, I bought a claddagh necklace (not a ring, but close enough!) and I also had some Irish coffee. Then we boarded our plane, took a train from Gatwick to Clapham Junction and finally made it back to Egham! It was a long weekend with lots of traveling but so much fun...as always! I loved Ireland so much more than I thought I would and I'd love to go back! It seems like Ireland has so many cities to explore, and I can't wait to go back to explore some more! Stay tuned for more updates about life at Royal Holloway and my weekend and Thanksgiving with the Majkszak family!

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Photos

Lots of sheep!
All over Ireland

Our next Castle
and the crazy tourist making a run for it!

The sign warns us not to go any farther
but most adventurous tourists don't listen!

Happy Birthday Sarah!!
Sarah with her delicious cake and Declan the tour guide!

Comments

[sharon]

Ireland
Love your pictures of your trips. I came across your site while I was researching for a trip to Ireland. My husband and I are going in Ocotober of this year. I found the information about using Galway as a base very helpful. We are doing the day trips out of there and out of Dublin. We will be using Healy Tours. I hope you enjoy your stay in England. I went there in 2004 and loved it.