The Emerald Isle Part 2: moving south

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10 August

Walked around Donegal Town, feeling slightly hungover from our Irish pub session the night before, then drove out to Slieve League Cliffs, wow, some of the highest sea cliffs in Europe and a very scenic drive out through very isolated and rugged country. Headed down to Eniskillen in County Fermanagh (crossing back into Northern Ireland again) and visited the castle in the middle of town, home of the Maguire Chieftains (my g-g mother was a Femanagh Maguire) and also to a museum. there was some interesting info about the Maguires but it didn't really helpmy ancestry investigations, assume we go back somehow though. Crossed back into Eire and down to Sligo, drove around till we found a B and B, 60 Euro, very comfy, great breakfast! Had pub grub dinner downtown, good bangers and mash, tired so didn't stop to listen to the free concert by the river, just a quick look. Lots of young people drinking, bit like NZ really! Skyped the kids, late night again!

11 August

Showers, some fine spells. Like the UK, Ireland is green for a reason, even in summer! Drove through to Westport and stopped for a walk around the town which was full of brightly coloured buildings, like a lot of Irish towns. Took the scenic route through the Connemara region, very rugged, green, beautiful, remote country, interesting sheep! (look more like goats and painted in bright colours for some reason). Stopped at the Famine Cross for a photo, dedicated to those who died in the potato famine as well as, somewhat unusual, freedom for South Africa. Stopped at Clifden for a coffee and cake en route to Galway, where we stayed overnight at the university campus hostels. We had one unit all to ourselves, double room and ensuite, kitchen and lounge, cooked up a Lasagne courtesy of Supervalu, did our laundry on site, great facilities!

12 August

Sunny day! Had breakfast at the hostel, then drove into Galway Town, which is rather attractive and lots of buskers etc on the streets, bought a pair of jeans at the charity shop for 6.50 euro, then Blu and I both bought a souvenir Irish T-shirt. Visited the cathedral then walked back along the river, saw a fisherman catching a salmon right next to the cathedral! Seemed a bit bizarre really. Drove out on the coast road, stopped for a egg sammie lunch by the water, then drove to the Clare heritage centre where we hoped to get some information about Blu's g-grandfather. Unfortunately the staff were offhand and rather rude, also there are no facilities to do your own searching of their records and they charge an arm and a leg for their services. Drove to Ennistymon to check out the Main Street where Maurice Walsh worked as a butcher in 1887. We had been there before in 1980 but not known at the time that he was from that area. On our previous visit we had noticed the small bar on the main street that doubled as an indertaker!! and it was still there so we called in and had a good yarn to the 80 something year old Mr Nagle who ran both businesses! Didn't have a drink as then we would never have got away from there in time to go out to the Cliffs of Moher before dark! Had been before but still great views, there is now a huge information centre there and it is way more touristy now (of course). Drove down to the ferry crossing at Killimer and caught the 8pm ferry over to Tarbet, think the 20 mins crossing saves about 100km of road? Had a pub tea at Tarbet, roast chicken and ham, stuffing and vege. There were no spuds on the plate, but then out comes 4 huge baked potatoes! Drove to our accomm in Tralee, got there at 10.30! So hard to find it in the dark. Tower View Guest House - place was fine, a large old homestead, with a very lumpy bed!

13 August Got a reasonably early start to drive around the Dingle Peninsula, able to get our own breakfast using the self catering kitchen. Weather mix of fine, cloud, cool. Drove around the peninsula, scenery lovely but such a lot of traffic, very busy, not like 33 years ago! One very tricky bit of road where a woman had to back up so us and all the buses behind could get past! Poor lady was so stressed out, took her about 20 minutes to back about 50 yards with the bus driver giving guidance all the way! Had a late pub lunch near Brandon's, pub owned by a Maurice Walsh! Wonder if he is related to us? Drove through to Kenmare, via the Gap of Dunloe, which was just awesome! We were told that we couldn't drive through there as we had back in 1980, as it is now a road of significance and only the tourist carts can use it in daylight hours, so we waited till 630 when the horse and carts were finished for the day, and snuck across. An awesome experience, so remote and wild, but a very narrow old road, a track really. Fortunately we met very little traffic coming the other way. At Kenmare, we lucked onto a good B and B just on the Main Street. Was bucketing down by then. Had dinner at the pub over the road, and a wonderful night of entertainment from the balladeer Proinnsias O' Sullivan, complete with banjo, mouth organ and guitar.

14 August From Kenmare, drove around Ring of Kerry, unfortunately it was very foggy with drizzle, and visibility was very poor, so we turned back halfway round the Skellig Peninsula. Fog didn't clear, and so the "best view in Ireland, fog permitting" was just that! So we drove back and found a B & B in Killarney at a pub on the Main Street. Had a delicious fish and chip meal at Quinlans Seafood Bar! Wandered around town to find a pub with good music, our pub was too loud and non-traditional music, ended up at Murphys which was great. There was a 3 man band , a mix of old and young guys and several random "guest" appearances during the evening, including a JK Baxter lookalike who was probably 85 and had an amazing and powerful voice, just stood up and sang, then sat back down at the bar where he looked like part of the furniture, a very talented young piano accordion player who wandered in (staggered really) and did a few tunes, and a Dutch tourist! Only in Ireland!

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Photos

Donegal Town
the morning after!

The Reel Inn
all quiet this morning!