Showing posts with label Ireland 2023. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ireland 2023. Show all posts

Monday, March 11, 2024

The Giant's Causeway in Northern Ireland



On our October bus tour of Ireland and Scotland we left Dunlace Castle along the Antrim Coast--see my last post--and traveled north towards our next stop: The Giants Causeway.   My husband and I have been fortunate to have visited this beautiful part of Ireland in the past. I've blogged about it here, and here, but we were still fascinated to visit this unusual area of about 40,000 interlocking basalt columns, the result of an ancient volcanic fissure eruption from 50 to 60 million years ago



Informational placards at the Giant's Causeway site--double-click on the photo to enlarge it to read it.


As in many places in Ireland, there is a myth or legend about the Giant's Causeway, from which it got its name. According to legend, the columns are the remains of a causeway or path built by a giant. The story goes that the Irish giant Fionn mac Cumhaill (Finn MacCool), was challenged to a fight by the Scottish giant Benandonner. Fionn accepted the challenge and built the causeway across the North Channel so that the two could meet. 

In one version of the story, Fionn defeats Benandonner. In another, Fionn hides from Benandonner when he realizes that his foe is much bigger than he is. Fionn's wife, Sadhbh, disguises Fionn as a baby and tucks him into a cradle. When Benandonner sees the size of the "baby", he reckons that its father, Fionn, must be a giant among giants. He flees back to Scotland in fright, destroying the causeway behind him so that Fionn would be unable to chase him down. Across the sea, there are identical basalt columns (a part of the same ancient lava flow) at Fingal's Cave on the Scottish isle of Staffa, and it is possible that the story was influenced by this.



The Causeway Coastal Route in Northern Ireland is rated one of the top five road trips worldwide and it is easy to see why. The road hugs narrow strips of coastline between the sea and high cliffs, between green valleys and gentle hamlets.  The yellow-flowered shrub is gorse which grows wild all along the coast.



The entire Antrim Coast is stunningly beautiful!


Our tour bus then drove to an overview area where we could see the Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge in the distance. Carrick-a-Rede means the rock in the road. This area near Ballintoy is the sea route for Atlantic salmon on their westward journey past Carrick Island. For over 350 years fishermen had strung a rope bridge 30 meters above the sea to allow them to access the best places to catch the migrating salmon. Today, the bridge is mainly used as a tourist attraction. It presents an exciting challenge to hundreds of thousands of visitors every year!  It was closed at this time of the year, but we were able to walk across it years ago as you can see on this blog post.





An informational placard at the overlook about this part of the Antrim Causeway Coastal Route. Double-click on the photo to enlarge it to read it.




We were now on our way to Belfast where we would visit the new Titanic Museum and the next morning our tour would take the ferry over to Scotland! More on my next post.







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Monday, February 12, 2024

Galway, Ireland, along the Wild Atlantic Way



 


After departing Limerick, Ireland,  the "Highlights of Ireland and Scotland" bus tour my husband and I went on in October 2023, continued traveling along the west coast of Ireland on The Wild Atlantic Way.  The Wild Atlantic Way is a road that was officially opened in 2014. The 1,600-mile (2,500 km) driving route passes through nine counties and three provinces, stretching from Kinsale, County Cork, in Munster, on the Celtic Sea coast. to County Donegal's Inishowen Peninsula in Ulster.  We were on our way north to Galway, where we would make a stop for lunch and sightseeing.



Galway is a harbor city on Ireland’s west coast, where the River Corrib meets the Atlantic Ocean. Our tour bus stopped in the Latin Quarter of Galway, known for its cafes, pubs, shops, and art galleries.




We walked around the winding streets, enjoying the views. Galway is known for its vibrant music scene, especially traditional Irish music. It also has the largest Gaeltacht (Irish-speaking community) in Ireland.



Galway is also known for the ancient fishing village of Claddagh which became the birthplace of the Claddagh symbol of a crowned heart being held by two hands. Claddagh is known worldwide thanks to the popularity of the Claddagh ring. The ring is said to originate from the village over 400 years ago! Traditionally the Claddagh ring was handed down from generation to generation as a wedding ring. Today it is a token of friendship and love. The Claddagh ring has become a symbol of Irish heritage and is much loved for its unique design that is representative of  love loyalty and friendship




We stopped to have a light lunch at The Kings Head Pub. 

The Kings Head is a true piece of living history, as the building itself dates back over 800 years to the 13th Century. We both chose a bowl of fish chowder and had a Murphy's stout.




More scenes from our walk around Galway.





We returned to our bus and continued on our way along the Wild Atlantic Way towards Sligo, Ireland, where we would be having dinner at a hotel and staying the night.

The town of Sligo, in the north of Ireland, straddles the Garavogue River where it meets Sligo Bay. It’s known for its literary heritage and rugged countryside. Ruined medieval Sligo Abbey has carved tombs and a 15th-century altar. Sligo County Museum displays memorabilia of local poet W.B. Yeats, paintings, and Stone Age artifacts.  



I enjoyed watching all the beautiful rugged scenery that passed by our bus window.




One of the touching sights we passed was the ruins of abandoned "famine houses." Between 1845-52 Ireland suffered a period of starvation, disease, and emigration that became known as the Great Famine. The potato crop, upon which a third of Ireland's population was dependent for food, was infected by a disease destroying the crop while other crops were shipped to England in disregard to the plight of the starving. Part of my heritage is Irish that immigrated from this area in Ireland and they arrived during the famine years, as did many other refugees from Ireland. Between 1845 and 1855, at least 2.1 million people left Ireland.--it was one of the greatest exodus from a single island in history.



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Monday, February 5, 2024

A Medieval Banquet in Limerick, Ireland





We were traveling on the Highlights of Ireland and Scotland bus tour in October and left the charming town of Adare--see prior post-- and drove north to Limerick, Ireland, where we would be staying for the night. Limerick is the third largest city in the Republic of Ireland, after Dublin and Cork, and is located next to the Shannon River.  It was founded by Scandinavian settlers in 812, during the Viking Age.

We arrived just in time to settle into our hotel room and then leave for an optional outing to attend a banquet and show at a Medieval-era castle now called Knappogue  Castle.




Our tour bus drove through the beautiful pastoral countryside as the sun was beginning to set.




We arrived at Knappogue Castle and were greeted by some of the actors and actresses who were performing that evening.




Please click on the photos above to read the interesting history of the castle built in 1467 by Sean MacNamara.



We were offered a glass of mead when we entered the castle, as musicians performed, and a few members of our tour were chosen to be the King and Queen and were given crowns and cloaks to wear.

There were quite a few fun "My Lords and Ladies" dialogues and skits from the performers during the evening.




 There were a few harpists playing during the evening. 

 The harp has been a national symbol of Ireland for over 1,000 years, playing a central role in Irish myths, folklore, and literature.




We enjoyed watching the entertainment -- acting, singing, and dancing-- as we dined. 




A short video above of some of the singing and dancing during the show




The food was very good. We had a smoked salmon appetizer, root vegetable soup, roast chicken and vegetables, along with unlimited bread and wine, and dessert.





The next morning we were on our way for a stop at the scenic Cliffs of Moher, then on to Galway and Sligo.

There was a heavy fog hanging over the outskirts of Limerick, as you can see from this photo I took from the bus window, but we were hopeful the weather would cooperate later in the morning...more about that in my next Ireland post.

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Monday, January 29, 2024

Thatched Roof Houses of Adare, Ireland


 

On our October bus tour of Ireland and Scotland, we stopped at the pretty village of Adare. Adare is a village in County Limerick, Ireland, located south-west of the city of Limerick, It was founded in the 13th century and is designated as a heritage town by the Irish government.



 
Adare is widely known as a major Irish tourist attraction and is regarded as one of the prettiest and most picturesque towns in Ireland. as it retains many thatched cottages, historical buildings, and churches.





A close-up view of the thatch that makes up the roof

A thatched roof is a roof made from dry vegetation, such as straw, heather, rushes, water reeds, palm branches, or sedges. The vegetation is layered so that water runs away from the inner roof. The vegetation is also densely packed, trapping air and functioning as insulation. They can last as long as a regular roof. Our tour guide said they are now very expensive to replace.




Many of the houses were semi-attached to their neighbor's home.




They were so charming!


I loved looking at all their details.




Quite a few were now businesses.




I was surprised to see the Dunraven Arms Hotel as the Fourth Earl of Dunraven had a connection to Colorado.  In 1872 he visited Estes Park to go hunting and enjoyed it so much that he acquired much property there.  You can read more about this on this link on Rocky Mountain National Park 

I learned that the present village of Adare was mostly developed in the 19th century by the Dunraven family. In the early 19th century, the Earl of Dunraven developed plans for townhouses and streets, which are present to this day. It was in these plotted lands that the famous Adare cottages were constructed.





Although we were visiting in late October the house gardens were full of beautiful flowers!





We also came upon the picturesque Adare Town Park, which still had roses blooming!



We enjoyed walking around the entire park.



We headed toward the shops in town to window shop.





Please click on the photo above to enlarge it to read the poem "O Sweet Adare," written by the poet Gerald Griffen.  It is located on the side of a local pub.





Holy Trinity Abby Church in Adare has a long and fascinating history! Although there is no record of the precise date of the foundation, the only Trinitarian Abbey in Ireland, sources suggest that it was established between 1230 and 1240. Dissolved in the 1560s, the Abbey eventually became a ruin. In 1809 the 2nd Earl of Dunraven restored the ruins of the Trinitarian Abbey and gave it to the Catholic Church in Adare. No major structural changes have taken place since 1884 though several modifications and much development have happened during that time.




Please click on the photos above to see a placard that shows how the church developed over time. You can read an online booklet on the church's website that goes into great detail about the church's history and features on this link.


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Some views of the inside of the church.




As our bus drove away towards Limerick, I snapped the photos above.  In the collage above on the upper portion is the gate that leads to the magnificent Adare Manor, which is located on the banks of the River Maigue, and was the former seat of the Earl of Dunraven. The present house was built in the early 19th century, though retaining some of the walls of the 17th-century structure. It is now the Adare Manor Hotel & Golf Resort, a luxury hotel, and contains the Michelin-starred Oak Room restaurant. The Adare Manor Golf Club will be hosting the Ryder Cup in 2027. 



The ruins seen in the upper right of the photo collage above are that of Desmond Castle, which also lies on the bank of the River Maigue. The castle was erected with an ancient ring fort around the early part of the 13th century. It became a strategic fortress during the following turbulent years. It was the property of the Earls of Kildare for nearly 300 years until the rebellion in 1536 when it was forfeited and granted to the Earls of Desmond who gave the castle its present name. The castle has tours available in the summer months.

I could have spent much more time in Adare--perhaps a future visit?


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Sunday, January 21, 2024

Killarney National Park and Ross Castle. Ireland




I am continuing with a recap of our October 2023 Cosmos bus tour of the "Highlights of Ireland and Scotland" with my husband, sister-in-law, and brother-in-law.  You can see my four earlier posts under the "Ireland 2023" tab on my blog sidebar or here.
I will periodically update my memories of this trip interspacing with blogs about more recent events.

Killarney National Park is located near the town of  Killarney, County Kerry, and is the first National Park in Ireland, created when the Muckross Estate was donated in 1932. The park has since been substantially expanded and encompasses over 25,425 acres (10289.132 hectares) of diverse ecology, including the Lakes of Killarney, oak and yew woodlands of international importance, and mountain peaks. It has the only red deer herd on mainland Ireland and the most extensive covering of native forest forest. remaining in Ireland




Our tour offered a Jaunting Cart Tour of the park as an optional outing, and quite a few of the tour guests came along on an early misty morning in October.



The clip-clop sound of the draft horse's hooves pulling our jaunting cart through the deep forest and lush greenery was mesmerizing. It was hard not to imagine mystical fairies and leprechauns living here!





Killarney National Park is one of the very few places in Ireland that has been continuously covered by woodland since the end of the most recent glacial period approximately 10,000 years ago. Locals were walking by the road, some walking their dogs.





We approached Ross Castle and left our jaunting cart to get a closer look at the castle ruins





Ross Castle is a 15th-century tower house and keep on the edge of Lough Leane, in Killarney National Park.  It is the ancestral home of the Chiefs of the Clan O'Donoghue, later associated with the Brownes of Killarney.





The castle was extended in the 17th century. It has been restored and is open to the public, although it is basically ruins. When I saw swans swimming on the nearby Lough Leane they reminded me of the famous Irish folktale called the "Children of Lir." For 900 years the Children of Lir were doomed to live as swans by daylight and only in the light of a full moon could they take their human form. They lived on lake Davra, the sea of Moyle and the lake Isle of Glora in Mayo, before their spell was broken with the arrival of Christianity to Ireland.




Please click on the photo above to enlarge it. This shows what the castle originally looked like and also after its enlargement.





Please click on the photo above to read the description sign on the walkway towards the castle.




We walked all around the castle and enjoyed marveling at its magnificent construction and imagined how it appeared in its glory days.




Please click on the photo above of a placard near the castle that has information about Killarney National Park.





After visiting the castle we all returned to our Jaunting Carts for a return ride to our tour bus.



As we approached the town we could see some interesting architecture near the park...





...and I turned around to see this beautiful vision of the misty clouds lifting up off the mountains in the park.





I will always remember the beauty of the mountains that seemed to be rising up above the clouds!





Our tour guide recommended we grab a coffee before boarding the bus to continue our tour. I was surprised to learn that coffee has become more popular than tea in Ireland since my last visit to Ireland fifteen years ago!  I was also so happy to see this cafe was named after the folktale I remembered in the park.





We then returned to the bus and were on our way north towards Adare and Limerick.

As I looked out the bus window the vast view of the sky amazed me...



...as did the beautiful "forty shades of green" along the way!


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