Fáilte go hÉirinn
“In Ireland, every place you visit and every person you meet has a story. And they love to tell you, their stories. Everyone is interested in everything; in a land of storytellers, you will never be bored.” – Maeve Binchy
We left Derry and headed across the border into the republic of Ireland. In a blink of an eye, we left behind pounds sterling and broke out our stash of euros amidst heavy conversation about what Brexit would do in this part of the world. We were heading South along the Western part of Ireland and passing towns steeped in history and folklore.
To the sound of Irish folk tales and ballads we made our slow way across the country, chatting with locals as we stopped to explore small towns and villages and places of interest. I got into the habit of a strong cup of tea accompanied by fresh scones or other baked good at our mid-morning stops that I jokingly christened “elevenses”.
The Diamond, Donegal
County Donegal was the home of the once-mighty Clan Dálaigh, or the O’Donnell dynasty, one of the richest and most powerful native Irish ruling families. We did not explore all that Donegal has to offer though we did stop for a few hours in the town for a bit of an explore and lunch.
Dominating the town is the local gathering place or town square known as the Diamond. In the square is a distinctive Obelisk known as the Four Masters Memorial. It was erected to commemorate the four monks (Michael O'Clery, Peregrine O'Clery, Peregrine Duigan and Fearfeasa O'Mulconroy) from the Franciscan friary in Donegal Town who compiled Irish medieval history all the way from ancient times to the reign of Hugh O’Neill. This history is referred to as the Annals of the Four Masters, i.e., the 4 monks.
From Donegal we made our way to the beautiful property belonging to Belleek Potteries before we made nightfall in Sligo Bay.
The property is located in the quaint village of Belleek on the banks of the river Erne. After the tour and a brief browse in the gift shop I made my way outside to sit in the beautiful sunshine and enjoy the view. A young Irishwoman had the same idea and soon we got to talking and discussing what we had seen so far and where we were going and some not to be missed things based on our itinerary that I could recall at the time. What a delightful interlude. I feel that travel is as much meeting local people as it is seeing and doing things.
Cong famous for the movie “The Quiet Man”
Stradling the borders of County Galway and County Mayo is the fairytale village of Cong going back to 1111; though there are tales that it might have been inhabited earlier. With a population of 900 people, it’s a small sleepy village that makes the perfect weekend getaway.
Hollywood has also left its mark here with the making of the Quiet Man with John Wayne. In addition to a museum dedicated to the movie there are many sights associated with the movie.
Cong ~ The Monk’s Fishing Hole
In addition to the Quiet Man fame, Cong is home to Ashford Castle and Cong Abbey. There are medieval stone walls still standing in the center of the village with their intricate stonework and curious carvings.
The entire area is riddled with streams and bridges with the Monk’s Fishing Hole as another spot where the local monks could fish though a hole in the ground.
I could have stayed longer at this beautiful location but when you’re on tour you are slave to a schedule and needs must move on, but I have recorded it as a possible weekend stop for when I come back to Ireland.
The Browne Doorway was the former entrance to the Browne house of 1627. It was removed from its original location in 1905 to form a freestanding feature in Eyre Square.
The monument doorway is a reminder of the great architecture in the days of Galway’s civic opulence between the sixteenth and eighteenth centuries. The Renaissance doorway displays fine carved detailing to include the coats of arms of the two families united by marriage which is a typical feature found in medieval and late medieval contexts.
After a brief introduction we wandered out towards the narrow streets lined with pubs and shops all the way to the river and the Spanish Arch stopping to sample food and drink along the way.
It was Sunday morning, and you could feel the laid-back happy vibes of people who wandered towards the weekend market selling cheeses and other interesting foods and souvenirs.
It was still early, and the pubs and restaurants were in the process of opening. It was amazing how quickly the little outdoor sitting filled as places opened. We found a little place and enjoyed an absolutely fabulous lunch on a sun filled, flower bedecked patio.
I was in search of the perfect souvenir; a claddagh ring but I’m glad that I decided to wait and find something not quite as touristy and as it turned out not even a claddagh ring but a trinity pendant.
Standing at the late 16th century Spanish Arch and looking out to the vast Atlantic Ocean, it’s not hard to imagine Galway in its medieval heyday. Once a small fishing village, Galway grew in strength in the 13th century to become a prosperous walled town ruled by 14 merchant families, known as the Tribes of Galway.
The old city walls are now incorporated into a modern shopping center at Eyre Square, Kirwan’s Lane thrums with a bustling atmosphere and St Nicholas’s Church, completed in 1320, is where Christopher Columbus is said to have worshipped in 1477.
As we approached the city of Limerick, which was to be our home tonight, we discussed what a limerick is and were challenged to write one to describe this trip to Ireland. The writing of the limericks exposed that our group was not only witty but also had a naughty and creative bend of mind. The laughter that echoed through the miles as each submission was read aloud during the course of our next day’s journey.
The famous Treaty Stone is a limestone block that commemorates the treaty of Limerick that was signed in 1691 to end the war between King William’s supporters and Jacobite supporters for James the II. This is a popular tourist stopping place on the banks of the Shannon River with King John’s castle in the background.
As we drove to our medieval banquet at Knappoque Castle, I couldn’t resist snapping this picture labeled Duck’s Inn to create the illusion that visiting ducks might need a night’s stopping place in addition to other visitors. Absolutely loved these whimsical touches.
Knappogue Castle is a tower house built in 1467 and expanded in the 19th century. It is now open to tourists for tours and at night they have a medieval banquet where the main room is set up with a high table for royalty and then tables for the rank and file. We were treated to traditional Irish entertainment and some role playing by folks from the two groups who were the guests at the banquet that night.
The best fun was the drive home at night with dance music blaring in the coach and dancing in the aisle. I guess I will never listen to Dancing Queen again without fond memories of this night.
Finally in Adare, Clare County we came across the traditional thatched cottages that are so reminiscent of what I imagined homes in Ireland were like. These cottages actually are all businesses, shops and restaurants.
I had the best coffee and homemade chocolates at one of the shops here. I bought some thinking I would take them back as a taste of Ireland but alas! none survived the journey.
Pubs are such a large part of the culture of the country with many of them going back hundreds of years. One of the guys in our group stated his goal of sampling a beer in every pub that we came across. Not sure that he achieved it, but I know he and his wife sure had fun trying.
I am not a beer drinker but was game to try a traditional Pub lunch at this really old pub. The pandemic has changed so many things for a lot of these smaller business owners and while of course the pub was open food was not to be had. Don’t worry I found an excellent lunch spot out in the sun and had a delightful lunch.
We were on approach to Killarney which was going to our stopping place for 2 nights as we drove the Ring of Kerry and explored other facets of Irish culture. We stopped at this viewpoint to soak in this beautiful scenery which is so quintessentially Irish.
Killarney with its jaunting carts, and beautiful small town bustling vibes was one of my favorite towns in Ireland.
The highlight of my visit here was a visit to a pub where I learned how to pour, or do they call it build? a Guiness. So many experiences culinary and cultural that are such a wonderful part of travel.