Ireland 2009

Not so exotic this year, but I'm on my travels again with a little trip across the puddle that they call the Irish Sea, to Ireland.

Almost immediately after arriving in Dublin, I met Tess, one of the c.20 people on the same ten-day trip as myself. She is from Washington State in the US. Quite handy that. At first we had a big bus with the 3-day north, 6-day north and 10-day trips combined before splitting off from the 3-day on the morning of Day 3 and 6-day on the 6th day. While all together we counted 13 different nationalities aboard the bus inc American, Australian, Belgium, Catalonian, Canadian, Dutch, English (myself), French, German, Hong Kong, Irish (the driver), Kiwi and Spanish.

Day 1 and our first stop was St Peters Church in Drogheda where we saw the preserved severed head of St Oliver Plunkett enclosed in a brass & glass case within the church. This was the first Archbishop of Armagh, the very place where we stopped for lunch after a visit to the monastic ruins of Monasterboice and the area of the Battle of the Boyne which is celebrated on the same day as my birthday no less. Long story but William of Orange & the Prostestants defeated James II of England and the Catholics in 1690. We overnighted in Derry / Londonderry with a walking tour around the area of the Bogside etc. Our hostel was on Asylum Rd, opp the RUC station formerly a lunatic asylum!

The following day we headed for the Giants Causeway with a stop to photograph Dunluce Castle (or what remains of it on the cliff edge) near Portballintrae. We chose the Clifftop walk along to The Organ & Amphitheatre Viewpoint before descending the Shepherd's Steps to the actual causeway. There was a short sharp shower while we were out there, but pretty much that has been the only one we really got caught out in. We've been very lucky with the weather and usually when it has rained we've been in the pub, on the bus or in bed!

After lunch in Ballintoy we headed over to the Carrick-a-rede rope bridge which allows you access to an island used by fisherman during the salmon spawning season. The current round the island provides a natural funnelling effect where they can drop their nets. The island affords views across to the Mull of Kintyre in Scotland and Rathlin Island. Overnighted in Belfast.

One of the highlights of this trip must be the Black Cab Tour of Belfast that we did on the morning of Day 3 viewing the murals on the unionish/loyalist side (Shankill Rd), Peace Wall, International Wall, Sinn Fein Office and the Republican murals / Falls Rd. Our driver was stationed in Bridgnorth (where I live for the non-locals amongst you) when he was in the army in the 60's. From there we visited Glenveagh National Park and Castle gardens before returning to Derry for another night.

Day 4 we travlled from Derry in Northern Ireland to Cong in the Republic of Ireland via several interesting stops. The first of these was Grianan Ailligh, a stone fort on Grianan Hill which had been the seat of the O'Neils many moons ago. From there it was onto Drumcliff, where the grave of WB Yates is located. Not a long stop and a bit damp there too. The best stop of the day would have to have been the Seaweed bath in Strandhill nr Sligo. Here in your own private room, there is a bath of freshly pumped hot seawater with freshly cut seaweed in it. The hot seawater causes the seaweed to release its oils and minerals into the bath water. After a short time in a steam room (to open up your pores), you gently climb into the bath and allow the oils and minerals to soak in. Very good for eczema and other skin conditions, relaxing and a detoxifier too apparently. From there is was a quick stop in Knock where an apparition of Mary was seen by 15 credible witnesses at the gable end of its church there.

For anyone reading this who has heard or watched the film "The Quiet Man" staring John Wayne, our fourth night stop was in Cong where this was filmed. There was the Pat Cohen bar that was in the movie, The Quiet Man Hostel, The Quiet Man Restaurant type of thing. Aside from that are very interesting abbey ruins with a monks' fishing house and a dry canal.

Croagh Patrick (Cruach Padraig), the Holy Mountain of Ireland and home to the National Famine Memorial was our first stop of Day 5. Lunch and a reasonably large chunk of the day was visiting Westport before travelling to Galway via the Erriff River & Aasleagh Falls. We got to Galway early which gave us plenty of time to wander around and check out the shops etc before checking out the nightlife later on!!!

Day 6 involved a lot of driving but we also managed quite a few stops. First was Dunguaire Castle near Kinvara which was home to a kindly landlord in his time who helped people in life and continues to help them in death. If you have a (reasonable) question (i.e. not the lottery numbers) then you go to the gate and ask it, walk clockwise round the castle then say thanks at the gate as you leave. Your answer should be revealed by the stroke of midnight.

The Burren is a protected area, a haven for botanists and geologists in particular due to its ecosystem and rocks. This was our first main stop of the day which was followed later by the Cliffs of Moher, a contender in the 7 wonders of the Natural World competition which may still be running online. Other stops included Lisdoonvarna which has an annual matchmaking festival (basically for the local farmers to find themselves a wife) and Adare, before arriving in the tiny little village of Annascaul - home to the South Pole Inn, a pub that belonged to Tom Crean who travelled 3 times to Antarctica both with Scott and Shackleton.

Annascaul is on the Dingle Peninsular which is where we spent our day yesterday. Firstly we followed the Slea Head Drive around the end of the Peninsular visiting the beach where Ryan's Daughter was filmed and Clogher Head Beach where Far & Away was filmed. We then took a 1 hour boat trip into the Dingle bay to spot Fungi the Dolphin, which we did. Fungi appeared 25 years ago, frollicking near fishing boats and in the harbour. He's remained a local resident here ever since and now boosts the local economy by providing an almost 100% guaranteed dolphin sighting (they are so confident that you'll see him that you don't pay for the trip if you don't). We also got chance to catch the end of a Gaelic Football game before heading for Killarney. Along the way we passed "Inch Beach" which is a mile long - we were in the Kingdom of Kerry where a rose is a pretty woman (Rose of Tralee), a dolphin is a mans best friend (see above) and an inch is a mile! For Coldplay fans Inch Beach was featured on their video for Yellow.

So now I'm back in Killarney tonight after we've driven round the Ring of Kerry. Tomorrow we go onto Cork and then the following day we return to Dublin. Somewhere along the route we kiss the blarney stone, so if you think this email gabbles on, wait until you get the next one! ;-)

Until the next time

Globetrotter Kath