Today was a driving day with a couple of significant stops. And because one of us dawdled taking too many pictures, it turned into a high-speed driving day.
We drove northward, crossing the Shannon River to the town of Killimer in County Clare. The Shannon is the route Napoleon’s forces hoped to take to conquer Ireland, creating a base for invading England. The ferry took about 20 minutes on calm waters. There were power plants on either side. One that burned peat moss was decommissioned. The other, an oil burner, will be shut down soon in favor of wind power.
Our driver David lives nearby the river crossing in a White House, a traditional house he’s restoring from its 1970s “upgrade.” I took a picture of such a house, one with characteristic small windows, whitewashed walls and a thatched roof.
Our trip plan called for a visit to the famous Cliffs of Moher but David suggested an alternative. To quote from the Web:
“The Kilkee Cliffs, are located near Kilkee in County Clare, Ireland, not far from the famous Cliffs of Moher. The Kilkee Cliffs offer a more authentic, less crowded experience with beautiful scenery, walking trails, and views of the water crashing against the shoreline, though they are less commercialized than the larger, more famous cliffs nearby.”
Truer words were never spoken and it was the beauty of the Kilkee Cliffs (and one or two birds) that turned a twenty-minute walk into over an hour. So much for our plan for lunch and a leisurely drive to the sheep dog demonstration.
We drove by the Trump International Golf Club in Doonbeg. He’s loved by the 300 people who work there. Not so much by the others. The story is that he orders a round for all in the pub and then fails to pay.
We also drove by a golf course with the remains of a haunted castle. Seems the lord of he castlewent out to do battle, locking his wife and kids in the basement of the castle for their protection. He was killed in battle and never returned. Now, people hear the screams of the family emanating from the castle’s remains. Maybe some of the screams are caused by especially bad golf shots.
We had seen sheep dogs in action on the Kerry Loop, but this was a closeup demo of dogs with commentary of what was going on. Four dogs herded eight sheep, the dogs directing them through a precise path. Each dog was controlled by the shepherd using unique commands issued by whistles and voice calls. Truly amazing.
He also showed us a half dozen breeds of sheep. Some breeds are better than others in caring for their newborns. It’s important to keep them moving in the springtime so they don’t freeze to the ground. Farmers prefer the more careful moms for obvious economic reasons.
We had sandwiches for lunch at the sheep farm and while there Carmel, the lady who helped us put together our trip’s itinerary and hired David made a special trip out to meet us. So much fun to put a face to the name that has done such a great job helping us plan. Actually, Carmel and David are neighbors and also a great team. David isn’t afraid to suggest alterations to Carmel’s plan tha he feels will work better, considering our likes and his knowledge of the area. Today’s cliffs viewing is a good example.
Then a drive through the Burrens, an area of sandstone stretching for miles on the flat and on hills. This land was once under the sea. The sandstone is composed of ancient fish and marine mammal bones. They were uplifted by tectonic forces, altered by the ice age and are now form a barren landscape. Cromwell’s soldiers forced the Irish from the more fertile areas of the east coast onto this land.
Along the way we saw more stone structures that were Famine Houses, built for those too poor to survive elsewhere. They remain throughout Ireland, especially in this region, as a testament to that terrible time.
More evidence of the Famine. Fences everywhere, made from stone, constructed by laborers, probably over hundreds of years. But some go up the side of a mountain, leading nowhere. They were constructed by Irishmen paid pennies per day by landlords trying to keep them occupied.
In the midst of the Burrens was a perfume factory. Why here, it is not clear, but they had a large herb garden that was still sporting some fall blooms. They sell to all the fancy fashion stores in the city.
And then, Galway. It’s a bustling city and our rich fourth-floor apartment is a 25 minute walk to the center of downtown where all the shopping and restaurants for tourists are located. We followed David’s advice and dined at the King’s Head restaurant. It’s advertised as “Irish Pub of the Year 1651.” That’s the year Oliver Cromwell had King Charles I beheaded. Fish and chips for me, chicken for Nancy and crabs for Judy. Some really good onion rings too. And for me, a first-ever Irish Red beer. It won’t quell by thirst for Guinness, but it ain’t bad either.
That and a gelato (caramel popcorn and orange chocolate double dip for me) and a taxi ride and we’re back home figuring out the WiFi password and getting ready for bed.
