Category: Ireland

Ireland, 2023 – Back to Wonderful and Historical Dublin

July 1, 2023

From Athlone it was a quick trip of just a little over an hour by bus to Dublin (there is also train service). I alighted near the pedestrian Ha’penny Bridge and felt immediately energized by the hustle and bustle of Dublin. I crossed over to the south side of the River Liffey, walked through the always busy streets of Temple Bar, and made my way back towards Long Lane Close to stay again with Pearl and her Mam Therese.

I was welcomed by Therese with a warm hug, tea and biscuits, and an invitation to have dinner with her, “a proper cooked dinner, none of that awful travel food.” I accepted gladly, and after tea I headed out on foot to visit the Irish National Museum of Archaeology. Enroute I passed by the lovely and peaceful St. Kevin’s Park and couldn’t resist a walk through to check up on the roses. I felt like I was in “my park” and “my neighbourhood.”

I had visited Ireland’s exceptional National Museum of Archaeology on my first trip to Ireland and I was excited to see that they were still exhibiting some of their magnificent collection of ancient gold artefacts. The gold collars and torcs (below, top two photos) date from 800-700 BC, and the gold lunulae (bottom right) date from 2000 BC! The nine large round hollow beads (bottom left, Late Bronze Age) come from a hoard of eleven that was found in 1834 by farmers tilling land near Tumna Church, beside the Shannon River, in County Roscommon. They would have been strung together to make an enormous and awe-inspiring necklace for a wealthy and powerful chieftain or king.

I spent a lot of time viewing the bone and stone artefacts from the Neolithic Age (having recently visited many Neolithic sites in the northwest of the country), and I was struck by the beauty of two polished jadeitite axe heads from 4000-3800 BC. The stone originated from quarries high in the Italian Alps (!), and it is thought that they had a ceremonial use as they show no signs of wear.

I also spent a lot of time in the “Viking Ireland” section,

and I definitely had to revisit two gorgeous artefacts in the Treasury exhibit, a tiny golden ship exquisitely crafted in the 1st century BC, and an 8th century silver chalice.

There were also exhibits relating to Saint Comcille (a long distance walk tracing his voyages begins in Glen Colmcille, one of my favourite places in Donegal), and to the monastic settlement of Glendalough (a “must see” for anyone visiting Ireland. It is not far from Dublin in County Wicklow. See my post here: https://christineswalkabout.com/2016/07/21/glendalough/). I learned about “shrines”, highly decorated boxes made to contain holy manuscripts. The one below, the “Shrine of the Cathach” held a 7th century manuscript believed to be written by St. Columba. It was one of the chief treasures of the O’Donnell clan through the Middle Ages and they carried it into battle to bring good luck.

After my visit to the museum (there was still more to see!) I decided to walk through Iveagh Gardens before returning to my accommodation. Like St. Stephens Green and Merrion Square Park it was an oasis of green in the city and featured a treed perimeter walk, expansive lawns, large fountains, a yew hedge maze, and a lovely rose garden.

I returned to my accommodation for dinner with Therese and then a quiet evening in my room resting. The next day, I visited the Kilmainham Jail which is the number one top visited site in Dublin according to Tripadvisor. Operated by the Office of Public Works who provide the excellent guided tours, this notorious jail and symbol of British rule and oppression is now an important history lesson. Before my tour, I spent time in the comprehensive museum where there were displays and artefacts detailing the history of the jail and the conditions and circumstances of those imprisoned here, including many hundreds of women and children, especially during the years of the Great Famine, when the prison population swelled. One floor of the museum focussed on the history of political prisoners held in the jail from as early as the rebellions of 1798 and 1803 (the jail opened in 1796). On display were letters, photographs, newspaper articles, explanatory text, and a collection of political posters that chronicled the fight for Irish indendence.

The one hour tour was excellent and was presented in a straight forward, accessible, sensitive, and even-handed manner. We started in the West Wing, the oldest section of the jail, which is gloomy, dark and cold, with no windows, heating, light, bed or chair provided for the prisoners. We heard several stories here and entered several cells and rooms. Later we moved on to the East Wing which was built in the 1860s and some Victorian-era prison reforms were put in place. A key element of the design was to have every cell door visible to the jail’s guards.

We heard more interesting stories and facts pertaining to this wing of the jail and about some of the people who had been imprisoned here.

From the East Wing, the tour moved on to the Stonebreaker’s yard where fourteen leaders of the 1916 Easter Rising were executed by firing squad. A cross in a corner of the yard marks the spot where Joseph Connolly was tied to a chair and then shot. He had been badly injured during the uprising, was transported to the jail from his hospital bed, and was unable to stand. The manner of his execution, as well as the execution of the other rebel leaders, stirred wide public support for the goals of the rebellion and the fight for Irish independence.

I had been reluctant to visit Kilmainham Gaol but was very glad that I did. In a contemplative mood, I left the jail to begin the three kilometre walk back to my accommodation but I was drawn towards the nearby 17th century Richmond Tower which led me into a large and very historical green space that I had not previously known about. You find history in Dublin even when you’re not looking for it! To my left, behind a long high stone fence and iron gate was Bully’s Acre, a burial ground associated with St. Maigneann’s monastery. I read that the cemetery was in use from 606 AD until 1832 and that monks, knights, princes and Dublin citizens of all ranks, including traders, merchants, the wealthy and the very poor, were buried here over those twelve centuries. Through the gate I could see the 10th century decorated granite cross shaft that was associated with the monastery. It is said that the son and grandson of the High King, Brian Boru, were buried near the cross after the famous Battle of Clontarf in 1014. A groundskeeper mowing the lawns behind me saw my interest in the cross and the burial grounds and he kindly unlocked the gate and let me wander through the site for a few moments.

Afterwards, I walked along the paved path, beneath a few scattered afternoon thunderclouds that dropped rain on my umbrella, towards a brightly lit patch of blue sky and the 17th century Royal Hospital Kilmainham with its beautiful formal gardens. The hospital now houses the Irish Museum of Modern Art and I was tempted to enter and have a look but my brain was full and I decided to save that experience for another visit to Dublin.

Continuing my walk home, I passed by Christchurch Cathedral and Dublinia, a museum which showcases Dublin’s Viking-era history. I had visited these two sites on my first trip to Dublin and and I recommend them highly. I would love to revisit them, yet another reason to visit wonderful and historic Dublin.

I returned to my accommodation and was again invited to have dinner with Therese and Pearl, a lovely way to spend my last evening before my flight home. I hope that you’ve enjoyed travelling along with me to Dublin, and to the gorgeous Irish countryside with its historic towns, deep green forests and fields, mountains, beaches, rivers, castles, museums and monasteries, etc., etc., etc., … and even Ireland’s (and Europe’s) oldest pub. Thank you, dear readers, and thank you Ireland!

Ireland, 2023 – Back to Athlone, a trip to Roscommon, and a drink with Elvis

June 30, 2023

I loved my time in the beautiful and wild northwestern counties of Donegal and Sligo (the hills, the beaches!) but it was time to begin the journey south, heading first to Athlone before returning back to Dublin for my flight home. I enjoyed a relaxing and scenic train journey from Sligo Town to Athlone, and it was nice to return to this charming and historic town located along the River Shannon in the geographic centre of Ireland. While in Athlone, I took a day trip by train to Roscommon town, some 30 miles north, in order to visit its abbey and castle.

The abbey was located an easy walk away from the train station and I had the entire place to myself. Founded over 750 years ago by Felix O’Conor, King of Connacht, the ruins of this Dominican Friary date from the 13th to 15th centuries and sit on the site of an ancient abbey founded in the sixth century by Saint Coman.

The abbey is well known for its tomb from about 1290 that features a carved effigy of King O’Conor in repose, dressed in a long robe and mantle and with a dog lying at his feet. Along the front portion of his tomb is a 15th century carving of eight Gallowglass warriors wearing helmets and chain-mail coats.

After my visit to the abbey I strolled through Roscommon’s cheerful downtown area and on to Roscommon Castle. Built in 1269 by the Normans on land seized from an Augustinian Priory, control of the castle over the next 400 years alternated between the Anglo-Normans and the Irish Kings of Connacht.

In its final battles, the castle was partially blown up by Cromwell’s forces in 1652, and in 1690 the castle was burned down, leaving only the still-impressive ruined shell of its outer walls and round towers.

The castle sits on a corner of the 14 acre Loughnaneane Park that features a wildflower meadow, walking trails with interpretive panels describing the local flora and fauna, and a lookout over the adjacent turlough which is a low-lying area of limestone that becomes flooded in wet weather creating a temporary lake. The Roscommon turlough is an important habitat for overwintering birds such as Greenland white-fronted geese and Whooper swans.

The park was wonderful, the air cool and fresh, and after enjoying my walk there I returned to the centre of town and decided to visit the Roscommon County Museum which is housed in a former Presbyterian church. The museum features a somewhat jumbled (in a good way) and eclectic collection of artefacts that ranged in age from a Neolithic stone arrowhead, a thousand-year old dug out canoe found in nearby Lough Ree, a 9th century burial slab from St. Coman’s Abbey (the translation reads “A blessing on the soul of Joseph”), and cannon balls excavated from Roscommon Castle. A more recent donation was an Apple IIe computer, circa 1983 (that photo is for Brent who had an even earlier model!).

I also really enjoyed a display of some beautiful and evocative watercolour paintings by William Percy French, a celebrated 19th century Irish songwriter and poet.

But the best part of the museum for me was its volunteer docent, Mary, a retired teacher, who escorted me around the museum and showed me highlights of the collection. She had a wealth of knowledge about Roscommon Town and County, and of Irish history in general, from ancient to medieval to modern times. I was able to ask her many questions that had been accumulating in my head during my travels and I loved being in her company and learning from her.

On my way back to the train station, at Mary’s suggestion, I stopped for a quick peek in the Catholic Church of the Sacred Heart. Built in 1903 in the flamboyant style, this Cathedral-like church features a 53 metre high spire, an impressively ornamented front facade, and beautiful stained glass windows and Italian-inspired floor and wall mosaics. As always, a stop in a church offered an opportunity to just sit for a few moments to breathe, take in the present, contemplate the past, and appreciate the largeness of life and the beauty of artistic creation.

I ended my day in Roscommon with a delicious late lunch in a bakery cafe near the train station and then returned to Athlone. While walking to my accommodation I decided to make a short detour to Sean’s Bar (“the oldest bar in Ireland”, see my previous post here: https://christineswalkabout.com/2023/06/30/ireland-2023-athlone-and-a-cruise-down-the-shannon-river-to-clonmacnoise/ ). I had been unable to have a drink here several weeks before due to illness so this was my chance! I got my cider and a bag of Tayto crisps and happened to sit at a table inscribed with the name of “Elvis”, either by a fan, a namesake, or possibly even the man himself. It was good company, in a great pub, but even better company was to be had with a couple from Dublin who were also visiting Athlone. After I asked if they could take my picture, we started chatting and conversed for over an hour.

This trip to Ireland has definitely been the most social of all my solo trips. I have enjoyed so many friendly welcomes and conversations, exceptional hospitality, offers of aid and sympathy when I was ill, and just plain old good times. Thank you Ireland, I’ll be back!

Ireland, 2023 – Walking through an ancient landscape

Sligo Abbey, Carrowmore Megalithic Cemetery, Strandhill Beach

June 29, 2023

On my full day in Sligo I walked into town from my accommodation and then along a scenic street that followed the Garvoge River.

From there I turned to walk to Sligo Abbey, properly known as the “Holy Cross Dominican Priory”. Founded in 1252, most of the remains on site date from the 13th and 15th centuries. A circular plaque on the wall bluntly summarized the history of the abbey as follows: “Burnt in 1414. Damaged in siege of 1595. Ruined by Hamilton’s army 1641.”

A pamphlet provided a map of the abbey and described various historical and architectural features of note, but today I just wandered about casually taking a few photos of the bell tower, carved memorial stones, archways, and the cloister.

Next I visited the Carrowmore Megalithic Cemetery located four kilometres out of town. Carrowmore is an amazing site! It is one of the four largest and most important megalithic cemetery complexes in Ireland with over thirty monuments that are the remains of passage tombs. Most of the passage tombs are uncovered “dolmen circles”. The dolmen, or gravesite, would be composed of five upright stones topped with a capstone and then surrounded by an outer circle of large boulders. The first burials here took place 5700 years ago and the monuments have of course been altered over time with stone taken away for use as building materials. For example, the dolmen that is Tomb 4 (left and top right photos below) had 21 stones in its surrounding circle in 1837 when a map was first drawn of the site, but today only one remains. At Tomb 3 (bottom right), a circle of 30 stones surrounds what was once a dolmen in the centre but the dolmen stones there are missing. Excavations in the centre of Tomb 3 uncovered thirty kilos of burnt human bones.

The cemetery complex is spread out over more than one square kilometre of a gently undulating plateau,

and the more than 30 burial sites are considered to be satellite tombs of a large central cairn, known as Listoghil, that dominates a high point in the landscape.

Early written accounts described Listoghil as a “disturbed cairn of loose stones” about 2.5 metres high. The cairn was excavated in 1996-1998 and then was restored to what was believed to have been its original profile, with the inner dolmen surrounded by 101 stones in its outer circle and then covered by a great flat-topped heap of smaller stones. The cairn is aligned East-South-East towards the rising sun at the start and end of winter.

I learned from the self-guided tour map, and the excellent museum on site, that Carrowmore is part of a even larger ceremonial landscape. The entire region is dotted with passage tomb sites. From one viewpoint at Carrowmore, the location of at least 50 sites are visible. For example, to the southwest, the Ballygawley Mountains have passage tombs visible on all four summits, and to the west (photo below) is Knocknarea Mountain which is topped with a large, never-excavated cairn named “Queen Maeve’s Tomb”. Also atop Knocknarea are the remains of several satellite tombs and of Neolithic hut sites. In a valley just visible to the south is the Carrowkeel Megalithic Cemetery where there are fourteen passage tombs, dated from 3500-2500 BC, as well as twelve more within a radius of six kilometres, and many of the Carrowkeel tombs were built with their entrances and passages oriented towards Knocknarea and Carrowmore.

Needless to say Carrowmore is a very atmospheric place, which poses more questions than it answers. Excavations of some of the tombs have yielded cremated human bones, pottery shards, antler pins, stone pendants, quartz stones, and arrowheads and flint scrapers. There is also evidence here of human activity during the Iron and Bronze Ages and the Roman era.

I loved the curves of the mown paths, the rippling of the wind through the meadow grasses, and the views of mountains all around. It was exciting to travel from tomb to tomb and learn a little about each, but then also just enjoy the shapes of the land, the circles of stones, the trees, and the clouds in the ever-changing sky. I didn’t want to leave!

A light rain eventually made the decision for me so I spent time in the small but excellent museum and then I caught a ride back to Sligo with a couple from Calgary who delivered me right to my accommodation. How kind! I had the entire Airbnb to myself as my host had gone to Dublin for work. I made lunch, did a load of laundry, had a rest, and then in the late afternoon I took a bus to the nearby seaside town of Strandhill which is known for its two magnificent dune-backed beaches and for surfing. A short walk from the bus stop, past Bnbs, pubs, restaurants, and gift shops, led me directly to a seawall with steps down to a fabulous, splashing, wind-driven sea.

There were beautiful beaches to either side and I asked a passerby which I should explore. She recommended that I turn left towards the large dune that gives the town its name, Strandhill, so that is what I did.

As I walked along the path, there were excellent views inland of Knocknarea Mountain, though Maeve’s Tomb was not visible from this angle. A trail that starts on the outskirts of the town climbs up through the section of forestry and then onto the mountain and along to the cairn. I decided that I would return the next morning to make the climb before travelling south, but in the end I woke to a rainy day and little energy so that hike will just have to wait for my next visit to Ireland.

I walked out onto the beach and along to where several surf classes were getting started,

and then I decided to explore the dunes but did so only briefly as I didn’t want to contribute to the erosion of the area. What ancient monuments and treasures might have been buried beneath these hills of sand over the millennia?

I returned to the beach, left my boots and socks near the surf school, and walked down the beach a long way, happy with the warm wind and the waves and the distant views of Benbulben Mountain. I was feeling a bit melancholy, knowing that my lovely trip to Ireland was coming to an end, but also profoundly grateful for the opportunity to have visited so many beautiful and historic places. Today alone I had walked through a modern town with medieval roots, explored an ancient site of human pilgrimage, life, death, and ceremony more than 5000 years old, and was now on a timeless shore with the sun and the wind and the forces of Mother Earth and Nature working their magic to constantly change our beautiful planet.

I love the photo above – the sky reflected in a retreat of water on sand – a moment caught, a view remembered, a mix of feelings captured that I can return to time and time again.

Ireland, 2023 – More Donegal Days (and a bit of counties Leitrim and Sligo)

Donegal Town, Derrybeg, Bunbeg Harbour, Creevykell Court Tomb, Benbulben Forest Hike, Mullagmore Head Loop and Harbour, and the Fairy Bridges and Tullan Strand

June 25-28, 2023

I was sad to leave Glencolmcille and I do hope to visit there again one day for a week-long stay. A Local Link bus (thank you Ireland buses!) took me to Donegal Town, a ninety minute journey. Having visited Donegal town on my first trip to Ireland, I had no plans to see or do anything at all. It was basically a necessary stop in order to facilitate the next leg of my journey. I found a very nice cafe, had a proper lunch, and worked on my blog for a while and then I made my way to the Bridges Bed and Breakfast where I had stayed the last time I was in town. The Bridges is close to the very centre of the city, yet quiet and serenely located by the River Eske in a row of houses just past a lovely Methodist Chapel. Happily settled with an afternoon coffee, and yet another scone, I worked on my blog some more in the dining area and then conversed with a lovely older German couple, Wolfgang and Brigitte, who kindly took my photo.

On the way to my Bnb, I had taken photos of the Reel Inn, located just across the bridge, because their blackboard sign had caught my eye. Hmmm, “Award Winning Trad. Pub” and “Pub of the Year”, with music starting at 8:30 p.m. Wolfgang and Brigitte said that they were definitely going to attend and urged me to join them and I said that I might meet them there. By nine p.m., still in my room, I gave myself a good kick. I had regretted not attending the music sessions in Glencolmcille, and on other nights too, so this was the time to go! It was so much fun! The pub was packed and I waved to my German friends who were tucked up in a corner. One chair was available right near the five musicians and my table companions were all as friendly and jolly as can be. The music and singing were fantastic and I stayed until late, so glad that I had made the effort to go out and enjoy a quintessentially Irish kind of evening of great music and good “craic”.

The next morning I headed off on another bus to Derrybeg, a coastal town where I had planned to start my long distance walk on the Sli An Errigal. It had been too late to cancel my accommodation so I had kept the booking and intended to do the first ten kilometres of that hike, a coastal loop around a small peninsula that would begin and end at roughly the location of my accommodation. I had a lovely room with a distant sea view in an old-fashioned hotel and my welcome cup of coffee came with eight biscuits!

I enjoyed the peace and quiet of the hotel, and then I headed out for a walk to nearby Bunbeg and its small and scenic harbour. In the mid to late 1800s, this was a busy fishing port with catches of mackerel, herring, lobster, and crabs. Today, a few fishing boats were moored alongside pleasure crafts, and the harbour also featured a coast guard station and a passenger ferry to Gola Island.

I headed back to my hotel and for the rest of the evening I was very tempted to go out for another walk, this time down to the beach where the sky had cleared and the lighting was so beautiful on the sea, the beach, and the off-shore islands. But, I thought, “No, I’ll save it for tomorrow”.

Except, when I woke up the next day, this was now the “sea view” from my room.

The heavy rain and clouds were socked in and stayed that way for almost the entire day. Why hadn’t I check the weather?! Oh well! Part of me was quite happy to spend much of the day doing absolutely nothing, but I was relieved when the rain finally eased up to a light drizzle in the late afternoon. I headed out in my rain jacket and pants, down to the enticing bay with its golden sand and blue-green water. The tide was receding and I walked out to a wreck, Eddie’s Boat, marooned here since 1977. Later, I saw a marooned jellyfish that was as big as a Christmas platter!

The trail left the beach and travelled through a gorgeous sea of dunes and then back down to another beach.

Then, the trail headed back into dunes again where I had to be careful to not step on any of the land snails that seemed to be enjoying the cool wet weather.

I got a bit lost in the dunes as the Sli An Earagail way markers were few, far between, and somewhat confusing. But it wasn’t a worry as I could see the houses of Derrybeg up on the ridge to my right so after a while I just decided to follow my own path and headed for a hilltop cluster of large granite stones and boulders and from there I had great views out to sea (or, at least the best views that the weather would allow!).

The rain started up again and I decided to shorten the loop and return to my hotel. I still had hopes of one day doing the entire Sli An Errigail so it was okay to not complete the first stage today. Also, I had had a few lazy days, and I was more than happy to continue that trend!

The following day I was up early to catch a 7:30 a.m. bus back down the coast to Ballyshannon where Marius picked me up for a hike, the Benbulben Forest Loop. On the way, we made a stop at the Creevykeel Court Cairn which is one of the best preserved court cairns in Ireland. Dated between 4000-2500 BC the wedge-shaped cairn is 50 metres long and features an oval-shaped court at its eastern end. It was so impressive! I have found an internet image, a birds-eye view, which really helps one appreciate the shape and size of this incredible monument (photo from archaeology.ie). Excavations at the site uncovered four cremation burials, pottery, polished stone axes, and flint knives and scrapers.

Then we continued towards our Benbulben Forest hike. This is a photo of Benbulben Mountain taken from the moving car!

It is a very distinctive mountain and can be seen and recognized from miles around. The hike began beneath the prow of the mountain,

and continued on a road that paralleled the northern face of Benbulben.

Then the road cut through a section of forest and emerged from the trees to this view of the coast!

It was a spectacular walk on a spectacular day.

Before looping back towards Benbulben, the trail passed the remains of a ring fort (dated 400-1000 AD), with the circle of stones just barely discernible among the grasses. Views from the ring fort included down over the valley towards Sligo Bay and back towards Benbulben.

After our hike, Marius drove us back home on a scenic route that included a drive around Mullaghmore Head. This viewpoint featured distant views of the 19th century Castle Classiebawn which was once owned by Lord Mountbatten.

We stopped for a look at Mullaghmore’s Harbour, and had a quick walk around the lovely Peace Garden that faces the harbour.

We continued our drive north along the coast to the seaside resort town of Bundoran and past Bundoran to the Fairy Bridges and the amazing beach of Tullan Strand.

What a view! The water on the horizon was an amazing shade of dark cobalt that I had never before seen on the sea. It was so beautiful!

The Fairy Bridges are a series of four blowholes, or puffing holes as they are known here, and when the tides and wave conditions are right sea water will shoot up through the holes. There was also a “wishing chair”, a natural formation of rock much like an armchair with a sign that gave strict instructions as to how make a wish while sitting in the chair in order to have it come true. One rule was that you had to sit and look at the ocean for at least fifteen seconds before making your wish. I thought that was a good rule, and I hope that my wish comes true!

As we were heading back to the car, after taking one last photo of that incredible sea, I noticed a rather jaunty way marker that tickled my fancy. The light-hearted, happy, and excited fellow on the post, surrounded by bright blue, mirrored my feelings exactly and I laughed with delight when I saw it.

It had been a marvellous hike and coastal tour and I was very grateful to Marius for taking the time to show me some of the wonderful sights along the coast where the three counties of Donegal, Leitrim, and Sligo meet. We returned to the house where Mary had made a delicious meal for us and then we drove to Sligo town where Mary and Marius were attending a concert and I was moving on to my next accommodation. There was less than a week left to my Ireland trip, and all travel would now be southward. I will just have to come back to Ireland again if I want to have any more wonderful Donegal Days.

Ireland, 2023 – North to beautiful Donegal

June 22- 24, 2023

From Athlone I travelled north to Donegal, a rugged coastal county characterized by hills, mountains, and magnificent beaches. My first stop was Ballyshannon where I was warmly welcomed by Marius and Mary, relatives of a friend and former teaching colleague, Moira. Marius is a big hiker and had planned a wonderful hike for me along Slieve League, the highest sea cliffs in Ireland, with his friend and hiking guide Michael, but because of my tummy troubles and late arrival we had to cancel that and instead Marius and I did an easy but still very scenic walk near his home through a wood, past fields, and along a very picturesque lake.

The next day, Marius drove me to Glencolmcille and we did the marvellous six kilometre Tower Trail hike up onto Glen Head. We started off in the valley and passed this amazing view of a river curving its way towards the sea.

From there the trail climbed quickly up a curving old road with great views back down over Glencolmcille.

It didn’t take long to arrive up at the top of the headland and we approached the signal tower that was built by the British in 1805 to keep watch against a possible invasion during the Napoleonic era. The wind was blowing fiercely, and light sweeps of rain came and went.

A short walk further along the cliffs brought more fantastic views and I know that another trail continues along the coast to a scenic cove, old port, and small abandoned village.

The descent on the Tower Trail loop was just as fabulous as the hike up, with outstanding views of the valley below as we walked, and it was fun to come across a trail marker with two hikers on it – the first of its kind that I had seen, and coincidentally on a day when I had a hiking partner. The tall one is Marius!

As we reached the valley bottom the rain started in earnest but luckily we were only five minutes from the car. Marius drove me to my B&B and we said, “See you next Wednesday,” when I would be lucky enough to visit with Mary and Marius again.

That evening I could smell woodsmoke through my open window and remembered that it was June 23rd, St. John’s Eve, which is traditionally celebrated by the burning of bonfires. The tradition dates from pre-Christian times as a midsummer celebration held to ensure fertile fields and abundant crops. I headed out for a walk to see the fires and chatted with a fellow on his way to one of the village pubs. Like many of the visitors to Glencolmcille he was attending a week-long session of study at the Irish language school. He invited me in for a pint, and the sound of the music was tempting, but my day had been full enough so I strolled back to my accommodation, happy to be in Glencolmcille.

The next morning I woke early and it was another beautiful day in Ireland! I headed towards the meandering river that I had seen the day before that leads to a large sand beach. The sky and the views across the valley towards Glen Head were very inspiring and there was a spring in my step.

I found my way down to the river,

and followed its curving course across a wide expanse of sand.

It was a good distance to the beach but I was in no hurry, happy to be barefoot walking along,

and stopping often for the equally gorgeous views back.

Then I came out onto the beach where the river met the sea. A young mom was installed on her beach blanket, with her book open, while the dad, daughter and dog ran and played happily along the shore. Glencolmcille would definitely be a great place to spend a whole week or more as there are many trails to hike as well as beaches and coves to explore and enjoy.

I walked away from the river across the soft sand,

with views out across the bay,

and views back towards Glen Head.

Here is a zoomed in view of Glen Head with its signal tower where Marius and I had hiked the day before.

A set of stairs at the end of the beach led up to the road and directly across the road was the Glencolmcille Folk Village with its collection of replica cottages and other buildings that showcase life in rural Ireland from the 18th to the early 20th century. There was an excellent and very inspiring film about Father James McDyer who was assigned to this once impoverished parish in 1951. In the seventy years from the Great Famine to 1950, Glencolumncille had lost sixty percent of its population to emigration and that trend was continuing due to a lack of employment in the area. As a child and youth, Father McDyer had attended many “convoys” which were a gathering of neighbours to say goodby to those who were about to emigrate, and he felt that his new parishioners deserved to be able to live and work where they were born.

For a first project, Father McDyer galvanized the local population and a community centre was built with volunteer labour. He petitioned the government to bring improvements to the area that included electricity, piped water, and new housing. He helped organize agricultural shows, sports days, and the Errigal Seafood Factory. Then he and the community created the Folk Village to bring tourism to the area. Four cottages were built initially, all with volunteer labour, and they were furnished and decorated with authentic period pieces donated from members of the community and from the surrounding area. The Folk Village has since grown to include several more cottages, a replica school, a tea house, and a craft shop, and it attracts thousands of visitors to Glencolmcille each year. I’ll share photos from just a few of the cottages.

The Kilaned Cottage represents a typical cottage from the 1850’s to 1900. The grandparents would have slept in the small bed closest to the fire as that would have been the warmest.

This cottage, Teach An Athair represents a medium -sized cottage from the 1900s.

The Dooley Cottage represents a simple two-roomed cottage from the 1700s. The tools include a pitchfork for hay, a sand eel hook, a dipper to make holes for planting potatoes, and a slean which is a special spade used to cut turf for use as fuel.

Also depicted was a Fisherman’s cottage. Many local farmers also fished during the spring and summer months for salmon and lobster to help generate income and feed their families.

This is the Taibhairne Agus Siopa, a combination pub/grocery which was very common in rural Ireland. The larger room had the grocery store on one side and a bar on the other, and the small room at the end was the kitchen where the ladies would get together (three bottom photos).

After viewing all of the cottages, I rose up on the “heritage trail” which included replicas of a lime kiln, a sweat house, and a hedge school. A hedge school was a secret school hidden in dense vegetation during the time of the Penal laws in the late 17th and early 18th centuries when the native Irish were not allowed to be educated, their language was banned, and they were forbidden to practice their Roman Catholic religion. Subjects like math, history and geography were taught in the hedge schools as well as Latin, Irish, and religion.

At the top of the heritage trail was an example of a Mass Rock which was typically a stone slab placed on a stone wall to act as an altar where a Catholic mass could be performed in secret. The top of the heritage trail also provided an excellent view of Glen Head, the beach, and the Folk Village below.

After my educational and enjoyable visit to the Folk Village I caught a bus to the crossroads at Malinmore and then had a four kilometre walk to reach Malin Beg, a fantastic beach that I had seen in photos. It was a pleasant walk on a quiet road with scattered homes, grassy fields, sea views, and a wonderful breeze that kept me alert and energized.

Then I arrived at the beach! Wow!

There was a long steep flight of stairs down,

and here is a view back of those stairs from the beach!

For the second time today I took off my boots and strolled on wonderful soft sand towards the far end of the beach one way,

with views out to the sea,

and then I sat a for a good long while before strolling to the other end of the beach where I took this photo encompassing most of the arc of the beach from one end to the other. Again, wow!

At the top again, I couldn’t resist taking more photos and here is one of my my favourites.

By now I was getting a bit tired and didn’t relish the seven kilometre walk back to Glencolmcille (the next bus from Malinmore wasn’t due for some time in order to transport me three of those kilometres), so I asked a kind-looking couple if they were driving to Glencolmcille and they were happy to give me a ride. Yay! I asked them to drop me off about a kilometre before the Folk Village so that I could walk part of the road that I had missed on the bus. I loved the views towards Glen Head, and I found a perfect little cottage, surrounded by pink and white roses and with direct access to a third lovely sand beach. That’s where I’ll stay for an entire week when I can return to wonderful Glencolmcille in beautiful County Donegal.

Note: Some photos of my Tower Hike in this post (which were taken on my phone), do not seem to be loading on my ipad, though they do load on my phone. Please let me know via the comments if some photos are not loading for you and I’ll try to find a solution. Thanks!

Ireland, 2023 – Athlone, and a cruise down the Shannon River to Clonmacnoise

June 20-21, 2023

I slept fairly well on my second night on Inish Meain, up in the loft of my Irish cottage, but grew distressed again when my illness continued with three bathroom visits in the morning and two emergency stops on my 3 km walk to the pier to catch the ferry to Rossaveal! This was the ninth day since symptoms began! The boat ride to Rossaveel, bus to Galway, and train to Athlone all went well and were restful, but I was feeling worried and upset about my continuing tummy troubles. I had obviously overdone my sightseeing on Inis Oirr and Inis Meain, and what I really needed to do was rest. After calling Brent and having a good cry to relieve some anxiety I decided to book a second night in Athlone and basically do nothing for two days except my Shannon River Cruise to Clonmacnoise. And I sadly decided that it was best to cancel my second long-distance walk of 77 km in County Donegal and fly home a week early. Long story short, my tummy finally started to settle but I am only now (over a week later as I write this post) starting to regain my appetite and eat proper meals. So, I’m better! Thank you to everyone for your messages of concern and support (heart emoji).

Now, with my woes and worries behind me, my posts will focus again on sharing photo images and snippets of information about the beautiful landscapes, historical sites, and magical places that I have continued to see and experience here on the Emerald Isle. Thank you for joining me on the journey!

The pretty city of Athlone is near the exact geographic centre of Ireland and is situated along the Shannon River which is Ireland’s and Europe’s longest river. My wonderful accommodation at the Bastion B&B was the perfect place to recuperate with its kind hosts, eclectic decor, restful room, and comfortable lounge and dining area.

It was located on the left bank of the Shannon very near to Athlone Castle, the massive St. Peter and St. Paul Cathedral, and Ireland’s (and Europe’s) oldest pub “Sean’s Bar.”

It was also very near to where I would board a Viking-themed ship to travel down the Shannon to the monastic settlement of Clonmacnoise.

The ninety minute journey was truly magical and I was so lucky to be favoured, yet again, by a perfect day of sun and wind and beautiful clouds in the sky. Here is only one of the amazing views looking forward as we travelled downriver,

and one view looking back.

But I have to show several views looking towards the shore as the lines, shapes, and colours of the reeds, grasses, flowers, and other riverside vegetation were truly beautiful!

We passed many water birds including swans, ducks, coots, and grey herons,

but one of my favourite sights was of a group of black and white spotted cows who were running across a grassy field. And another group of cows, cream, brown, and tan, were running towards the black and white cows from the opposite direction. They stopped at an invisible line (which was probably a fence line that I could not see) and just looked at each other but it was obvious that they were happy to see each other!

I loved my journey down the Shannon and was excited as we neared Clonmacnoise which was founded around the year 548 by a young monk, later St. Ciaran, in the centre of Ireland at an important crossroads of north/south travel on the river and east/west land routes. Over the centuries, Clonmacnoise became a major centre of religion, learning, trade, craftsmanship, and political influence, and as the burial place of St. Ciaran, it has attracted pilgrims for nearly 1,500 years.

An unexpected sight beside Clonmacnoise was the ruins of an Anglo Norman motte and bailey castle that was built in 1214 to help secure control of central Ireland and to guard a bridge that was here over the River Shannon.

I exited the Viking ship and watched it begin its journey back up the Shannon. Its passengers would have ninety minutes of time to explore Clonmacnoise and then we would be returned to Athlone by a shuttle bus. I was sad to see it go – I had loved my trip downriver.

But I was also excited to explore Clonmacnoise. The large site contains a number of churches that date from the 10th to the 17th century, as well as two round towers, and a large collection of stone crosses and early grave-slabs. Between the 6th and 12th centuries, Clonmacnoise benefited from the patronage of the kings of Connacht and of Meath, but it was also attacked and plundered numerous times by the enemies of those kings as well as by Vikings and the Anglo-Normans. By the 13th century, Clonmacnoise was in decline, and in 1552 it was plundered again and reduced to a ruin by an English garrison from Athlone. It was recorded at the time that, “Not a bell large or small, an image or an altar, or a book or a gem, or even glass in a window left was not carried away.”

I first made a quick tour of the site and then I visited the interpretive centre and museum to watch an excellent film on the history and importance of Clonmacnoise. Inside the museum were three large crosses that are now housed indoors for protection from the elements (replicas have have been placed on their original sites). On the left is the Cross of the Scriptures, carved with biblical scenes on each of its four sides from one piece of sandstone around 900 AD. To the right is the South Cross which is believed to date from the early 800s.

The North Cross, below, is possibly pre-Christian in origin and features animal and abstract interwoven designs as well as an image of the Celtic god Cernunnos who is the god of hunting, fertility, health, and the underworld. It is carved of limestone and its base is a used millstone.

Also on exhibit were some very beautiful finely carved stone slabs that would have been used as horizontal grave markers. Over 700 grave-slabs, dating from the 8th to the 12th centuries, were found at Clonmacnoise and are now stored indoors for conservation. The inscription on the leftmost slab reads, “A prayer for Odra who had knowledge”, and the centre slab reads, “A prayer for servant of Michael”.

The following images are of the Cathedral which is the largest of the churches at Clonmacnoise. Originally built in 909 by the King of Tara and the Abbot of Clonmacnoise, much of the stonework visible today dates from around 1200, and the north doorway (top right) dates from the 1450s.

The photo to the right below is of Temple Finghin, a small Romanesque church with a round-tower belfry attached. It is the closest church to the Shannon and is thought to date from around 1160-70. The modern glassed structure (bottom left) commemorates the visit of Pope John Paul II to Clonmacnoise in 1979.

The last photo is of Temple Ciaran. Built in the early 10th century, it is the oldest and smallest of all the churches at Clonmacnoise and is the reputed burial place of St. Ciaran. It is falling inwards due to farmers, over the centuries, coming and scooping up handfuls of soil from around its foundation because legend has it that if a farmer spreads a bit of soil from St. Ciaran’s church in each of the four corners of his land he will have plentiful crops for the entire year.

Clonmacnoise was a very special place to visit, full of historical significance and beautifully situated beside the river, and I was very glad that I had been able to arrive there via a cruise down the Shannon. I returned to Athlone and rested in my B&B for the rest of the day until early evening when I was drawn outside by the feeling that the Summer Solstice needed to be marked and celebrated somehow. I planned to walk for a kilometre or two on the riverside trail but it was closed so I took just a few photos of the river and my B&B’s trio of businesses, the Bastion Gallery, Kitchen, and B&B. I also passed by the rear entrance of Sean’s Bar and read that an inn has been on the site since 900 AD. It was called Luain’s Inn and the innkeeper, Luain, also guided people across a river ford here. The ford became known as the Ford of Luain, or Atha Luain, which is were Athlone got its name. I considered having a drink in the oldest pub in Ireland (verified by the Guinness Book of World Records) to celebrate the solstice, but decided instead to return to my room to read, rest, and email family back home to wish them a happy Summer Solstice.

Thank you, Athlone, for a restful stay, and thank you to the Shannon River and Clonmacnoise for a magical Summer Solstice day.

Ireland, 2023 – Inis Meain and a lost romance

June 18-20, 2023

Inis Meain, the middle island, is a very different island than Inis Mor and Inis Oirr which are very organized for tourist visits with bicycle rental places, pony and trap rides, gift shops and cafes, etc. I knew that ahead of time and was happy to be the only passenger to disembark onto the island on the late afternoon sailing. I was met by my host’s lovely daughter who welcomed me at the pier with fresh baked scones (which made six as I had four with me!). Now a nurse working in Galway, and home for a visit, she grew up on Inis Meain and proudly gave me a quick tour of the island which I appreciated. Then she dropped me off at the very cute “200 year old renovated cottage” that I had been so looking forward to staying in. Before entering, she introduced me to Paisley, my donkey neighbour next door.

Cait oriented me to the cottage and lit a wood and coal fire before saying goodbye. It had been a pleasure to meet her but the moment she left I felt deflated. I loved the rustic cottage – I appreciate rustic and simple – but it was damp! Especially the bedroom where the mattress and linens were very damp. Why the heck didn’t I call the host and say so?! Aaargh! The couch and its afghan were damp. The chair cushions were damp. Every soft surface in the cottage was damp to the touch. Okay, time for dinner I thought and then I’ll feel better. I had brought some groceries as there is only one small shop on the island and it was closed on my arrival day. I boiled up a sliced carrot, a bit of broccoli and cauliflower, and some green beans as I hadn’t had any vegetables or even anything resembling dinner for almost a week. Then I read for a while on the damp couch and kept the fire up hoping that would help but it didn’t throw much heat. It was a long evening!

I climbed up to the loft where there was an unmade single bed beneath a skylight. A twin-sized duvet there was slightly less damp so I brought it down to the couch and decided to sleep there in front of the fire with all of my clothes on. It wasn’t very comfortable and I slept fitfully. I switched to the bedroom part way through the night but lasted only five minutes then went back to the couch. Awake at 3:58 a.m. I gave up on sleep, made coffee and toasted a scone, and read until the sun rose. Then, worst of all, my diarrhea was back. I felt devastated and exhausted and panicky and thought, “there’s no way that I can spend three nights here.” I started googling but then decided to take a walk to clear my head and calm down.

I walked past the island’s lovely church, and then Synge’s cottage, a summer home of Edmund Synge who was a well-known Irish poet and playwright. A trio of cows wondered why I was up so early!

I reached Dun Chonchuir, a large 1st century BC elliptical-shaped ring fort built up on the highest point of the island.

Once inside, it was surprisingly large. Some of the outlines of inner dwellings had been repaired and partly rebuilt in 1880.

Like many other ring forts, the outer defensive wall was stepped and terraced on the inside to allow access to the top and I climbed up carefully for more views of the interior space,

as well as views out over the island.

From there, I next visited a small ancient clochan which was half-hidden amongst nettles and brambles. Clochans, or beehive huts, are small stone dwellings with corbelled roofs. I crawled through the tiny door, less than a metre high and half a metre wide, and felt like a spoiled whiny baby to be so upset with my miserable night when I had had the comfort of a soft (though damp) couch, modern clothes, a hot shower and a hot breakfast! I imagined sleeping in here. People had to be so much tougher back then!

The sun rose higher as I made my way to the western side of the island past fields, a few farmhouses and old cottages (some with thatched roofs), and several walled gardens planted neatly with potatoes, grain, onions and greens.

Then I reached Cathair Synge, or Synge’s Chair, where the poet liked to sit and watch the large waves roll in from across the Atlantic and crash against the cliffs of Inis Mor. I could hear the loud roar today of those crashes from across the water and remembered that roar from a visit to Inis Mor’s Black Fort where huge waves had crashed hard against a perilous section of undercut cliffs. Huge storm waves of up to 14 metres can hit the western edge of Inis Mor and shift limestone boulders as big as houses!

I continued past Synge’s Chair, careful of my footing on the uneven and cracked limestone pavement. There was sea thrift to admire, pretty in the sun even though the flowers had faded to brown from their earlier bright pink, and fossils of shells and crab carapaces to examine. Then I reached the sheer cliffs of Inis Meain. What a sight!

Farther along the coast here there are several blow holes but it was best for me to turn back so I started the return journey to my cottage and enjoyed more views of the island as I walked. I spent a few moments sitting in the cool, silent, and symmetrical beauty of the island church which was now open, and I visited the ivy-covered barely-discernible ruins of the Teampall Seacht Mac Ri, an early Christian church. Beside it was the grave site of Saint Kennerg (St. Cinndeirge) who was the daughter of a King of Leinster. Her grave and a nearby holy well were sites of pilgrimage for centuries and were “held in great veneration by the islanders.”

Back at the cottage I was tired and still feeling a bit discouraged but definitely calmer. I decided that I would tolerate one more night in the cottage and leave a day early to travel to Athlone in order to be able to do a boat cruise down the Shannon River to the monastic settlement of Clonmacnoise – another much-anticipated activity that I had not yet been able to book as the cruise dates did not match my itinerary. I considered finding different accommodation on the island for the night, but as everyone knows everyone I did not want to embarrass my hosts with talk of a damp cottage! I washed a load of laundry, had a few crackers with cheese and an apple for lunch, and visited with Paisley as I hung up my laundry on the line.

Then I headed out to visit the rest of the island’s sites and sights. It was turning into a gorgeous day, windy and sunny and fresh, and although I was very tired I was also happy to be here. I walked past village houses towards the eastern side of the island and uphill on several narrow flowery lanes to arrive at another stone fort, Dun Fearbhal.

Unlike most ring forts this one was built in a square shape rather than a circle. A teenager was installed upon the wall enjoying the beautiful view of the island down towards the old pier and beach. From Galway, he was visiting his grandfather and said that he loves coming back to the island often and that this fort was his special place. I could see why! Like so many of the people I had met in Ireland he was open and friendly and sincerely interested in who I was and why I was there. I loved talking to him but didn’t linger so that he could enjoy his quiet time in his favourite place on a beautiful afternooon.

I started to make my way down hill, heading towards An Tra Mor, the beach below.

On the way down I could see the remains of Cill Cheannannach, an 8th-9th century church surrounded by grave slabs. (In the bottom left corner of the photo is an example of the kind of trough that the farmers here build to hold water for their cattle. The inclined plane of stone adds to the volume of rain that is able to be collected on an island where there is little surface water available.

This small early church would have had a wood-framed roof and the only natural light inside would have been from an open western door and the small eastern window.

Here is a view looking back at the church and up to the square fort.

And then I neared this amazing beach and the turquoise-coloured sea.

From atop some limestone boulders, and zoomed in, I could see a father or grandfather watching over two boys playing in the sea. The beach was surprisingly immense.

I walked out onto the sand and started down the length of the beach.

This was my view forward more than halfway along,

with views back to the father and the boys. What a beach!

I sat on the sand for awhile, gazing out to sea, and watched several terns fishing for their supper. Then I carried on, off of the sand and onto a section of limestone pavement where three oyster catchers were very upset with me as I walked along. They circled and complained and were likely nesting in the area so I tried to look as harmless as can be. A good-sized flock of cormorants weren’t happy with me either and folded in their outstretched wings and retreated to the water when I tried to approach for a photo.

I continued on along the coastline wanting to get to the dune-backed beaches that I had seen from the ferry but the limestone pavement ended and the shore became bouldery and hard to navigate in my fatigued condition (it would have been fun otherwise!). So I returned to the pavement, once more annoying the poor oyster catchers and cormorants, and then I rose up above the beach to a beautiful area of grasses and wildflowers.

The views here, near and far, were spectacular and I felt both elated and exhausted at the same time. While down low taking photos I really should have given in to the temptation to just lay down and have a sleep on the soft grass in the warm sun!

I started to head back towards my cottage but decided instead to turn and continue in the direction of the dunes,

and I was happy when I spotted them in the distance.

Luckily I had asked Cait about the dunes and she had driven that way and pointed out a white arrow on a post which marked a lane that would lead me around to the far end of Inis Meain’s small airport runway and into the dunes. It was so beautiful!

The wind was waving through the tall grasses and it was a joy to walk on the undulating narrow path. Several side trails led to the bouldery shore,

and then finally one led me to this gorgeous sand beach. Wow! I wanted so badly to walk to its end to see what was around the corner,

but I was just too tired so I sat for a few moments and watched a fisherman in a currach as he pulled up and then tossed a lobster trap back into the sea before continuing on. Look at the colour of that water!

It was definitely time to head back and the last site that I wished to visit on Inis Meain was thankfully located directly on the way back to the cottage. Here are photos of the Carrownlinsheen Wedge Tomb, also known as the Bed of Diarmuid and Grainne. Dated at between 4000-2500 BC, it is the oldest known human-built structure on the Aran islands.

I returned to my cottage and forced myself to eat a small meal. Fewer veggies (which my tummy had not liked) (Paisley enjoyed getting most of my carrot), some instant rice, and a can of sardines for some protein. I brought my clothes in off the line as well as two bath towels that were now fully dry and would serve as buffers between me and the damp mattress and duvet. I had decided to sleep in the loft on the less-damp bed and would just have to be very careful coming down the ladder in the middle of the night. I was worried about my lingering illness, but happy with my long day on Inis Meain, and I went to sleep long before the evening light had faded from the sky.

And the “lost romance” in this post’s title? I can’t tell you how many times I have googled “Irish cottage for sale” in the last five years or so. Now, I must admit, reality has trumped romance. Although, …. I know that there are ways to keep those old cottages free of damp. Perhaps a little romance is left after all.

Ireland, 2023 – On to Doolin and the beautiful Aran islands

June 16-18, 2023

I left Portmagee to travel on four different buses to Ennis, and luckily had time at each of my transfer stops to have a bathroom break. My tummy was beginning to settle but I still wasn’t eating much more than a couple of scones, a banana, and a few crackers each day. I enjoy travelling by bus with nothing to do but enjoy the passing scenery and it was actually a restful day. I settled into my bed and breakfast right away and did not walk out to experience the medieval centre of Ennis town. Unfortunately I had to make the decision to cancel another much-anticipated activity that was planned for the following day – a seven kilometre hike in the Burren on the Mullaghmore Trail. It would have required several bus rides to get there, plus energy for the hike, and sadly I just wasn’t up to it. Here is an image from the internet as I didn’t get to go there! (Photo from barnabynutt.com)

What an amazing landscape! Yet another reason to travel again to Ireland! Because I skipped the hike I was able to travel on an earlier bus to Doolin, a place that I had visited on my last trip to Ireland and a gateway to the Aran Islands. I arrived at the comfortable and cozy Rainbow Hostel and received a very warm Irish welcome.

My hostess, Carmel, was so kind and offered to do my laundry and to drive me to the pier the following morning. I loved talking with her and with Susan, an Irish woman on holiday from Amsterdam, and I enjoyed hearing the two of them speak together in Irish. I’ve heard a lot of Irish spoken on this trip! I did nothing all afternoon except chat, read, nap, and enjoy a very dramatic electrical storm right above the hostel that flashed lightning, boomed thunder, and released a torrent of rain! In the evening I went on an easy walk near to the hostel along a country road to visit the ruins of an old church and a small stone circle.

It was a lovely walk in the cool rain-washed air and there were views across hay fields to the beginnings of the Cliffs of Moher in the distance.

The Killilagh Church was built in the 17th century and its cemetery continued to be used until the middle of the 20th century. It was very peaceful and there were many Celtic crosses marking the graves.

I continued along the road as it led straight towards the sea,

and turned for views back towards Doolin.

I noticed that the birds were very active with their calls to each other, possibly discussing with some excitement the fantastic storm that had passed. I walked all the way to where the road ended and did not see the ring of stones anywhere off to my right in the fields. Disappointed, I turned to walk back and continued looking, now to my left. Halfway back, and losing hope, I met a Doolin resident getting her 10,000 steps in and she knew where the stones were so I turned again and walked with her back towards the sea. She pointed out the location, about 30 metres beyond where I had stopped before! The “ring of stones” was actually the Teergonean Court Tomb. Court tombs are the oldest Neolithic tombs in Ireland and date from the early- to mid- 4th millennium BC. They get their name from an open court in front of the tomb entrance and the tombs were normally covered by long cairns of stone. It is believed that a large and prominent stone on the horizon, a glacial erratic, influenced the placement of these stones into a meaningful alignment. It was tangibly an ancient and very special place and I felt honoured to be there to experience it.

The next morning, after a good sleep, I was ready to head to Inis Oirr for a four-hour visit and then continue on to Inis Meain for a three night stay in a 200 year old cottage. The Doolin Ferry company had new boats, an improvement over the somewhat rusty one I had ridden on five years ago when I had visited Inis Mor, the biggest of the three Aran islands.

The trip to Inis Oirr, the smallest and closest island, was a quick fifteen minutes, with views of the cliffs of Moher in the distance and then views of the island with its gorgeous beach, blue-green water, harbour buildings, and hilltop castle and tower.

I had booked a bicycle, and the proprietors kindly stored my big pack for me so, feeling excited and energized again for the first time in days, I set off to explore the sights of the island. Like Inish Mor, this island is a continuation of the Karst limestone topography of the Burren and it is criss-crossed with miles and miles of dry stone walls. I had loved my time on Inis Mor and was very happy to be back to visit another of the Aran Islands. On my first stop I walked down a grassy lane to see the island’s small brackish lake – seawater seeps into the lake from fissures in the limestone.

I continued on to the remains of the MV Plassey, a large cargo steam freighter that was wrecked in a storm off Inis Oirr in 1960. All eleven crew members were rescued by the islanders who also helped to salvage the cargo. The huge rusting wreck was strangely very beautiful!

From there I cycled towards the island’s lighthouse. It was very fun to ride a bicycle and much faster than walking, even though I do usually have to get off and push on the uphill stretches! The lighthouse was like a magnet in the distance,

and there was an interesting approach to it along a long straight road hemmed in by tall stone walls.

On the return trip back up the road I noticed a gate in the wall which enabled me to walk along the rocky shore to photograph the lighthouse from different angles. It posed marvellously, as did the obliging clouds! What a gorgeous day to be on Inis Oirr!

On the walk back I became distracted by some tiny yellow star-shaped flowers and I continued to enjoy finding and photographing flowers as I pushed my bike back uphill. There were so many daisies blooming on this island!

My next stop was O’Brien’s Castle which was built in the 14th century within a ring fort believed to date from 400 BC. The castle was a three story tower house for the O’Brien family who ruled the Aran islands until the late 1500s.

I enjoyed walking around all four sides of the tower and exploring the inside,

but the real draw today was the views in all directions over the island. This view shows some of the multitude of wall-enclosed fields,

and this view (left photo), over to the next hill, shows the remains of a signal tower, built in 1804 that was part of the extensive network of towers built by the British during the Napoleonic wars.

After the hilltop visits I zoomed on my bike downhill to what was perhaps my favourite stop on the island, Teampall Chaomhan, the 10th century St. Kevin’s Church. Built near the sea, over the centuries it became buried by drifting sands until it was excavated and revealed by the islanders who continue to maintain the site. It was very unique and beautiful.

Nearby was the Cnoc Raithnoghe, a Bronze Age burial mound, dated at 1500 BC, which had also been buried under the sands over time. It was excavated after discovery and the finds included decorated pottery urns, cremated human remains, and a small bronze pin.

There was still time before my ferry to Inis Meain so I cycled towards the western side of the island to visit Cill Ghobnait, also referred to as An Teampall Beag (The Small Temple). Dedicated to St. Ghobnait, and built in the 11th century on a site in use since the 6th century, the church still features its original stone altar.

There were still more parts of the island to explore but I was happy with my day and conscious of my energy levels so I returned my bicycle and sat outside at a cafe to enjoy a scone and cup of tea and the views towards the beautiful sand beach, Tra Inis Oirr. After my break, I still had time before the ferry arrived so I walked towards the beach,

and then along the sand to its very centre where the view out to the clouds and sea was truly magical.

I said goodbye to lovely Inis Oirr as the ferry pulled away,

and said hello to Inis Meain, the middle island, as we made the approach.

I was ready for the next part of my journey and optimistic that I was on the mend. I would have three days in one place to rest, read and explore. Unfortunately, things would not go as planned!

Ireland, 2023 – Not the finale I was expecting on my Kerry Way walk! Then, on to Cahersiveen and Portmagee

Day Six of Kerry Way Walk – Limateerha to Cahersiveen – 13 km

So, I’ll get straight to the point, and it isn’t pleasant or pretty! I started off my morning with three visits to the bathroom and much of the day was an exercise in finding discreet places to make emergency outdoor bathroom stops. It was the start of food poisoning symptoms that would last for over a week and severely cramp my style (in more ways than one!). I believe that the culprit was an undercooked hamburger in Glencar which I had wanted to return to the kitchen and definitely should have. I need to learn to be more assertive!! There were some good moments on my walk, and in the ensuing days, and so I’ll report on those and try to leave out the unpleasant details of my illness!

The last leg of my journey on the Kerry Way was mostly level walking along peaceful country roads, paved and unpaved. I was heading towards Blen Tee, the pointy-tipped mountain in the distance,

and I often turned to look back up the luxuriant green valley that I had traversed the previous day.

I reached the turnoff where the Kerry Way loop continues towards Waterville, but my journey continued straight on the linking spur to Cahersiveen. Soon after there was a beautiful long section of bog to traverse, but the walking was dry and easy on an access road.

There were also many stiles to cross over, into and out of farm fields. At this one I took a rest at the top as it was shaded and had a wonderful view of a meadow.

Two Dutch gentlemen came along, the only other hikers that I would see today, and they were very fit-looking older fellows carrying big backpacks. We said hello as they passed and later I met them again at a small shallow river where they having a wash, one of them naked. I talked for a few minutes with the non-naked one and learned that they were camping and had been walking for ten days. They had done the entire Beara Way (206 km) and had come this far on the Kerry Way (about 70 km) in those ten days, for an average of about 28 km per day with all of their gear. When I remarked on the distance, the fellow just smiled and said simply, “We like walking.”

I carried on, always heading towards Blen Tee Mountain. I would be crossing over its shoulder and then around to my final destination at Cahersiveen.

The day grew to be very warm and muggy and the Kerry Way made a few turns the didn’t seem to make sense. I was getting hot and tired, and worried about the state of my tummy, so when I hit a section of paved road I distracted myself with noticing the flowers along the roadside and hedges and I noticed a few new ones that I hadn’t yet met including the beautiful purple loosestrife (top left) which is invasive at home but native here in Ireland.

A few kilometres on, I had another restful break on top of a shaded stile, this time looking back at the long valley that I had traversed and at the distant mountains that I had come over.

Then, I got lost for the first time on the trail. I came to a sign and was interested in the Blentee Loop Walk and other signed trails and so I didn’t notice that the Kerry Way made a right turn here. I continued straight and headed a good distance uphill unnecessarily, noticed my mistake, and then compounded it by figuring that I could traverse some farm fields to get to the proper path. I traversed one wide field, then another, then halfway across the third I realized that I would not be able to get over a high stone fence. Darn! I recrossed the fields, headed back downhill, and then found the post where I had made my mistake.

The next section rose through a blissfully shaded wood, and then opened up to great views looking back up the valley and ahead and down to Cahersiveen but my need to find a bathroom spot again (for the umpteenth time) was becoming urgent and that’s all I could think about. On all of my other long distance walks I’ve felt quite proud and ebullient as I’ve neared the finish but this was no grand finale. I was miserable!

I found a barely-private spot in the nick of time and once that was dealt with properly I descended the rest of the way into town feeling depleted and anxious. I found my accommodation, met my wonderfully considerate host Danny, and retired to the serenity of my lovely room to shower and lie down for a good long rest. Later, I made my way to a thankfully nearby grocery store to buy food for dinner, breakfast, and the next day. I ate my dinner, one banana and small cup of strawberry yogurt, in a peaceful park across from my accommodation which featured the ruins of the Old Abbey of the Holy Cross. That was a nicer finale to the day, and to my Kerry Way walk, and I went to sleep early, hopeful that all would be well by morning.

Leacanabuile and Cahergall Stone Forts

My tummy troubles continued over night but in the morning I managed to eat several slices of toast and I was determined to stick with my itinerary of visiting two stone forts and a ruined castle located 3.5 km out of town. I was able to leave my pack at Danny’s and I set off on another beautiful morning. I crossed over the Valentia River, gorgeous in the morning light,

and enjoyed views across hay meadows to the marina and town of Cahersiveen, with the green slopes of Blen Tee rising up behind.

I continued along and was excited to have my first sightings of Ballycarbery Castle,

but then bathroom needs became urgent again and my focus turned to possible spots and there were almost none to be found along the public road with fenced fields and scattered houses on either side. But, I said that I would omit those details! So, let’s head straight to the first impressive 9th century stone fort, Leacanabuile, located on a rocky knoll at a high point in the landscape with far-reaching views all around to the river, sea, and hills.

The fort would have been the farmstead of a wealthy land owner with a protective circular wall more than three metres thick. One doorway on the east side would allow access into the enclosure where there had been a round stone house with an attached square house and other smaller round buildings. There was also an escape route via a passage below ground which exited on the outside of the wall to the west.

I had the site to myself and enjoyed the wonderful atmosphere and views. Looking across to the larger Cahergall Stone Fort on a nearby hill I could see that people were standing atop its walls.

I made my way there and by the time I arrived that tour group was gone and I had the fort almost to myself for about 15 minutes before another tour group arrived. The stone fort is a regular stop for the large tour buses that take tourists around on the Ring of Kerry drive. Partially reconstructed, Cahergall Stone Fort has a massive drystone wall which is stepped and terraced on the inside to allow access to the top to give a view across the countryside.

I was hesitant to climb to the top of the wall because I was feeling a bit weak and woozy but I’m glad that I did. I took care! Then I started the return walk back to Cahersiveen feeling quite unwell. Sadly, a visit to Ballycarberry Castle would have to wait for another time as I just did not have the energy for it, but I did enjoy the views of it across a hay meadow filled with waving grasses and bright yellow buttercups.

Danny was kind to let me have a second shower even though it was past check out time and I rested on a bench in his front garden until it was time to take the bus to Portmagee where I would spend three days in an Airbnb two kilometres out of town. Luckily the bus was able to drop me off right at the front door and I spent the rest of the day in bed very sIck indeed.

The next morning I had to cancel my long-anticipated boat tour to Michael Skellig, a magnificent dramatic two-peaked mountain of rock 13 miles off the coast with 600 ancient stone steps leading up to a 6th century monastic site with beehive huts and other archaeological wonders. It was to be the highlight of my trip to Ireland but was impossible for me to visit in my condition. I had a good long cry and spent the rest of the day miserable – bed, bathroom, bed, bathroom, bed, bathroom – you get the picture!

Portmagee, Valentia Island and the Kerry Cliffs

The next morning I still wasn’t well but I decided to do the 2 kilometre walk into town to see if there was any last-minute availability on that day’s sailing out to Skellig Michael. An emergency bathroom stop halfway to town convinced me that I was fooling myself that I was able to do the trip. I rested at the beach for awhile and then walked the last kilometre into town. I decided to walk over the bridge to Valentia Island and felt very sad indeed as I saw the tour boats heading out to sea on another picture-perfect day. I contented myself by taking pictures of the beautiful view upstream towards Cahersiveen,

and of Portmagee town and marina,

and of the view out towards the sea.

I walked to the Skellig Michael Experience Centre and rested at an outdoor table with a scone and cup of tea. I was nervous to eat anything but the scone turned out to be the perfect food for my condition (white flour and a bit of sugar, easily digestible) and I basically lived off of two scones a day for the following week.

I was still feeling sad about missed opportunities (I had originally planned to do several scenic hikes on Valentia Island on this day), but also resigned to my fate. It was definitely time to just slow down and take it easy. I walked back into town for a few photos and to buy some bananas, yogurt and several more scones,

and then I started to head back to my accommodation. I saw three women, about my age, heading to a car and impulsively called out, “Are you going to the Kerry Cliffs?” And they were! They were three retired teachers on holiday from Australia and they kindly gave me a ride up to the Kerry Cliffs, which had been on my itinerary, and then back into town. I was very grateful for the lift, for the company, and for the opportunity to do at least one of the activities that I had planned for my days in Portmagee.

The striated cliffs were stunning!

Though I did feel sad again while looking out in the distance at the Skelligs, with Michael Skellig on the right.

Oh well, I at least had another very good reason to come back again to wonderful Ireland. The walk from town back to my accommodation was a challenge again with my energy flagging and my thoughts turning anxiously to a long travel day on the morrow with four bus rides. More rest was definitely needed…

If you are still reading, thank you for following along on this less-than-epic part of my journey! I hope the details were not too off-putting! It certainly was an illness that exhausted me and quite took the wind out of my sails, but at least nothing disastrous had happened and though not yet fully well I was able to carry on. I hope that you will continue on the journey with me. All the best to everyone, Christine.

Ireland, 2023 – More happy walking on the Kerry Way

June 10-11, 2023

Glencar to Glenbeigh , 12.5 km, 420 m

It was an overcast morning as I left the Climbers Inn in Glencar and this day on the trail would have a much different personality. There was more road walking, though thankfully almost all of it was along quiet country roads and farm and forest tracks. I passed by rivers and streams, and through fields, forest, and woodlands, all of it as peaceful as can be.

I had left the exhilaration of the mountains behind, but they were still present in the distance reminding me of where I’d been. It was a good day for contemplation and I was happy as I walked along.

Today, 3 groups of walkers passed me – an American couple, a young German couple, and three older Brits – all doing the Kerry Way but with their bags transported by tour companies. It was fun to chat briefly with each and to compare notes on our Kerry Way journeys. I walked at a good pace throughout the morning on easy terrain and sooner than expected I arrived at the turn to Windy Gap for another climb up to a mountain pass. This climb too was much easier than those of the previous days and I hiked steadily up,

stopping occassionally for views back to the MacGillicuddy’s Reeks, most of them tucked away in the clouds.

I continued on up the curving green path,

and then I was at the top with my first glimpse of the sea on the horizon.

I travelled a little further on and then stopped to rest with this view of Dingle Bay spread out below. Two long sandspits stretch out into the bay. Inch Beach (to the right) begins at Annascaul on the other side of the bay and is 6 km long while Rossbeigh Beach (to the left in the photo), extends 3 km. Both feature beautiful long beaches backed by sand dunes with native grasses and wildflowers. I had sadly missed visiting Inch Beach on my last trip to Ireland, and I wondered if I would make it to visit Rossbeigh Beach this evening.

After my rest I started the descent, first on the wide track for a kilometre or two,

and then on a section of road walking where my views were blocked for a while by tall hedgerows so I found enjoyment in looking at all of the plants growing on and over them. So many species, such vitality! Every square inch was covered by plants of one sort or another, all seemingly getting along as they shared the space and light.

Then I was passing through the outskirts of Glenbeigh and on into the town where I had another kilometre of walking to reach my accommodation at the slightly time-worn but still elegant Glenbeigh Hotel which began life as a stage coach inn in 1792.

After a refreshing shower I trekked back into town to do some laundry and find some dinner, and then returned to the hotel with time enough left in the evening to have visited Rossbeigh Beach. I didn’t feel up to the walk there and back but I really regret not having made the effort to at least walk there and ring for a taxi back. Sometimes I adhere a bit too strictly to my budget!

Glenbeigh to Limateerha, 15 km, 270 m

I started my day much lighter than on the previous four days of walking as my kind host, Richard, of Limateerha House where I would stay next, was transporting my big pack for me for only 15 Euro which is much more reasonable than the 30 or 35 Euro charged by many other hosts and baggage transfer companies. I was very grateful! I set off down Glenbeigh’s Main Street and then it was time to climb up into the Fairy Forest, a whimsical local trail and also part of the Kerry Way. The start of the Fairy Forest was appropriately carpeted with blossoms!

After the section of forest the Kerry Way joined a very quiet road which rose steadily for several kilometres,

and later provided views over the valley and across to Windy Gap which I had descended yesterday (the slight V between the mountains).

The road continued, always uphill, for a good long while, past farms and scattered houses and it was peaceful except for a few over-excited dogs barking from their porches. Today, I would again not see one other hiker on my entire day’s journey.

There was a turn to cross over the N71 and soon after that the Kerry Way finally left the pavement and joined a dirt track that began to lead me up to isolated sheep fields on the side of a mist-shrouded mountain.

As I climbed there were great views back. Rossbeigh Beach was already so far away!

The track rose and narrowed and began to travel on the very edge of the mountain slope.

And this was the view straight down!

The drop is almost sheer, with cars passing below on the N71 Ring of Kerry Road. If one should stumble over the edge I highly doubt that grabbing at bracken would slow the fall! The colour of the water was rather too mesmerizing, so eyes forward I continued on the path towards the encroaching mist.

Before rounding a bend, I stopped to take one long last look back at Dingle Bay with its duo of long sandy spits. What a view!

I left those dizzying views behind, rounded the shoulder of the mountain, and walked straight into a new kind of excitement – a very strong wind was blowing veils of mist at me and within minutes I was close to being drenched.

I put on my rain jacket but was too lazy to put on my rain pants… then two minutes later I put on my rain pants! I was in the rain, mist and clouds (or were they all the same thing?) as I traversed the mountainside and then passed through a long section of forestry with some newly cut areas.

The next highlight was seeing my first glimpse of the finale of my Kerry Way walk far in the distance beyond the end of the first body of water. I would get there tomorrow!

The rain eased up and I started a long descent on a beautiful section of winding road that passed a series of old farms and ruined cottages.

The views across and down the valley from those cottages and that road were breathtaking!

As I walked I alternated between looking at the distant views and features of the landscape and looking at nearer things – stones covered in lichen and moss, leaning fence posts, lambs with waggling tails, and the richness and variety of the plant life. Here I stopped when I noticed a curving line of blue forget-me-nots descending a shallow slope. They were growing where a tiny spring-fed stream was flowing!

I loved it here! Many people do the stage from Glenbeigh all the way to Cahersiveen (located just beyond the midpoint of the two bodies of water) in one go but I was very happy to be taking my time! I reached the bottom of that wonderful old road,

and continued along on a narrow trail until I crossed my last stile of the day and soon after joined a quiet paved road that led me to my accommodation for the night at Limateerha House. There I enjoyed wonderful books in the sun room, good conversation, and a home-cooked dinner followed by sticky toffee pudding with ice cream.

A wonderful day’s walking deserves a wonderful ending! Thank you all for reading.