Galway to Killarney

We have experienced only a little rain on this journey, far less than expected.  But this morning when we awoke the rain was blowing sideways, and I did my Tai Chi under cover.  It continued as we left Galway on our way to The Burren, a region in County Clare characterized by cracked pavements, cliffs, and caves along the rugged coastline, especially the Cliffs of Moher which we had been looking forward to seeing today.

We passed more dry stack stone walls, and also some tower houses or "mini-castles," small fortifications constructed for protection against invaders, perched precariously on the cliffs.

 

We also passed the Aillwee Cave, a cave system high in the Burren.  It was still raining when we arrived at the Cliffs of Moher, and the wind was blowing it sideways.  We were soaked walking the short distance from the coach to the cafe and shop.

The Cliffs of Moher are known as Ireland's most famous landmark.  And what a beautiful place!

Unfortunately, we saw these cliffs only in large posters arranged around the wall of the gift shop and exhibit.  One or two of us bundled up in Gore-tex or wildly-whipping plastic, but the rest of us realized that, even had we walked the quarter-mile down to the cliffs, we would not see anything.  I did manage to see these hardy cattle grazing contentedly in the fog.

 

We continued on from the Cliffs of Moher and passed through Limerick; it had stopped raining by then.  I had been "giving it a little think" for a day or two, and had managed to write a limerick for Steve, and I wrote it down and tore it out of my notebook and gave it to him.  Alas, I cannot seem to find a copy, so it is lost to posterity.

We passed a memorial to victims of the Famine.  There will be more on this subject in a few days time, but Steve told us about this event that affected so many in Ireland and caused perhaps a million to emigrate, some to America - perhaps even my Mother's ancestors.

Along the road, Steve pointed out what locals call a "Fairy Tree," a Hawthorn; it is believed to be extremely bad luck to cut one of these trees down, and sure enough, the highway actually made a wide curve around the tree to forestall such misfortune.  In what turned out to be a warm and sunny afternoon, we arrived in Adare, once called the Prettiest Village in Ireland, which featured many thatched-roof cottages.

Also in Adare was the Trinitarian Monastery, founded in 1230 and the only Trinitarian order known in Ireland.

It happened that on this Friday afternoon, a couple was being married in the Monastery, a gorgeous place for a wedding.

At the end of another long day, we arrived in the heart of Killarney at the Killarney Towers Hotel.