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ROAD TO CLIFFS OF MOHER – COUNTY CLARE – REPUBLIC OF IRELAND ‪#discoverireland

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Road to Cliffs of Moher

We had another full day of travel.  After leaving Ballynahinch we drove back through Clifden and checked out the shops.  I was surprised to find Wrangle jeans for sale.  “Rain Ready” the tag read; for €79.95 ($85)!

White Strand

We meandered along the coastline and stopped at White Strand.  Although not far into our journey for the day, it was a great place to stop and stretch your legs; shrug off some of the gluttony from breakfast.   It appeared to be low tide and the vegetation and sand of the beach was ripe for exploration.  The most interesting thing I saw on the beach was the casts of blow lug worms.

Just south of Kilfea on R340 we came across some friendly critters.  Several donkeys were grazing to their heart’s content on tender greens along the roadside.   Photo opportunity!

We did very well with avoiding major cities throughout our travels by sticking to side roads, but there was no going around Galway; no way that wouldn’t add several hours to our travels.  It wasn’t long and we were out along the coast again.  We were, again, hoping for the sunset to cooperate at the Cliffs of Moher.  We arrived in the general vicinity early to look for a B&B as we didn’t make any previous  plans.  We easily found Sea Crest Farmhouse B&B close by and stopped by to take a look.  Satisfied and booked for an evening slumber, we unloaded the car and then departed for our late afternoon/evening adventure.  First up, dinner.

Vaughans Anchor Inn

It was invaluable having portable WiFi at all times.  It was a sinch to read reviews on restaurants.  We chose Vaughans Anchor Inn in Liscannor.  I always looked forward to a pint of Guinness after a long day of traveling.  You can see from the smile on my lovely wife’s face she did as well.  I really enjoyed that Ireland was all about the bread.  We had quite a few different varieties.  My inner-gourmand was very delighted.  The chef brought out a sample of his parsnip puree; it was divine.  Vaughn’s Fish and Chips consisted of Cod in a 9 year old (starter) batter,  Chips steamed then fried in Beef Drippings with Homemade Tartar Sauce and Pea Puree.  Wow!  Heart-healthy eating at its finest 🙂  One of the best fish and chips I experienced on our trip.

Next up…the Cliffs of Moher.

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BALLYNAHINCH CASTLE – COUNTY GALWAY – REPUBLIC OF IRELAND ‪#discoverireland

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Ballynahinch Castle

After taking in a spectacular Clifden Sky Road sunset, it was time to close out day 6 of our Ireland adventure.  We decided to switch up our B&B stays for one night and made arrangement to stay at Ballynahinch Castle Hotel.

Beautifully situated on the Owenmore river in the heart of Connemara, this former fishing and shooting lodge which once belonged to an Indian prince is completely authentic and unspoiled. Beloved of generations who know a good thing when they find it.  True to its origins, visitors come from all over the world to fly fish on one of the 8 beats along the river or shoot game in the mixed woodland, set against the stunning backdrop of the Twelve Bens mountains. Indeed game figures often on the menu, with delicious pheasant, wrapped in pastry, melt in the mouth venison, fresh salmon of course, scallops and lobster from the coast at Roundstone, just a few miles away. – read more | Ireland’s Hidden Gems

This originally modest sized country house grew considerably in size over the years to what it is today.  This 450 acres of pristine land is surrounded by woods and lakes with the Owenmore River running through the property.  I can only imagine what a thrill it would be to fly fish here.

Walking into the main building you could feel the over 600 years of history oozing from the rich and dark wood of its interior.

We were very tired from our day of travel and seeing many greats sites such as Aughnanure Castle, Friary of Ross Errilly, Cong, Roundstone and Clifden.  I am certain we were actively doing something 14-16 hours per day every day.  There is so much to experience in Ireland.  Today, day 6; halfway through our trip I think we were feeling it.  We were glad to get back to Ballynahinch and to our comfortable room.  We woke up early to explore the grounds and paths before breakfast.  It was a lovely morning with a very nice sunrise.  The weather was mild and the scenery inviting.

The food at Ballynahinch was insanely good.  We only had breakfast, but wow!  It was an amazing breakfast!  Move over Traditional Irish Breakfast.  It was all of that and more.  There was a tremendous buffet.  The video below gives you a glimpse of breakfast at Ballynahinch.  Needless to say I walked away from the table completely satisfied (stuffed) and ready for another full day of travel on our way to the Cliffs of Moher.

Ballynahinch Castle Hotel – A Manor House Hotel

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CLIFDEN – COUNTY GALWAY – REPUBLIC OF IRELAND ‪#discoverireland

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Clifden & the Sky Road

Clifden

This was one of my favorite areas in Ireland along the Wild Atlantic Way.  The Sky Road loop leading West out of Clifden is pretty spectacular.  Part way around the loop is car park where Cyndie and I did a sunset shoot (red line).  The views to the South looking out over Clifden Bay was pretty amazing.  We did not make the trip around the entire Sky Road (orange line) as the sun had set and there would have been no views to behold.

We spent a fair amount of time at the car park watching the sunset take shape.  As we stood there we noticed movement up on the hill to our right.  It appeared as though the cow came out to take in the sunset; not long after the first cow showed up, another joined as well.

The Photographer’s Ehemeris

In case you are not aware, there is a wonderful online tool to aid with sunrises and sunsets.  I’ve used The Photographer’s Ehemeris for some time now.  It is a great tool to scout locations you’ll be traveling to .

Sunset Progression

This was one of the most beautiful sunsets I have had the pleasure of capturing in quite a while.  The colors were amazing, the weather cooperated and there were clouds that pulled it all together nicely.  I really wish I would have shot a time-lapse progression that evening.  The following gallery has several images captured as the sun was setting that evening.

I ordered 35″x14″ panoramic floatmount print of this sunset from Artmill.  It is hanging in my office at work.  I see it every day; it never gets old.  

 

Extras – watch these videos.  It’s worth your time.

Embrace the Wild Atlantic Way of Life

Soundtrack of Embrace the Wild Atlantic Way of Life by Walking on Cars – check out their CD – Everything This Way

The Sky Road

This video will take you all the way around the Sky Road loop starting at the Northern point (orange line above) around to the car park/look out West of Clifden.

Soaring over the Wild Atlantic Way

Connemara Tour Guide, West of Ireland

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ROUNDSTONE – COUNTY GALWAY – REPUBLIC OF IRELAND #discoverireland

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Cong to Maam Cross

Cong to Roundstone via Maam Cross is a beautiful drive through the Irish countryside.  The smell of burning peat is unmistakable.  We drove by several peat bogs being harvested around Maam Cross.  From Galway in the South to Letterkenny in the North, there is what is known as the Atlantic Blanket Bog.  There are several areas of Mountain Blanket Bog as well.  Read more about blanket bogs – it is quite fascinating.

Maam Cross to Roundstone

We were making our way toward Clifden and the Skyroad for a sunset shoot; eventually ending up at Ballynahinch Castle Hotel for the evening.

There is a lovely stone bridge on R344 along Lough Inagh a wee bit East of Connemara National Park.  Thankfully I took a photo with my iPhone and was able to track down where this bridge was along our path.  Google maps is pretty spectacular; with street view, it’s almost like I am right back there standing on that very road.

Google Maps Street View
Google Maps Street View
Google Maps Street View

Here are photos of the bridge, mountains and unnamed stream

Roundstone

Today Roundstone is a popular holiday resort renowned among artists and naturalists for the remarkable beauty of the surrounding mountains and seascapes. It has a traditional craft centre and local activities include Connemara Pottery, Connemara Jewellery and Connemara Instrument making. Connemara Farming, Connemara Fishing, Connemara Forestry and Connemara Quarrying are carried out extensively in the area.

In Roundstone you will find a busy harbour where local fishermen prepare and return with the day’s catch, featuring a mix of Lobster, Crab, Shrimp, Mackerel, Cod plus a variety of other fish. The town itself boasts a good choice of Bars and Seafood Restaurants crammed full of locally caught seafood.  -http://www.roundstone-connemara.com/

Photos of Roundstone

Fish & Chips @ O'Dawd's
Fish & Chips @ O’Dawd’s

Roundstone in a quiet fishing village on the surface.  I believe we could have spent all day in this lively community.  We had traveled all day and we were very hungry.  We did have a wee bit of time to explore the harbor before having dinner at O’Dawd’s of Roundstone.   You’ll find that the fish and chips are different almost every place you stop.  I really enjoyed that.

Extra

Connemara Walking Guide

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CONG – COUNTY GALWAY – REPUBLIC OF IRELAND ‪#discoverireland

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The road to Cong

Our sixth day in Ireland was a full one; this post is just the half of it.  We started off at Aughnanure Castle and drove part way around Lough Corbid to the Friary of Ross Errilly.  We continued our loop around the lough to the North and arrived in Cong.

Map

The 1111 Synod of Ráth Breasail included Cong (Cunga Féichin) among the five dioceses it approved for Connacht, but in 1152 the Synod of Kells excluded it from its list and assigned what would be its territory to the archdiocese of Tuam.[2][3] No longer a residential bishopric, Cunga Féichin is today listed by the Catholic Church as a titular see.[4]

Cong was also the home of Sir William Wilde, historian and father to prominent playwright, novelist, poet, and short story writer Oscar Wilde.

-Wikipedia

Cong Abbey

Cong Abbey

Founded in 623 AD by St. Feichin as a monastery this site was then chosen by Turlough Mor O’Conor, High King of Connacht and of Ireland, as the Royal Augustinian Abbey of Cong was built in 1120 AD for the Canons Regular of the Order of St. Augustine.  The Royal Abbey of

Cong Abbey

Cong is one of the finest examples of early architecture in Ireland. Examples of the wonderful craftsmanship is still very much in evidence today with the Abbey’s Gothic windows, Romanesque doors and windows, clustered pillars, arches, standing columns and floral capitals.

Cong

Cong is like many other charming villages throughout Ireland.  Colorful shops and pubs line the narrow streets.

Cong was the filming location for John Ford‘s 1952 Oscar-winning film, The Quiet Man,[5]featuring John Wayne, Maureen O’Hara and Barry Fitzgerald. Much of the film was filmed on the grounds of Ashford Castle. The town and castle area remain little changed since 1952, and Cong’s connection with the movie make it a tourist attraction. (The film is still celebrated by the local “Quiet Man Fan Club”).

-Wikipedia

There is a pub so named – The Quiet Man Pub.

The Quiet Man Pub

The Monk’s Fishing House

The grounds of the St Mary of the Rosary Catholic Church had several walking paths; one of which that lead to the Monk’s Fishing House.  Built in the 15th or 16th century, on an island in the River Cong leading towards nearby Lough Corrib. The house was built on a platform of stones over a small arch which allows the river to flow underneath the floor. The trapdoor in the floor was likely used to keep fish fresh.  According to local tradition, there was a line connected from the fishing house to the monastery kitchen to alert the cook to fresh fish.

The day was still young; we made our way West toward the next destination (& post), Roundstone.

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FRIARY OF ROSS ERRILLY – COUNTY GALWAY – REPUBLIC OF IRELAND ‪#discoverireland

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FRIARY OF ROSS ERRILLY

We stumbled on this little gem accidentally while driving a loop around Lough Corrib via Galway.  Most of our itinerary was pre-scouted via Google Maps and other websites.  I am very appreciative of those that have went before us and shared images so you at least have some idea of what to expect when you arrive.  This is nice from not only a sightseeing perspective, but also a photographer perspective.  I do enjoy a complete blind surprise such as this as well.

We saw the structure from the main road and wasted no time making our way toward it.  This marvelous ruin is in near to the County Galway and County Mayo line near Headford.  You need only wonder a wee bit from the friary to reach the banks of the Black River.

Fish Tank

This site is touted as the most popular tourist attraction in the area.  When we arrived we had the entire place to ourselves.  While we were getting our cameras situated a local man came walking down the road and provided us with a wonder historical account of friary.  He spoke of an unusual feature inside – a water tank to hold live fish from river until eaten.

The Ross Errilly Friary (Irish: Mainistir Ros Oirialaigh, often anglicised in 18th & 19th century sources as Rosserelly) is a medievalFranciscanfriary located about a mile to the northwest of Headford, County Galway, Ireland. It is a National Monument of Ireland and among the best-preserved medieval monastic sites in the country. Though usually referred to by locals as “Ross Abbey,” this is not technically correct as the community never had an abbot.

The church and bell tower are to the south of a small but well preserved central cloister and domestic buildings are to the north. Amongst these are a kitchen (equipped with an oven and a water tank for live fish), a bake house, and a refectory or dining area. The dormitories are on the upper levels. One unusual feature is a second courtyard or cloister, built to accommodate the friary’s growing population.  -Wikipedia

We spent a lot of time here; it is very easy to do.  There is much to look at and lots to explore.  The surrounding countryside is quite picturesque as well.  It is easy to image the monks living here and farming the land.

Photos of the Friary of Ross exterior

Photos of the Friary of Ross interior

A portion of our walk through (dantraun.com)

Aerial View via YouTube (Colm Concannon)

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OUGHTERARD & AUGHNANURE CASTLE – COUNTY GALWAY – REPUBLIC OF IRELAND ‪#discoverireland

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OUGHTERARD

After a much-needed and restful night sleep at Corrib View Country House (just to the East of Oughterard on Lough Corrib) we sat down to another version of a Traditional Irish Breakfast.  It was always different: 1 or 2 eggs; with or without white and/or black pudding.  There was always ample tasty meat thought.  The sausage was pretty consistent throughout our travels.  It had a creamy texture and great flavor.  At 10g fat per link I now know why.  So good.

Just down the way a bit from our B&B was Aughnanure Castle.  We stopped by the previous evening before checking into our B&B, but it was about to close.  We instead went back to Oughterard to look around and get a bite to eat.  The town center was very busy with foot traffic and patrons have a pint (or several).  The streets were lined with shops – no strip mall style anything here.  We located a nice pub with fish & chips easily.  You can never go wrong with fish & chips.  We were very tired from a full day of travel and sightseeing, but could not resist stopping by and old cemetery we drove by on the way into town.

AUGHNANURE CASTLE

Google Maps describes this site as a well-preserved Irish tower fortress with gargantuan fireplaces and a watchtower you can climb.

Built by the O’Flahertys c. 1500, Aughnanure Castle lies in picturesque surroundings close to the shores of Lough Corrib.  In 1546 the O’Flaherty’s motto “Fortune favours the strong” and the powerful Mayo O’Malleys Motto “Powerful by land and by sea“, were joined in the marriage of Donal an Chogaidh O’Flaherty and Grainuaile/Grace O’Malley.  Standing on what is virtually a rocky island, the castle is a particularly well-preserved example of an Irish tower house. In addition, visitors will find the remains of a banqueting hall, a watch tower, an unusual double bawn and bastions and a dry harbour.

–Heritage Ireland

I very much enjoyed visiting this castle as there were very few people milling about.  The setting was beautiful with the lazy Drimneed River flowing by the outer stone walls on two sides.  All structures such as these typically have an interesting feature known as a meurtrière at a main gateway to the premise to thwart attackers , but I’d never heard it described as a “Murder Hole” before.  It is quite an accurate description really.

This one was relatively small; I am guessing as this whole site wasn’t large in comparison to some castles, but a murder hole nonetheless is was.

Here are some additional  images of the interior.

Diagram of Aughnanure Castle c. 1500s – Oughterard Heritage

Back in the 1500s this site was a bit more formidable.  Today most of the inner walls are gone while the outer walls remain intact.  We were fortunate; during our visit in the morning there were very few people there which allowed for easy photographing.

Here are some photos of the grounds.  The softer light the evening before was nicer (first two photos) than the bright sunshine of the next morning.

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MWEELREA MOUNTAINS & KILLARY FJORD – COUNTY MAY0/GALWAY – REPUBLIC OR IRELAND ‪#discoverireland‬

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Picking up from where I left off on Ireland photos; moving on from Croagh Patrick, we made a pit stop to stretch our legs from physically taxing descent from the holy mountain.  You can easily still see it from this beach head view 15 miles away.

Old Head Beach

oldhead

Louisburgh

A few more miles down the road we decided to stop in Louisburgh for a bit of refreshment at the Front Bar.  We very much enjoyed the quaint feel and colorful building everywhere we traveled.

The drive from Louisburgh to Aasleagh through the Mweelrea Mountains and around Killary Fjord was beautiful.  If I am ever fortunate enough to win the lottery, I will make my way back to Delphi & Delphi Lodge for a week or two of fly fishing. What a magnificent spot this was to stop at for a quick look and some fresh smoked salmon.  It is right off of R335 on the shore of Fin Lough; you cannot miss it.

Mweelrea Mountains

Killary Fjord

The beautiful scenery continued from Aasleagh as we headed South into County Galway to Maam Cross.  Our destination for day 5 was Oughterard, County Galway. We stayed at Corrib View Country House just to the East of Oughterard on Lough Corrib.  This was a beautiful property to wander around on.

Corrib View Country House

The blossoms on the tree in the yard smelled  so wonderful.  You can very clearly hear the sound of all the bees buzzing around.

Bee’s buzzing around the blossoms

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CROAGH PATRICK – COUNTY MAYO – REPUBLIC OF IRELAND ‪#discoverireland

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The adventure continues

Our destination for the evening after stopping at Glencar Waterfall was Westport town in County Mayo.  This was the only day that I wish we had secured a mobile phone.  *I did send the B&B an email to tell them that we would be running late; they didn’t see it.

When we arrived at Carrabaun House no one was there and it was locked up tight.  After checking every filling station in town, we were able to find a pay phone back at the town centre, however using it was another matter.  The directions and prompts were all on-screen; a screen that was completely scratched and not recognizable.  I met a very nice and severely intoxicated man who had no minutes on his phone, but wanted to sit a wee bit, have a conversation and figure out how to help me.  This day of our trip was Cyndie’s birthday and it was getting late; not sure what else to do I walked into the grocery/liquor store on the corner and asked a cashier if they could dial up the B&B for me.  She did with no hesitation and would not accept any money for her efforts.   Wonderful and helpful people in Ireland.

J.J O’Malleys

After getting settled at back at the B&B, we headed back into Westport for dinner at J.J O’Malleys.  At this point we were both pretty much exhausted and starving.  Not exactly the birthday evening I had planned for Cyndie.  The food was tasty and the pints divine.

2016-04-28 J.J O Malleys-Bar and Restaurant 2 2016-04-28 J.J O Malleys-Bar and Restaurant

We awoke to another gorgeous day in Ireland.  The view from our room was amazing.  We could see our destination right out on the horizon.  Another Traditional Irish Breakfast was in order; then we’d be on our way.

Carrabaun House

*If you are going to travel Ireland via car and stay at B&B’s that you book in advance I would highly recommend stating an arrival time of 7-8 p.m.  If you are early, it usually isn’t a problem.  The only issue you may encounter is if the owners/caretakers do not live at the property.  That was the case here.

Croagh Patrick

Croagh Patrick, which overlooks Clew Bay in County Mayo, is considered the holiest mountain in Ireland.  The tradition of pilgrimage to this holy mountain stretches back over 5,000 years from the Stone Age to the present day without interruption. Its religious significance dates back to the time of the pagans, when people are thought to have gathered here to celebrate the beginning of harvest season. – wikipedia

As you can see from the first few thumbnail images, this mountain if massive.  All the photos were taken in order along the accent with the exception of the second to the last two taken on the decent.  This is an amazingly beautiful mountain, but don’t let the that fool you – it’ll bite you if you are not careful any paying attention to the terrain underfoot.  The path and trail were firm in the morning as it was slightly damp.  As the day went on though; with the sunshine and wind, the surface gets dryer and loose.  The path is very rocky; not smooth by any means.

I was not able to make it all the way to the summit.  You can see a bit of green indoor/outdoor carpet in this photo (above) just to the right of trail.  This is where I had to turn around, but not before a lengthy, rest, water and a few photos.  The trail to the summit was steep; I had no doubt I could have made it there, but getting down was more of the concern.  With a bad knee, making it as far as I did was accomplishment enough.  It was a beautiful day in Ireland with perfect weather; we could not of asked for anything more.

I ended up falling on the way back down, bruised my hip, tore up my hand, and cracked a lens hood – no damage to the lens itself or the camera thankfully.  We made it the rest of the way down without further incident.  It is quite a trip with magnificent views.  Allow plenty of time, wear good shoes, go slow and be careful.  You may want to get a walking stick from the visitor center.  We arrived early before it was open and it wasn’t an option unfortunately.

Croagh Patrick is renowned for its Patrician Pilgrimage in honour of Saint Patrick, Ireland’s patron saint. It was on the summit of the mountain that Saint Patrick fasted for forty days in 441 AD and the custom has been faithfully handed down from generation to generation. The Black Bell of Saint Patrick was a highly venerated relic on Croagh Patrick for many years.

The first stop on the pilgrimage is Saint Patrick’s statue erected in 1928 by Reverend Father Patterson with money he collected in America towards the rebuilding of Saint Mary’s Church in Westport.

Each year, The Reek, as it is colloquially known, attracts about 1 million pilgrims. On ‘Reek Sunday’, the last Sunday in July, over 25,000 pilgrims visit the Reek. At the top, there is a modern chapel where mass is celebrated and confessions are heard. Individuals and groups come from all over the world and include pilgrims, hill climbers, historians, archaeologists and nature lovers.

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GLENCAR LOUGH & WATERFALL – COUNTY LEITRIM ‪#discoverireland

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Glencar Lough

Glencar Lough lies in the Glencar Valley, between the Dartry Mountains to the north and the mountain range including Cope’s Mountain to the south. The lake is located about 10 kilometres (6 mi) northeast of Sligo and about 15 km (9 mi) west of Manorhamilton.  It is 2.5 km (1.6 mi) long from west to east and 0.6 km (0.4 mi) wide. The lake has two crannogs (artificial islands): one at the western end near the Drumcliff River outlet and the other at the eastern end near the Diffreen River.

Glencar Waterfall

Glencar Waterfall is located near the lake’s north shore on the Leitrim side.

Map

Glencar Lough is a lovely little lake surrounded by mountains and pastures full of sheep.  Glencar Waterfall is a short hike from the parking lot.  We were running behind schedule and almost drove by; I am glad we didn’t.  The parking area isn’t too far on the main road.  The lush green foliage and the sounds of the river and waterfall make for quite a tranquil spot.  If traveling through the Northern region of the Republic of Ireland this is a worthwhile stop even if it makes you late to your eventual destination for the evening.  More on that in the next post 😉

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