Posted by THE BURREN
The Burren should really be called The Barren as it is an environment that is Moon like and unique and pops out of the landscape from ocean to mountains with farmlands on the fringes. Along the journey there were chololate cafes, Pubs and beaches at both ends.
Cows and ruined Castles dotted the landscape with tidal esturies and clusters of villages everywhere. The area around the Galway bay area has a myriad of inlets and estuaries and is also famous for its exotic seaweed selections.
The Ballyvaughn area was particularly secnic as the road hugs the coast of Galway Bay before skimming the oceanside as we headed past Black Head on the edge of the moonscape.
Driving along the coast road was beautiful and the moonscape atmosphere was broken byt the vivid blue Atlantic ocean and stunning blue sky, so very un-Ireland indeed.
FANORE BEACH
We were ready for a swim when we reached Fanore Beach on the edge of the Burren where we joined the locals for a bit of Irish Beach life. Set in the sand dunes with the Burren in the background the beach we traversed the stairs from the carpark and were suprised by the nice water temperature.
It was a cracker of a day to go from Galway to County Clare and there were still plenty of hours left in the day.
Lunch was at O’Donohue’s on the R477 on our way to Doolin and the Seafood Chowder we were served hit new heights. At this point the Burren had given way to the South sound region and the Innish Islands with rolling hills and villages in the Valleys , this is quintisential Ireland.
LISDOONVARNA
This world famous village is known for its Matchmaking festival every year and also its unique Irish music festival that ran through the 90’s was a breeding ground for emerging Irish performers.
THE CLIFFS OF MOHER
Often when hype is so high the reality can be very disappointing but with these cliffs nothing could dimminish the effect. Sure they may not be super high cliffs but they are top to bottom drops and the way they concertina out to the horizon is fabulous. the greenery clinging to the cliff faces shows how wet it gets here but this day was magic.
Looking back to Lahinch from the cliffs across the fertile plains around Doolin.
DOOLIN
A small village with just two pubs and the departure point for the Innish Islands, Doolin was the perfect place to enjoy the region and enjoy it we did. Dinner at our Accommodation, The Fiddle and Bow Hotel in the world class Russells restaurant delivered some gourmet highlights and then it was onto the Fitz’s Pub just down the road which was fun, with some great music and an couple from Denmark and Italy to talk to. We then walked back to the Pub in the Fiddle & Bow Hotel for some great traditional music which we shared with a lovely youngish couple from California and pondrered the crazy things happening in their country.
Fitz’s Pub and Colin the solo guy singing some great classic from the 60’s and 70’s along with the standard Irish songs for the Tourists.
Russells inside and out, all dressed up in our finest travel gear.
It was definitley Fiddle and Bow plus guitar in the Fiddle and Bow Pub.
The Doolin Whale tail sculpture in the harbour is such a great way to send a history and conservation message
Our next leg was through the Clare peninsular and we stopped off at Kilkee for a morning tea with a fabulous apple crumble and perfect coffee and then had a walk along the beach before heading off to our next stop in Clare to explore the next part of our ancestry journey.
The Bridge and Salmon fishing at Doonbeg Castle and Lough.
KILDYSART
Searching our history led us to discover some very interesting things and people who formed us and in Kildysart Ann was there for the of her family tree of Sheehan and Doherty familes who left Ireland in 1854.
Our travel companions Mr Tingle and Mr Kingle were most impressed with the Mayors old place and wanted to move in straight away.
It was very appropriate that we lunched in Annie’s cafe whicle there and then explored the grave yard to see if anything else could be gleaned and we hit what could be a jackpot of relatives from the Sheean family
Every little town has its own style like these red rails and flower arrangements, but the colour and window/door treatments are just Irish eveywhere you go.
DROMOLAND CASTLE
The O’Brien Clan pile is now one of Irelands best Hotels but is was once owned by a very very distant relative of mine going back 14 generations in the O’Briens but unfortunatley for him he chose the wrong side in the Cromwell wars and he lost all his lands and titles and left his daughter to marry an Irish Commoner.
There are plenty of Guiness posters and branding all over every pub but this was the best in my books, simple and to the point!
KILLALOE
Next stop was another ancestry hunt on the shores of Lough Derg, up river from the twin towns of Killaloe and Ballina on the river Shannon. We had a fabulous room in the Lakeside Hotel right on the water and after a faulous meal in the Hotel resturant we wandered into town to try and find a pub with music….but that was not to be, some lovely resturamts and cafes but lacking in craich, so we travered every street and took in the relaxed vibe. The old bridge dates back to the 11th century when the lords of Ireland ruled from this location.
This 9th century chapel was relocated stone by stone up to the parish church grounds after it was almost destroyed in a massive flood about 50 years ago
We love seeing old businesses still with their original livery on display even if they are not operating any more.
We had just one night in Killaloe and headed up the next morning to Castletown to find the Hogan Family area. We found two versions of Castletown abour 2km apart so unsure which was thier location. We did knoiw that they were peasant farm labouers and has no permanent home and after the mother a daughter dies during the famine the father, son and his wife packed up and went to Australia. My great grandfather was the son.
Incredibly beautiful and fertile country and it beggers belief that people starved to death because the food they grew did not belong to them and was sold to England for massive profit. They could not fish as it was poaching and the lake was brimming with life..its just incomprehendable. The photo below shows the farm land they worked from the foreground to the background.
ADARE
We spent some time trying to get some answers and decided that was it so we headed down the freeway and stopped off at Adare for brunch at a nice cafe before walking through the town and checking out the garden and church. The Lady in the background of the photo above is Eileen who we met later at the church as she cornered us for a Tourist interview. It was such a funny conversation as this virbrant cheeky and clver 80+ year old worked her magic on the ipad and extracted an innordinate amout of information from us
The Holy trinty church was facinating with its dual iles that were at least 40 yearsapart in construction which only added to it allure
We passed another ruined castle in Adare, the Desmond Castle was a real masterpiecec of Norman design and was highly defendable until Cromwells cannons blasted it to pieces.
