Overseas Irish Adventure Part III (Connemara to Shannon)

 40% of sheep farmers are vulnerable. 75% of sheep, which are grass-fed, are exported. Today, Ireland's biggest industry is pharmaceuticals. 

We watched a sheep dog demonstration in pouring rain, then visited Kylemore  Abbey, built in 1868 as the country estate for a wealthy family, then given to a Benedectine order in 1920, next to a beautiful Victorian garden. From 1922 -2010 it was a boarding school.

Mitchell Henry, a doctor from London, built it for his wife, Margaret, who devoted her life to 9 children and to relieve the suffering of the many poor tenants in the area. She died in 1874, of dysentery on a trip to Egypt. Her husband offered employment to the poor, offering a fair wage, and served in the House of Commons.

Connemara is a wild, sparsely populated and most bio-diverse region. The Connemara pony is very large.

We stopped at Our Lady of the Roadside to see a gorgeous window of Mary in a red shawl (dyed with hawthorn berries)

and at Croagh (=peaked mountains, Bend= rounded mountain in Gaelic) Patrick, an emigration port during the potato famines, to see a very moving sculpture of famished skeletons embarking for a better life...many did not survive the journey. From 1845-52, during the airborn potato blight, of 6,000,000, 25% of Irish population died, 25% left, 300,000 births naturally aborted. It was basically a genocide, as the British government took a laissez-faire attitude. The country still has not bounced back. Ireland was Britain's oldest colony. In the 1900's most landlords lived outside Ireland, and the majority of potatoes were shipped out of Ireland to British colonies.

From the time Britain outlawed slavery in 1833, former slave owners were compensated until 2010! India had the highest GNP before British colonization. The 1870's-1890 Bengal famine was also ignored.

On our way to Galway and County Clare we stopped at a charming village Cong with a lovely abbey

We stopped for a visit and shopping in Galway, settled by 14 tribes. I took a photo with the Galway girl in front of the Quay's bar which has operated since the 13th century. Seattle is Galway's sister city.

In Ennis I went to the local small museum and learned about Daniel O'Connell, who, in 1828, was the first Catholic to sit in the House of Commons in 100 years, and passed a bill repealing the Penal Laws against Catholics, imposed when William of Orange succeeded James II. I also learned about another Irish hero, Eamon de Valera, born in NY in 1882, was commandant of Irish Volunteers during the 1906 Easter Rising, which eventually led to the Irish War of Independence and the establishment of the Irish Free State in 1922. He became President of Ireland from 1959-1973.

 An active revolutionary from 1913, he became president of Sinn Féin in 1917 and founded the Fianna Fáil party in 1926. In 1937 he made his country a “sovereign” state, renamed Ireland, or Éire. His 

Eamon de Valera (born October 14, 1882, New York, New York, U.S.—died August 29, 1975, Dublin, Ireland) was an Irish politician and patriot who served as taoiseach (prime minister; 1932–48, 1951–54, 1957–59) and president (1959–73) of Ireland. An active revolutionary from 1913, he became president of Sinn Féin in 1917 and founded the Fianna Fáil party in 1926. In 1937 he made his country a “sovereign” state, renamed Ireland, or Éire. His academic attainments also inspired wide respect; he became chancellor of the National University of Ireland in 192

Marilyn and I visited Custy's music shop, and met John the owner. That evening he brought his 2 daughters , Evie and Maisie, and Terry on a button accordion, to play Celtic gigs and reels for us... delightful!

The next morning we drove 1 hour to Doolin, where we took the ferry (the last of the season) to the Aran Island Inis Iorr, where we were delighted to have sunshine as our nice local guide Una showed us around. Her family has lived on this small island, with 350 inhabitants, but enough for schools.

We saw the rusted ship Plassey, which landed in 1960, after a very courageous and difficult rescue. None of the 33 crew died.

an old house being restored

The cemetery, church and grave of the 5th century Saint Kevin have been excavated

We had our usual yummy vegetable soup and hearty dark bread at Una's cafe before we caught the ferry over a choppy sea.

It started to rain on the way to Ennis, County Clare, our last stay.

I visited the lovely Franciscan friary (first built in 1285), where King's were buried.

That evening we divided into 2 groups and enjoyed a wonderful home-hosted dinner. Our hostess Clare O'Loughlin (whose husband was working and whose son is in an Irish dance group touring in the US) and has been hosting American OAT travelers for 10 years, not only served us a delicious dinner but shared her travel experiences and her work as a school inspector. She invited her mother Mary to tell us about her childhood and young adult experiences in the repressive Catholic school which is now the hotel Templegate where we are staying. The great hall is below. Our friend John also told horrific tales of the 2 years he spent there in the boarding school.

The last morning we set out earlier than planned to visit the Cliffs of Moher, (which are estimated to be about 300 million years old, are 702 feet high at the highest point of their 5 mile stretch)! Good thing, as 15 minutes after our arrival they were totally fogged in. I wouldn't have gotten a photo at all. We walked to the tower, and visited the museum.

Bunratty Castle nearby

Poulnabrone is a 5000 year old burial dolman

Catherconnell ring Fort in the region known as the Burren (=rocky place" with limestone cracks with nutrients available for the cows who go to the tops of the mountains in winter) has ruins from at least 3 different eras. Excavations have found jewelry and glass from Venice, amber from the Baltic, fragments of pen from the British Isles, suggesting that the fort was inhabited up to the 16th century and that inhabitants were educated and well-cultured.

So much rain, so much water!

 We had a delicious farewell dinner at our old hotel and 5 of us had to say good-bye as we were leaving before dawn the next day. The other 9 would continue on for the post-trip South.

Miriam, Marilyn and Pam say a huge thank you and good-bye to our amazing, fun, interesting and well organized leader Colon Phelan (who is getting married December 4). Wonderful trip!!