Ireland Adventure
This morning we were up early and out the door to catch the ferry back to the mainland. So goodbye to Inishmore. We highly recommed a visit to there. Make sure you spend the night and don’t just take the ferry back and forth the same day like most tourists.
We then headed north along the Wild Atlantic Way. As we drove we transitioned to the County Galway which looks very different than Counties Clare and Kerry where we have been. The land seems much more barren. This area and County Mayo farther north are considered the poorest in terms of resources in Ireland.
Our first destination was a small memorial to John Alcock and Arthur Brown, the first pilots to fly across the Atlantic ocean, in 1919. The flight took them approximately 16 hours from Newfoundland to Ireland,where they landed in a bog which is no suprise since County Mayo and Galway are covered in bogs. Bogs are a great source for peat which for generations was burned by homes for cooking and heating. However few do that today since there are more efficient ways to cook and heat homes.
We enjoyed lunch at a bakery in the town of Clifden and then headed to Connemara National Park for a hike. The weather wasn’t good. Low clouds and rain which continued through our hike. Oh well. The scenery still look great.
We then headed on see an interesting sculpture dedicated to the famine called the National Famine Monument. It was somewhat gruesome and we are sure it’s meant to be thought provoking, which it was.
Right next to the monument was the ruins of Murrisk Friary, an Augustinian friary. Founded in 1457, it wasnt even 100 years old by the dissolution and like most of the others, fell into disrepair.
Also "visible" from the monument and ruin is Crough Patrick, a mountain where St. Pattick allegedly spent 40 days fasting on the summit. The mountain is visited by many who pilgrimage by climbing to its peak, much like St. Patrick. Today, however, we weren’t able to see the peak and we weren’t prepared to climb a mountain.
Our night ended with dinner in the town of Westport were we were also able to watch a music session in a local pub. Quite fun.
Heather Knapp
20 Blogs
14 Apr 2023
Day 14: Inishmore to Westport
May 09, 2023
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Westport
This morning we were up early and out the door to catch the ferry back to the mainland. So goodbye to Inishmore. We highly recommed a visit to there. Make sure you spend the night and don’t just take the ferry back and forth the same day like most tourists.
We then headed north along the Wild Atlantic Way. As we drove we transitioned to the County Galway which looks very different than Counties Clare and Kerry where we have been. The land seems much more barren. This area and County Mayo farther north are considered the poorest in terms of resources in Ireland.
Our first destination was a small memorial to John Alcock and Arthur Brown, the first pilots to fly across the Atlantic ocean, in 1919. The flight took them approximately 16 hours from Newfoundland to Ireland,where they landed in a bog which is no suprise since County Mayo and Galway are covered in bogs. Bogs are a great source for peat which for generations was burned by homes for cooking and heating. However few do that today since there are more efficient ways to cook and heat homes.
We enjoyed lunch at a bakery in the town of Clifden and then headed to Connemara National Park for a hike. The weather wasn’t good. Low clouds and rain which continued through our hike. Oh well. The scenery still look great.
We then headed on see an interesting sculpture dedicated to the famine called the National Famine Monument. It was somewhat gruesome and we are sure it’s meant to be thought provoking, which it was.
Right next to the monument was the ruins of Murrisk Friary, an Augustinian friary. Founded in 1457, it wasnt even 100 years old by the dissolution and like most of the others, fell into disrepair.
Also "visible" from the monument and ruin is Crough Patrick, a mountain where St. Pattick allegedly spent 40 days fasting on the summit. The mountain is visited by many who pilgrimage by climbing to its peak, much like St. Patrick. Today, however, we weren’t able to see the peak and we weren’t prepared to climb a mountain.
Our night ended with dinner in the town of Westport were we were also able to watch a music session in a local pub. Quite fun.
1.
Our Ireland Adventure is About to Begin
2.
Day 1: Travel Day (4/24) & Walking Tour (4/25)
3.
Day 2: Dublin
4.
Day 3: Last Day in Dublin
5.
Day 4: Wiclow and Kilkenny
6.
Day 5: Kilkenny to Waterford
7.
Day 6 : Waterford to Skibbereen
8.
Day 7: In & Around Skibbereen
9.
Day 8: Last Day in Skibbereen
10.
Day 9: Driving the Beara Peninsula to Kenmare
11.
Day 10: Driving the Kerry Peninsula
12.
Day 11: Driving the Ring of Dingle
13.
Day 12: Doolin (Cliffs of Moher) to Inishmore
14.
Day13: Touring Inishmore
15.
Day 14: Inishmore to Westport
16.
Day 15: Westport to Derry
17.
Day 16: Touring Northern Ireland (Giants Causeway)
18.
Day 17: Belfast to Slane
19.
Day 18: Touring Boyne Valley (Our last day)
20.
Day 19: Homeward Bound - Dublin to Chicago
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