few interesting places in Republic of Ireland

[delicagirl]

hi i just thought i would post a few piccies as i have finally learnt how to transfer photos from camera to computer and from phone to computer !!! this deserves a party - for those of you who know how IT challenged i am......

This was a delightful Stylish Silage Festival in Dunshanbo - really creative and very funny some of them





i only went here because the name intrigued me....



when i asked my male Irish cousins what happened in these Mens Sheds.... "d*ick heads meet" was his response !!!



This is a replica still which was used to produce "poteen" in ROI (illegal hooch) - it is in Glencolmkille folk village - really worth a visit for a potted history of ROI



Donegal town graveyard - next to the river - absolutely fascinating



a deadend "loop" road which takes you round a hidden valley which used to contain a baryte mine and where 84 families lived 200 years ago .... a wonderfully peaceful place




the school half way round the loop road....



This place CARROWMORE is a must if you enjoy history - it is the biggest oldest burial site in ROI and is spread over acres. It is exceptionally well maintained, with a tiny heritage centre, £6 to get in - well worth it - and landscaped well, so visitors really get to see the whole thing very easily.

 

[delicagirl]

more of carrrowmore



limestone pavements on the coast near to the Burren... Burren is like Yorkshire clint/grykes but bigger



Doolough valley in Mayo - one of the worst hit Famine areas in 1842 - a desolate poignant place. The white waves on the right hand side of the loch were hurled up about 15 feet into the air by the wine the day i was there. Imagine trying to build that road in those conditions when you were dying from starvation and had walked 6 miles to get there.... and 6 miles home.


The National Museum of Country Life Turlough park.... really worth a visit

the last picture shows the variety of methods of building roofs and walls over the centuries

 

[delicagirl]

These cliffs - Kerry Cliffs - are just as spectacular as Cliffs of Moher... masses cheaper, far less touristy and a local farmer makes some money from his land.... if you see a rough and ready sign.... follow it...... well worth the bother...



more kerry cliffs



View of Carountohill... irelands tallest mountain - taken from Cronins Yard Tea shop - a delightful place, round the corner from the Ring of Kerry, very unspoilt, but not suitable for huge vans....


this is the place where a few walks start from - hot showers, home cooked food and WCs on the way back.... parking £2




This is Kilfenora in the heart of the Burren..... it has a unique building.... a sacred space used by both catholic and church of Ireland at the same time. The oldest part if protected from the elements by a perspex roof - inside are two solid fuel fires.... one for the priest/vicar and one next to the front door.... there are ancient crosses here also..... well worth a visit. Kilfenora has a lot of info in the tourist centre about the burren and its unique geology.



This private beach is part of Clifden-Eco campsite - its a great place ... incredibly clean and wonderful views but can be a bit windy !!

 

[delicagirl]

This is in the Famine Museum in Louisburgh in Mayo - it is a Bill of Lading showing foodstuffs carried below decks and starving Irish standing room only on the decks. Ireland's population halved in the 19th century. Less than half of those who travelled by sea to USA for a new life arrived there. The rest were buried at sea. This little museum is a shocking indictment of what the British did whilst landlording it over the Irish.

the museum was opened by Desmond Tutu

 

[delicagirl]

This is Castletown bearhaven - one of the last remaining fishing ports and training schools for fishermen. if your car breaks down and you want a pint..... you know what to do




Yet another beautiful ancient burial site - this one on the coast ......



one of Scott's expedition members from Kinsale .. the McCarthy family were very adventurous one of his brothers joined Shackleton's expedition



There are many many tall round towers like this in Eire - most had their front doors on the first floor to discourage invaders. Watching USA students being encouraged by Irish tour guide to hop-anti-clockwise-3-times round the tower to "bring you luck" was quite comic. Their coach driver and i both agreed it was probably a very modern "lucky myth" !!!




Stradbally cove - VERY tight entrance through stone gateposts, and very soft sand (*needed 4wd to get off) but worth a visit.....



Dunbratton Head carpark - can get quite breezy - but beautiful bit of coast - next to St Annes on south coast



Spent a couple of nights here... very lovely - tea shops sells the giantest home made scones you have ever seen for almost no money !!!



Just next to Rosslare there is the Norman Way - follow the yellow-helmet-signposts - i found some tiny wee villages tucked away with norman churches and interesting graveyards...... worth a wander.....



Isharton church on the Norman way ......

 

[Debroos]

Coo, it all looks great. As good as readinf a travel book!
You must have done a load of miles...how long did you spend there?
and did you do all the driving?
We once set out from Cork to Donegal and after 5 weeks had got as far as North Clare! happy days!

 

[izwozral]

Great pics Delish, brings back memories of our trip.

The famine statue is very thought provoking and a shameful part of British history.

 

[delicagirl]

Coo, it all looks great. As good as readinf a travel book!
You must have done a load of miles...how long did you spend there?
and did you do all the driving?
We once set out from Cork to Donegal and after 5 weeks had got as far as North Clare! happy days!

i did just over 2000 miles and yes i do all the driving - but i do potter a lot. Some days i might only drive 10 miles before finding somewhere gorgeous to stop for the next night. i was away for 8 weeks.

There are so many wonderful things to see in Ireland... and each time i go i find new ones.....

i do keep a blog on my laptop but it includes personal stuff as well, so is not really for publication. but if anyone wants more info about any of these places i am more than happy to answer questions.

i find driving there far more relaxing than here. Drivers are generally more polite. But there are some SERIOUSLY narrow and frighteningly steep hills on the west coast - but i do choose to go down roads that aren't on maps... so i guess its going to be scary here and there.

The pound euro is now 110 it was 140 3 years ago.... so i spent a significant amount more this year - but i still manged to buy more Donegal Knitwear.

I found a wonderful woman in Donegal called Kathleen Meehan Kathleen Meehan | Facebook who knits by hand.... i spent a good two hours trying on her wares, eating cake and drinking tea with her and her husband. She posted my purchases home for me.

Navigating is sometimes a problem - on the west coast my OSI Irish map book (which is fabulous in all other respects) most town names are written in gaelic and the sat nav does not recognise this.... her attempts at verbalising gallic is quite comic... But ... there's never a rush to get anywhere is there ?


LPG - newer pumps (which a small number of garages have installed) are using continental fittings. Some garages have the adapters most don't, so i recommend taking a european set with you. There is usually only one LPG garage per county.

i will return to Ireland there are still lots of lovely places i have not been to yet ... but off to france at the end of the week.

 

[delicagirl]

more famine exhibits



These are at the National Famine Park at the foot of Croagh Patrick on the west coast of Mayo and is an eerie and poignantly beautiful sculpture of a boat..... look at it closely and you will want to weep....



the next few images are from the Famine Museum at Louisburgh