May 27th, We're Off! Ennis to Doolin

So today we start our trek. It keeps raining off and on although not downpours. The guys get off okay and I get to try to get my act together.

 

My first juggling act is to see what is the best way to get the luggage in. Technically, I could have just put most of it in the back since I am on my own but I figure this is the best time to see what works best. Later in the trip we will be driving to Dublin later in our journey  with all of us and luggage in the car for several hours plus, I may have to pick up the guys if the rain gets too bad. I finally think I have it figured out and it is time for me to get on the road. As I told Scott, I have a masters in car packing.

I could not find the turn the guys took so I am on my own, making my own way. My first stop is Dysert O'Dae Castle built in 1480 and continued as the strong house of the O'Dea clan till 1691. It was purchased by a descendent, John O'Day in 1970 and restored. While it now houses a tea room, and a museum of the history and archaeology of the area covering from the stone age to the war of independence, it is the family history on the walls that fascinated me. It includes a listing of the current chieftains of the clan in recent years who are in the US and Australia.

I was not able to pick up the route the guys through the Burren so I stuck to R376 and still took in some of the amazing sites. I had been through this area in 2008 but only on the coast road. This trip would take us further inland. It was a very interesting drive but I realize as I try to find pictures, that I didn't take any till I got to Kilfenora.

At Kifenora, I stopped because of the Burren center which showed a lot of pictures and a short video on the Burren. It also highlighted Michael Cusack who created the Gaelic Athletic Association and is widely regarded as the savior of native Irish sports.

 

 

 

But next to the Burren Center is the Kilfonora Cathedral, it's graves and it's crosses. It was really amazing. There is a restored portion of the church which volunteers maintain. It was the nave and is still used for services by the Church of Ireland. The baptismal font was also restored. The volunteers have a timeline showing the changes back to an original abbey built in 500AD. The restored portion of the cathedral is beautiful.

 

 

 

 

 

Outside, there are graves from hundreds of years ago to last year. A very interesting mix. But there are also ruins of the cathedral that have not been restored and the Crosses. The crosses, there may have been as many as 7, go back to the late 11th or early 12th century. Some are fragments but several are whole. There is also one outside the boundaries of the cathedral in a field.

North Cross

       Dooley Cross            

 

Another cross in a nearby field

 

The ruins of the Cathedral along with the crosses give you a good idea of the size.

 

 

 

 



 

 

When I returned to my car, I finally connected with the guys again. They had already reached Doolin and were having a bowl of chowder and a beer. We decided to meet at the Cliffs of Moher. They would bike and I would drive.

I had seen the Cliffs in 2008 and knew it was not a place to miss. I got there before them and started up the south side since I had not done it before. When the guys arrived, they joined me and we ventured further up that side.

 

Mike decided he wanted his good camera, Scott wanted to venture further. So we said we would meet at the Roundhouse.

Camera in hand, Mike and I climbed taking wonderful pictures of the cliff from the other angle. Up at the very, very windy top, we waited for Scott.

And we waited, and we waited, and we waited. Mike headed down in case we had a communications issue (we realized Scott did not have one of the phones), and still no Scott! Mike called me to join him and as I near the bottom, there is the flash of a helmet as Scott came racing in from the original side. He had gone ALL the way to the end.

Well, he felt bad about keeping us waiting but we insisted he go up the other side to see the magnificent view and to see how far he had actually gone!

While waiting, Mike and I had this picture taken.

 

While having their chowder and beer at the Doolin pub, the musician had recommended taking another road back from the Cliffs and he was right, it was gorgeous.

 

 

We settled in for the night at a very nice B&B across from the pub. We headed over to it for dinner and a bit of beer and whiskey tasting. The guys had the beer, I had a  tasting flight of Irish, Connemara, Green Spot and Red Breast. I didn't know there was smokey Irish but that is what Connemara is. We listened to 3 very good but very young and not quite professional musicians playing the violin, harp and guitar. A very good night in truth.