The Ireland trip - with some detours.
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OZDUCK
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Around the Area
Poulnabrone dolmen - constructed between 4200 BC - 2900 BC
Part of the limestone scenery in The Burrren
Fanore Beach - north of the cliffs. Another surf beach - the Aran Islands in the distance.
Street in Ennis - the "capital" of County Clare
Another picturesque ruin -
Poulnabrone dolmen - constructed between 4200 BC - 2900 BC
Part of the limestone scenery in The Burrren
Fanore Beach - north of the cliffs. Another surf beach - the Aran Islands in the distance.
Street in Ennis - the "capital" of County Clare
Another picturesque ruin -
OZDUCK
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I'm loving this thread. I only returned from my third trip to Ireland last month, but now I need to go back!
Sorry to be possibly costing you money
. But glad you are enjoying it.
OZDUCK
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Leenaun Connemara
After a pleasant two nights around the Cliffs of Moher we headed off to Leenaun. Of course, what should have been a pleasant drive turned into an all-day odyssey due to my carelessness with my bag. Anyway, we arrived in Leenaun late in the evening to see this :-
Killary Harbour fjord.
View attachment 101117
We booked into our B & B - The Convent. It is actually an old convent and the old chapel (on the left in the photo) is the breakfast room, complete with the original stained glass windows. Our room, to be honest, was a little tired. However, the operators are friendly and the breakfasts excellent. You forget all about the room when you look out the window.
About 22:30
About midnight
About 0730 the next day. We went for a cruise on the fjord the next in the boat in the distance.
After a pleasant two nights around the Cliffs of Moher we headed off to Leenaun. Of course, what should have been a pleasant drive turned into an all-day odyssey due to my carelessness with my bag. Anyway, we arrived in Leenaun late in the evening to see this :-
Killary Harbour fjord.
View attachment 101117
We booked into our B & B - The Convent. It is actually an old convent and the old chapel (on the left in the photo) is the breakfast room, complete with the original stained glass windows. Our room, to be honest, was a little tired. However, the operators are friendly and the breakfasts excellent. You forget all about the room when you look out the window.
About 22:30
About midnight
About 0730 the next day. We went for a cruise on the fjord the next in the boat in the distance.
OZDUCK
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On the fjord
Some sites say that this is the only fjord in Ireland, some say that it is one of three and others say it is the only true fjord. Regardless of its true nomenclature it is lovely.
Refueling our vessel
One of the valleys running off the fjord
Aquaculture in the enclosed waters and an old track on the hillside
A view of the hills along the fjord. The creases/folds on the lower part of the hills are, apparently, remnants of potato cultivation. The locals used to use seaweed from the fjord to fertilise these areas. After the famine the population level tumbled - 37% fall in 40 years.The population of Ireland dropped from 8.2 million in 1841, before the famine, to reach an historical low in 1926 of 4.2 million. Even by 2001 the total population of Eire & Northern Island was only 5.6 million
Looking back towards Leenaune
Some sites say that this is the only fjord in Ireland, some say that it is one of three and others say it is the only true fjord. Regardless of its true nomenclature it is lovely.
Refueling our vessel
One of the valleys running off the fjord
Aquaculture in the enclosed waters and an old track on the hillside
A view of the hills along the fjord. The creases/folds on the lower part of the hills are, apparently, remnants of potato cultivation. The locals used to use seaweed from the fjord to fertilise these areas. After the famine the population level tumbled - 37% fall in 40 years.The population of Ireland dropped from 8.2 million in 1841, before the famine, to reach an historical low in 1926 of 4.2 million. Even by 2001 the total population of Eire & Northern Island was only 5.6 million
Looking back towards Leenaune
OZDUCK
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Around Connemara
We then spent a couple of days driving around this part of Connemara. The scenery here is quite different to what we had seen in the rest of Ireland.
Islands View beach- it actually reminded me bit of the area around Albany in the south west of WA.
The view from Connemara National Park
There are sweeping views of water,hill & sky here
We then spent a couple of days driving around this part of Connemara. The scenery here is quite different to what we had seen in the rest of Ireland.
Islands View beach- it actually reminded me bit of the area around Albany in the south west of WA.
The view from Connemara National Park
There are sweeping views of water,hill & sky here
kpc
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We hiked here 2 years ago, and the secenery is spectacular....we started in sunny conditions and finished being pelted with hailstones!
earlyriser
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Did you visit Kylemore Abbey? Nice place and story, but they didn't have much of it open to the public during my visit in January. Of course more than half of the 25 or so people visiting at the time were Australian.
OZDUCK
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KPC - yes the scenery is great and the weather still very changeable.
Earlyriser - yes we did visit Kylemore Abbey - photos to come. But only 25 visitors! We arrived at about 0900 and there were only about 50 at that time, however by the time we left a few hours later it felt more like 2,500 with a dozen tour buses in.
Earlyriser - yes we did visit Kylemore Abbey - photos to come. But only 25 visitors! We arrived at about 0900 and there were only about 50 at that time, however by the time we left a few hours later it felt more like 2,500 with a dozen tour buses in.
OZDUCK
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Kylemore Abbey
For everyone, except earlyriser, Kylemore Abbey was built as Kylemore Castle, beginning in 1868, by a rich Manchester Doctor, Politician & Businessman. After his wife died tragically young he eventually sold it to the Duke of Manchester, who had gained his wealth in the correct manner - by marrying the daughter of a rich Chicago rail & oil tycoon - and then gambled most of it away.
It was eventually bought in 1920 by an order of Benedictine Nuns whose Abbey at Ypres had been destroyed in WW 1. They ran a girls school out of the Abbey until 2010 and it now seems that tourism is keeping them and their small order - under 20 I seem to recall - operating.
The layout of the grounds. With regards to the visitor numbers they were operating two shuttle buses - normal suburban size - about every 10 mins. between the main house and the Walled Garden when we were there. And they were continually full when we left
The Abbey is in an imposing location. Note the blue Rhododendron flowers in the foreground - this all over the western part of Ireland and is considered a noxious weed and much effort is being made to eradicate it. (This was one of the few buildings with much scaffolding around it that we ran across on our trip)
The tower of the neo-Gothic Church built in the grounds. Musical performance are now given in the church.
As earlyriser said, not many of the internal rooms are open to the public - only four or five.
For everyone, except earlyriser, Kylemore Abbey was built as Kylemore Castle, beginning in 1868, by a rich Manchester Doctor, Politician & Businessman. After his wife died tragically young he eventually sold it to the Duke of Manchester, who had gained his wealth in the correct manner - by marrying the daughter of a rich Chicago rail & oil tycoon - and then gambled most of it away.
It was eventually bought in 1920 by an order of Benedictine Nuns whose Abbey at Ypres had been destroyed in WW 1. They ran a girls school out of the Abbey until 2010 and it now seems that tourism is keeping them and their small order - under 20 I seem to recall - operating.
The layout of the grounds. With regards to the visitor numbers they were operating two shuttle buses - normal suburban size - about every 10 mins. between the main house and the Walled Garden when we were there. And they were continually full when we left
The Abbey is in an imposing location. Note the blue Rhododendron flowers in the foreground - this all over the western part of Ireland and is considered a noxious weed and much effort is being made to eradicate it. (This was one of the few buildings with much scaffolding around it that we ran across on our trip)
The tower of the neo-Gothic Church built in the grounds. Musical performance are now given in the church.
As earlyriser said, not many of the internal rooms are open to the public - only four or five.
OZDUCK
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The Walled Garden, about 6 acres, is probably the crowning glory of Kylemore Abbey. Established by the original owner it had become completely overgrown but now has been restored to something approaching its original beauty. It originally had 21 heated greenhouse and employed 40 gardeners.
The Head Gardeners House is at the top of this photo - with smoke coming from the chimneys
The position of Head Gardener was a valued one in those days and his house was very comfortable - with very thick walls.
The Head Gardeners House is at the top of this photo - with smoke coming from the chimneys
The position of Head Gardener was a valued one in those days and his house was very comfortable - with very thick walls.
OZDUCK
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More of Connemara
Omey island is about 600 Metres offshore and only separated by a shallow sandy bank, which can be driven over at low tides by following the markers.
For some reason I did not drive the hire car over.
First we saw Mountain Cows and now we saw Migratory Cows
First we noticed a bit of movement on the other side of the sands. We couldn't quite see what was going on but
assumed that it was probably some horses grazing on the shoreline.
We then were surprised to see some cows head out onto the sand.
They went past the deep channel.
And then successfully crossed to the mainland.
Omey island is about 600 Metres offshore and only separated by a shallow sandy bank, which can be driven over at low tides by following the markers.
For some reason I did not drive the hire car over.
First we saw Mountain Cows and now we saw Migratory Cows
First we noticed a bit of movement on the other side of the sands. We couldn't quite see what was going on but
assumed that it was probably some horses grazing on the shoreline.
We then were surprised to see some cows head out onto the sand.
They went past the deep channel.
And then successfully crossed to the mainland.
OZDUCK
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There are some big views up here.
The roads still required caution
For those who didn't see in the what we are eating thread. A meal basically composed of local produce pulled from the fjord.
Contained salmon, smoked salmon, smoked mackerel, crab meat, mussels, oyster etc.
The roads still required caution
For those who didn't see in the what we are eating thread. A meal basically composed of local produce pulled from the fjord.
Contained salmon, smoked salmon, smoked mackerel, crab meat, mussels, oyster etc.
VPS
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Hi OZDUCK I am really enjoying your trip report especially as I am doing a road trip of Ireland in September. We are planning on picking up our car in Dublin at about 1pm and our first nights accommodation will be in Kilkenny. Do you think it is worth making a stop at Glendalough on our way?
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earlyriser
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