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| A fireplace in the castle |
We stayed in the Gentian (pronounced Gen-shun) cottage in Doolin. It is a lovely 3 bedroom 3 bathroom house with an amazing view of the water. On Wednesday the mist had lifted so we met the owner of the house, Ann O' Callahan, to get a private tour of the Ballinalacken Castle. They are not sure exactly when the castle was built, but they suspect in the 15th century as a home to the O'Brien's who were one of the richest and most powerful families in County Clare. Ann led us through a private, locked gate and then let us climb in the castle. The stairway was still in really great shape, even though most of the roof was gone, and parts of the walls had holes in them. It is astonishing to think of someone in the 1400s making a castle like this, that is still so sturdy today. I only made it to the third story, my fear of heights preventing me from making it to the partial 4th floor. But that was enough for me for sure!
Then Ann took us to her farm and let us feed a week old baby cow named Jake. Momma cow had triplets, a very rare thing, and Ann was worried about the amount of milk produced for the babies so is supplementing Jake with milk, served in a wine bottle! She let us take a turn feeding him which was a fun, simple thing. Cows are awesome. I cannot say enough nice things about Ann and her home. If you should ever find yourself needing a place to stay in Doolin, Ireland, please look her
up.
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| The Cliffs of Moher |
Since it was still cloudy, but not foggy, we decided to try the cliffs again. Turns out that the visitor center that we paid to go into is a recently new development and the local townspeople are a wee bit upset that people feel like they need to pay to see the cliffs. In fact, you don't have to pay to see them, the money you pay is to park at the visitor's center. So on Ann's advice, we parked on the side of the road and walked up to the cliffs and wow am I glad I did. When you can see them, they are amazing. Pictures do not do justice to the size and scope of the landscape. There are barriers everywhere, along with posters urging people to call the Samaritans if they are thinking about suicide (there are 3 suicides a day in Ireland, more than car fatalities. The Cliffs are the top "black spot"). We walked to the end of the barriers, climbed past the private property signs and were treated to some spectacular views as we walked down a narrow pathway nearly 3 miles along the top of the cliffs. I got pretty close to the edge, close for me, and was very happy that neither Beth nor Dearsley fell off the side! This may be a super touristy location, but if you are in that area, check it out. It is worth seeing for sure and if can take the heights, walk past the barrier. There are some crazy areas where the wind tops 80mph, but other than that the walk is pretty easy and you will be glad to see this natural wonder from a different angle.
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| Blue Skies over the Cliffs of Moher |
On our way back we were surprised and delighted to see actual blue sky peeking through the clouds. You would have thought we won a million dollars based on our reactions, but after so many days of rain and grey, the blue sky was gorgeous. It was the first of many utterly happy moments for me on the trip. Here I was standing on a cliff that is over 720 feet tall, with some great new friends, looking at something that is not only old, but a testament to the power and wonder of the earth and it was amazingly serene, peaceful and made my heart happy. Five months ago I never would have imagined myself here, but I am so glad it happened.
After the cliffs, we headed back to the house to shower and get ready for our last night in Doolin. Tony the cabbie picked us back up and we headed to McDermott's for dinner. This is a truly local place, where families gather for good pub grub and good music. The night was pretty low key, so we ate and headed over to McGann's to see what was happening there. I am not sure if it was a collective hangover from the night before or just a regular low key night, but the crowd was smaller, the music more intimate and as a result we found ourselves in a deep political conversation with some Irishmen.
The more I travel, the more I become aware of how ignorant and arrogant Americans are. Here I was in a small town in Ireland and people knew not only the major political leaders, but also details on our system and major laws and issues as well as our history including presidents. I was shocked but mostly embarrassed by my lack of the same information about a country I was visiting for a week. I love traveling because it teaches me in the best way I know to learn, but it also keeps me grounded in all that I don't know, and what knowledge I need to seek out. Traveling also reminds me of how similar humans are; wanting to be loved and needed and respected. Meeting strangers, discussing common bonds and learning so much is the essence of why I love to travel and why it will remain a priority in my life. It makes me appreciate what I have and the opportunities that I take so for granted as well.
So after 4 days in Doolin, we are packing up and heading up north to Portrush in Northern Ireland to meet up with Candace and Carol. I am excited to see another part of this gorgeous country, but sad to say goodbye to this wonderful town and its lovely people who have been so gracious to us while we have stayed. Now that I see what a blue sky looks like, this is a truly gorgeous place that is worth seeing sometime in your life.
