IRELAND - All around the Republic of Ireland!

IRELAND!   All around the Republic of Ireland 

May 12 - Guess who is going to Ireland tonight! Awful weather in Dallas meant only 10 minutes to spare from connecting flight. But… nine hours from now, we shall see if Irish eyes are smiling!

 

 4500 miles later, I arrived in a rainy Dublin. So glad I packed four tubes of sunblock.

The tour begins – “The Emerald Isle”, organized by Smithsonian Travels.

May 14- DUBLIN - visit to St. Patrick’s Cathedral, which is the National Cathedral of the Church of Ireland, an Episcopal Church, built in honor of Ireland’s patron Saint, Saint Patrick. The building dates to 1220 A.D.

 

 

 Among the features of the cathedral are two that directly relate to Saint Patrick – – one is the west window which depicts the life of Saint Patrick and 39 episodes. The other is St. Patrick’s well (read below)

Other items of interest in St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin, are an explanation of risky behavior – – “chance your arm”. (see the explanation, graphic below, and one of our group who decided to take the risk ).

 

Also, lots of things in here about Jonathan Swift. Although I’ve always thought he was a terrible person, misogynistic and unkind, he apparently was a patron of the cathedral.

 May 14- The Book of Kells is one of the most famous historical attractions in all of Ireland. A beautifully illustrated manuscript painstakingly done by Scottish scribes and then transported to Ireland when Viking raids got too intense there, the exhibition at Trinity College in Dublin is really worthwhile. The estimate is that it took the hides from 185 calves to produce the vellum on which the book was written. Not very much is displayed to the public of the actual book, because of its fragility. But the exhibition included a very interesting graphic about the alphabet used by the scribes, and I posted below a close-up illustration of the letter B.

Trinity College, Dublin, is an active university that also has a working library which has been collecting hundreds of thousands of early printed books since 1732.

 The library is often referred to as “Ireland’s front room“ and it is a truly spectacular library. The books are in the process of being digitized, an endeavor which will require a long, long time. But some are available to look at online already.

What can be more decadent than high tea at the famous 200-year old Shelbourne Hotel in Dublin? This is an experience that can lead to a serious food coma, but it is recommended in many of the guide books. I confess, I tried everything on the menu, but left 2/3 of it all on my plate. A taste of all these rich foods is really all that you need, I figured. Tea of choice: Earl Grey, followed by peppermint (famous as a digestive aid…)

May 14- The National Museum of Ireland/Archaeology – specializes in Irish and other antiquities dating from the Stone Age to the late middle ages. Three things of interest to me, of which photos of two are below – – one are the Bronze Age Goldsmith artifacts, and the other are the passage tombs.

You have probably heard of the bogs of Ireland; the great bog landscapes are one of Ireland’s most character features. The National Museum of Ireland /Archaeology currently has an exhibition about the ancient bodies found in bogs, and research indicates that many of them were victims of ritual sacrifice that reinforced kingship societal structure.

 

 

 

 May 15 - on the way to Galway. About 90 minutes outside of Dublin, we pull off the M6 for tea and scones at the small restaurant in Tyrellspass Castle. We could not tour the actual castle, which dated back to 1411. The Tyrrels came to Ireland around the time of the Norman invasion. They suffered during the Cromwellian invasion of 1650. The castle was partially restored in the 1970s.

 May 15 - The remains of the ancient ecclesiastical site of Clonmacnoise are among the most extensive of their kind in Ireland. This site was founded around 548, and is situated on a ridge that overlooks a large area of bog through which the river Shannon flows. It developed as a major center of religion, learning, trade, craftsmanship and political influence. It has attracted pilgrims for nearly 1500 years. The site contains a number of churches varying in date from the 10th to the 17th century, a round tower, underneath three stone crosses, and a large collection of early grave sites. It was plundered on many occasions by Irish enemies, Vikings and Anglo-Normans and fell into decline from the 13th century onward. It became a rational monument in 1877 and is now under the care of the Irish Office of Public Works.

 

 

 

This is the famous whispering arch at one of the destroyed churches of Clonmacnoise. It was engineered so that a parishioner can stand at one side and whisper into the inset groove, and a priest on the other side of the arch could hear his confession. Rumor had it that this was a favorite place for young lovers to whisper endearments even under the watchful eyes of parents! Above the arch are carved statues of Saint Benedict, Saint Patrick in the middle, and St. Francis on the right. During one of the raids on the monastery, the Shamrock was hacked from St. Patrick’s hand and the head removed from the statue of St. Francis.

 

 Although found throughout Ireland and Britain, the stone high cross is generally considered to have reached its highest point of development in Ireland. Almost 70 crosses have survived, and are found throughout the country, often in their original positions. Although hard to date, it is generally agreed that there were two great surges of high cross production, in the late eighth century and again during the 40 year recess, a time of stability and peace in the early 10th century. Free from the threat of Viking invasion during this period, some of the greatest Irish sculptural high crosses were carved at Clonmacnoise. This close-up shows Jesus with arms outstretched in a welcoming pose.

 

GALWAY- May 15- after a brief walk through the town, we ended near the river that leads out to Galway bay, and walked the through the Spanish arch and found the delightful Galway City Museum which is a great way to learn about the history of the city. One exhibit notes this: “The distinguishing feature of a medieval town is the enclosing wall which protected the citizens from attack and defined where the countryside and suburbs ended and a town began. Construction began on the Galway walls before 1272 and most, if not all of the town, was enclosed by the early 1400s. By the close of the 18th century, the walls and fortifications were either decaying or being demolished as the town was extended. Some of the last surviving stretches of wall are seen today beside the Spanish arch.”

 

Walking through the downtown area of Galway, you can easily pass the medieval fortified house with a plaque noting Lynch’s Castle. Some think that the fact that in 1493 James Lynch Fitzstephen, then mayor of Galway, hanged his own son for the murder of a Spanish sailor is the origin of the term “lynching”. For more info: https://www.galwaytourism.ie/lynchs-castle/

 May 16 – Galway City Museum

 Exhibit at Galway City Museum: “Irish Travellers, or Minceiri, are a traditionally nomadic, ethnic minority and indigenous to the island of Ireland. The barrel top wagon was a traditional home of nomadic traveller families and is now a symbol of traveller culture. The structure consisted of a waterproof canvas, drawn over a hooped timber-shaded frame, and secured to a flat timber base. At the front of the wagons, shafts were used to attach horses, with the rack on the back to hold items while traveling. The interior of the wagons generally contain a bed, dresser, storage, and a stove. If there was no room inside the wagon, for larger families, members often slept outside in tents. These tents usually consisted of a tarpaulin or canvas sheet draped over hoops, iron wire or willow branches and held down at the edges by large stones. The floor of the tent was usually taken up by mattresses, made up of hay, straw, or bracken”. This information is part of the Galway City Museum’s Traveller engagement project.

 

 Beady pocket, on display at the Galway City museum. Traveller women traditionally wore highly–decorated pouches, known as “beady pockets”around their waist. The decorative embroidery, colorful trinkets, buttons and bows had special meetings for the wearer. The beady pocket held the wearer’s most treasured possessions and keepsakes. The pocket was passed down from Mother to Daughter.

 

Tinsmithing was a skill within the traveller community passed down from generation to generation. Tinsmiths traveled from place to place providing a much-valued service to farms, selling new wares or mending existing items. Tools were carrying in a boxer or bag known as a “budget. Tinsmithing is still practiced today by community members.

 May 16 - driving out of Galway, westbound, into the Connemara area. The famous 12 Pens mountains are in the distance, and everywhere we look, we see the bright spots of yellow gorse. Absolutely lovely.

 

 May 16 - From my Smithsonian tour brochure: “we visit one of Ireland’s most beautiful sights: Kylemore Abbey, a turreted castle in the lush Connemara hills. The castle was built in 1861 by Mitchell Henry as a gift for his wife and purchased in 1920 by the Benedictine Nuns, who set about transforming the crumbling structure into a boarding school for girls. Since 2015, the abbey has partnered with the University of Notre Dame to host academic programs; the tourist revenue generated from the Kylemore Abbey goes towards upkeep and restoration of the grounds and Gothic church here.”

 

 

One lovely feature of the grounds at Kylemore Abbey are the Victorian walled Gardens.

 

 

 

 Irish eyes ARE smiling on Thursday night at Donnelly’s pub in the city of Barna near Galway!   Click on the QR code to hear the local musicians playing at the pub.

 May 17 - a pleasant ferry ride from the Galway coast takes you to Inishmor, the largest of the fabled Aran Islands. Sitting in the midst of the Atlantic, the islands feature early Christian churches, and medieval castles. Probably the most dominant feature in this heavily-touristed area are the many shops selling Aran sweaters. Lots of charming pubs and tea shops too!

Aran sweaters galore, everywhere in Ireland!

May 18 - leaving Galway and traveling south along the fabled coastline of County Clare, heading towards Killarney, a quick stop at the Saturday farmers market at the small village of Ballyvaughan.

 

 A rooster is a relatively new variety of potato that the farmer assured me was the housewives’ favorite because, already washed, it is perfect to pop into the oven or saucepan.  Did I mention that potatoes are served with EVERY MEAL in Ireland; even a slice of pizza comes with a side of "chips" (french fries).

 

 Inside, Silla (short for Priscilla) had produced the perfect hand-knit sweater for my one-year old granddaughter Clara Grace.

 

The first people to arrive in this area of county Clare in time moved into animal husbandry with the keeping of cattle, sheep and goats. From the results of research and excavations, a good deal of information has been gathered on the pattern of life and death of these early settlers. Our knowledge of the neolithic era from 3000 BC onwards is considerable, owing to durable evidence in the form of numerous monuments and forts. The tombs of these first farmers, described as megalithic, which means ‘great stones’, are impressive monuments over the graves of their dead. The most outstanding field monument from that period is the portal at Poulnabrone which dates from about 3600 BC. The capstone measures 12‘ x 7‘ and rests slightly on the side and two tall portal stones give it a monumental appearance. Archaeologists have discovered remains of over 30 people at this ancient site.

 Large stone tombs, known as megalithic tombs, were built throughout western Europe during the neolithic or stone age, when the practice of farming was first becoming established. Over 90 megalithic tombs are known to survive in the Burren; the earliest of these are the court tombs and portal tombs built in the fourth millennium BC. The portal tomb here at POULNABRONE is one of two constructed in the Burren, and is perhaps the best preserved example in the country.

 At the time this tomb was constructed, the landscape would have looked quite different from that of today. Open pine forest with some elm and hazel were widespread, and there were limited areas of open grassland. Much of today’s barren terrain is the result of extensive soil loss in later prehistoric times. Many of the ancient field walls to be seen in Burren have been constructed near the tomb by builders to enclose their farmland and mark territorial boundaries. These early farmers would most likely have lived in rectangular wooden houses and their subsistence economy relied largely on the cultivation of crops and domesticated animals, particularly cattle.

 Personal possessions buried with the dead included a polished stone ax, stone beads, quartz crystals, chert and flint weapons and implements, and fragments of pottery. Carbon dating has shown those buried in the chamber died in the period for 4200- 2900 BC , placing them in the new Stone Age. The tomb was not just a formal burial place, but also must have been a focus for related rituals and ceremonies. The transfer of bones from their original resting place indicates strong links with the ancestors.    (Commentary courtesy of visitor exhibits at the site….and the ability to dictate into the NOTES app on my iPhone) 

 

 

Next... onto one of the most visited sites in Ireland: the Cliffs of Moher, majestic flat-topped “mountains” that rise vertically some 600 ft. from the sea and stretch for five miles along the jagged County Clare coastline. From well-groomed walkways on this great mass of sandstone and shale, the vista is astounding. On a clear day, you can see the distant Aran islands in the Atlantic ocean.

 A shortcut to get to Killarney- the car/bus ferry at Killimer to cross the River Shannon. An invisible line in the middle of the river means we leave County Clare and enter County Kerry. So …we bypass County Limerick entirely. . Oh well, a reason to come back to Ireland!

 

 May 18 evening in Killarney - our group went to a local farmer’s home, where his wife prepared a traditional cottage pie for dinner, and his teenaged daughter gave a demonstration of her skill playing the traditional Irish harp. What a great example of agri-tourism! Killarney is a big center for tourism in this part of Ireland; it is the major business here.

 

 May 19 - just outside Killarney, one of Ireland’s top attractions: Muckross House (c. 1843), a grand Elizabethan-style manor on the shores of Muckross Lake. The landed gentry resided in elegantly furnished rooms upstairs while the “help” lived downstairs. Muckross House’s gardens have great views of Killarney’s mountains and lakes. The informal gardens are full of rhododendrons in full bloom (turns out, they are considered an invasive species in Ireland, and there are considerable efforts to get rid of them). There’s also a rock garden, with a collection of rolling dwarf conifers

 

 

KILLARNEY  A visit to the late-15th-century Ross Castle. This was the last stronghold to fall to Oliver Cromwell’s forces in 1652, and is considered a typical example of a Middle Age Irish chieftain’s stronghold. It is situated on a fairy-tale-setting on the shores of Killarney’s Lower Lake.

 

A cruise on the lake gives a look at the extent of Killarney National Park which encompasses 25,000 acres and 3 lakes; free admission.

We returned to our hotel via a jaunting cart, Killarney’s traditional form of transport consisting of a horse-drawn carriage with a “Jarvey” (driver).

May 20- One of Ireland’s most popular attractions is the stunning mountain and coastal scenery of the Ring of Kerry, a 110-mile route connecting the Dingle, Iveragh, and Beara peninsulas. This route features small winding roads that let you see beautiful remote landscapes. This area is one of the last bastions of the Gaelic language.

 

 

May 20 - our first stop on our daylong bus tour of the Ring of Kerry is to a tourist attraction called the Kerry bog village. This is a representation of Irish life in the 18th and 19th centuries. Peat provides a source of heat even today, although now it is harvested mechanically.

Several replica houses were in the Kerry bog village, one of was which was a stable house (see the video). Also there was a shebeen - these were illicit drinking houses that sold alcohol without a license. POITIN was a highly alcoholic drink made from potatoes, and was a popular item in the shebeen.

 

 

(Those are not real people...the real people
would no doubt be swaggering outside)

In the Kerry bog village, there were a good number of plaques that talked about the famine that occurred in the mid 1800’s when potato blight affected Ireland. Thousands of people were evicted from their homes and fell into abject poverty. Those who had the fare left for America.

 May 20- on our Ring of Kerry tour, we stopped at CAHERGALL, an impressive restored stone fort with a massive dry-stone exterior wall. Such small dry-stone forts were a common way to provide protection for smaller communities. About 25 of these dry stone forts have been reconstructed by the Irish government, but there are dozens and dozens more that have not yet been made safe for entry. These forts were built between 600-1000 AD, before the Anglo-Norman invasions. They were probably built to protect communities against rival clans that were jockeying to acquire more land. Stoop down to enter!

 

 

 

May 21- The highlight of this day is a visit to Blarney Castle. This is the site of the famed Blarney Stone, which is believed to bestow the “gift of gab” on those who kiss it. Built in the 15th century, this, as other castles, was a strategic military building, and the first consideration for location is an elevated site that gave a clear view of the surrounding countryside. Blarney castle was built on an elevated outcropping of solid limestone rock. This place is crowded with tourists, and the line to get into the castle and start the walk up the treacherous winding steps to where the Blarney Stone is located in the top floor is generally over an hour. Many of our group started the walk, but were stymied in their progress because another tourist fell on the twisted winding steps and had to be brought down by paramedics. I got as far as the first landing, and as my friends know, I probably don’t need to kiss a Blarney Stone in order to be loquacious.

'Way too many tourists here!

Blarney Castle would have been surrounded by a defensive wall, which enclosed in the area of about 8 acres called the “BAWN“. It sheltered both livestock and people in times of danger, but it was always a hive of activity. Here were to be found blacksmiths, tanners, Masons, woodcutters, carpenters, livestock keepers, horses, cows, pigs and poultry, butchers, cooks, gardeners and all manner of attendants. These included the hereditary protectors of the MacCarthy’s property, the MacSweeney’s at the gate. The place was full of people, animals, noise and smell. Through all the activity came deputations, traders, messengers, and invited guests, often including warriors, learned men, poets, and musicians, the bawn wall is long gone today.

 

May 22 - Kilkenny is my top choice as the best place to visit in Ireland. I loved wandering around what is ballyhooed as the best preserved medieval town in the country.

Kilkenny also has a fantastic castle with great docent-led tours.  One thing we all learned during the tour was that the beds were not really indicative of shorter people in the late 1700’s , but that most folks slept sitting up – a result of late big meals, and an effort to assist digestion of those meals, as well as a way to forestall respiratory infections.

 

 

In the entrance hall at Kilkenny Castle are these attention-getting antlers.  The Castle’s website notes:  “A fine set of  Irish elk antlers, dug from a Leitrim bog in the 19th century, are  displayed over the fireplace.   The Irish elk (Megaloceros giganteus) also called the giant deer or Irish deer, is an extinct species of prehistoric deer which lived during the Ice Age about 2,580,000 to 11,700 years ago.  It  is one of the largest deer that ever lived. Antiquities such as these were much sought after, and a lucrative trade existed in the acquiring of items of great age.”

 

“In the Picture Gallery, the stunning hand painted roof is decorated with Pre-Raphaelite ladies and naturalistic scenes and is significant for its architecture and design. Many portraits of the family hang in this room along with spectacular 17th tapestries.”

 

Kilkeny has not only got a great castle, but wonderful medieval streets in which to wander.  Kilkenny is often called the center of Ireland’s artisan and handcraft industries with jewelers, potters, glassblowers, ceramicists and wood and ironworkers living and working in the city.  It has also got lots of great fun local shops, not all of which are souvenir oriented — although there are loads of them. 

 

 

Great place to pull off the M7 between Kilkenny en route to Dublin features…ta dum! …. a McDonald’s. My new best friend Ronan obligingly gives enough room in the latte to add milk, which comes in “sachets”. No Splenda here … canderel is the favored artificial sweetener.

 

 May 23 - our last official visit on the Smithsonian tour was to EPIC, the Irish Emigration museum. Located in the heart of Dublin’s docks area where merchants once unloaded their cargoes, the museum was built to include the structures of a former historic warehouse. It comprises 20 galleries, each of which presents displays and interactive exhibits regarding various aspects of the 10 million people who left for other lands. The storyteller video below (CLICK ON THE QR CODE) requires close listening to appreciate the Irish language spoken.

 

 

May 23 – across the street from the EPIC emigration museum, is docked an authentic replica of the Jeanie Johnston. The original was built in Canada in 1847 and designed as a cargo ship – – but it ended up caring a very different cargo, transporting 2500 Irish immigrants on 16 transatlantic voyages to North America. Unlike a great many other ships that transported refugees from the Great Famine of 1845 to 1852 that was caused by the failure of the potato crop, the ship’s humanitarian captain enforced strict sanitation and other health measures such as exposure to daylight each day, and very few passengers were lost to shipboard death.

 May 23, the last hotel for our Smithsonian travel group in Ireland is a beauty — the Barberstown Castle Hotel is a structure originally built in 1288 in the town of Stratton, which is in County Kildare. Only 15 miles west of Dublin, it has been operating as a hotel since 1971. The hotel has maintained the elegance of design by sympathetically blending its Victorian and Elizabethan extensions with the original Medieval Castle Keep. Twenty acres of gardens surround the hotel. Renovations in 1996 revealed a previously undiscovered tunnel that links the castle to the nearby church. From 1979 to 1987, it was the home of the acclaimed musician Eric Clapton, where famous rock stars came to stay and played music into the early hours. The castle is now privately owned and managed

 

 May 24 - en route drop off most of our group at Dublin airport (Pippi and I are staying on to enjoy a bit more self-arranged sightseeing including 6 days in Northern Ireland), we had an interesting conversation on Ireland today.  Although the country ¼ of its population during the Great Famine (1845-1852) when the failure of the potato crop and rise in food prices led to starvation and disease that killed between 1 and 1.5 million people and forced another million people to flee the country, it has since regained population organically as well as through the arrival of many immigrants, who are referred to as “blow-ins“. Current population in the Republic of Ireland is around 5,123,000.

Our terrific guide, Jeremiah Daly! 
and of course, Pippi....

DUBLIN !

If you, like me, enjoy a quiet hotel, then DO NOT BOOK ONE IN THE TEMPLE BAR AREA.  I found out the hard way – it is party central for bridesmaids parties, young people who haven’t quite learned how to drink, loud blaring music 24 hours a day, sub-par fast food, etc.   So on my return trip after Northern Ireland, I made sure to book a more appropriate hotel (hint:  try the Fitzwilliam on St. Stephens Green).

May 24- The Irish National Opera tonight presented Verdi’s Traviata; the venue was the Gaiety theater, Dublin’s longest established theatre in continuous production, built in 1871 (Victorian era) and refurbished lavishly in 2007. Most amazing thing - the Violetta had laryngitis and her alternate had another commitment, so they flew a singer from the Welch national opera over to Dublin and that singer stood at a music stand on the left of the stage while the Violetta who could not sing mimed the part. A most unusual performance, but the show must go on!

May 25 – time for a wander around the city. A visit to Christ Church Cathedral was interesting.  An Anglican cathedral now, the story of the cathedral begins in 1030 when the Hiberno-Norse King Sitruic Silkenbeard (great name!) built the first church on this site.  Anglo-Normans rebuilt the cathedral in the 12^th and 13^th  centuries and it was heavily restored in in the 1870s.  So today’s building is a mixture of medieval and 19^th century.  Lots to see, and the cathedral provides an informative brochure  (there is a fee to enter, plus a small fee for the brochure...).   Very worthwhile visit!

In the main cathedral, you find the heart traditionally associated with St. Laurence O’Toole, patron saint of Dublin.  Laurence was buried in France in 1180 and his heart was reputedly brought back to Christ Church soon afterwards.  It was stolen in 2021 (!)  but recovered in 2018 and restored to its home in the cathedral.

There are easily-navigated stairs down to the crypt, which is the largest crypt in Ireland and the oldest working structure in Dublin, built in the late 12^th century with parts of it possibly dating from the 11^th century.

Near this area of the crypt is a copy of one of the world’s most treasured documents – the Magna Carta. 

 

This is the entrance to the Quire of the Cathedral, in the main part of the church.  There are carved oak stalls where the choir sits; the choir was founded over 500 years ago.

 

 

May 25 – en route to the Abbey Theater, I crossed from the Temple Bar area of Dublin to the other bank of the Liffey River. I used the Ha’penny Bridge, which was the first pedestrian bridge to cross the river which divides Dublin. Built in 1816, it was the only pedestrian bridge over the river for 184 years. The toll was a half-penny per person; using the bridge is free now.

 

May 25, evening- In 1904, the Abbey Theater was founded as a National Theatre for Ireland by W.B. Yeats and Lady Gregory. Yeats was one of the foremost figures of 20th century literature, and a driving force behind the Irish Literary Revival. He was a poet, dramatist, and writer. Lady Gregory was a dramatist, folklorist and theater manager. In founding the Abbey Theater, their manifesto was: “to bring upon the stage the deeper emotions of Ireland.“ The 70 minute performance I saw was certainly in that tradition, an incredibly strong work of storytelling and autobiography. If you are in DUBLIN, be sure to check out what might be playing at the Abbey theater.

 

 May 25 - a sunny day in Dublin, perfect to check out the old market halls and grand residences re-purposed for antique and other shops. Flowers everywhere!

 

Wonderful meal today at Peploe’s restaurant on the side of St Stephen’s Green - put it in your Dublin “go to” file!

After 13 days in the Republic of Ireland, Pippi and I took the 2-hour train from Dublin to Belfast.   (to See that blog about Northern Ireland click here:).  

I returned after that 6 day trip in Northern Ireland, traveling with my sister-in-law Kimbro and her husband Michael who took the car ferry over from the coast of Scotland to Belfast, for another 3 days in Dublin. I'd go back to Dublin in a flash!

Last but not least, a friend asked what I’d recommend if I only had 6-7 days to tour in the Republic of Ireland.  Here it is:  3 days in Dublin (stay at the Fitzwilliam Hotel); one day to Clonmacnoise; a half day at the megalithic tomb in the Burren area POULNABRONE; one day in Kilkenny.