The Connemara Peninsula
Off to Galway, we drive through the villages of Crusheen, Gort, Clarenbridge and Oranmore. After stopping by the Visitors Center for guidance and lunch at a coffee shop in the middle of Galway, we head out for an afternoon touring the wilds of Connemara, west of Galway. Driving through the villages of Moycullen, Rosscahil, Oughterard, Maam Cross, Clifden, Moyard, Letterfrack (don’t you love these names?), we pass through amazing scenery of mountains, rolling hills, dunes, dark brown peat bogs stacked like miniature pyramids, grazing sheep, small green islands dotting glassy lakes.
Our guidebook tells us that this beautiful, desolate landscape was the result of felled trees that were used for years for building ships, houses, furniture, etc. and never replanted. Peat bogs cover about one-third of the Connemara Peninsula and are an important source of fuel in Ireland. It is during this drive that we name our car Big Bertha Goliath and stumble upon a Catholic shrine nestled in a hillside point overlooking one of the lakes.
May there always be work for your hands to do
May your purse always hold a coin or two;
May the sun always shine on your windowpane;
May a rainbow be certain to follow each rain;
May the hand of a friend always be near you;
May God fill your heart with gladness to cheer you.
Kylemore Abbey
“This is my favorite part of the day – the gloaming,” I announce to Christin as we continue down the road on our way to Kylemore Abbey. The Irish countryside is glowing just before the onset of twilight.
“That’s not a word,” she retorts.
“Yes, it is. It means ‘the soft light of evening or the way light reflects in early dusk’. Something like that.”
“You’re making that up; I’ve never heard of it.”
“Well, look it up, girlie. You’ll see I’m right. And, I’ve taught you something new for a change.” With a 20-year age difference between us, Christin is always teaching me something new, keeping me current, and sharing new technology with me. It’s about time that I teach her something.
We arrive at Kylemore Abbey a half hour after closing, as did many others judging by the number of people and cars in the parking lot. So while we can’t tour the Abbey, we walk around taking pictures of this magnificent structure. This gorgeous gothic complex is nestled against a wooded hillside overlooking the glassy Kylemore Lake and knows no better than to take a perfect postcard picture every single time.
Now a convent boarding school run by Benedictine nuns, the Abbey was built in 1871 by Mitchell Henry for his wife, Margaret. She died three years later on a holiday in Egypt and he built the chapel in her honor in 1878. He sold it to the Duke and Duchess of Manchester in 1903 and their mortgage was foreclosed on in 1913 and the nuns purchased it in 1920.
May those you love bring love back to you
And may all the wishes you wish come true.
The mischievous leprechauns have foiled our visit to this stunning Abbey and we vow that we will have to come back in future years and make a visit to this treasure a priority on our agenda.
Murder Holes and a Blessing of Unicorns
As we head back towards Galway, we detour and turn down a road marked “Aughnanure Castle” and park Big Bertha. We are the only ones here. Walking down a narrow, wooded dirt path, we stumble upon a moat buried in overgrown trees and vines. How amazing! We could see the murder holes across the black water of the Drimneed River and I explain to Christin what murder holes are (holes in fortified structures used for defense – in this case, to shoot arrows at intruders). I’m fascinated at seeing one up close.
As we continue down the path and round a corner, a patch of sunshine streams through the trees off to our right. A beautiful, pale, white horse lifts his head in our direction. We stood transfixed and then Christin talks to him softly so he will look in her direction and I snap a picture.
Then, behind that horse, another horse’s head pops up shimmering in the gloaming of the twinkling leaves.
“They’re unicorns,” I whisper (my 3rd story of the trip). After watching these two beautiful creatures for a few more minutes, we continue down the path to the castle. As we approach the castle gate, a 3rd horse appears on our right, this one a foal, frolicking in a walled garden obviously agitated by our presence.
Now with a small herd of unicorns, we have a blessing! However, the castle gate is firmly closed (again we are too late – those pesky leprechauns!) and I’m sure this little unicorn was telling us it was time we were on our way!
May the luck of the Irish be with you
And a blessing of unicorns cross your way
May you have love, laughter and friendship true
And may each new dawn bring you a perfect day.
Built around 1500, Aughnanure Castle is one of over 200 tower houses in County Galway alone. It is considered “the finest fortified dwelling upon any part of the shores of Lough Corrib.” We decide our next trip will include a detour to this site and another visit with the unicorns of Aughnanure Castle.
The story continues on Page 5…
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