I took a daytrip last Monday to the Kylemore Abbey, out in Connemara. It's a 13,000 acre estate that now is the home to a community of Benedictine nuns. There is a beautiful Neo-Gothic Church down a ways from the Abbey as well as a Victorian walled garden. It was a pretty grey and rainy day, so the tour around the gardens was short lived.
The following day out in the Aran Islands...
in front of one of the thousands of dry-stone walls out on Inis Mor. I'd say I've never had a more beautiful bike ride...
Just a partial glimpse of the walls again. Rory, our tour guide, told us there are over 4,000 miles of dry-stone walls on the island!
My view from the top of Dun Aonghasa...note the lack of any walls or fences. I think this was just about where the ol' vertigo set in.
Out at the ruins of the "Seven Churches" on Inis Mor. There were three cemeteries out on the island and Celtic crosses were commonly seen on each grave site.
Okay, despite the silly facial expression on my part, the audience looks like they're enjoying themselves, huh? This was last Monday down at Richardson's Pub--where both Sandy and Patrick work. Every Monday and Wednesday they have a beginner session where anyone and everyone can bring their guitar, bodhran, tin whistle, accordion or pipes and have a go! This night there were a few Italians that joined in...and the music was just incredible. After a few pints...I felt a few reels were a must.
2 comments:
Looking pretty cute on that bicycle.
Hey, I recognize that last place! I'm surprised I don't recognize many of the musicians, but I'm sure if the angle of the shot were different, I'd see Mary and Sean sitting in the corner there.
So what's your deal? Coming back soon? Still trying to find a way to stay? Think you'll change your mind 10 minutes before heading back down to Shannon and stick it out an extra week or so? (Not a bad plan, all things told, though I wish you a better outcome! LOL.)
Well, my jonesin' to be back keeps gearing up... but may have a fix coming. Aer Lingus is running a sale through tomorrow (today, really) on flights from Chicago in Nov through Feb for $150 each way! Don't tell anyone yet, but I think I'm going to book a short trip out there in February to visit old friends and stomping grounds.....
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