HILL OF TARA AND NEW GRANGE

SUNDAY- Went of to see the Hill of Tara this morning.  The rain seems to have gone for a while.  THe Hill of Tara is a pretty significate site for the Irish as this is where the ancient Irish Kings where annointed.  Really very low key.  After a quick walk around with a guide we could just wander ourselves.  The views from the top of the hill are great.  This is the highest spot around which of course was why it was chosen by the ancient people.  We were finished wandering and had had lunch by 1.30 and a little at loss as to what to do for the afternoon.  We have been warned not to go to the other sites after lunch as the bloody tourists flock to them in hundreds on tour buses.  After a bit of a debate and with Lonely Planet in hand I said to Ian that is says to throw away the guide book and go to some of the little places along the Royal Canal.  We spent the next 5 hours following this virtually unused canal from Kilcock to where it comes out into the Shannon River just west of Longford.  A great thing to do.  The skies were overcast and the reflections in the still waters just beautiful.  Loads of little old stone bridges and on Longwood the canal flows over an aquaduct with the road underneath.  It was 8.30 when we arrived back at the B&B which was half time at the World Cup and a nil all score so watched the second half and the extra time.  It always seems a bit sad to me when teams play for so long and a winner is decided at the last minute.  Anyway I was hoping Spain would win, so a good result for the Spanish fans.

MONDAY  -  Went off to New Grange today.  This is an extremely organised site.  Huge car park, then the Centre and a walk across the river to where the buses pick up to take you to the sites.  Each person is given a sticker to say what time you catch the bus.  We went to Knowth first.  This is a collection of passage tombs.  The guide we had there was a bit of an actress but went over the 6,000 years of history in about 6 minutes and gave a great background.  These are actually about 500 years older than the pyramids.  The stones that we used to built these came from miles away.  It is all pretty mind blowing when you consider that some of the outside boulders are up to 10 tons.  Pre wheel days they believe they brought them up the river and then used logs to roll them to the hill.  The celtic engravings are still visable on many and they are quite intricate.  It was then time to catch the bus to New Grange site.  This is a huge single passage tomb.  Virtually the same as Knowth however you can actually go into the tomb.  The construction is pretty amazing and also acts as a sundial.  Both the mid winter and summer suns reach down the passage to the tomb through a box opening above the entrance and along a long narrow passage.  Whilst there we started chatting to a fellow Australian only to discover he grew up in Hunters Hill and knew people Ian did.  Finished up having lunch with him before heading off to the Battle of Boyne site.  Bit uncanny really because today is the anniversary (12 July).  We looked through the exhibition there but were both over the history tour by then and just drove back to Carlanstown.  Great sunny day with nice blue skes.

TUESDAY - Heard on the news this morning that 80 police were injured in Belfast last night during marches.  Although 'The Troubles' are over the problems and resentment still exist.  So glad we were there last week and night this week.  Left Carlanstown this morning and drove to Slane where we thought we would walk along the tow path that was marked on the map near the old canal and river however it was really non existent.  We walked for a while but gave up as the canal is completely overgrown with tall grass and we were away from the river.  Drove on towards Mellifont via the Hill of Slane.  Went to the Mellifont Castle which must have been beautiful once but now just a ruin.  The original priory lavabo is still fairly much intact and some nice pieces of stone work still visable.  Had lunch at Monasterboice and then headed for Dublin via the coast.  Had a drive around Skerries, Rush and Malahide but by now the rain had really set in again and you could only just see the headlands and out to sea. 

We have now arrived back into Dublin.  Pouring with rain.  So ends our driving around Ireland.  

NORTH TO SOUTH

WEDNESDAY - Spent a relevantly quiet morning in and around Armagh.  Ian went off for a walk whilst I found a giant size coffee in a cafe with a internet so was able to catch up on the last week's blog and emails.  We discovered a fantastic outdoor photography exhibition around the city entitled 'Earth from the Air' a ten year project by a french photographer (about 100 in all - at least 2 m x 1 1/2m placed in parks, squares and shopping malls.  Amazing images and we wandered around looking at them.  After lunch we went off to the Navan Fort.  An ancient mound or hill where a fort has been the archeologists work for many years.  Interesting and makes us wonder just how many of these are out in fields all over Ireland and other parts of Europe.  These are pre-viking invasion so date back to BC.  There is a very informative Information Centre there as well as a reconstructed 'cottage'.  The thatch and basket weave walls are fantastic. 

THURSDAY - We went off to Belfast today driving as far as Lisburn and using the park and ride into the city.  Once there we took the city tour bus around Belfast.  This took us out through the dock area and then to the Parliment House which is huge, back into the city and then to the Shankill area which is very much the protestant area of Belfast.  They were preparing for the Battle of Boyne celebrations on 12th July.  Union Jacks were flying everywhere and shops decorated with flags and red, white and blue balloons.  Men and boys were starting to build huge bonfires, mostly out of pallets and they were already 3 or 4 metres high.  I feel this must inflame troubles but was told by a lady that 'they' (the catholics) have their celebrations in August and they do the same.  We had been warned to take our Australian flag out of the back of the car because it is possible that some radical would see it as a union jack and put a rock through the car window.  Bit sad.  No photos.

FRIDAY -  It is time to get out of Northern Ireland before the weekend so we have driven south today towards Cavan.  The only way you know you are across the border is by the line markings on the road and you start seeing different number plates on cars.  We wanted to see an old castle built on a mound in the middle of a lake outside Cavan.  We must of missed the turn through a forest park and kept driving around, almost in a circle looking for the entrance.  Finally decided to have some lunch at Bellturbet which was north of where we had started.  We then set off again and finally found the entrance to the lake (a well hidden place for a castle).  After driving down a little narrow lane about two ks we pulled up and walked towards the water.  Sitting there with fishing lines was an old couple - no car in sight - with everything imaginable for a days comfort and fishing.  They told us they came from Leicester in England by train and ferry and heavens knows how to this little remote spot and have been coming for the past 40 years to fish on this lake.  That's dedication.  The search was worth it, the castle is a fairly well intact ruin but a beautiful spot.  The overcast sky gave nice reflections in the water.  We then drove on to Carlanstown, near Kells where we will stay for the next four nights. 

SATURDAY - It has been really wet today, even the locals are saying it is really bad and unusual at this time of the year.  We went off to Kells this morning and managed to walk around most of the things of interest without getting wet.  This is the area where the famous manuscript (The book of Kells) was hidden in a monastry, stolen, buried and then found much later - we saw it at Trinity College in Dublin).  The monastry no longer exists.  While wandering around we saw a lot of activity outside a club house and asked what was happening.  The all-Ireland Handball grand finals were on and they invited us in to see it.  Four players were on the court (similar to a squash court) playing fast and furiously with a ball about the size of a tennis ball that they bounce around the ball and onto the back wall.  A glass wall at the front protects spectators.   Later we went off to Trim - it was pouring by this time so we found a dry, warm place for lunch and the rain eased a bit by the time we finished so we went to Trim Castle.  This is where Braveheart was made.  Huge Castle with lots of history of course.  The rain continued and after we had been through the castle we walked across the river Boyne to get a view from the top of the hill.  Whilst crossing the river we saw two fly fishermen standing in the water that looked freezing up to their knees.  We were feeling wet and cold enough.  Anything for a fish I suppose. 

Whilst travelling around I have just loved looking at the begonias.  They are in flower all over Ireland in the most beautiful colours.  Parks are full of them, hanging baskets, street boxes and the rain doesn't seem to do too much harm. 

BIRTHDAYS - 7/7

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MARCEL AND MARY.  

NORTHERN IRELAND

FRIDAY – Today we continued to head north into Northern Ireland. We stopped at Enniskillen to change Euros to Pounds sterling. This came out in Twenty Pound notes and we had to pay 30 pence for the car park. I thought I’d had a good spit at the pokies when the change kept dropping out – all I could do was fill my pockets with change. We stopped at Omagh and had lunch then walked around till we found the memorial for the victims of the Omagh car bombing in 1998. There are signs in shop windows asking for a full enquiry into this bombing still. We then took a few country roads through little villages and came across the mountains to Coleraine where we booked into a B&B for the next 3 nights. This was a nice drive and occasionally the sun broke through cloud which really showed just how green the hills really are. We went looking for a pub for tea and found these in a lot shorter supply in Nthern Ireland than they were in Ireland. We finally ended up in a Pizza place that was packed. There were at least 8 waitresses and I have never seen waitresses move so fast. They literally ran in the tiny spaces between tables. The couple next to us finally asked what part of Australia we came from and told us they had lived there for three years but the wife wanted to come home after she had had their first child. He certainly hankered to go back.

SATURDAY – Ian went off on one of his long walks around Coleraine this morning whilst I had a rest. I am really feeling very tired because I have trouble sleeping whilst it is so light and not many of the places we have stayed have very dark curtains. After lunch we went for a drive around the nearby headlands to Port Stewart and Port Rush. Point Stewart has what is known as ‘the famous long white beach’. For 4 pound 50p you can drive your car onto the beach almost to the water. There were heaps of cars there along with a couple of Ice Cream vans. It was overcast, blowing a gale and freezing but a few hardy people were ‘surfing’ in the surf which had a few good waves. Port Rush is very much a seaside resort, loads of apartments, the usual fair grounds etc. This is where the really good surf is apparently. The cliffs are fantastic. Again it was very overcast and drizzling with showers. We sat in the car and waited for the sun to break through the cloud over the cliffs but it didn’t really happen. We will drive back there on Monday and hopefully this weather will have cleared by then. Finally found a pub for dinner.

SUNDAY – We caught the train to Derry (Londonderry) today. Again the showers continued and the wind is just awful. Derry is a walled city and we walked around the wall (always against the wind) then down into the city itself. There was a great police presence at each of the wall gates and we were talking to one. Apparently they play a pro-active role in case of troubles. He said it will be a long time before the troubles here are over, so much is handed down from one generation to the other. The Bogside fly the Irish flag whilst the other side fly the St George flag. The orange people were just getting ready to march as we passed the Apprentice Hall however we found out later they were laying a wreath at the memorial to commemorate the Battle of the Somme. I found the place a bit depressing. Ian walked into the Bogside area to have a look at the murals. I was happy to find a coffee shop and wait out of the wind. We caught the train back to Coleraine. The train journey was described by Michael Palin as one of the nicest in the world and it certainly is nice – only about 50 minutes through mountains on one side and the rivers Bann and Foyle on the other

MONDAY - Today has been a big day even though we only travelled 81 ks.  Again it started out overcast and we retraced our steps around the coast to Port Rush and then continued on the Causeway Coast.  We saw a little steam train steaming up and Ian was ready for another train ride.  I went along with him on this real Thomas the Tank engine.  The smell of coal was very strong and the steam really going full force.  It was only a couple of miles and most of the journey was through a golf course. The golfers seemed to accept that they had to wait for the smoke to disappear before they hit across the line to the green.  We then went to the Giant's Causeway.  What an incredible formation this is.  Much bigger than I imaged it would be.  We did the cliff walk around the top overlooking the causeway and then down the steps onto the rocks and bassalt formations.  Later found a great pub nearby for lunch which we felt we really deserved after the climb up and down the cliffs and back up again.  A Guiness went down well today.  Thankfully we were blessed with some sun during the day and the wind calmed down a bit.  It is so unpleasant walking against it.  We drove on around the coast to Cushenden which is a pretty little village on a bay - they call it a beach!!!

TUESDAY - We continued around the Causeway Coastal road today driving along a road that was build almost on the shoreline and fantastic cliffs and mountains on the other. Really quite spectactular.  Once we reached Larne we headed inland and are now at Armagh tonight and have decided to base ourselves here for the next three nights.  We will go into Belfast on a bus or train and also do the various historic sites from here.  Again we have been through overcast and showery weather today.  It is nice when you get some sun occassionally.  Starting to look forward to some ozzie sun and blue skies again. 

South to West

SUNDAY 27TH - We have travelled around the Dingle Peninsular today which I think was more spectacular than Beara. There were some really nice coastal views, although can’t say the beach was as good as Shelly however certainly pretty with nice cliffs around them. There has been loads of ancient and medieval ruins to look at. It was really only a long mornings drive around and we were back to Dingle in time for a late lunch. We discovered Seafood Chowder today. Yummy. We then continued our drive north and finished up at Bunratty, probably more famous for the ‘Durty Nelly’s’ pub then anything else. It was packed when we went there late this evening.  Top image is Ian climbing to the top of a hill for a bit of exercise.

MONDAY – Our first stop today was at Craggaunowen where there is a restored Castle and reconstruction of earlier forms of housing from pre-historic to 6th Century periods. I wanted to have a look at some Lake houses that were there. It was raining gently so didn’t spend a lot of time there. Continued on towards Doolin and had lunch along the way. We have been seeing Bacon and Cabbage on the menu everywhere however we actually saw the real thing and decided to try this national dish and it wasn’t bad. Ian saw a little train steaming up near Kilrush and stopped to take a photo to discover it was about to do a short trip. He loves steam trains so hopped on. It only puffed up about 2 miles but he enjoyed it. The spokesman for the train museum was a character. His accent was very strong but he told some interesting tales. When we arrived at Kilkee the cloud was so thick down on to the ground that we could barely see 50 metres however as we drove around the coast it cleared and by the time we arrived at Doolin it was a lovely clear evening.

TUESDAY – The main reason to stay at Doolin was for me to go across to the Aran Islands by ferry. Ian has no sea legs at all so he stayed and did some walking around the Cliffs of Moher. I had a lovely day on the small Inishere Island which is pretty much the same as it was 100 years ago and the least commercial one of the three Aran Islands. On the way back we cruised around the bottom of the Cliffs of Moher which are really fantastic. Very rugged and high. The birdlife here is prolific. (Tried a Guiness today after my walk around the island.  It wasn't bad.

WEDNESDAY - We spent a lovely day today amongst wild flowers growing amongst the limestone rocks on The Burren.  We called into a Perfumery that use these wild flowers to concoct some lovely fragrances.  The small wild orchids are just starting to flower.  They are so fragile looking amongst the rock.  We had nice weather this morning however this afternoon the clouds turned dark and by the time we arrived at Leenane where we planned to stay it was very wet.  Each time we travel we alway manage to pick one lot of accommodation from hell and this is it.  When we arrived a young girl showed us to our room - she was having trouble speaking English and we discovered she was a student from the Czec Republic on a working holiday running the place.  It was old, very cramped and not really very clean but it was dry and warm.  Ian went down to ask if the heaters could be turned down but she didn't know how and told him "man back tonight".  Obviously the man came back because all of a sudden the room was cold - heaters off.

THURSDAY - The rain continued all night and the wind blew and rattled the old windows very well.  Miss Manuel managed to make the B&B another Faulty Towers this morning. 

We went down to breakfast and she was in a flap.  She said we had to sit in sitting room and wait - she could only serve one table a a time.  We did as we were told till told to go to dining room.  Breakfast was another laugh - lots of raised eyebrows.  When we were leaving she told us 'wind so bad tomorrow and did not sleep tonight'.  Poor kid, bet she is being paid pittance.  It was still very overcast but we decided to stick with our plans and do the Coonemara mountains today.  This is a fantastic mountain range on the west and runs down to the Atlantic.  Lots of great valleys, lakes and the only fjord in Ireland.  Would have been great to have a sunny day however we are pleased we made the effort.  After we came out of the Park we drove towards the centre of the country and tonight we are at Carrick on Shannon.  It is raining lightly again but much more pleasant than last night.