Ireland 2026; Day Eleven

 

The ducks were not quite in a row for this photo op yesterday afternoon, but they were certainly an appropriate scene for the weather. 

When we first passed by the yard where they were watching, sleeping or grooming, I thought maybe they were statues.  

Each steadfastly held its position.  

When we drove back by the yard, I saw movement, so I knew they were ducks engaged in typical duck activity. 

When I stepped out of the car and walked toward them, a couple of ducks announced my presence.

But none of the other ducks seemed too concerned. 

They were simply enjoying life AND the rain. 

I was enjoying a rare moment spent outside the car in the somewhat miserable weather. 

Twas truly a day for the ducks in Donegal and definitely not one for the peeps!

It may come as a surprise, but sometimes days can be dull, even for visitors to Ireland. Yesterday was such a day for us as we spent most of our daylight hours in the car.

Plus, it was raining most of the time.  It was also raining when we arrived at our destination, the An Chuirt Hotel in Gweedor, County Donegal.

So, the highlight of the day, besides our good byes to John, Sue and Milla at Sharamore House, was our hello to Zoe, the desk clerk at this beautiful hotel overlooking a stream winding through a bucolic setting.

Zoe is an engaging and pleasant college student who expressed a bit of envy when she heard about some of the offerings at our Sandpoint High School back home. 

It was kind of fun to brag up the alma mater to an Irish grad.

The hotel is charming with its vast array of local art, all beautifully framed, and its rooms and rooms of beautiful comfy chairs.

Since walking outside was not too inviting with the rain and oncoming darkness, I strolled around the hotel, snapping photos of some its highlights.

Zoe told me that the place used to be a court house and, though you couldn’t see it now, underneath the facility were holding rooms for defendants waiting to have their moments in court.

We have not had any time to explore Gweedor, but I did learn a while back that some Irish music giants, including Enya and her sister the late Moya Brennan grew up here.  

Our server last night shared the general sadness that the country had recently lost Moya, often called the queen of Celtic music and known for the theme from "Last of the Mohicans."

Today we’ll visit Glenveagh National Park, which is the second largest national park in Ireland. The park is best known for its mountain scenery, extensive wilderness and Glenveagh Castle. It’s also known as a haven for nature enthusiasts.

So, I think we’ll fit the bill as avid visitors.  John Brittain told us that it’s a haven for some bird species not seen in other parts of Ireland.

We’ll end the day at another of our annual stomping grounds, the Seaview Tavern and B and B. The owners Caitriona and Michael won’t be there but Maura will.  We are excited to see her.

So, we’re headed toward the last segment of this wonderful trip.  Even with too much time in the car yesterday, our enthusiasm for this year’s experience is still overflowing with amazement and appreciation.

Stay tuned. 

We may be pulling out the rain gear today.  Hopefully tomorrow's post will bring you more outdoor photos of Ireland.

Thanks for coming along for the ride. I appreciate you more than you'll ever know. 

Happy Monday.

Magnify this image for a neat story about some followers of St. Patrick. 

Since Enya and Moya Brennan are from Gweedmor, I'll leave you with some of their hauntingly beautiful music.

 

Ireland 2026; Day Ten

 

Hands down, yesterday was the prettiest day we have ever spent at Inis Mor in the Aran Islands. After a day of drenching rain and wind, the sun came out, and the bluest of skies and relative warmth reigned over the island.

Bill and I made it to the ferry in plenty of time yesterday morning. Once again, it was fun to see the ladies from the Seattle area who are traveling around Ireland on a Rick Steves tour.

We met their tour guide yesterday.  She is from Belfast, and the group raved about how wonderful she has been as a guide.

The 40-minute ferry ride was wonderful as the ocean water was smooth.  No real need to wear those bracelets that help you avoid sea sickness.

Our time on the island was about as pleasant laid back as ever.  We’ve seen most of the highlights of Inis Mor, which is home to about 800 islanders and a brief home to thousands and thousands of visitors every year.

We first reconnected with our friend Bridie and her fiancé at The Bar and soon walked to the St. Oliver Plunket Catholic Church where I lit some more candles. The altar area in the church has a portrait of Carlos Acutis, the first millennial saint who dies at age 15 and was canonized last year. 

Then, we boarded a van driven by Tony, a former fisherman.  While pointing out sights along the way, he took us to the other end of the island where woolen goods and other beautiful gift items are sold.

That area has a popular restaurant, and yesterday visitors were enjoying their food outdoors in the pleasant sunshine.

It’s a place of commerce and colorful sights, including carriages, vans and oodles of bicycles and, of course people enjoying the island.

Later, we rode the van back to The Bar where Dominic, the chef, prepared us each a wonderful meal. Our friend Bridie, who leases and manages The Bar, did a little art work on Bill’s Guinness.

The place filled up quickly, so when we finished our meal, we left and each walked around on our own until it was time to go back to the ferry.  Happily, Bridie and Steve were also taking the ferry back to the mainland near Galway so we enjoyed a wonderful visit.

Once we arrived in Clifden, we spent about an hour at Ravi’s listening to another round of lively Irish music.

It was again a great day and extra special because we had the opportunity to see our friend who has been so gracious and generous to us over the years.  We’re looking forward to the day that she decided to make a trip our way so we can reciprocate and so she can meet her namesake.

In the meantime, we’ll stay in touch virtually.

Today we move on from Clifden and the daily treat of Sue’s pancakes and other tasty items on the breakfast menu at Sharamore House.  

Tonight we’ll stay in another new accommodation in Gweedore, County Donegal, where Irish is the predominant language.  Looking forward the new adventure on Ireland's west coast. 

Again, we keep pinching ourselves about how amazing this trip has been.  We are grateful, to say the least. 

Happy Sunday.  

These people love their Border Collie "Paint," so much that they take him on all their trips. 

St. Carlos, the first millennial saint. 

Another amazingly tasty meal for my sensitive stomach.  Bill says that maybe Ireland needs to call chicken, mashed potatoes and purried carrots "Marianne's dish."  

I have definitely been able to enjoy life after eating this combination. 

Thank you, Bridie, for your wonderful hospitality at The Bar. 

Steve helps Bridie manage The Bar; he is also her fiancee. 

Our friend John from Sharamore House is very familiar with these boats as he serves in the RNLI.