Wednesday, 29 August 2007

Clare Island, 27 August 2007

On Monday morning, Marian and I took the 15-minute ferry ride to Clare Island, which guards the entrance to Clew Bay. As with most Irish landmarks, Clare Island has a rich history. In particular, it is associated with the “Pirate Queen” Grace O’Malley (Irish name Gráinne Ní Mháille, also known as Granuaile).

O'Malley was born in Ireland in 1530, when Henry VIII was on the throne of England. She was the daughter of the chieftain of the O'Malley clan, which controlled most of what is now South-West County Mayo. The O'Malleys were a great seafaring family and taxed all those who fished off their coasts, which included fishermen from as far away as England.

Grace O'Malley summered in Clare Island, in the Castle overlooking the harbour where her fleet of ships would be safely anchored. She engaged in revolutionary activity against the English crown, and her castle was attacked by an expedition from Galway intended to get rid of her. However, they were put to flight and barely escaped. In 1593 O'Malley sailed to England to petition Elizabeth I for the release of her two sons. Elizabeth apparently took to O'Malley, who was three years older, and she granted O'Malley's requests provided that her support of Irish rebellions and piracy against Great Britain ended. Their discussion was carried out in Latin, as O'Malley spoke no English and Elizabeth spoke no Irish.

Marian and I had a nice day walking across the island to the lighthouse and back. Here are some photos:
On the Way to Clare Island
The Harbour
Grace O'Malley's Castle
The Lighthouse, built in 1806 (Maz in pink staying well clear of cliff)
Croagh Patrick in Background (we climbed that last week)


13th Century Abbey



Tom's Birthday Party, 25 August 2007

On Friday I flew to from Manchester to Knock via Dublin, a somewhat convoluted route due to a change in work travel plans. Marian and I watched the Ireland Italy rugby match at the Westport Hotel on the way back to Louisburgh.

The following day, there was a bbq lunch for Tom's 60th birthday. I was on bbq duty, as apparently being a kiwi made me a fully qualified bbq expert. Thankfully the meat wasn't burnt or raw, but perfectly well done.


Tom, Thomas, Maria and Dympna Blowing Out the Candles


In the evening everyone piled into the dining room/kitchen for a music session with Tom's brothers Micheal on accordian and Liam on violin:

On Sunday we had a nice lunch outside in the all too rare sunshine:

l-r: Dympna's sister Clair, Clair, Eion, Frances, Philip, Tom, Dympna, PJ, Maz, Thomas

On Sunday afternoon, Maz, Thomas and I went down to the beach for a swim:




Wednesday, 22 August 2007

Climbing the Reek, 19 August 2007

On Thursday 16 August I found myself with no work to do at the office; with the summer holiday season in full swing, a couple of the managers were away and there was no one to assign me any new projects. With no prospect of any work coming my way until the following Tuesday, I took a spontaneous trip to Ireland. On Friday, just for a change, I flew into Sligo Airport, which has a spectacular location on the coast at Strand Hill. After arrival Marian and I watched the surfers at Strand Hill Beach riding some impressive waves.

The weather was typically Irish, sunny one minute and bucketing down the next. However on Sunday the weather was relatively good, so Maz and I decided to climb Croagh Patrick, otherwise known as "The Reek".
"What is so special about this mountain?" you might be asking yourself. Well, a brief history is as follows:

Croagh Patrick (764 m) has been the site of pilgrimage since before the arrival of Celtic Christianity and possibly since before the arrival of the Celts themselves. It derives its name from the Irish Cruach Phádraig ("Saint Patrick's mountain") although it is known locally as the Reek. St Patrick reputedly fasted on the summit for forty days in the fifth century and built a church there. It is said that at the end of his 40-day fast, Saint Patrick threw a bell down the side of the mountain, banishing all the snakes and serpents from Ireland. On "Reek Sunday", the last Sunday in July every year, around 15 - 25,000 pilgrims climb the mountain, many of whom climb barefoot (and we did see one dedicated guy climbing barefoot).

That is a brief history, here are some pics:




The Start of the Climb (St Patrick and his mountain behind)



St Patrick Looking Down on the village of Murrisk and Clew Bay



Nearly Halfway - Looking North to Clew Bay



Along the way there are spectacular views of Clew Bay. Legend has it that Clew Bay has 365 islands in it—"an island for every day of the year". The large number of drumlins at the east end of the bay gave rise to this myth, but in fact there are not so many - around 117. A drumlin (from the Irish droimnín, a little hill ridge) is an elongated whale-shaped hill formed by glacial action. The drumlins in Clew Bay were flooded when the glaciers melted around 14,000 years ago, forming the islands we see today:




Some Welcome Relief at the Halfway Mark

The last bit is steep and rocky (remember about the pilgrims climbing barefoot?)

At the Church at the Summit


From the summit, looking south, you can see Old Head beach. It wasn't the clearest of days, but through the misty cloud we could also make out Tom and Dympna's house, and Clair and Philip's house.




Tom and Dympna's House (circled). Old Head beach to right, Pier far right


Clair and Philip's House (circled)

Tuesday, 14 August 2007

Back in Mayo, 11-13 August 2007

Another weekend, another chance to escape Manchester for the green hills and fresh (damp) air of Ireland. I almost didn't make it though; first I forgot my passport and had to return on the tram to the apartment from town to get it, then Knock Airport was fogged in. However we managed to land on the second attempt.

The weather was a bit showery, but I managed to get in a few swims and a walk.


Lowry Centre, 9 August 2007

Some photos I took of the Lowry Centre one evening:
Lowry Centre from the North

Looking Across the Ship Canal to The War Museum

The Lowry from the Pedestrian Bridge

War Museum from the Pedestrian Bridge

Ship Canal

Tuesday, 7 August 2007

Walk into Manchester, 5 August 2007

On the weekend after the triathlon I decided to get a bit more oriented, so went for a walk into the city centre from Salford Quays, following the canal.

Manchester's tallest building, Beetham Tower, with the derelict Pomona Quays in foreground

Along the way I passed through Castlefield, situated on the Bridgewater canal. Opened in 1761, the Bridgewater Canal was the first canal in Britain to be built without following an existing watercourse. The Bridgewater Canal revolutionised transport in England and was the catalyst for the industrial revolution. It is hard to imagine now, as there is only the odd leisure boat on the canal, and the brick warehouses lining the canals have been converted into offices, apartments and bars.




Castlefield & Bridgewater Canal

The structure in the centre of photo below is what remains of Grocers' Warehouse, originally a 5-storey brick building built in the 18th century. The arches are the entrances to tunnels dug into the cliff face, which allowed barges to travel beneath the warehouse. Water-wheel powered hoists would then lift goods from the canal up to the street above. An ingenious piece of engineering.


There are some nice pubs in Manchester


Deansgate, one of the main shopping thoroughfares

St Annes Square, a more tranquil part of the city centre

Exchange Square (complete with giant Ferris wheel)

Marian and I had earlier had a ride on the Ferris wheel back on 9 July

World Cup Triathlon, 29 July 2007

The following day, Sunday, there was a World Cup triathlon held in Salford Quays, and the swim leg was literally right outside our apartment. New Zealand was well represented in both the womens’ and mens’ events, with Sam Warriner coming in second in the womens’ race.
Acknowledgement: Photos courtesy of Matt, all rights reserved

Start of the Womens' Race

Women's Swim, taken from the bridge in front of our apartment


Half way mark of the swim, competitors have to climb onto the pontoon and dive back in

Mens' bike, taken behind our apartment building

Finish of Womens' Race