Mum in Ireland, 28 September - 11 October 2008

On Sunday, September 28 Mum flew into Galway from Copenhagen via Dublin, arriving at around 2 pm. For the next couple of weeks Mum stayed with us in Galway, and managed to see quite a bit of the West of Ireland, in between the rain showers. Here are a few pics from her stay in Ireland.

On Wednesday 1 October, Mum took a bus tour of Connemara (the western part of County Galway) and Cong. One of the stops along the way was Kylemore Abbey in Connemara, a beautiful Benedictine monastery perched on the shore of Kylemore Lough:

Kylemore Abbey

On the way back the bus stopped at the Franciscan Friary of Ross, near Headford. The Friary was founded in 1349 and is considered to be the best preserved monastic ruin of its period in Ireland.

View from the bus, Connemara Ross Friary, Headford, Co. Galway

After a couple of days dodging the showers in Galway, on Friday 3 October after work we all drove to Mayo, to spend the weekend at Fallduff with Tommie and Dympna. It rained solidly all of Saturday, so we spent the day at the Museum of Country Life, in the grounds of Turlough Park, Co. Mayo.

On Saturday night we all drove into Westport to hear Tommie’s brother Liam play his regular gig at Hoban’s, a pub in town. The Craic was mighty, and both the music and Guinness was top notch.

Marion and DympnaTommie. me, etc... (& random punter behind Tommie)Disappointing effort Marion - only having a half pintTommie's brother Liam, to the flautist's left ,on the fiddle

We woke to blue skies on Sunday which was a pleasant surprise after the previous day's downpour. I had my traditional morning swim off the jetty at Old Head to wake up, which was to be the last swim of the summer:

After Mass we had a lovely big roast lamb dinner courtesy of Dympna, and after dinner took a stroll along the beach at Old Head.

View of Croagh Patrick from Tommie and Dympna's Back Door

Clair, Maz, Maria, Phil, Thomas, Me, Dympna

The weather forecast for the following day, Monday, was also good (ie not bucketing down) so I took the day off, and Mum and I took a ferry to Inishmore (Inis Mór), the northern most and largest of the three Aran Islands that lie off the entrance to Galway Bay. The ferry departed from Rossaveal, around 30 km west of Galway.

On Inishmore we rented bikes and took to the coastal road. This is the best way to travel on the island and take in the scenery.

Inishmore

Mum on the road, Inishmore, rush hourMum found the Stone Walls Fascinating

Celtic Cross, Insihmore

Our destination was Dún Aengus (Irish: Dún Aonghasa) the most famous of several prehistoric forts on the Aran Islands. Thought to have been built in the second century BC, the fort stands at the edge of a 100 metre high cliff, providing spectacular views of Inishmore and the Atlantic Ocean. The climb to get there was tough going but the view was worth it.

On the track to Dún Aengus

Made it! Mum at Dún Aengus, Inishmore

OK, using the photo below is cheating a bit but this is what Dún Aengus looks like from the air, to give you an idea of the spectacular location: