Dingle Peninsula Tour

Most of the day was spent on the bus with a few stops for photo taking.  Some of the roads were narrow with sharp corners. The Dingle Peninsula goesout into the Atlantic Ocean - the furthest west you can go in Ireland.

 In the evening we went to "Gaelic Roots", a live show of Irish Song, Music and Dance.

Too Cold to Surf

Sandy Beach at Inch

Another Long Day

After leaving Westport we drove  to Ballintubber Abbey.  It is partially restored and is still being worked on.  It has extensive grounds and a walk that follows the stations of the cross.  We had to wait for Mass to end before we could go inside.

Next stop was Galway where we did a walking tour and had lunch.

Excavating in the Middle of the City

We next visited the Cliffs of Moher.  There was a fancy new visitors center there along with a large gift shop.

After checking into the Bunratty Castle Hotel we just had time to get ready to go to the Bunratty Castle for a medieval-style banquet.  We were entertained with stories and songs by the lords and ladies of the castle as we ate with our fingers.

Catamaran Cruise and "Quiet Man" Tour

Our bus took us to Killary Harbour to cruise on the "Connemara Lady".  On the cruise we had all kinds of weather - sun, rain, wind.  After the tour we had lunch at Eddie's Bar. 

On the Way to Killary Harbour

Commemorating the Famine

Lots of  Sheep in Ireland

Mussel Farm

Later we went to the village of Cong where the move "The Quiet Man" was filmed.  It was a 1952 movie starring John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara.

A House in Cong

Statue of John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara

  The tour guide had members of the tour act out some of  the scenes from the movie.  Bob played the part of Michaleen Flynn who drove the cart and chaperoned.

Derry to Westport

Our tour continued from Derry to Donegal.  We visited the ruins of Donegal Castle which is partially restored.

Stone Ring Fort

We stopped at Sligo to see where the poet, W. B. Yeats is buried.  His tombstone wasn't as imposing as many that we saw.

We stopped at Westport House, an 18th century mansion - now a tourist attraction which includes a Pirate Adventure Park.

We stayed at the Wyatt Hotel in Westport.

Doagh Famine Village & Derry

We packed up and left Belfast early in the morning.  We arrived at the Doagh Famine Village and had a tour by one of the people who lived in the village until 1983.

http://www.ireland.com:

     The Famine Village outdoor museum, is located on the north Inishowen peninsula and about an hour from Letterkenny in County Donegal. It tells the story of an Irish family from the 18th century to the present day.

     Doagh Famine Village tells the story of a Donegal family and community living on the edge of Donegal and surviving from Famine times right up to the present day.
     Doagh Famine Village contains a wide selection of actual size attractions, including some original dwellings which were still inhabited up to 20 years ago.
     In fact, the centre has been built around the home of the owner who lived here with his family until 1983. By then, living in a thatched cottage was no longer fashionable and today this building tell of the subsistence way of life on Doagh Island.
     Some of the Famine Village’s buildings – such as the Orange Hall, Presbyterian Meeting House, Mass Rock and Hedge School and a Republican Safe House – depict the diverse history and culture of this corner of the Inishowen peninsula.
     Other buildings house information on the travelling community’s culture and other Irish traditions such as food, cures and the 'Irish Wake', a traditional send-off for the dead. 

 Our next visit was to Derry.  The walls that were around Derry in the 17th century are still intact.  We did a walking tour and walked part of the wall.  We saw St. Columb's Cathedral, the Tower Museum and the Guildhall where the history of Derry is depicted in stained glass windows.  We stayed overnight in Derry.

The name Derry was changed to Londonderry by a King of England, although it is still known as Derry.

Up on the Wall