Ireland ~ Cliffs Of Moher, Caherconnell, Irish Musicians & Host Family Dinner (Day 16) 06Aug23

We headed out early for the Cliffs Of Moher as this international treasure site gets crowded quickly in the parking lot and on the trails. We had alternatives and Kala & I with Jim & Gwen and Karla & Kevin headed on the longer & more challenging hike. It was raining on & off but the trail was well rebuilt to keep folks off the wetter and more precarious dirt trail next to the cliffs.

 

We had some time after returning to the visitor center, before the bus loaded and I got the chance to run down the crests and descriptions of the Marietta women's Irish blood. There's a lot of it including Ryan, Murphy, and Holleran, all who emigrated to the US during the potato famine.

On the way back we stopped at the Caherconnell Fort for a private tour of an archeological site occupied since 3000 BC. It was studied and rebuilt ~2006. We did not do the matchmaking session. The peek I provide outside the fort wall is indicative of what many Irish humans initially encountered before they excavated the surface into walls. We're in an area of County Clare called The Burren and the rocks are emblematic of the area. Caherconnell is also the site of an annual blacksmith convention in Ireland where participants use ancient ovens and techniques to fabricate metal designs - many made the different parts of the bench we saw. The straw colored "flower" is a prime ingredient of mead. We dined at their restaurant on decent quiche and I was able to find a cool wool hat for Kala - useful this day. Those flags over Caherconnell are Co Carey colors, Ireland and the EU.

On the way back to Lahinch we also passed another couple "oldies" including an abandoned house where sketchy things occurred and the Portal Tomb, which is the most photographed structure in Ireland (really?). While there we parked next to a Swiss RV ~ wow, that appears able to go anywhere.

 

Back in Lahinch the team had a quick beer before dinner with our home-hosted family. We were with a very nice middle-class family, in a nice home. We had great discussions but none heated. No pics from me but Janet who was with us too, snapped one of mom (teacher) & daughter (historian) with a special gift she'd given them. We gave them something too. The food was some of the best we've enjoyed in Ireland. The dad and mom are just retired and spend parts of the year in Spain, in the sun.

Once back in the hotel that evening we were again provided a private event ~ Irish musicians. They were awesome on harp, accordion, fiddle and concertina. They explained the cadence and meter and tenor of most Irish tunes and played examples. We'd already heard a lot of music but the harps were different and very cool. The ladies have been doing OAT shows since youngsters.

It's been a great trip ~ we rise very early to catch our planes home tomorrow. It'll be nice to get back though Ireland was excellent.

Ireland ~ Aran Islands - Inisheer & Lahinch (Day 15) 05Aug23

Awesome day on the north Atlantic for a ferry ride to the Aran Islands. Ok, I was inappropriately bundled for a keen sunny day ride. This is an extra subscription on the OAT Ireland tour, which all 15 of the tourists took. Maybe it was the great day (but we needed to book it 48 hrs prior anyway), maybe it was the Aran Islands, which are famous in a number of ways. We all had a blast with the boat ride not bad and the "queen of the isle" a great tour guide once landed on Inis Oire (Wild Life) or Inisheer in phonetic English, yeah that bit about Inisherin in the movie is made up, but it was cool; so many metaphors ~ where we went, life is very real. If you go to Ireland and are on the Atlantic, go to the Aran Islands. It was other-worldly yet up to date kindof. Kids all over Ireland want to get out here to learn Irish, which is nearly exclusively spoken (and taught) here. It is exceptional but I understand skeptics who want to acknowledge English is the "way" of the world and commerce. I applaud Ireland for allowing contracts and laws to be written in either English or Irish still... superb but challenging to find an Irish lawyer. We toured with the queen of the isle who ran the dock, the butane/propane gas depot, the bar & restaurant, the school, tourism, and likely more... she was awesome and another example of OAT capability to book the best personal experiences. We took a hand-built cabin around the island with narration and history offered in English... 'cause we were all 'mericans. Basically this is a rock off off Ireland and while gorgeous, revealed a very hard living experience, even today.

Why are there so many sub-divided lots? Ya know ~ many reasons, segregation of species, ownership, but most of all - no one wanted to carry the heavy rocks too far. This is unbelievably rocky ground and clearing it for any human use was brutal. We visited a wreck from which all sailors were saved by islanders, some grave and tombs of old Aran folk, and ruins/castles of old lords of the land and the ilk. We dodged Irish bikers and hikers but all's cool. The boats are still built here in the old style but only used for competition among oldness. races The Aran Islands are windswept, often cold, rocky pieces of shit from a human habitation standpoint ~ but Irish do it and love to come and camp and learn. WTF. It was gorgeous. We dined privately at the sole cafe on decent food but not locally sourced ('cause there is none).

My mom was a world-class knitter and I have a number of sweaters of Aran stiches I observed in the lobby of the queen's hood. Cool. I also have plenty of tartans that might evoke the opposite emotions in Ireland. We took the Xmas card pic (again) and then saw the jellyfish explosion aided by over fishing. We had a blast across the bay and soon enough landed again on the big island.

Back in Lahinch, we caught the surfers, the sunset, the golfers (dang, wicked rough), and bought some merch.