We had a late night last night, but got on the move early today. We drove down to downtown Athlone to see the castle on the river Shannon. The locks for the river are right in front of the castle. The castle is undergoing renovations so we only walked around outside – and we were too early to gain entrance anyways.
Our travels then took us to Portumna, through some windy country roads (theme for the day). We stopped at a cafe for breakfast, then checked out an old cemetery. The Portumna Castle and Gardens was built in 1618 but nearly destroyed by fire in 1826. The family who owned the remains of the building, the four main walls, left it for ruins. The castle continues to be renovated by the office of public works. The gardens and surrounding buildings are being restored to original state. And all done with precise archeological techniques.
After leaving the castle, we made our way to Gort, which is south of Galway. We stopped briefly in Gort to plan out our next few hours. We charted a route on Google maps out to the Cliffs of Moher. We stopped at Abbey, and walked around the ruins of the abbey. When the crazy black crows/birds started flying out of the building we left.
Along the way, which was not the traditional route at all, we found a gem of a stop.
Kilmacduagh Churches and Round tower were off the beaten path a bit, but definitely worth visiting. We wandered around the ruins. The monastery was founded in the 7th century and likely plundered in the 13th century. The round tower is a 12th century ruin, and it would have been a secure place for the monks to hide and defend if attacked. The church to the side was built in the13th century. The remains are in surprisingly good shape and the grounds are well taken care off. Unplanned visit, but so worth it!
Then, with Google guiding us, we drove out to the Cliffs of Moher. Google has a sense of humour however, and we ended up taking some of the craziest, most narrow roads in the country. Denise handled it well, but I think she needs a rest tonight! Lol! We stopped at the Burren and took some photos. The Burren is just that, exactly like the Burren in Newfoundland. Just like driving cross country from Eddies Cove West to the St. Anthony airport.
We continued on, finding some wider roads and some with less tractors. We stopped at the Cliffs of Moher and walked up the hills. The Cliffs are impressive, as were the crowds.
From the Cliffs we drove down the coast and back in land to Ennis, where we will stay tonight. We have packed a lot of stuff in to the last four days. Time for a good long rest before we get back at it tomorrow. We have a river out the window, some cattle in the field beyond, and everything is green 🙂
Not to end on a sad note…but tomorrow marks two years since Mom passed. And also my sisters birthday.
I miss my Mom more than ever, but happy to be spending this week with her sister 🙂
Hoping to make the best of our last few days here.
Our Irish Adventure 