My Recommendations:
Must Do's ...
Driving northwest into the Connemara district of County Galway, I was thrilled. I had not anticipated having the time to visit and had heard this was the 'romantic' part of Ireland. It intrigued me as I didn't think anything could get more romantic than County Kerry. They are my two favorite areas of Ireland ... both romantic in their own unique way.
Oughterard, "The Gateway to Connemara", is approximately 15 miles west of Galway City. It is known as the angling center in the area and tourists flock to catch fish. Close to the town is the Glengowla Mine which was abandoned in approximately 1865 and is known for its lovely and rare crystals of fluorite and quartz.
Sky Road
I continued driving through Oughterard on the, unbeknownst to me, famous Sky Road. I had no idea I was on this road. No idea the road was famous. Nor had I any idea where life was guiding me. What I did know was that I was experiencing synchronicity as I felt the familiar mixture of anticipation and thrill driving through this lovely land. And knowing this heightened the sense of the mixture.
About 5 miles past Oughterard, down Sky Road, I saw a lovely stone bridge just off to my left. There was something so lovely about it that I had to turn left simply so I could drive across it. But, I felt life calling me forward. I pulled off to the side of the road at the intersection and pulled out my map and Fodor's Exploring Ireland. I was heading towards the westernmost points of Connemara. I read a short snippit about the towns ahead and those to my left, and decided to continue straight towards the town of Clifden. It seemed to have more to explore.
The Quiet Man Bridge
Before continuing on my journey, I looked again to the lovely bridge. And then I saw the sign. Quiet Man Road. The lovely bridge is the famous bridge in the 1950's movie The Quiet Man which starred Maureen O'Hara and John Wayne. I melted into my seat, smiling. The movie was filmed in this area.
I have loved The Quiet Man since I was a young girl. Absolutely love it! In fact, it's my favorite John Wayne movie of all time (John Wayne is my father's favorite actor so, naturally, I've seen most of his movies, repeatedly). As a young girl, I would come home from church on Sundays, have lunch, and then watch a movie or two. I would lay on the floor propped up on my elbows with my face in my hands either on the family room floor watching war movies with my Dad and brothers (The Bridges at Toko-Ri, To Hell and Back, A Bridge Too Far, Where Eagles Dare, The Dirty Dozen, The Bridge on the River Kwai, Tora Tora Tora, ... ), or on the living room floor watching romance movies (Easter Parade, In The Good Old Summertime, Pillow Talk, Romance on the High Seas, The Pajama Game, Please Don't Eat The Daisies, ... ). Any movie with Doris Day, Rock Hudson, Cary Grant, Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly, Mickey Rooney, and my all time favorite ... Judy Garland. If the movie was filled with singing and dancing, I was in heaven. But, The Quiet Man ... it was a special treat whenever it aired. But, let's get back to the trip!
I stopped along the drive to take photos, as it seemed the few other cars I came upon were doing. I was still longing to simply walk into one of the fields and sit in the grass to contemplate life for a while (this longing had been with me since I was in County Kerry and I was feeling my soul desperately in need), but this did not appear to the be the terrain in which to do so.
My photos simply do not do this landscape justice. In my photos, the mountains that were ever so tall appear as hills. You'll have to use your imagination ...
I drove into the town of Clifden, the 'capital of Connemara.' 'Capital' as it relates Clifden to Connemara is something else that causes me to giggle as Clifden is a such a small town. That said, it truly is an amazing one. Lovely. In such an amazingly lovely setting. The people are the sweetest and the salt of the earth. And the locals are extremely talented with their making of tweed (famous Connemara Tweed) and their woolens. I longed to get out of the car and explore the two long, main roads of shops. But I was a wee bit tired and needing to find my B&B for the evening. A cup of tea and an hour to chill out were needed.
Lower Sky Road
I stopped at a gorgeous B&B in Clifden whose front yard was filled with lovely plants and flowers, but they had no vacancies. They referred me to another place a couple miles down the road outside of town. No vacancy. As I continued on to the next recommended B&B, still with no idea that I was on Sky Road nor its significance, I felt inspired to turn into a driveway and found myself admiring a beautifully landscaped front yard. Rockmount House, on Lower Sky Road, is owned by Paddy and Anne Conroy.
Anne answered the door and immediately made me feel quite welcome while at the same time giving me my privacy. My room was small, but quite comfortable, had a large picture window facing the back yard and a private bathroom. The bed looked so fluffy and comfortable that the first thing I did was lay down. Ahh, so comfortable. "I'll just rest for a few minutes then head outside for a nice long walk," I told myself. I awoke a few hours later. Fortunately, it got dark very late in Ireland at that time of year and the sign in the back yard pointing to a walking path was calling me.
I followed the sign around the split-rail fence to the mowed area that formed a path through wild flowers and weeds that stood 3-4' tall. It was absolutely lovely. I had seen water from my window and thought the path led towards a bay.
I came across a fence & still admired how the Irish use the natural land to help make barriers (note the ground mounds up to the fence on both sides).
The Edge of the World
I climbed over the fence, turned around, and ... once again ... I was rendered breathless.
Forget a bay ... I was on the edge of the world. I was looking at the Atlantic Ocean.
Finally, finally, I sat down in the Irish grasses.
They were incredibly soft.
The mounds formed on the cliff's edge made a natural 'fence' and I wondered who had built them up.
I sat there for an hour and a half.
Absorbing the beauty.
The blue sky and water. The intense green of the grasses. The sound of the water's waves. The smell of the fresh air.
I thought about life.
I thought about my life.
1.5 hours later, refreshed on so many levels, I walked the path back to the house, snuggled into bed, and easily fell to sleep.
Next up: Kylemore Abbey; County Mayo (Matt Malloy's Pub); and, a special farewell evening in Ennis ...
Must Do's ...
- Connemara
- Sky Road
- The Quiet Man bridge
- Lower Sky Road
- Sit on the edge of the world
- Absolutely nothing!
Driving northwest into the Connemara district of County Galway, I was thrilled. I had not anticipated having the time to visit and had heard this was the 'romantic' part of Ireland. It intrigued me as I didn't think anything could get more romantic than County Kerry. They are my two favorite areas of Ireland ... both romantic in their own unique way.
Connemara
Connemara is the 'wild', remote, and somewhat desolate area of County Galway. It features the Connemara National Park, the breathtaking Twelve Bens mountains which fell runners try to run across all twelve in one day, streams flowing over rocks and stones in the valleys between 'the Bens', mores, lakes, and a lovely coastline. Given the terrain, this is an area of much fishing including fly and lobster. Still not having studied where to go but instead allowing life to guide me in whatever direction it wanted me, I followed N59 to the town of Oughterard and then on to wherever it would lead.
Oughterard, "The Gateway to Connemara", is approximately 15 miles west of Galway City. It is known as the angling center in the area and tourists flock to catch fish. Close to the town is the Glengowla Mine which was abandoned in approximately 1865 and is known for its lovely and rare crystals of fluorite and quartz.
Sky Road
I continued driving through Oughterard on the, unbeknownst to me, famous Sky Road. I had no idea I was on this road. No idea the road was famous. Nor had I any idea where life was guiding me. What I did know was that I was experiencing synchronicity as I felt the familiar mixture of anticipation and thrill driving through this lovely land. And knowing this heightened the sense of the mixture.
About 5 miles past Oughterard, down Sky Road, I saw a lovely stone bridge just off to my left. There was something so lovely about it that I had to turn left simply so I could drive across it. But, I felt life calling me forward. I pulled off to the side of the road at the intersection and pulled out my map and Fodor's Exploring Ireland. I was heading towards the westernmost points of Connemara. I read a short snippit about the towns ahead and those to my left, and decided to continue straight towards the town of Clifden. It seemed to have more to explore.
The Quiet Man Bridge
Before continuing on my journey, I looked again to the lovely bridge. And then I saw the sign. Quiet Man Road. The lovely bridge is the famous bridge in the 1950's movie The Quiet Man which starred Maureen O'Hara and John Wayne. I melted into my seat, smiling. The movie was filmed in this area.
I have loved The Quiet Man since I was a young girl. Absolutely love it! In fact, it's my favorite John Wayne movie of all time (John Wayne is my father's favorite actor so, naturally, I've seen most of his movies, repeatedly). As a young girl, I would come home from church on Sundays, have lunch, and then watch a movie or two. I would lay on the floor propped up on my elbows with my face in my hands either on the family room floor watching war movies with my Dad and brothers (The Bridges at Toko-Ri, To Hell and Back, A Bridge Too Far, Where Eagles Dare, The Dirty Dozen, The Bridge on the River Kwai, Tora Tora Tora, ... ), or on the living room floor watching romance movies (Easter Parade, In The Good Old Summertime, Pillow Talk, Romance on the High Seas, The Pajama Game, Please Don't Eat The Daisies, ... ). Any movie with Doris Day, Rock Hudson, Cary Grant, Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly, Mickey Rooney, and my all time favorite ... Judy Garland. If the movie was filled with singing and dancing, I was in heaven. But, The Quiet Man ... it was a special treat whenever it aired. But, let's get back to the trip!
I stopped along the drive to take photos, as it seemed the few other cars I came upon were doing. I was still longing to simply walk into one of the fields and sit in the grass to contemplate life for a while (this longing had been with me since I was in County Kerry and I was feeling my soul desperately in need), but this did not appear to the be the terrain in which to do so.
My photos simply do not do this landscape justice. In my photos, the mountains that were ever so tall appear as hills. You'll have to use your imagination ...
I drove into the town of Clifden, the 'capital of Connemara.' 'Capital' as it relates Clifden to Connemara is something else that causes me to giggle as Clifden is a such a small town. That said, it truly is an amazing one. Lovely. In such an amazingly lovely setting. The people are the sweetest and the salt of the earth. And the locals are extremely talented with their making of tweed (famous Connemara Tweed) and their woolens. I longed to get out of the car and explore the two long, main roads of shops. But I was a wee bit tired and needing to find my B&B for the evening. A cup of tea and an hour to chill out were needed.
Lower Sky Road
I stopped at a gorgeous B&B in Clifden whose front yard was filled with lovely plants and flowers, but they had no vacancies. They referred me to another place a couple miles down the road outside of town. No vacancy. As I continued on to the next recommended B&B, still with no idea that I was on Sky Road nor its significance, I felt inspired to turn into a driveway and found myself admiring a beautifully landscaped front yard. Rockmount House, on Lower Sky Road, is owned by Paddy and Anne Conroy.
Anne answered the door and immediately made me feel quite welcome while at the same time giving me my privacy. My room was small, but quite comfortable, had a large picture window facing the back yard and a private bathroom. The bed looked so fluffy and comfortable that the first thing I did was lay down. Ahh, so comfortable. "I'll just rest for a few minutes then head outside for a nice long walk," I told myself. I awoke a few hours later. Fortunately, it got dark very late in Ireland at that time of year and the sign in the back yard pointing to a walking path was calling me.
I followed the sign around the split-rail fence to the mowed area that formed a path through wild flowers and weeds that stood 3-4' tall. It was absolutely lovely. I had seen water from my window and thought the path led towards a bay.
I came across a fence & still admired how the Irish use the natural land to help make barriers (note the ground mounds up to the fence on both sides).
The Edge of the World
I climbed over the fence, turned around, and ... once again ... I was rendered breathless.
Forget a bay ... I was on the edge of the world. I was looking at the Atlantic Ocean.
Finally, finally, I sat down in the Irish grasses.
They were incredibly soft.
The mounds formed on the cliff's edge made a natural 'fence' and I wondered who had built them up.
I sat there for an hour and a half.
Absorbing the beauty.
The blue sky and water. The intense green of the grasses. The sound of the water's waves. The smell of the fresh air.
I thought about life.
I thought about my life.
1.5 hours later, refreshed on so many levels, I walked the path back to the house, snuggled into bed, and easily fell to sleep.
Next up: Kylemore Abbey; County Mayo (Matt Malloy's Pub); and, a special farewell evening in Ennis ...
