My Recommendations:
Must Do's ...
- Cliffs of Moher
- The Burren
- Burke Clan history (de burgh, de burgo, bourke)
- Paddy Burke's Pub and Oyster Restaurant (finally, a bit about my family ... House of Burke)
What You Can Skip ...
- And still ... nothing.
I didn't spend time at Dromoland but simply drove the grounds. Originally, I had hoped to be able to spend an afternoon there and enjoy 'afternoon tea.' I so enjoy a formal
afternoon tea. (There's a lovely place just 2 blocks from my home that serves it and I'm ashamed to admit that I've never visited. I must remedy that soon.) But it was only 10am and I wanted to get further north. I had already decided this would be one country that I would allow myself to do a 'repeat' (visit again versus visit a country I hadn't been to yet) and afternoon tea at Dromoland will have to happen on that trip.
As I continued my journey toward the Cliffs of Moher, the further northwest I drove the more overcast the sky. There was a nip in the air and occasionally a few raindrops fell. Still, the countryside was beautiful. Just a little ways south of the cliffs, I stopped at a restaurant on the roadside and had a bite to eat. The overcast and light drops of rain gave me the feeling of being in the Ireland we see so often in movies. Despite the nippiness, I had a warm feeling from being in my ancestral homeland.
Cliffs of Moher
There is something very moving to me about certain large coastal cliffs. The first time I saw the Amalfi Coast I experienced an overwhelming internal sense of awe that I felt I was slowing expanding, like a balloon, and would eventually burst. I experienced the same feeling as I drove the coast of Big Sur, listening, by chance, to Santana and Placido Domingo performing
Novus.
I did not have this same experience as I drove up to the Cliffs of Moher. The drive isn't along the cliff side but through the countryside to a parking lot. As I walked towards the cliffs from the lot, I simply felt I was walking to some touristy view of a roadside something.
And then ... I was rendered breathless.
The cliffs are ~700 feet high (200 metres) and extend for over five miles (8 kilometres). They're composed of limestone and shale which gives them their alternating cream and black layers.
The winds blowing up and over the cliffs can be extremely ferocious. Gusts arise suddenly and can topple a person over the cliff if it weren't for the fence.
Looking back towards the east, you can see Liscannor Bay.
Turning to the northern part of the cliffs is O'Brien's Tower. Built during the last century as a tea house, it no longer serves tea but offers spectacular views of the cliffs, the Atlantic Ocean, and the Aran Islands which lie just a bit northwest. Can you imaging sitting there and enjoying afternoon tea? That must have been an amazing experience!
Getting closer looks at the tip of the photo above ...
Turning to walk back down the hillside toward my car, this view of cattle grazing in the field between the cliffs and the parking lot caught my attention. Not only did this seem very out of place, but at some point the sun had come out and shining on this field made the brightness of the colors a beautiful sight (although this photo does not do the view justice).
The Cliffs of Moher are my favorite Irish experience.
The Burren
To say this area of Ireland is eerie would be correct as it's very 'moon-like.' It's a region of bare limestone plateaus with deep cracks and gullies. The land is dry but there are underground caves which were created by water seeping through the limestone. If you get out of the car and hike around the Burren, in the cracks and gullies you'll find alpine and mediterranean flowers with butterflies in the air above them. Take a bit of a picnic with you if weather allows. The best time to visit the Burren is May or June as the flowers are in bloom (sadly, my photos won't show the flowers).
Poulnabrone Dolmen is a megalithic portal tomb standing on a bit of raised ground in the Burren. There have been excavations which found the bones of fourteen adults, six children, pottery, and stone artefacts which date to 2000-2500 B.C. There are many other sites in the Burren that are worth exploring as you drive around this intriguing region.
Here are a few snapshots of various locations within the Burren:
There is a legend of Maire Rua (Red Mary) O'Brien. She lived in the 17th century in Leamaneagh Castle in the Burren. Tales range from her being a good & sweet wife to being a women of great lust with many suitors. Before giving her hand in marriage, she demanded a suitor prove his worth by riding her horse, a fierce stallion. The stallion would go racing out over the Cliffs of Moher and dump the rider over the cliff into the Atlantic Ocean. All of her suitors died, except for one. The successful suitor brought her stallion back to her whereupon she closed the gates of her castle. Trying to leap over the gate, the horse died. As such, the castle became known as Leamaneagh Castle (horse's leap). No records exist to show that she married the brave suitor. (Here's a link to the true story of
Maire Rua O'Brien. Later on this trip, I stayed at the Old Ground Hotel in Ennis that is referenced in this true version of her story.)
House of Burke
When I entered County Clare, I was entering the middle of the three counties where the Burkes primarily lived: County Limerick, County Clare immediately north of Limerick, and County Galway which sits on top of Clare.
First, a bit about my clan:
House of Burke (Bourke or Burca) is the name given to those of us who are of the Norman-Irish clan of the family of de Burgh (de Burgo). The Burke surname is one of the most common in Ireland, particularly in north Munster and Connacht and derives from "burg" or "burgh", meaning a town. The first de Burgh to come to Ireland was William de Burgh (1160? - 1204). William de Burgh was a Norman adventurer and knight who settled in Ireland in 1185. (I guess William is who I can blame for my "unusually high need for adventure", as someone once called it.) He was the elder brother of Hubert de Burgh, Earl of Kent and Justiciar of England. The Anglo-Irish descendents of William held Irish titles of Earls of Ulster, Lords of Connaught, and Earls of Clanricarde.
King Henry II of England appointed William de Burgh as Governor of Limerick and granted him estates in Leinster and Munster. His castles at Tibberaghny (co Kilkenny) Kilsheelan, Ardpatrick and Kilfeacle were used to protect King John's northern borders of Waterford and Lismore and his castles at Carrigogunnell and Castelconnell were used to protect Limerick. He was Seneschal of Munster (Royal Governor) from 1201 to 1203.
Sometime in the 1190s, William allied with the King of Thomond, either Domnall Mor O Briain (O'Brien) or his son Murtogh, and married one of his daughters. This de Burgh/O Briain alliance caused there to be no more wars (recorded) between the two sides for the rest of the decade. From 1199 to 1202 de Burgh led military campaigns in Desmond with the aid of the Ó Briain. Success in the west and south allowed de Burgh to conquer the kingdom of Connacht. (Connacht being the western province just north of County Clare and includes the counties of Galway, Leitrim, Mayo, Roscommon, and Sligo.)
Paddy Burke's Pub and Oyster Restaurant
The night before I left for Ireland, I came across Paddy Burke's on the internet and was determined to make a stop there while on my trip. I drove north from the Burren toward the city of Galway and found the bar just outside of Galway in a town called Clarinbridge.
Paddy Burke's, established in 1850, was originally a grocery shop, bar and gas pumps is now known all over the world as a very famous Bar and Restaurant. It is the home of the renowned Clarinbridge Oyster Festival which began in 1954.
Paddy Burke's father was the original proprietor before Paddy and his sister Una took over the family business. In 1970 following his death, Paddy Burke's brother took over the pub and continued the tradition for some years. Then a series of different owners maintained the strong tradition, culture and ambiance, which were built up over the years by the Burke family. Brian Carr (current owner) proudly now maintains this culture together with the character of the bar and restaurant. Paddy Burke's is now a frequent stop for locals, visitors and celebrities alike, which enjoy its relaxed atmosphere.
The pub is quite old and looks like it's the original bar from 1850. When I entered the bar, it was post-business day happy hour timing and the bar was a bit full. I found a seat at the far right, ordered a beer from who I believe was, most likely, Mr. Brian Carr himself. He began ripping pieces of paper and putting them into two jars. When finished, he asked if he could put me to work. Um. Alright. Sure. He was working on the bar's pool for the upcoming World Cup. So, as he wrote the names of participating patrons, I pulled teams out of the jar. Needless to say, I knew the hot young bartender would not be pleased with me when he learned that his team for the pool was the United States. Sorry dude.
It's difficult to see the thatched roof given the distance & angle of the shot, but it's an old tavern that's had, & is receiving another, facelift.
In addition to widely famous me, visitors have included Princess Grace of Monaco, Princess Margaret, James Mason, George Peppered, Pierce Bronson, Constantine Fitzgibbon, Ben Crosby, Paul Newman, John Houston, Julia Roberts and John Travels to name a few.
For my efforts, Mr. Carr (or whomever he was) picked up my tab. Very kind.
If you find yourself visiting Ireland, stop in Paddy Burke's and have a Guinness!
I would liked to have stayed longer and enjoyed some oysters, but I needed to back-track to the south and find a place to stay that was relatively close to the Shannon airport. Stacey was flying in from London early the next morning and I needed to pick her up at the airport before we headed up to Galway and the Aran Islands.
Next up: County Galway ...
