We did one of Ireland’s great hikes today, the Cuilcagh Boardwalk leading to the Stairway to Heaven.  We technically crossed the border into Northern Ireland at Drummans but barely noticed.   This border crossing is in the center of a tiny town and other than a small red ‘crosswalk’ of brick in the road, you wouldn’t…

Today was one of those variable weather days that we associate with Ireland. Overcast but dry when we left Galway, pouring rain in Recess and by the end of the day in Clifton we were both sunburned! North of Galway is Connemara, one of the last remaining Irish speaking areas (a Gaeltacht).  This beautiful area…

We spent most of today exploring The Burren, an area known for its karst landscape.  Among the limestone karst are several important megalithic monuments. Gleninsheen Wedge Tomb is not too far off the road in a farmer’s field. Wedge tombs tend to be regional to Ireland and are thought of as the youngest of the…

It was raining when we woke up, but mostly cleared by the time we got going. We’ve seen ‘the seasons of Ireland’ on tourist shirts, bags, tea towels. Today it was appropriate! The first adventure of the day was to the Cliffs of Moher.  These cliffs range from 390’ to 509’ high.  The lighter coloured…

Today we walked along the Kilkee Cliffs.  Only slightly shorter than the famous Cliffs of Moher (tomorrow’s quest), the Kilkee cliffs are much less busy/touristy and offer a very similar view – even if the weather is back to more Irish like than Hawaii like. The beach below the Kilkee cliffs is full of shallow…

This morning we left Tralee (in the rain) and headed north into the tiny village of Adare, renowned as one of Ireland’s prettiest towns.  Adare’s claim to fame is the numerous thatched roof cottages built in 1820 by Lord Dunraven.  The walls were built with local stones, then covered with a mud plaster before being…

The Dingle Peninsula is the home of numerous early Christian sites of significance.  Throughout the centuries, visitors have come here to find a place close to God, and pilgrimages continue to the present day.  The Riasc Monastic settlement is one of Ireland’s best known early Christian settlements.  The Riasc stone pillar is decorated with 7th…

Early this morning we left Cahersiveen on the Iveragh peninsula and headed further north onto the Dingle peninsula.  The weather on the Dingle Peninsula has been described as ‘loud’.  It usually rains a lot and there is not much to stop the crazy wind on the coast. Today not so much. In fact we needed…