Galway City
We arrived at our rental to learn the place is a third-floor walkup. Ugh. I had a suitcase full of dirty laundry, so up three flights the bags must go.
The apartment was OK – there were water issues, and we never figured out the in-shower water heater worked. Can we all say Brrr!. It was small, but had some cute features including a small balcony, which was nice. The location was good. It was within walking distance of Eyre Square, the River Corrib, and a WHOLE LOT of shopping opportunities.
We decided to do a tour of Galway on a hop-on hop-off bus. This is a great way to see a city as you can just get off and on for exploring. We spent some time at a lovely remembrance garden and park. The atmosphere was so peaceful, and it was near the sea, so the smell of flowers mingled with the salt air, creating the most wonderful scent.
Since Alexa and I both love the ocean, we had to step across the street and hit the beach. It was too cold for us to sunbathe, but we spent time watching some brave souls do their laps in the frigid Atlantic Ocean. My teeth were chattering just watching them!
We were soon back on the bus and learned some interesting facts about the River Corrib. It is one of the shortest rivers in Europe, but the second fastest on the continent by volume of water flow. The water is so fast and has so much volume it could fill an Olympic size pool nine times in one minute. Just crazy! We hopped off the bus and spent some time strolling along the paths at the river’s edge. It’s wild to watch water moving that fast through the center of a city.
And speaking of Galway and water, the city’s port, on the Galway Bay, is tide dependent. This means that ships and large boats can only get in and out of the port when the tide is high or rising. If you miss the tide, you’re out of luck for 12 or so hours!
We visited a craft fair in Eyre Square, and decided to hit some shops as we made our way back to the apartment to give our feet a rest and deal with our laundry and repacking suitcases. And I must say, there is some great shopping in Galway. I found quite a few gifts while wandering through downtown.
After dinner, we popped into a pub that was just down the block and caught a session. So much fun meeting people and listening to local musicians!
The next morning we were up and away early, heading back toward Dublin.
The Boyne Valley
We decided to take a circuitous path to Dublin since we wanted to see the attractions in the Boyne Valley, which is north of Dublin.
Our primary destination was Bru Na Boinne, AKA Newgrange, but we didn’t realize reservations have to be made well in advance, so we were not able to see it since the tombs are off-limits unless you are with a guide. BIG BUMMER!
Since that was out, we moved on to our second destination, the Hill of Tara. Fortunately, this is a space you can wander over freely, and we did. The Hill of Tara has great historical importance to Ireland as it was the seat of the High Kings of Ireland for centuries.
Although the buildings are gone, you can still see depressions in the ground where they once stood, including an area known as the Banqueting Hall and the Raith Na Ri, which is an enormous circular monument.
Still standing is the Lia Fail, which was the coronation stone of the King of Tara, who is also the High King of Ireland. The stone stands on An Forradh, the coronation mound.
There is also quite a lot of mysticism associated with Tara, predominately around the Tuatha De Danaan, who are said to be the children of the Goddess Danu. We might refer to them as Fae, or Fairy folk. The coronation stone I mentioned earlier is said to be one of the four treasures the Tuatha Da Danaan brought to Ireland. In legend, the stone cries out when in the presence of the true king. The other treasures, according to lore, are the Spear of Lugh, which is always triumphant in battle; the Sword of Nuada, which glows and inescapable once it is drawn from its sheath; and the Cauldron of the Dagda, which is always full. I love that Ireland embraces and incorporates magic into its history. We can all use a little magic now and again.
We left Tara feeling peaceful and in tune with nature, and tried to hang on to the feeling as we made our way down another tiny road on our way back to Dublin.
Our Last Night in Ireland
Throughout the trip we had been very conscious of staying on budget, so we didn’t splurge on lodgings, since it was just a place to sleep. But on our last night in Ireland, my sweet husband gifted us two rooms at Clontarf Castle for the night. And it was a gift. We had heating and cooling that worked, a beautiful setting, a hot shower with actual water pressure, a nice restaurant, and best of all, we got to sleep in a real castle in Ireland before we went home.
It was a very nice treat to be pampered before that LONG plane ride.
Farewell to Ireland
After an excellent night’s sleep, we had a nice breakfast before we headed to the airport to return the rental car and check in for our flight.
A note here about the rental companies in Ireland – they put a huge hold on your credit card when you pick up the car – even if you buy all the insurance – to cover “just in case” damages. They expect you to return the car with damage and hold on to your deposit if there is anything at all wrong. Needless to say, I was a little nervous when we returned the car. I knew I hadn’t run into anything or been hit by another car, but who knew if they would find a scratch made by an unavoidable road hedge?
I have to tell you how proud I felt when the guy who checked in the car walked around it twice before looking at us with a bemused expression and declaring it was perfect. YAY US!
It was awesome to have such a wonderful adventure with one of my dearest and longeviest (I KNOW – not a word, I just made it up from Longevity. But I think it would be rude to say oldest friend as that could be misconstrued that I am calling her old, LOL, and I would NEVER!).
Alexa and I parted ways in Philadelphia, her back to Texas, me on to New York. It’s time to go home.
