As a youngster back in the 80's, I visited Lissadell House (http://lissadellhouse.com/) in Co.Sligo with my parents. If my memory doesn't let me down, I remember Lissadell house in the 80's as being a house with dark and damp rooms which had seen better days. Roll the clock 30 years forward, and the house which is now owned by Constance Cassidy, Edward Walsh and their kids has been lovingly restored. Arriving around 2pm, I parked the car in the car park and walked the short distance to the restored coach house where you will find the ticket office, exhibitions and tea rooms. As I was an hour early for the guided tour of the house, I decided to visit first the exhibitions on Countess Markievicz, the Voice of women and the 1916 rising. The many pictures, letters and books are a rare collection which is nicely displayed within the fabulous restored first floor of the coach house. The 1916 rising exhibition has fabulous ceiling paintings by the talented Gareth Boyle. The many historical memorabilia nicely display information around the Easter Rising, from Countess Markievicz's military plans for the Easter rising to an early replica of the Irish flag, it is an educational exhibition in Irish history. As I still had some time before the tour of the house commenced, I decided to have a coffee and slice of carrot cake in the Marine tea room. The name is aptly chosen, many paintings of boats and boat models are on display. An interesting aspect of this room is the horse bath at the back of the tea room. The bath was used for washing the horses after a day in the saddle. It was time to head to the house, walking along the path , the display of the many daffodils and the views towards the bay where just fantastic. And there it was in all it's glory, Lissadell house, a dark grey block of a building in the middle of beautiful landscaped gardens. The exterior of the house is very simple and grey, but the simplicity and greyness are in stark contrast with the colourful background of green grass, yellow daffodils, azure blue water of the Atlantic and majestic Knocknarea looming in the background. At the door of the house, we were welcomed by our guide for the day . Walking into the entrance hall, it becomes apparent that this house has been lovingly restored by it's current owners. Walking from the hall into the billiard room, we were introduced to the Gore-Booth family. From here, it was onwards to the gallery, an oval room which was used for parties and events. Within the room is a fabulous marble fire place and 2 huge gasoliers, 2 gas fired chandeliers which are suspended from the 65 foot high ceiling. From this room, we entered the drawing room and the bow room, two beautiful restored rooms which have fabulous views towards Benbulben and Knocknarea.. A marvelous selection of paintings and books can be found in these rooms. It is interesting to know that these 2 rooms were the rooms where the Gore-Booth siblings lived in near poverty during the 1960's and 70's, trying to keep these 2 rooms heated where the remainder of the house was un-lived in. The grandeur of this stately home can be found back in the dining room, a room which has a huge dining table as it's center piece. Nearby the lift, which was used to bring the food from the basement kitchen to the dining room, is a stuffed bear brought back by the Gore-Booth family after one of their many trips . After the dining room, it was down to the basement where the kitchen and servant rooms were located. Interesting about Lissadell house is that it's servants quarters were large and bright. The kitchen, which was also large and bright, was used to prepare the family it's meals. Within the basement is an old communications system which was used through the house to indicate if anybody in the living quarters above required food, a drink or anything else. At the end of the tour, we were shown the exit from the servant's quarters, a long sparingly lit tunnel which was used in the days by the household staff. The tunnel brought me towards Lissadell's gardens. From here, I walked towards the lovingly restored Alpine gardens. The gardens are fully walled offering protection from the strong Atlantic breeze. The garden is fabulous, and although it was early in the growing season, some colourful flowers had appeared already between the many rocks. Walking back towards the coach house, I passed the walled victorian kitchen garden which had young lettuce plants already planted for the season ahead. Huge fruit trees lined the center path through the garden.
This is Sligo's number one tourist attraction, one which has been kept quiet for a long time, and it must be said that the current owners have made Lissadell house the way it is, a premier tourist attraction. But there is even more to Lissadell House than I have seen today, self-catering accommodation, clam and oyster farm,..... but more about those at a later stage.
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Fanad Lighthouse in County Donegal is one of those locations where you would like to stay for a couple of days, and nowadays you can in one of the lighthouse it's unique self catering accommodation. But on this occasion , we were just here to visit one of Donegal's three signature points, Fanad lighthouse. We will return and try one of the accommodations at a later stage. After having parked the car in the carpark, we walked towards the new ticket office where we bought our tickets for the lighthouse tour. Walking towards the lighthouse, it is not hard to see why Fanad Lighthouse is just stunning , from the Inishowen and Fanad coastline to the crystal clear waters beneath the rocks, we fell in love with this fabulous gem along the Wild Atlantic Way At the green door we waited patiently until our tour departed, and while admiring the waters beneath our feet, we were welcomed by one of the local guides. After being shown the living quarters, we watched some introduction videos about the Irish lighthouses. After the videos, we moved towards the actual lighthouse tower where we learned about the lights, the tower's stairwell and the different types of flags used for signalling the boats. And it also became apparent why kids have to be taller than 1.20 meter , this as the stairwell is steep and the last part to reach the lighthouse top floor is a ladder. The stairwell is a floating stairwell where the stone is built into the actual lighthouse wall, it is strong and steep. Nowadays, the light is automated, but in the early days, the lighthouse keeper had to go to the top of the lighthouse and pull up some chains and weights every couple of hours which kept the light turning. We can only imagine how many times he had to run up and down the stairwell. When the lighthouses were manned, lighthouse keepers were moved around Ireland's lighthouses every three years. This was done to stop them from being totally isolated, especially when they were stationed off the coast. Having reached the top of the lighthouse, we admired the fabulous views along the Donegal coastline. Another thing we learned about the lighthouse is that it can be a dangerous location in bad weather. One of the lighthouse keepers disappeared on a rough evening never to be seen again. Fanad lighthouse is a must visit location, one where you can discover life as a lighthouse keeper, the history of Ireland's lighthouses and learn about the modern technology which nowadays goes into these lighthouses.
In a remote part of Donegal is Glenveagh National Park, Ireland's second largest national park. The park covers 170sq kilometers and is located around beautiful Lough Veagh. On an overcast day in July, we rolled into the car park to find it busy with tourists, still there is ample parking space available. Walking towards the visitor center, we noticed that the roof of the building is a living heather roof which blends in nicely with the surrounding area. In the visitor center, we enjoyed the displays which gave us a first introduction to the park, it's flora and fauna. The first surprise we got on the day was that the park and gardens of the castle are free entrance. You can decide to walk towards the castle and gardens along a beautiful path along the shore of Lough Veagh, or take the bus for which you have to buy a ticket. Second surprise was that the tour of the castle is very reasonable priced. At €15 for a family, we believe this is fantastic value for the extensive tour of the castle which is definitely worthwhile taking. Keep in mind that tours only run during the months of July and August. This time round, we took the bus which gets you at the castle in 10 minutes. We decided to see the gardens first, but before we started our garden tour we purchased our castle tour tickets. We advise you to do the same as in summer, it is busy and you can't be guaranteed a spot on the next tour. The castle, which was built in the 19th Century by John George Adair, was to represent a highland hunting retreat. In order to achieve this dream, John purchased vast amounts of land and started construction of the castle using granite. But in order to achieve his dream, he evicted 244 tenants from the land he had purchased making him unpopular with the locals. He never got to enjoy his dream though as he died suddenly after one of his many trips to the US. His late wife Cornelia carried on the built of the castle, which in those early days sat there in the Donegal landscape in stark contrast with the barren landscape. It was also Cornelia who introduced deer into the estate and started the layout and planting of the fabulous gardens. Cornelia was well loved in the area in contrast to her late husband, she provided plenty of work for the locals and she became known as a brilliant society hostess. And it is the gardens which nowadays attract the many visitors, from the Italian to Belgian garden, from the view point walk to the many tropical plants, around every corner is something new to discover. Walking through the walled garden, you can admire the many apple trees and vegetables being grown, the flowers and shrubs giving the gardens it's amazing color palette. After our walk through the gardens, we headed to the castle to start our tour. The castle is opulent in it's decoration, each room nicely presented with the original furniture. During the tour, we learned that the castle exchanged hands twice after the death of Cornelia. The last owner of the house, Henry Mcllhenny devoted a lot of his time restoring the castle and purchasing the furniture which is still on display. He was also renowned for his hospitality, and many Hollywood stars and other influential people came to Glenveagh to be entertained. Henry had a scale installed in the reception hall, and guest were weighted when they arrived at Glenveagh castle. Upon leaving the castle, they were weighted again and rule of thumb was that if you had gained weight, you had been entertained the right way. The castle even had an open air swimming pool which could be heated when required. Glenveagh National park is a must visit location, and it is easy to spend a day in the park hiking the many trails, enjoying the views are just relaxing by the lake.
On a glorious summer's day, we decided to head to Donegal. County Donegal is not that far from county Sligo, so after a short hour we made our way over to Slieve League. Slieve League are some of Europe's highest cliffs standing 601m tall. After our visit to the cliffs, we followed the Wild Atlantic Way northwards making our way towards another Waypoint, Malin Beg. Here you will find an amazing Beach called Silver Strand. It is situated in a horseshoe shaped bay with some of the clearest waters you will ever see. On a beautiful day, it invites you to take a swim in the crystal clear waters or even go snorkeling. After our visit, we headed along the coast towards Glencolumbkille. Before driving into the village, you have Glencolumbkille folk park. The folk park shows you what life was like during past centuries. Each of the cottages is a replica of a dwelling used by the local people, from the turf fires to the furniture. We arrived a day after the Glencolumbkille Agricultural show, but there were some sheep herding competitions on at the time of our visit. The agricultural show as we were told is nowadays a huge event and attracts 1000's of people. Take note though that you probably have to book your room now in one of the local B&B's for next years show. Afterwards, we made our way back towards Donegal town, still taking in some of the waypoints along the route.
And if you are looking for more information, pop into Donegal tourist information Office at the Quays, they couldn't be more friendly and helpfull. And we also got some more stamps for our Wild Atlantic Way passport in the tourist office. Just on a note, as it was a bankholiday Monday, all the post offices were closed. So the only way to get your stamps is at the tourist office As the weather was predicted to be good in County Donegal, we decided to go on a daytrip to County Donegal. First stop was Slieve League, and guess what,.... , we had the perfect weather conditions, blue skies and not a single cloud. We parked the car at the first car park and walked the 2km towards the cliffs. Along this route, we got amazing views as far as County Sligo (Benbulben) and County Mayo. We reached the cliffs after a delightful walk. There is a car park closer to the cliffs and a lot of people prefer to drive to the car park closest to the cliffs, but by doing that, you will miss a lot of the amazing scenery along the route. The cliffs are standing at a height of 601 meters, and are one of the highest in Europe. Below at the foot of the cliffs, 2 kayakers were enjoying the scenery from below, dolphins were playing in the water and a fishing boat was taking in the daily catch.
The Giant's table and chair can be seen at the foot of the cliffs sitting in a secluded bay. On a clear day, the water looks crystal clear. If you have the time for a decent hike, why not head up the cliffs and walk along One Man's path. It is a narrow path with steep slopes. This ridge might only be for the more experienced climbers and is best avoided with rain / strong winds or fog. Bantry House ( bantryhouse.com) )is a historic house located nearby Bantry, County Cork. Originally built in 1710 and named Blackrock House, the house was bought by Councillor White in 1750 who renamed the house "Seafield". During that time, the White family bought a lot of land around the house and by the 1780's, they had purchased approx. 80000 acres. in 1946, the house was opened to tourists and more recently, the house was opened up as a B&B. The house overlooks beautiful Bantry Bay, unfortunately on the day we visited this magnificent house, it was overcast. The gardens, which were developed by the second Earl of Bantry, are amazing. Where they had fallen into disrepair, they have been lovingly restored since 1997. Located at the back of the house, the garden is created over 7 terraces which provide any visitor with wonderful views across Bantry Bay. The fountain within the parterre is surrounded by Wisteria which provides a colourful display during the summer months. The 100s of steps which lead guests towards the woodland is just as impressive, just as the North terraces with their 14 round beds providing a year round colourful display. It is here that the priced statues and pots Richard brought back from his travels are on display. The gardens are huge, and although I like gardening, I say it is a mammoth task to maintain these extensive gardens. The house itself has been beautifully restored. The grandeur of the house is reflected in all the rooms. From the entrance hall where relics from Richard's travels are on display. From the dining room to the bedrooms, the historic furniture and huge portraits which are on display will provide you with a view into the lives of Bantry house it's occupants. After viewing the house, we decided to have lunch in Bantry House tearoom, but it was a bit to busy for our liking. So we decided to walk towards the walled garden. And in contrast to the busy tearoom, we were totally on our own in these gardens.
Back at the car, we decided to head into Bantry and have Lunch in the Bantry Bay Hotel. For people travelling along the Wild Atlantic Way, you can now buy a passport from An Post. The Wild Atlantic Way passport act as a recording souvenir of your completed journey. Along the Wild Atlantic Way , there are 188 discovery points along the route. Each discovery point has it's own stamp. The passport is a bit along the lines of the Camino Route stamps you can get. The passport is €10 and can be bought from selected Post Offices. The stamps for each of the discovery points are unique, and you can obtain these stamps in local post offices or Tourist Information Offices.
Once you have received 20 stamps in your passport, head down to the Tourist Office and receive a Wild Atlantic Gift. And the fun of it all is to play honest. it is easy enough to get stamps although you didn't visit the location, but that would be cheating. The other beauty of the system is that you might get some local knowledge from the An Post employee. For example, we went in Ballydehob in the post office and we got great information from the lady regarding the area. this made us discover some other local scenery. Get yours now and join in the fun. More information: We had been to Mizen Head before, but the last time we were there renovation works were being carried out to the bridge and the walkways, so we never made it any further than the visitor center. So we decided to head back. Mizen Head is Ireland's most south-westerly point. The Mizen Head signal station (Mizen Head Signal Station & Visitor Centre and cross the iconic Mizen Footbridge) is a key Discovery point along the Wild Atlantic Way. In the visitor center, you get to see the interior of a lighthouse, the inside of a ship and a lot of history on how the bridge was built. The walk to the Head Signal Station is amazing, opening views towards Fastnet rock and the wide open Atlantic. The first stop is a steep path down the cliff where a new viewing platform has been created giving you views towards the Arch in the cliff edge. Make your way back up the cliff and turn towards the signal house. The iconic bridge across the gorge which is the only access point to the Head Signal Station is reached by a new path or the famous 99 steps which is the original approach to the bridge. Half way in our visit, fog came from nowhere making the area look mysterious and remote. The Main Signal house is now a museum showing you what life was like for the lighthouse keeper. The engine room with Marconi Radio Room and modest living quarters have been lovingly restored. There are also some rooms which show you the different types of whales which life along the Irish coast, life underneath the cliffs and the different types of birds which nest along the cliffs. There is a list of all the ships which sank of Mizen Head, and looking at the extensive list, it is obvious that it can be very dangerous down at Mizen Head. And then you have the actual light which sits on a small platform. The views towards the cliffs are spectacular or just look out towards the Atlantic ocean, it is one of the best places in the world to see Minke, Fin and Humpback Whales and Dolphins.
On an overcast day in July, we decided to visit Belleek Woods in Ballina. Where Belleek Woods stretches 6 miles along the river mouth of the Moy , it is also known as being one of the largest urban forests in Europe. With great walks available through Belleek Woods, it is the ideal place to experience mature Irish woodlands and their native wildlife. The many squirrels jump gracefully from tree to tree, ducks enjoy the duck pond with its turquoise water and mature trees provide shade from the sun , or as we are in Ireland, protection from the rain. Within the woods are many historical features from bygone days. An example of this is the old Ice house nearby the duck pond. Other structures are the hermitage and a wall which was built during the famine. Each person involved in the built of the wall received a bowl of food daily for their efforts. But there are new features in Belleek Woods as well. One of these is the fairy trail where many fairy doors grace the trees. The kids loved this trail and were looking hard to spot any of the small residents. Unfortunately, they must have all been on their summer holidays as none were spotted. The fairy trail was an initiative from the Ballina Men's shed who decorated the little doors beautifully. Next is the Knox-Gore Monument also known as “The Horse’s Grave” . This monument was constructed as a memorial to Sir Francis Author Knox - Gore of Belleek Manor. This striking Neo-Gothic mausoleum which is located in the middle of the woods was designed by James Franklin Fuller and houses the remains of Sir Arthur Knox-Gore. It is said that his wife and beloved horse are buried beside him. Nestled in the woods is Belleek castle (Belleek Castle | Hotel In Ballina, Mayo - Ireland ). Belleek Castle was commissioned by Sir Arthur Francis Knox-Gore and building commenced in 1825 for the cost of £10000. The built, which took 6 years, resulted in a Neo-Gothic manor house where Sir Arthur Francis would live with his wife Sarah and his 9 children until his death in 1873. Mayo County Council purchased the house in the 1950's and used the Manor House as a hospital & military barracks. Once the building became vacant, Mayo County Council considered taking the roof of the building to avoid paying rates. Fortunately Marshall Doran, a merchant navy officer acquired the run down property in 1961, restored it and opened it as a hotel in 1970. The beautiful restored 10-bedroom hotel which is furnished with period furniture and antiques, is since 2016 part of Ireland's prestigious Blue Book . Next to the hotel is the old 19th Century courtyard which once housed horses and hounds, today it is home to the award winning Jack Fenn's Courtyard bistro. The courtyard has been lovingly restored where the interior of the building has been given a modern design combined with some antiques sourced from the castle.
Outside is a covered patio where you can enjoy high quality food from the extensive menu. We opted for a quiche and a seafood platter, both nicely presented while using fresh local ingredients. We rolled into Foynes on one of the hottest days of the year. Where it was only 11am, the temperature was already nearing 28 degrees and after a sweltering drive from Sligo, we were delighted to arrive at Foynes flying boat and maritime museum (www.flyingboatmuseum.com). With pre-booked tickets in our hand, we entered O'Regan's restaurant where we were welcomed into the museum. The museum is spread across the entire building, one part being dedicated to the flying Boats, the other one to the maritime life around the Shannon. We started off our museum tour with the flying boat part of the museum. First, you get to see a 15 minute movie about PanAm's flying boat era. The Boeing 314 clipper flying boat was one of the largest planes of its time and was capable of flying across the Atlantic. Foynes was selected as one of the stops where the planes would land and played a pivotal role in establishing commercial transatlantic passenger flights. The center piece of the flying boat museum is the life-sized replica of the Boeing 314 clipper which you can board and walk around in while discovering the passenger and crew quarters, but also admire the cockpit and radio room. The level of service on the plane was of a very high standard. There was a dining room with linen tablecloths, crystal glasses, and full waiter service. After a good night sleep in one of the comfortable beds, passengers would find their shoes cleaned in the morning. And comfort was a necessity as a flight from Foynes to Botwood would last 17 hours. Secondly, flying was for the wealthy where a return ticket would cost $675 . In one of the museum's rooms is a flight simulator where you can control a Boeing B314 through a realistic flight simulator which will definitely be a hit with the kids . And to talk about something totally different, did you know that Irish coffee was invented in Foynes. On a stormy night, a New York bound flight was forced to return back to Foynes. After landing , the weary passengers were treated to a drink invented by airport chef Joe Sheridan who decided they needed a little more than just a coffee. On that stormy evening in 1943, the Irish Coffee was born. Once Foynes airport closed and the staff moved across the river to the newly built Shannon airport, the drinks recipe was brought across the river as well where chef Joe kept serving it as a welcome drink to the many passengers. Watch the invention unfold in the museums 3D holographic show where you get dragged back in time to . On the other side of the gift shop are 3 floors full of maritime memorabilia where you can learn about life on and around the river. Find out about life as a dock worker in the 1800s, discover the various types of cargo passing through the port or delve deeper into the lives of the river or learn about weather conditions and tides. Admire the art of Currach building or discover the life of a river guide on the Shannon. On the top floor of the museum is the old control tower from where you have a commanding view across the Shannon estuary. With its 360 degree views of Foynes village and the Shannon, it is a great feeling to stand on the balcony and peak through one of the binoculars. A more recent addition to the museum is the Maureen O'Hara exhibit where you can explore the life and legacy of legendary Irish-American . The exhibit is dedicated to this Hollywood icon, and within it you can admire many memorabilia which once belonged to the actress. Examples of these are some of here clothes, awards she received over the years, an old typewriter she used to write letters, a make-up case,..
So you are probably curious what the link is between Maureen O'Hara and Foynes. Well, its really her husband, the famed American aviation pioneer Charles Blair who helped work out long-distance routes and navigation techniques who has the link with Foynes. He flew the mighty flying boats into Foynes from 1942 to 1945. Maureen O'Hara, who acted as the patron of the museum from its opening until her date in 2015 opened the museum on the 8th July 1989. So, all we can say is that the museum is well worth a detour. It might not look like much and the kids were grossly disappointed, but the Tetrapod trackway is of huge importance as it is among the oldest evidence in the world of four legged vertebrates walking on land. So lets roll back a bit, we found ourselves on the edge of the Atlantic on Valentia Island in County Kerry, Ireland. Where there are 2 ways of accessing Valentia Island, we opted for the bridge from Portmagee. The second option is to take the small ferry from Reenard Point to Knightstown. Where Valentia is known as the place where the first successful transatlantic cable was laid between Canada and Europe some 150 years ago (Valentia Transatlantic Cable Station - Valentia Island ) , now it is also known for its Tetrapod tracks since its discovery in 1993. The Tetrapod tracks are not to far from Knightstown, and the small road leading towards it provides you with amazing scenery as far as the Dingle peninsula and the Blasket islands. The carpark is small and it needs to be noted that the site is not suitable for wheelchair or buggy access. A steep enough path brings you to the Tetrapod trackway where information signs explain the importance of these tracks. So remember i said the kids were underwhelmed, well kids expect probably huge dinosaur footprints where in reality, the Tetrapod track is not more than many small holes in the rock. But these small holes are of huge importance. First of all, they are 385 million old. In the entire world, there are only 4 of these tracks found.
Once upon a time, the Tetrapod walked through the muddy coastline of Valentia Ireland , dragging its lizard-like tail behind it as it climbed ashore. The tracks left behind is what we see today, a snapshot of one of the first transitions of life from sea to land. These footprints were filled in with silt preserving them while fossilizing over the years. So what you see in Valentia is a track of footprints with here and there the imprint of tail drag. The best time to visit this site is during sunset when the low sun makes the track much clearer. On a sunny but blustery day in August, we rolled up to the Great Blasket centre (The Great Blasket Centre and Island | The story of a remarkable island community) which re-opened on 28th June 2022 of major refurbishment. The stunning building sits in stark contrast with the surrounding wild countryside , still blending nicely into the environment due to the use of natural stone,.... The 2.9 million refurbishment resulted in the total transformation of the exhibition halls with the aim to deliver an authentic and imaginative re-telling of the story of the Blasket islands, their rich heritage and their literature which is of national and international significance. And boy, have they succeeded in this. From the moment you walk into the Great Blasket Centre, you are welcomed by an impressive interior full of educational exhibitions. The first thing you notice when you walk into the building is the colourful window in the lobby. Here you will find the reception from which you purchase your ticket for the exhibitions. We must say the ticket price is very reasonable: adult (€5), groups/seniors (€4), student/child (€3), family (€13), kids under 8 are free. Where the lobby is the central point of the Great Blasket Centre, it gives you access to both the restaurant and exhibitions. When entering the exhibition, you are immediately drawn into Island life. The white and airy corridor takes you on a journey through the lives of the islanders through the many exhibition rooms. The design of the Great Blasket Centre is just outstanding. Walking through the long main corridor, windows at regular intervals provide natural light , but also views across the Dingle peninsula and the Wild Atlantic. At the end of the long corridor is a large viewing window providing you with views towards the Blasket islands. Where the cleverly placing of this viewing window cascades bright sunlight all along the main corridor, it also provides you with a focal point which draws you closer each time you visit one of the exhibition halls. These exhibition halls are located on either side of the corridor, each of them inviting you to learn more about Island life. Each of the exhibition halls is painted in earthy colours providing you with a warm welcoming environment. The many artefacts and interactive displays are nicely laid-out, each of them educating you on a new aspect about the Blasket Islands. A great way to start your visit is by watching the 15 minute long movie which tells you what life was like on the islands, the dwindling population and eventually the last people leaving the island. Within the different exhibitions, you learn more about island life, the importance of fishing and farming, but you will also get an insight in modes of work and transport . It was a tough life living on an island, sometimes being cut-off from the mainland for days/weeks on end due to prevailing storms. One of the exhibition halls focusses on the islanders language and culture. The Great Blaskets were also the birthplace of some literary masterpieces. For example, books like Peig, the Islandman and twenty years a growing were all written on the island. And where some of these books might have provided many Irish schoolkids nightmares during their Irish class, it is this extraordinary literary legacy which gives us insight in what life would have been on the Islands. The exhibitions tell you the story of island life using a variety of means - from the interactive displays to the many artefacts to audio visual presentations, it is a stunning visitor centre which will be loved by young and old. The Great Blaskets are also home to some amazing wildlife both in the water and on land. The islanders had mastered living on those remote islands surviving those harsh winter months.
From collecting food during the summer months to fishing and catching birds,.... it was a constant year-round battle against the elements. But it was also a close-knit community, one where they provided each other with laughter, music and songs by the fire on those dark winter nights. Outside the building is a walk which brings you along the Atlantic shoreline to a viewing platform which provides you with ideal views towards the Islands. Located in the sheltered natural harbour of Glengarriff in Bantry Bay, Garinish Island is a world-renowned garden Island famous for its diverse plant selection. When we arrived in the small village of Glengarriff early in the morning, the temperature was already sitting at an exceptional 24 degrees. Where Europe had been in the grip of a devastating heatwave, the week of high temperatures we got during our stay in County Kerry and County Cork made for a welcome change. With cold drinks and snacks in our backpack, we walked the short distance from the village to the Blue Pool where we would catch the ferry to Garinish Island. What is special about this area is that the influence of the warm gulf stream has made it possible for sub-tropical plants to thrive making the area around Glengarriff an oasis of lush woodland which fringes the shoreline. On the many rocks, seals can be observed sunbathing while sometimes slipping into the water to cool down. The boat passed closely by some of these seals creating great excitement among the ferry passengers. So let us first explain the pricing to get on the island. First of all, you pay the ferry fee to one of the boat operators. Once you arrive on the island, you pay the OPW fee (Garnish Island (garinishisland.ie) ) which is always very reasonable priced. The gardens of Garinish came into existence some eighty years ago when the owners of the island decided to turn the barren island into a lush garden with the help of Harold Peto, an acclaimed architect and garden designer. Where the current garden is renowned for its diverse range of plants and colours, the island is now a lush paradise for any plant-lover. Arriving on the island, we headed first to the famous Italian garden where we could be forgiven to think we were actually in Italy. With a blue sky above us and temperatures close to 30 degrees, it felt more like the Mediterranean than Bantry Bay. The Italian styled gardens are just stunning with pathways winding around the landscape. Around the Island are some fascinating buildings such as the Grecian temple, the Clock tower nearby the walled flower garden, the Casita and the original Martello Tower. The Grecian temple is a roofless rotunda which overlooks the sea and the Caba Mountains. The African Lilies provide a magnificent show of color. Returning from the temple, we made our way over to the Martello Tower passing through a long glade known as the "Happy Valley". The Happy Valley has an extensive collection of plants from all over the globe. On the left you will find the South American plants like the Chilean fire-tree, Wintergreen, Myrtle,... On the right, a group of Japanese black pines provide shelter from the sweltering temperatures (and believe us, normally it will be providing shelter from the rain). After the Happy Valley, we scaled a long flight of steps leading us to the highest point of the island. Here you will find the Martello Tower which was built by the British War Office around 1805 as a defence against the feared Napoleonic invasion. The Tower is in an excellent state of preservation and after climbing the internal spiral stairs, you will be welcomed with stunning panoramic views. Next, we visited the walled garden which is home to an exceptional collection of climbing plants and huge Dahlia's. A fine double-sided herbaceous border runs through the middle of the walled garden. On each of the four sides of the walled garden are towers each with its own unique design. The taller Northwest tower was to be the clock Tower After a couple of hours on the island admiring the many plants, we decided to head back to the main land where we went for a refreshing drink.
The rugged North Mayo coastline is just spectacular. With its cliffs and bogland, it can be wild even on a day in August. Within this barren landscape, a pyramid-like structure sits half buried in the landscape. But it's not the only thing buried underneath this bogland. Beneath the wild landscape lies a system of fields, dwelling areas and megalithic tombs which together make up the most extensive Stone Age monument in the world. The pyramid-like structure is the award-winning visitor centre which went through an extensive €2.6 million investment. The enhanced experience at this renewed visitor centre includes an improved interpretation that tells the archaeological story of the site, but also its discovery. ( https://heritageireland.ie/places-to-visit/ceide-fields/ ). The stone-walled fields extend over hundreds of hectares and are the oldest known globally, dating back almost 6,000 years. They are covered by a natural blanket bog with its own unique vegetation and wildlife. Entering the visitor centre, you are welcomed by a huge piece of bog oak. A new state-of-the-art audio-visual exhibition encourages you to learn more about the rich heritage of the region. The first thing we entered was an immersive 360-degree room where an animated movie is projected all around you on the walls. The movie transports you back in time allowing you to meet the Stone Age people who once created the fields and dwellings underneath the blanket bog. .The first floor of the visitor centre explains how these settlers arrived in Ireland, the tools they used, the clothes they wore and much more interesting facts. A lot of interactive features keep old and young entertained throughout the visitor centre. The whole experience is just fabulous with every small detail linking the exhibition to the fields below. For example, the green carpets reminded us of the fields and stone walls,.... Interactive features like holograms, games and films educate you further on life during the stone age. The second floor of the visitor centre explains in detail Archaeology and the work which was conducted in establishing and finding the fields and dwellings below the bogland. A very popular part of this exhibition is the microscope where you can play around with a microscope. The boys loved this part, especially when they decided to zoom in and have a look at their fingers. Another flight of stairs brings you to the viewing deck from where you can admire the scenery, but also fight against the strong Atlantic breeze. After the exhibition, you can walk around the bog following a boardwalk which brings you along some excavated walls and dwellings. On the particular day we visited the Ceide Fields, we were greeted by a rainbow. Along the boardwalk, you can try the find some of these walls yourself by pushing a long metal rod into the bog , this in the hope of finding some of these ancient walls. All displays and exhibitions are in Irish and English with written translations available in Dutch, French, German, Italian, Polish and Spanish. if your visit made you hungry, you can enter the cafe where you can try some food or head outwards to the picnic area where you can admire the stunning views.
Across the road is also a viewing platform which allows you to stand on the edge of the high cliffs. The cliffs of North Mayo have featured on television during one of the Red Bull Cliff dives where world-renowned cliff divers jumped from these stunning cliffs into the cold Atlantic. |
About the AuthorWe are Peter & Dolores De Bie. We love the great outdoors, discovering new parts of the world and writing about our adventures along the Wild Atlantic Way and further afield Categories
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