Tour Begins - Western Ireland
Ennis
At our tour orientation meeting at the Old Ground Hotel on Sunday, we met our tour guide, Gearoid, and each traveler found a new buddy. Each time we got on the bus we made sure our new buddies were there, too.
The Cliffs of Moher
We were introduced to our driver, George, when we boarded the bus to our first tour adventure, The Cliffs of Moher. We considered ourselves very lucky because it wasn’t a terribly windy day. Looking out over the Atlantic Ocean, we were told that the next parish over is Boston!
That evening we shared a very enjoyable group dinner with our fellow travelers at a local Ennis bistro.
Listowel
We traveled to Dingle via Listowel, where we stopped for tea and scones at John B Keane’s Pub (a well-known novelist, playwright and essayist) and listened to enchanting stories related by columnist and novelist Billy Keane, the late John B’s son.
Dingle
Upon our arrival in Dingle, we embarked on a walking tour.
When we returned to our inn on beautiful Dingle Bay, we were treated to a performance by a world champion dancer, fed a delicious catered dinner, entertained by local fiddlers and charmed by Seamus, the dog of the house.
Then we enjoyed a summer evening stroll.
Our first stop in the morning was Dingle Crystal, where expert craftsmen demonstrated their art to us.
George, our driver, then transported us on the scenic Slea Head Drive, featuring some of the most spectacular views you would ever expect to see. We stopped at the Blasket Centre to learn about the history of the Great Blasket Islands, which were inhabited until 1953.
Our final stop that morning was at the Gallarus Oratory, the best preserved ancient (about 1300 years old) church in Ireland.
After lunch at the inn, we visited a falconry experience. We imagined that we were attending a demonstration.
We were certainly surprised when we discovered that we were all participating in the experience!
Free Time – Diseart Chapel
During our free time we roamed around Dingle Town and visited the Diseart Chapel, where we saw, among other things, some of Harry Clarke’s stained-glass windows. Harry was a leading figure in the Irish Arts and Crafts Movement. His work was largely influenced by Art Nouveau, Art Deco and French symbolist movements and is internationally recognized as Ireland’s greatest stained-glass artist. I learned about him while doing research for this trip and would also see more examples of his work while in Dublin (just a few days after this).
