Where: County Galway, Ireland
When: April 9, 2001
With: Loren, Doug, Jon, class trip
When I first went to Ireland, mad cow disease was running rampant. We had to disinfect our shoes coming off the plane, farmland at major sites was cordoned off and restricted, and several of the planned hikes on our trip were closed down completely. One of the day trips we were meant to take during our stay in Galway was a boat ride to the remote Aran Islands, off the west coast of the country. However, in a wish to keep the islands isolated from the disease on the mainland, our day trip had to be cancelled and our chaperones were left with the task of coming up with a new plan for the 40 students in their charge.
As a result, they took us north, to a region of Ireland referred to as Connemara. Since this stop was not on the original itinerary, I completely forgot we went there for 17 years. In fact, this recent realization has somewhat screwed up my Book milestones (i.e. when I thought I was visiting the big 100, it was actually number 101). However, the OCD annoyance of that was easily mitigated by the fact that ultimately, my number went up by one more this year.
Anyway, the reason Connemara was hard to remember is because there is no real town or village or sight associated with it. It encompasses the western third of Ireland and is filled with rolling mountains, lakes and peat bogs. Though not as green as other parts of the country, this area of Ireland has its own savage beauty. And as odd as this sounds, as the day went from blue skies to clouds, the scenery became more moody and epic in my opinion.
When: April 9, 2001
With: Loren, Doug, Jon, class trip
When I first went to Ireland, mad cow disease was running rampant. We had to disinfect our shoes coming off the plane, farmland at major sites was cordoned off and restricted, and several of the planned hikes on our trip were closed down completely. One of the day trips we were meant to take during our stay in Galway was a boat ride to the remote Aran Islands, off the west coast of the country. However, in a wish to keep the islands isolated from the disease on the mainland, our day trip had to be cancelled and our chaperones were left with the task of coming up with a new plan for the 40 students in their charge.
As a result, they took us north, to a region of Ireland referred to as Connemara. Since this stop was not on the original itinerary, I completely forgot we went there for 17 years. In fact, this recent realization has somewhat screwed up my Book milestones (i.e. when I thought I was visiting the big 100, it was actually number 101). However, the OCD annoyance of that was easily mitigated by the fact that ultimately, my number went up by one more this year.
Anyway, the reason Connemara was hard to remember is because there is no real town or village or sight associated with it. It encompasses the western third of Ireland and is filled with rolling mountains, lakes and peat bogs. Though not as green as other parts of the country, this area of Ireland has its own savage beauty. And as odd as this sounds, as the day went from blue skies to clouds, the scenery became more moody and epic in my opinion.
Sunshine to start.
Moody to end.
One thing that was striking in this area was the surplus of sheep, standing on rocks and looking very proud. My friend Jacklyn and me, working our best sheep impression.
Standing at the edge of this waterfall/river, the senior boys and the senior girls.
Connemara's most iconic feature is the twelve mountains, or the Twelve Bens, that dot the coastline and make up this terrain. They are often shrouded in clouds, with lakes at their base from the water trickling down from their tops. I'm not sure which ones of these photos are the Bens vs. posers, but it was all very pretty as we drove along.
Sheep!
Crisscrossed throughout the landscape are these stone walls, built by hand ages ago, that divide farmland and keep the livestock in. The crags in the rocks allow wind to pass through, which is how they've stood the test of time.
I loved this isolated home in the distance, sandwiched between a mountain and a lake. Beautiful. Look how green their patch of lawn is!
The main attraction we were set to visit that day was Kylemore Abbey. By the time we were headed there, the clouds had settled in and made an eery setting against the choppy waters of Pollacapall Lough, the lake at the base of the mountains.
As we drove around the lake, the abbey became visible in the distance on the opposite shores. It was so massive and grand, even from a distance.
Kylemore Abbey was originally Kylemore Castle, a private home built in the late 1800s. It was eventually purchased by Belgian Benedictine nuns in 1921 after they had been bombed out of their former abbey during World War I. They used the grounds as a girls' Catholic boarding school and day school for girls from the local area. It has been closed since 2010, but is still available for tours.
The grounds around the Abbey are beautiful, with pathways and grottos available for exploring.
And the views out across the lake are stunning.
Obligatory group shots from the Abbey across the lake.
And up in the mountains was a tiny little Jesus, looking down on everyone. So cool with the mist.
While I may not have remembered where we were on this day trip, I do remember that this was our first glimpse into the rugged beauty of the Irish countryside, something that Connemara is known for. Even on a cloudy day, this wild corner of Ireland is stunning. And if I ever go back, I'll pay more attention to where I am.
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