VerweysAway2015: “It is like looking down from the cliffs of Moher into the depths. Many go down into the depths and never come up. Only the trained diver can go down into those depths and explore them and come to the surface again.” (James Joyce)

Monday 25^th May

The Burren, Inisheer, Doolin, Cliffs of Moher

Ireland is amazing. I am sure that there are not many places that have so much history, culture and incredible environment in such a small space.

Today we took a bus tour, which also included a ferry trip to Inisheer, an Aran island. We were the first to be collected, an early start at 8:00am and returned at 8:00pm, a very full day. A very wonderful day.

The tour guide/driver talked most of the day, providing not only information about the sights, but detailed historical stories and many of the myths and legends about the places we saw. Very entertaining. His patter did not stop for the whole day. It’s the Irish oral tradition!

Paul, our driver/guide was inexhaustible with his knowledge of the history, culture, environment, and myths and legends of the area and very entertaining. On Inisheer he was available to tell us about the prehistoric, medieval, Napoleonic and recent history of the island, or we were free to wander around on our own.

Inisheer, the smallest of the Aran Islands, has been lived on since about 6000 BC. There is a prehistoric burial mound from, about 3000-4000 BC, with walls dating back much earlier.

The burial mound

St Cavan, the brother of St Kevin (buried at Glendalough) lived and died on the island in the 6^th Century. He was a healer, and it is said if you sleep on his grave overnight you will be cured of whatever ails you.

St Cavan's grave

A 10^th Century church was discovered about ten years ago, after a huge storm blew away the sand covering it. It is in the middle of the cemetery and kept getting covered up by sand. Eventually the islanders built retaining walls to stop it getting covered up.

The O’Briens have owned most of Co. Clare going back to Brian Boru’s time, probably earlier, and built a castle on the island’s highest point. During the Napoleonic wars, it was used as a target for cannon practice, and took a bit of a beating. Its design didn’t help, being square and rough surfaced. Martello Towers built by the English are round and smooth so the cannon balls could not get a purchase.

Norman era Castle

Inisheer is small, windy, cold and remote. Why do 240 people there? Why have people been here for thousands of years? How come 267 beatified saints originated at this place? What was this race of humans who lived here and held out against the Celts, Normans and English invasions? How did this County Clare manage to become the only county in Ireland to be ruled by its king (from the “O’Brien” clan), throughout its history.

As we waited for our ferry to take us back to the mainland, the local dolphin, Dusty, arrived. Dusty usually arrives to entertain the visitors each day. Dusty is named after Dusty Springfield, whose ashes were spread on (or maybe off) Inisheer. The next day............the dolphin arrived, so of course, it was named, Dusty.

Dusty

The trip back to the mainland included a stop at the base of the Cliffs of Moher. Stunning, 214 metre high, 8 km long sandstone cliffs (part of the longest stretch of cliffs in world – 27km) Millions of birds nest here, including puffins, which we did not see, but we did see a badger on the side of the road, sadly dead, but we were excited nonetheless.

We had lunch at a great pub in Doolin, ultra-quick service, before visiting the top of the Cliffs. Again, absolutely stunning views. But definitely no bikes allowed – crazy bike riders. Half way on a ledge we watched a bride get her wedding photos taken: a white floating triangle against the blue sky, suspended about 100 metres above the silvery shimmering Atlantic Ocean.