August 19 & 20, 2007 - The Ireland Trip

Our third stop put us near Galway where we stayed at Glenlo Abbey. From here we visited the
Cliffs of Moher, Galway, crossed the Shannon on a ferry, took a boat cruise on Killary
Harbour, and visited Kylemore Abbey. Our hotel was the lovely Glenlo Abbey.


Cliffs of Moher.


For most of our trip Dennis and I tried to get a decent picture of the heather
which was in full bloom and grew seemingly everywhere. But there was never any
heather at any of our stops, so this is the best of a gazillion shots taken from a speeding bus!


Ruins in the rain.


Galway Church.


Guinness signs like this were everywhere.


Thatched roof - thatching seems to be a dying art with thatchers for historic restorations being hired from the USA.


With the price of oil rising many folks in Ireland are returning to peat as a fuel.


Galway Bay in the distance.


Glenlo Abbey.


The abbey - this private chapel was never consecrated or used for religious services.


Abbey interior.


The hotel had acquired 2 dining cars from the Orient Express and they now serve as an elegant restaurant!


Ferry across the River Shannon - our bus is the white one in the rear.


This catamaran provided our cruise on Killary Harbour.


The stormy weather provided some dramatic scenery.


There seemed to be these small waterfalls every few hundred yards along the shore.


Holy smoke! Blue sky! (It lasted about 20 minutes.)

 


The group in front of Kylemore Abbey.


Currently a school for girls, the abbey will likely be closed in a year or two.


View from the abbey.


The abbey gardens were spectacular!


Gardener's tool shed.


This gothic church is also on abbey property.