STARTIreland 2009

FINAL - PUBLIC

Overnight Direct Flight to Dublin

Arriving at Dublin Airport at About 10:00 A.M.

Airport, North of Dublin CoreAirport, North of Dublin Core

Foulksrath CastleHostel

Dublin

WicklowMts Walk

1

3

Rock of Cashel4

2

Doolin5

Shannon6

2 nights2 nights

1 night1 night

7 nights 7 nights County ClareCounty Clare

Fly HomeFly Home

Tour Tour OverviewOverview

Arriving at Dublin Airport at 10:00 a.m. we are picked up and taken on a tourbefore checking in at the hotel mid afternoon.

Hotel

Phoenix Park

Airport

Phoenix Park - on the way to our hotel in Dublin

1. one of the largest enclosed urban public parks in Europe2. measures 707 hectares (1,750 acres), with a walled circumference of 16 km3. has been home to a herd of wild Fallow deer since the 17th C.4.contains the residence of the President of Ireland built in 17545.contains the Zoological Gardens6.features the Papal Cross7.has other monuments - e.g. Wellington Monument is a 63 metres (210 ft) and the phoenix monument is a Corinthian column with a Phoenix bird erected in 1747.8.has the Deerfield Residence, the official residence of the U. S. Ambassador.9.contains Ashtown Castle, a restored medieval tower house dating from the 15th C.10.People's Gardens located close to the Parkgate Street entrance

The phoenix monument is aThe phoenix monument is aCorinthian column with aCorinthian column with aPhoenix bird, erected 1747.Phoenix bird, erected 1747.

The Papal Cross is situated in Phoenix Park. It was erected for the visit ofThe Papal Cross is situated in Phoenix Park. It was erected for the visit ofPope John Paul II in1979. He held Mass for over a million people.Pope John Paul II in1979. He held Mass for over a million people.

Phoenix Park: home to a herd of wild Fallow deer since the 17th C.

Checking in at the Wynn’s Hotel, DublinChecking in at the Wynn’s Hotel, Dublin

Dinner?Dinner?

The Ha'penny Bridge (Liffey Bridge, officially) is a pedestrian bridge built in 1816 The Ha'penny Bridge (Liffey Bridge, officially) is a pedestrian bridge built in 1816 over the River Liffey in Dublinand is made of cast-iron.over the River Liffey in Dublinand is made of cast-iron.

After dinner at the hotel and an After dinner at the hotel and an evening walk, we head to bed to rest evening walk, we head to bed to rest

up for a whole day of walking in up for a whole day of walking in Dublin the next day.Dublin the next day.

DAY 02 Itinerary – Walking in DublinDAY 02 Itinerary – Walking in Dublin2009 September 12 Saturday2009 September 12 Saturday

After breakfast at the hotel, we ventured out on various self-guided walking After breakfast at the hotel, we ventured out on various self-guided walking tours during the day.tours during the day.

Numerous and excellent tour maps were available for download off the Numerous and excellent tour maps were available for download off the Internet prior to leaving home so we could plan some aspects of these Internet prior to leaving home so we could plan some aspects of these walks.walks.

Sample of maps available off the Internet (PDF).Sample of maps available off the Internet (PDF).

hotel

Dublin Tourism Centre

Trinity College, DublinTrinity College, Dublin

is an illuminated manuscript in Latin, containing the four Gospels of the New Testament together with various prefatory texts and tables.

was transcribed by Celtic monks ca. 800.

is a masterwork of Western calligraphy.

is also widely regarded as Ireland's finest national treasure.

illustrations & ornamentation surpass that of other Insular Gospels

manuscript today comprises 340 folios and, since 1953, has been bound in four volumes. The leaves are on high-quality calf vellum.

is on permanent display at the Trinity College Library, Dublin.

takes its name from the Abbey of Kells that was its home for centuries. The Abbey of Kells is a former monastery located in Kells, County Meath, Ireland, 40 miles north of Dublin.

The Book of KellsThe Book of Kells

Sample Ilustrations from The Book of KellsSample Ilustrations from The Book of Kells

Molly Malone Statue, Molly Malone Statue, Grafton Street, DublinGrafton Street, Dublin

"Molly Malone" or "Cockles and Mussels" is a popular song, set in

Dublin which has become the unofficial anthem of

Dublin City.It has also acquired the

status of an Irish anthem.

The statue was unveiled during the 1988 Dublin

Millennium, declaring June 13 as Molly Malone Day.

Another sample of maps available off the Internet (PDF).Another sample of maps available off the Internet (PDF).

There were several maps like this “iWalk” map. They came with There were several maps like this “iWalk” map. They came with descriptions in text format for each numbered item on the map.descriptions in text format for each numbered item on the map.

Eleni’s new “friend”.

While some of us did the medieval walking tour in the afternoon, others did the “Irish Liquid “ walking tour.

Oh my, another crazy Canuck!

A picture is worthA picture is worth a thousand words?a thousand words?

Near our hotel on the edge of the Liffey River we found some strange, gaunt and disturbing figures of iron. These figures commemorate the great hunger that killed a huge portion of Ireland’s population in the last century.

The Great Famine was a period of mass starvation, disease and emigration in Ireland between 1845 and 1852 during which the island's population dropped by 20–25 percent .

Approximately one million people died and a million more emigrated from Ireland.

The cause was the potato blight, a fungus.

Hopefully these disturbing statues will continue to serve as a reminder to the world of this tragedy.

NOTE: The Ireland Park Foundation has its own Toronto Irish Famine Memorial at the south end of Bathhurst Street.

Dublin’s Famine StatuesDublin’s Famine Statues

DAY 03 Itinerary (2009 September 13 Sunday)

• Rise & shine with breakfast at the Wynn’s Hotel, Dublin

• Dave drives us to the Wicklow Mountains National Park for a walk near Glendalough, Co. Wicklow

• Off to Avoca, Co. Wicklow for dinner at Fitzgerald’s of Ballykissangel

• Off to Foulksrath Castle (near Kilkenny) for a nights sleep in the authentic 15th Century Tower House (hostel)

50 km

Day 3 – Part 1Day 3 – Part 1Dublin toDublin toWicklow Mountains National ParkWicklow Mountains National Parknear Glendalough, Co. Wicklownear Glendalough, Co. Wicklow

Wicklow Mts

On the way to this walkOn the way to this walkwe picked up lunch.we picked up lunch.

Glendalough (Irish: Gleann Dá Loch, meaning "Glen of Two Lakes") is a glacial valleylocated in County Wicklow, Ireland, renowned for its Early Medieval monasticsettlement founded in the 6th century by St Kevin, a hermit priest, and destroyedin 1398 by English troops.

Here we enjoyed a 12 km walk that involved a gradual ascent of 382 m intothe valley (glen) and then a descent on the other side of the two lakes.

GPS track (red) showing the first portion of our walkat Wicklow Mountains National Park.

Round Tower

Cathedral

St. Kevin’s Church

Cathedral

St. Kevin’s Church

First portion of our walk at Wicklow Mountains National Parkshown 3-dimensionally in Google Earth.

Round Tower

GPS track (red) showing the 12-km walk at Wicklow Mountains National Park.

Upper Lake

Lower Lake

The largest building at GlendaloughThe largest building at Glendaloughis the cathedral.is the cathedral.

The largest building at GlendaloughThe largest building at Glendaloughis the cathedral.is the cathedral.

Cemetery outside the cathedral, Cemetery outside the cathedral, GlendaloughGlendalough

St. Kevin’s Church, GlendaloughSt. Kevin’s Church, Glendalough

The round tower, GlendaloughThe round tower, Glendalough

““St. VincentSt. Vincent” begins the challenging task” begins the challenging taskof preparing us for the “walk of the valley”.of preparing us for the “walk of the valley”.

GPS

Ruins of miners’ village

TrailLu

nch

Part way up the glenPart way up the glen

Are we there yet?

Is this lunch?

On route to the our accommodationsOn route to the our accommodationswe stop in Avoca, for dinner atwe stop in Avoca, for dinner atFitzgerald’s of BallykissangelFitzgerald’s of Ballykissangel

This shows the route to the our This shows the route to the our accommodations near Kilkenny.accommodations near Kilkenny.

Several people stayed at a castle. Several people stayed at a castle.

Foulksrath Castle Hostel12 km north of the medieval city of Kilkenny.

The castle is a 15th century Anglo-Norman tower house located in Jenkinstown.

It was built by the Purcell clan. After over three centuries as owners, the family was reduced to living as peasants in the castle stables after it was confiscated by Oliver Cromwell during the conquest of Ireland.

It opened as a hostel in 1948, making it the oldest hostel in Ireland. It operated in the An Óige (Irish Youth Hostel Association) network, which is affiliated with Hostelling International.

After our stay in 2009 the hostel was permanently closed. No reflection on our behaviour we hope.

We truly felt like medieval kings or queens after our stay at the castle!

FoulksrathCastleHostel

15th centuryAnglo-Normantower house

Ditch that was a moat in earlier days. Ditch that was a moat in earlier days.

Leaving Foulksrath CastleLeaving Foulksrath CastleDestination Doolin. Destination Doolin.

DAY 04 Itinerary (2009 September 14 Monday)Off to Doolin, County Clare, with a stop at theRock of Cashel.

Cashel

Rock of CashelRock of Cashelin the distancein the distance

Doolin

Limerick

Ennis

Cash

el

Doolin

Start

Finish

Galway

Galway Bay

Aran Islands

Innis Oirr

Cliffs o

f Moh

er

Now, if Greg gets lost or “slips” off a cliff, here’s

what you should do.

Berry break!

Approaching Doolin at end of hike

entering Doolin at end of hike

Doolin dinner hour

A short stroll with Dave before retiring for the night.

A new day - off to Innis Oir.

Dave singing at a Doolin pub

Start

Lunch

“Green Road”

GleninaghMountain

Cappanawalla Mountain

Galway Bay

Ballyvaughan to Fanore HikeDifferent View in Google Earth Galway Bay

Ballyvaughan to Fanore HikeAnother View in Google Earth

Galway Bay

Vertical Profile of GPS TrackBallyvaughan to Fanore Hike

LUNCH

avoid hazards

“Tower

House”

“Tower

House”

“And in the beginning …”

Gleninagh Castlea “tower house”

Greg ensures the gate is closedas we enter the Gleninagh Castle

property for lunch.

The next few pictures show an example of a tower house, the typical home of the gentry in 15th and 16th century Ireland. The tower is L-shaped with the entrance and spiral stairs contained in the projecting portion of the "L". The main block rises to five storeys, with vaults (stone-arched roofs) over the first and third storeys. At roof level, circular defensive bartizans, supported on attractive stone corbels, protected the corners of the tower which face towards the sea. A machicolation (a small projection from the parapet allowed defenders to fire on intruders) on the stairs tower protect the entrance into the castle.

Gleninagh Castle was built in the late 1500s by the O'Loughlin family. They disposed of it in the mid-1600s, but later regained ownership and were its last inhabitants when it was abandoned around 1840. Beside the tower, contained inside a small stone building is a well which provided the people living here with fresh water.

Gleninagh - from Gleann Eidhneach (the Ivy Valley)

Hiked down from here

Lunch at Gleninagh Castle

healthy dessert

“Holy Cross Well” at Gleninagh CastleEleni having a “berry” good time.

“Tobar na Croiche Naofa” or “Holy Cross Well” at which “rounds” are still made as part of a

personal pilgrimage.

Dating back to earth-centred religion of Celts, practices are closely linked with most of the

wells. In some places, rags, handkerchiefs or clothes are tied to the trees above or around

the well. The idea about this custom is that as the rag rots away, so too does the illness.

At some wells it was customary to bathe a diseased part of the body with a piece of cloth. When this had been completed the piece of

cloth was attached to a tree in the vicinity of the well as a votive offering.

View inside well

Refuelled, we went up to the “green road” for the remaining walk around Black Head to meet Dave.

Start

Lunch

“Green Road”

Ballyvaughan to Fanore HikeThursday September 17, 2009

14 km walkGPS Track in Google Earth

GleninaghMountain

Cappanawalla Mountain

BLACK HEAD

Dave

Galway Bay

According to my map and GPS we are

not lost, yet. Whew!

Oh good!

Fanore Bay

Entering the village of Murroogh, north east of Fanore, we were picked upby Dave and he drove us to Fanore Beach.

End of hike

Near Fanore Beach a few of us hopped off the van and walked alongNear Fanore Beach a few of us hopped off the van and walked alongthe sand dunes to the mouth of the Caher River.the sand dunes to the mouth of the Caher River.

Marram grass with extensive rootsMarram grass with extensive rootshelp to stabilize sandy dunes.help to stabilize sandy dunes.

Off to Lisdoonvarna for dinner onOff to Lisdoonvarna for dinner onour way back to Doolin. Lisdoonvarna our way back to Doolin. Lisdoonvarna is famous for its annual Match Makersis famous for its annual Match MakersFestival.Festival.

Eleni, knowing she already found a well-fuelled “match” back in Dublin, spent time at the Match Maker Corner anyway.

Another day starts with a good breakfast.Another day starts with a good breakfast.

Exploring Some Archaeological MonumentsMonuments of The Burren - Friday September 18, 2009

• The Burren is one vast memorial to bygone cultures.

• Forested at one time now fairly barren karst (fissured limestone pavement)

• Some 80 wedge tombs of Neolithic origin have been found in the region, from an estimated national total of just over 500.

• Hundreds of ancient cooking sites and ancient cist graves are found throughout the hills.

• Some 500 ring forts are found in the Burren.

• Tower houses & Early Christian church sites are also very common

• The magnificent portal tomb at Poulnabrone in the rocky heart of the Burren is one of the most easily recognised monuments in Ireland

typical fissured karst

Doolin

Poulnabrone

Lemanaugh Castle

Hill Top & Tomb Wedge

Lisdoonvarna

sandwiches

Cahercummaun

Village of LahinchIndian food

Burren CentreKilfanora

Liscannor Bay

Exploring Some Archaeological Monuments Monuments of The Burren

Galway Bay

The Burren

Poulnabrone dolmen, The Burren, Co. Clare, Ireland[approx. 53.048768,-9.139954]

Poulnabrone dolmen

This "hole of sorrows" is a portal tomb in the Burren dating back to the Neolithic period, probably between 4200 BC to 2900 BC.

The dolmen consists of a twelve foot, thin, slab-like, tabular capstone supported by two slender portal stones, which lift the capstone 1.8 m (6 ft) from the ground, creating a chamber in a 9 m (30 ft) low cairn. The entrance faces north and is crossed by a low sill stone.

Repairs occurred in 1985 and excavations found that between 16 and 22 adults and 6 children were buried under the monument. Personal items buried with the dead included a polished stone axe, a bone pendant, quartz crystals, weapons and pottery. In the Bronze Age, around 1700 BC, a newborn baby was buried in the portico, just outside the entrance. It had a dominating presence on the limestone landscape of the Burren & was likely a centre for ceremony and ritual until well into the Celtic period.

Leamaneh or Lemanagh Castle

Situated at the southern boundary of the Burren, it was home to the famous Maire Rua and, according to legend, location of her famed husband-killing exploits.

It is composed of a Tower House built in 1490, with an extensive 17th century dwelling house attached.

The building is inaccessible as ongoing restoration works are completed.

The grounds of the castle lie on private property yet visible from the road.

The castle's name "Leamaneh" is believed to be derived from the Irish "léim an éich" which, when translated into English means "the horse's leap".

Hilltop Exploration + Parkabinnia Wedge Tomb

At Parknabinnia there are 10 tombs scattered around a square kilometre.

We stopped and climbed to higher grounds from the road and explored some scattered stone pieces that may have been part of a tomb.

One of the more accessible tombs in the Burren, close to this by-road is quite intact . The roof stone is over 3 metres long and is growing a crop of grass. The sides are formed of single massive slabs. The end is closed and the front is partly closed.

Cahercommaun Ring Fort

Cahercommaun is a triple ringfort on the south-east edge of the The Burren and was built about 800 AD.

Cahercommaun sits on the edge of an inland cliff facing north overlooking a wooded valley, with three concentric walls reaching to the cliff edge. The inner wall alone used 16,500 tons of stone.

The roughly circular enclosure contained stone buildings at various times, some of which had souterrains (underground chambers). It was home to an estimated 40 people, and the artefacts discovered indicates that the site was already in existence by the 9th century AD.

The excavation uncovered one of the most important Iron Age collections found in Ireland. From the collection, a set of sheep shears and a saddle quern are on loan to Clare Museum from the Irish Antiquities Division of the National Museum of Ireland. Evidence was found of settlement dating back to the 5th century and 6th century, although the fort was built during the 9th century. The saddle quern dates from the Late Neolithic/Early Bronze Age period.

valley

higher ground

cliff

Ring fort

higher ground

valley

cliff

ring fort

The Burren Centre, Kilfanora

Caherconnell Stone Fort (Dun)

This Stone Fort is an ancient and exceptionally well preserved Celtic Ring Fort .This fort would have been inhabited from around 500 to 1500 A.D.

From summer 2010 Caherconnell will be home to an archaeological field school where students can learn archaeological techniques from leading archaeologists.

Dave stopped at the Burren Centre on route for an Indian dinner in Lahinch.

Lahinch

Doolin

Burren Centre

Before an Indian dinner in Lahinch we had a stroll along the shoreline.

MULLAGMORE

Irish: An Mullach Mór, meaning "The Great Summit"

Mount Mullaghmore, The Burren Saturday, September 19, 2010We climbed to its peak. The total distance there & back was only 8 km yet it was such a spectacular & emotional trek!

Keep climbing Greg, we aren’t

there yet.

The Burren Way, Ballynahowan to Derrynavahagh (8 km)Sunday, September 20, 2009

We walked an 8-km segment of The Burren Way up and over what is often referred to as the Aillwee Mountain. It was a walk along an ancient “green road”.

It had spectacular views of the Aran Islands, Galway Bay, wind turbines, Fenore Beach, Black Head and Mullagmore Mountain we climbed the day before.

It was a pleasant, peaceful, beautiful and fun way to bring our hikes to an end.

… thank you Dave Southall

The Burren Way, Ballynahowan to Derrynavahagh (8 km)GPS track in Google Earth

GPS trac

k & T

he Burre

n Way

The Burren Way, Ballynahowan to Derrynavahagh (8 km)GPS track in Google Earth

Galway Bay

Aillwee Mt

? ?

Paying the toll gate attendant.Paying the toll gate attendant.

Great Bear Cave,Aillwee

A stop at The Burren House for tea after a day across Aillwee Mountain and passing through the “Great Bear Cave”.

Off to Ennis for a Day of Sight SeeingMonday, September 21, 2009

Ennis Friary 1242.

Ennis Friary1242.

The Cathedral ofSt. Peter and St. Paul

rises aboveO'Connell Street,

Ennis

River Fergus flowing through Ennis

River FergusEnnis

River FergusEnnis

A monument to Irish nationalist heroDaniel O'Connell

stands atop a tall column in O'Connell Square, the site of the old courthouse where he won the Clare by-elections

in 1828.

St. Columba's Church, EnnisThe disestablishment of the Church of

Ireland from 1871 by an Act of Parliament led that Church to sell many of its estates

and bishops' palaces, in the process laying off many Protestant workers who themselves then moved away. However the wealthy protestant William Murphy

donated land outside the town centre for the building of this quaint church.

Packing for the trip to Shannon Airport.

Leaving Eleni behind.

Shannon Airport

Shannon Airport

THE END

Yes or No?

No

““Discover the British Isles”Discover the British Isles”

So far we have:

• walked across England,

• walked across Scotland,

• hiked portions of the Pembrokeshire Coast Path and the Preseli Hills in western Wales.

• explored County Donegal in Northern Ireland, and

• experienced Dublin and walked County Clare, Republic of Ireland.

So what’s nextSo what’s nextin thein the

““Discover the British Isles”Discover the British Isles”series?series?

July 22, 2010 to August 05, 2010