Visiting Galway and the Rugged Northwest

The scenery just keeps getting better and better!

Galway downtown streets are an artist mecca - Sand sculpture

Sally liked her Guinness with a dash (black currant cordial)

 

Sean (our guide) said this was the best fish in Galway so of course we gave it a try.

Downtown Galway

Downtown Galway

Downtown Galway

Pauly was real good, but I was hoping to hear my favorite busker, Allie Sherlock

Cliffs of Moher

Cliffs reach 700 feet above the sea

So beautiful here! The cave was a filming location for the movie - Harry Potter:Cliffs of Moher.

Busking at the "Cliffs"

 

The cliffs from the top of O'Brein's Tower

It was windy on the cliffs but this bee didn't seem to mind. 

Sometimes you have to crawl to get that best shot - The Burren 

The Burren is an on the west coast. It is an ruggedly beautiful coastal area of high plateau with fields of rocks and wildflowers.

The photos don't do justice to the different shades of blue formed as the Atlantic crashes against the rocks.

Making our way to Sligo

Check out the rock fence - it goes all the way up the hill.

Oyster farming in Killary Fjord

Kylemore Abbey

This was the phone switchboard  operator desk at the abbey. The abbey was a girl's school for many years.

There was lots of talk about the apple pie at Kylemore Abbey and it was delicious. Sally and I made it our lunch and tried one piece with cream and one with custard so we could try it both ways.

Guide Sean Collins - He was from a town near Dublin and gifted  us with many Irish sayings, legends and songs. 

The village of Cong is where the John Wayne movie the "Quiet Man" was filmed

 

Watch the movie, Quiet Man, and you will get a feel for Irish ways.

 

 

Fight scene between John Wayne and Victor McLagen at Pat Cohan's Bar in "The Quiet Man" movie

 

 

May is the month for wildflowers in Ireland.

This is peat drying in the field.  When dry, it is used as alternative to wood.

Peat blocks sold at the convenience store

Sheep Farm shepherd and his Border Collies

Driving the sheep to pen

 

Dog separating the flock by voice command

The shepherd also uses whistle commands when directing the dogs from a long distance