Day 5

The rain was teeming down as we departed Lisdoonvarna. We have been lucky with the weather overall - wet when we travelled and dry when we toured. 

Having completed my university degree , a few friends and I set off for Lisdoonvarna for the week end. For the information of those who do not know  Lisdoonvarna, it is a spa town, where the farmers from Limerick, Clare and Tipperary holidayed every September. It was great fun as one moved from one pub or hotel to another with lots of Irish music and dancing. 

The centre of the town is the Spa Wells, now sadly closed. When I enquired of our hotel proprietor, as to the situation, she replied that it was owned by the town and that there is no agreement as to reopening the wells. 

It looked a sorry sight that wet morning. 

The library / interpretation centre was closed which echoed the ambience of the whole town. It was once where one took the waters and seaweed baths. My Clare grandparents went there on holidays. As children, I recall holding our noses as our parents urged us to drink the water for our healths’ sake! 

We continued - retracing our steps back to Ballyvaughan , north to Galway and west through Connemara to Ballyconnelly, where we we were to stay with friends. 

Our friends were delighted that we brought the sunshine!! We had a wonderful, relaxing few days - we lunched in Clifden, dined in Ballinahinch Castle, walked the shore 

and viewed the Twelve Pins from afar. We returned to Dublin refreshed. At least we had gotten a break before another possible lockdown in the Autumn. 

Addendum - we didn’t meet any American visitors but we did see a number of British plates - they obviously came on the ferry - quarantining ??? 

Day 4

This morning, after an excellent breakfast, we set out to tour the Burren. The weather obliged and it was warm and dry if not sunny. 

Kilfenora was our to be our first port of call. The hotel proprietor suggested we visit the town on our way to Lisdoonvarna but it was late in the evening as we approach the turnoff, so we decided to continue directly to Lisdoonvarna. 

Unfortunately, the Interpretation Centre was closed with no information as to its opening hours - just as well that we didn’t make the detour last evening!!

The town is famous for the Kilfnora Ceili Band 

and some episodes of Father Ted were filmed there. 

The town boasts a cathedral as it was once a diocese 







We visited the cathedral or what is left of it. Some efforts have been made to preserve the structure with a glass roof erected over part of it. 

We continued to the famous Burren 

It sported a shop, selling perfumes, soaps, creams etc , a garden and a coffee shop served some excellent fare. 

Departing the Perfumery, we met a cyclist who asked if there was food being served there. We confirmed that there was and he continued down the narrow road to his destination

We continued along the narrow Burren roads and arrived at the National Park 

We arrived at 

a small fishing port. The sun was shining and people sat by the shore eating lunch. In the distance are the westerly cliffs of Aughinish Island. 

The area illustrates erosional and depositions  features of the Last Ice Age. 

We continued to Ballyvaughan 

From there we took the coastal route via Black Head, 

and on to Doolin, which had altered remarkably from the small fishing village that I recall known for its Irish music. I was disappointed with the commercialisation  of  the village which now counts a huge ferry port for trips to the Aran islands and the Cliffs of Moher among the most popular trips. We didn’t stay  as similar to Dursley Island, the village was thronged with people. 

We returned to Lisdoonvarna. That evening we enjoyed an excellent meal at our hotel. 

Tomorrow ........ Ballyconnelly, Co Galway. 

Day 3 West Cork - Clare

This morning we quit Glengariff and set out for Lisdoonvarna, Co. Clare.  One can access Co. Clare through Limerick but we decided to reduce the journey by taking the the Target -  Killimer ferry. 

It was my first experience of the ferry and it was most efficient - as I recall a 20 minute crossing with a very quick drive on and drive off system. Covid affected our journey in that we were not permitted to leave the car. 

The day was poor weather wise! We drove along the coast and then turned inland to Lisdoonvarna. We drove through the seaside towns of Spanish Point, Kilkee, where we lunched on the beach even though the weather wasn’t obliging. We continued to Lahinch and then to Lisdoonvarna. 

We had booked the Rathbaun hotel - one of only two hotels open in Lisdoonvarna. I had booked it by phone when on enquiry I was satisfied with the hotel’s Covid precautions. The hotel was old fashioned but we preferred to stay inland as we can heard reports of the lack of social distancing in the sea side resorts. 

The town looked abandoned. Most places were closed due to Covid but some others appeared to be closed permanently. As it was late in the evening and our hotel was not serving dinner, we went in search of a restaurant. The choice appeared to be one of two. We chose a restaurant, which appeared to be a converted car showroom. The fare was the usual pizza, burgers etc. The food was passable but we were most upset seeing a young waiter, who had a mask hanging off one ear!! The proprietor was on the premises but didn’t appear to be vigilant. Thankfully, we had completed our meal when I noticed the errant waiter. 

We returned to the hotel - there was nothing more to do!!

Day 2

After a delicious breakfast served from the kitchen in line with Covid rules - not a buffet in sight, we departed for the pier to board a ship to Garnish  Island. 

Social distancing was being observed. En route, we were treated to an informative talk, pointing out a reference to the late Hollywood Star Maureen O’ Hara’s home 

the seals 

and a hawks nest 

On arrival at the island, we alighted and were informed that the  entrance fee was reduced to €2 pp and that we had 90 minutes to tour the island. It is small so the timeline proved to be sufficient. 

The island sports an Italian garden, 

a Greek Temple 

and a Round Tower

Though the day was cloudy, the views from the island were spectacular

We completed  our tour and returned to the hotel, where we picked up our car and commenced a tour of the Beara Peninsula - a 220 km circuit. It is lesser known than the Ring of Kerry and therefore normally quieter. On these pandemic times it was to prove even quieter 

We left Glengarrif and travelled west along picturesque Bantry Bay. 

En route, we saw Whiddy island where a major fire in its oil terminal occurred in 1979, but it had an earlier use as a terminal for the US during WW1, as they attempted to combat the German U- boats. Ironically, the OS map of Whiddy had been selected for the State Geography Examinations that year - it had to be quickly replaced. 

We reached Castletownbere -

a major fishing centre in the SW of Ireland. The town was barely functioning what with many shops and pubs closed. We got into conversation with a fisherman who informed us of the frustration of the local fishermen who were banned from fishing in the early days of the pandemic while the Spanish continued to fish the waters and wished to land their catches at the port, much to the chagrin of the local fishermen. 

He was very despondent about the future of the Irish fishing industry. He advised that his 15 year old trawler was worth €1.5 million and his license cost c. €400,000 p.a. His father and himself once employed two others but now it was just the two of them. They fished for monkfish and prawns only, as hake afforded  €1 per kilo. I informed him that I pay between €17-19 per kilo at my local fishmonger. It did not surprise him! 

As we made our way further west -  the scenery even in this dull day was breath taking as we arrived at 

This was the only place where we saw throngs of people - there were cars everywhere and at 16:30,  there were no further trips available to the island. 

On the island were the ruins of St Mary’s Abbey and the vault of O’Sullivan Beara

We reached the Allihies, where a thriving copper mine once stood. 

We returned via the R457, 12km of hairpin bends traversing the Cork / Kerry border and passing two of the highest summits in the Caha Mts, rising to a height of 334m the Healy pass, with breath taking scenery from the summit, as the sun peeked out. 

The Healy pass was a famine relief work, designed to help the starving locals as the potato crop failed during the Great Famine of 1845-1848. It was named after Michael Healy, a Cork politician who served as first Governor General of the Irish Free State, who improved the route. We  passed under a tunnel at Lyre 

and arrived back at the Eccles. It had been a hard drive!  The roads were quiet. I am glad that we chose to take this drive during Covid as I cannot imagine the difficulties one would encounter on a normal July day as the narrow roads were difficult to negotiate, having to reverse and pull in to allow the odd car to pass. 

Later that evening, we had a drink in the bar overlooking Glengarrif bay and unlike our previous experience, we had a most delicious dinner in the hotel. 

Until tomorrow..... as we leave West Cork for Clare