The boys

Thursday

The good news is that we found our B&B for the next two nights! That was no easy task, since 1) there's no specific address and 2) the road is not on any map. 

Advice: get a freaking GPS. 

Our host from last nite, a man called Barry, provided a lovely breakfast and conversation this morning. We found out that he had run a restaurant in London for 20+ years and retired at 55, planning to travel with his wife, Ann. However, she got sick and they moved to their holiday home in Ireland, where she was from. After she died, he figured he'd turn the place into a B&B. He's a lovely man who hosts a lot of fishermen. Listening to him made me sad for him and glad that we have not put off traveling until retirement (if we ever get to retire!). There's too much that can happen. 

Here's a photo that Cody took of the view from Barry's place:

After breakfast, we started out in Killaloe to investigate Brian Boru, high king of Ireland. Here's the scoop: he drove the Vikings out of Dublin and Limerick and tried to conquer the various Irish tribes to establish a more "European monarchy." He ended up being murdered by either a fleeing Viking or a Viking assassin, depending upon which piece of information you want to believe at the Brian Boru Heritage Centre. They had a video that was so strange and anachronistic, and we decided that they should hire Willy Bearden to make a new one. Anyway, Brian's dreams of a united Ireland died with him because his sons and his grandsons were killed in the battle that preceded Brian's demise. Brian was too old to fight, so he was chillin' in a tent, praying thanks for the victory of his army (I guess), when said Viking dude slated him. Brian took it in the head with an ax. You know that had to hurt. 

After judging the Heritage Centre to be unworthy because of its inconsistencies and ridiculous video, we hiked 1.5 k out of the town to the ring fort where they say Brian Boru may have been born or something (don't know who "they" are, but apparently they decide shit like this). Here is a panoramic shot of said ring fort and of the two Murrell boys contemplating it. 

Then it was back to Killaloe to walk around an old church and graveyard. 

We then tried to find and access a castle  with a name that I can neither remember nor pronounce. After driving down several roads, including a gravel one, we saw the castle and one fox but could not get close to either. I think that Dan has photos of the castle from afar. 

I have almost mastered the three point turn, thanks to the gents in the car who can see what's coming, but backing up is an entirely different game. It's quite odd, because everything is backwards from my viewpoint, and it screws with my cognitive orientation. I will be glad to get back to driving on the right side of the road. 

 

Killaloe to Shannon

Our wonderful host, Barry, provided a wonderful breakfast. I also got to meet a regular at his B&B, who flies over from France each month to fish for pike. I got to say about three words en francais and see his last pike, which was about 4 feet long. I was very jealous.

We had time to wander around Killaloe, learning about Brian Boru, the last great High King of Ireland. 

This is the bridge connecting the two towns of Killaloe and Bellina.

There is a canal running alongside the river, apparently for private boats.

On the way to see the Beal Boru, we passed this house and did a little double take. 

The Béal Ború is the site of a fort that was destroyed in 1116. It was over 1000 years old. It had high earthen walls and steep embankments with a deep trench around it. It allowed those inside to monitor any activity on the river Shannon.

Saw this tree on the way. Kinda cool.

These are the fortress remains from outside the ring.

And this is from the top looking at the interior, where modern reenactors apparently built a fire and defended the Shannon, probably while drinking beer, something else that is hundreds of years old.

Cody tries his hand at building his own stone creation. 

On the way back, Cody and Vicki set a new speed walking record. 

This is part of the organ pipes in St. Flannan's Cathedral. 

We always end up in the cemetery. Always. 

This is St. Flannan's Oratory. An oratory is normally a small church for private prayer. 

One finds all kinds of personal items. 

After leaving Killaloe, we headed for a castle we read about. Carrigogunnel Castle is not on the map.We read that it is near Clarina. So we pulled into the gas station in Clarina and asked the young women inside if they knew how we might find it. After much debate, they agreed on an answer. So we headed out onto smaller and smaller roads, until we are on a country road, 2 tracks of gravel. The rental car people are gonna love us. But we find ourselves in front of a closed gate - with the fox Vicki mentioned in her post. The fox leaves, as will we, once we have a picture. From this angle, it looks like an elephant. There is a slight path through briars and on someone else's land, so we decide to try a flanking movement. That is defined as backing down the road until we can turn around, then going back to the last real road and trying another approach. 

It looks much better from this angle, but it is no more accessible than before. It is on someone's land, and we are not welcome. We kind of got shooed away by a guy driving a tractor. 

But we found it and saw it, even if from a distance. That is pretty cool. I'm glad my traveling companions are up for this kind of adventure!

We were not able to find our Shannon B&B nearly as easily. We got directions, but it still took three approaches and finally stopping to ask for directions before we found it. This one was picked in part due to its proximity to the airport. 

We are winding down. Cody, however, still has two weeks to go in England, Scotland, and Wales. I am really very jealous about his planned travels in Scotland and the Isle of Sky. He's going to have a blast, and he is going to have it without us. I can't believe it could possibly be as much fun. Could it?