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Day 28: The Lighthouse Inisheer Lighthouse was completed in 1857 after it was argued that the Inishmore lighthouse was too high and it did not cover the entrances to the North or South Sounds of the Islands. The lighthouse originally had a fixed optic lamp which was supplied by the Chance Brothers of Birmingham. In... Continue Reading →
Day 27: Stone Walls The stone walls really are of the most impressive and peculiar sights on Inis Óirr. The criss-cross walls define the farmers fields, and collectively add up to thousands of miles. I had walked up to O'Brien's Castle only to find the grounds closed off to visitors (being March it was still... Continue Reading →
Day 26: O'Brien's Castle The Castle oversees Inisheer from one of the highest points of the island, with views of the beach, pier, and ruins below. This castle is thought to have been built in 14th century making it one of the oldest ruins on the Aran Islands. It would pre-date the other ruins in... Continue Reading →
Day 25: Teampall Chaomhán St Cavan's Church (also "St Kevin's Church", Irish: Teampall Chaomhán) is a ruined church, built in the 10th century, at the location of the saint's grave. The entrance is now below ground level, as the church was nearly buried by drifting sands; it has now been excavated and is kept clear of sand by... Continue Reading →
Day 24: Inisheer I had originally planned to stay in my previous destination, Kinvara, for nine days. However, I'm glad I didn't, because as lovely as Kinvara is, it is a small village, and six days was plenty to experience all the village had to offer. Whilst still in Galway, I canceled the last three... Continue Reading →
Day 23: Dunguaire Castle Dunguaire Castle (Irish: Dún Guaire) is a 16th-century tower house on the southeastern shore of Galway Bay in County Galway, near Kinvara. The name derives from the Dun of King Guaire, the legendary king of Connacht. The castle's 75-foot (23 m) tower and its defensive wall have been restored, and the grounds are open to tourists during... Continue Reading →
Day 22: Kinvara Bay Before gas and electricity came to Kinvara, turf was the main fuel used for cooking and heating. The majestic Galway Hookers sailed between Connemara and Kinvara laden with this fuel as the Kinvara area had no bogs ( a type of wetland). Kinvara in turn filled the hookers with grain and... Continue Reading →
The day I got lost on Gort Road I stumbled across the Burren Nature Sanctuary. I stopped in on the long walk home for something to eat, and decided to take the self-guided walk around the sanctuary while I was there. Along the walk I happened upon a traditional Irish Traveller wagon. The traditional horse-drawn... Continue Reading →
Day 18: Kinvara Kinvara (Irish: Cinn Mhara, meaning "head of the sea"), also spelled Kinvarra, is a sea port village located in the southwest of County Galway. It is located in the civil parish of Kinvarradoorus in the north of the barony of Kiltartan. Kinvara was my third stop on my trip, and I came here with... Continue Reading →
When I started planning my trip to Ireland to research for my crime novel, Sins of the Son, I had originally planned to take off in February. I decided to push the trip forward a month to better my chances of getting the leave approved from work, as I was concerned that too many of... Continue Reading →
Kate Kelsen 