Sometimes I don’t make it easy on myself. Tonight, after a FABULOUS day exploring Connemara, I realized I had 144 photos to review! 🤣
This morning with five other intelligent, kind, and fun tourists, Mike – our driver and tour guide – took us in a small bus to the region of Connemara. We stopped at multiple places to take pictures, discuss the flora and fauna, and learn about the lifestyle and culture of those living in this region of Ireland.
What surprised me the most is how my expectation of Ireland is so different from the reality. Before this trip, I thought Ireland = green rolling hills. Although I’ve seen these, I’ve also seen almost desert-like landscapes. In some locales, the soil is so thin, nothing grows except, perhaps, a bit of grass. However, the sheep and cows eat the meager grass, leaving brown, almost barren, vistas.
Connemara has many lakes, all of which ultimately flow into Galway and the Atlantic Ocean
Green – but not the rolling hills I incorrectly thought I’d see throughout Ireland 🙂
Connemara is Irish for “Inlets of the Sea”
Connemara ponies, a specialized breed, are known for their athleticism, versatility and good disposition
Although we had the option to spend three hours hiking Diamond Hill in Connemara National Park, the high winds, a remnant of Storm Kathleen, convinced the six of us to choose Option 2: Kylemore Abbey
“Kylemore Castle was built in the late 1800s by Mitchell Henry MP, a wealthy businessman, and liberal politician. Henry poured his life’s energy into creating an estate that would showcase what could be achieved in the remote wilds of Connemara. Today Kylemore Abbey is owned and run by the Benedictine community who have been in residence here since 1920.” [https://www.kylemoreabbey.com/about]
Kylemore Victorian Walled Gardens
Castle grounds
In Kylemore’s Gothic Church, marble pillars from each of the four marble regions of Ireland: green from Connemara, black from Kilkenny, red from Cork and white from Tyrone
Kylemore apple pie with warm custard – recommended by multiple people!
Hahaha!
On the Quiet Man Bridge, used in the 1960’s John Wayne movie of the same name
