Good-bye Sligo. On the road to Galway which is known as the "most Irish of Ireland"
Once again, Tom is happy he is NOT driving!
Whoa!!!! This is the FIRST stop sign we have seen since we left America!! No kidding. Throughout our journey, there have been "give way" signs, roundabouts, or stop lights. Not once have we seen a stop sign till now....in the lovely coastal town of Westport, Ireland.
Our first roundabout featured artwork...
so did the second one...
Entering the city centre....flowers!!!
and more street sweepers.
and more colours! Westport is very pretty, feels good....part of us wishes this might have been an overnight stay.
The communal flowers are tended BY HAND, as you see. Phenomenal...employed by the city....and fairly certain that his salary is paid by tourists like we are who stop and spend a bit of time and € here!!
We stopped at the Cobbler's Bar for coffee....and toilets
We had parked in the local grocery parking lot. It is difficult to find parking in these towns. Kathy had noticed that there was one hour free parking in the SuperValu lot. So we parked there, walked around, had our coffee, pit stop, bought eggs and bread for our upcoming self catering....This was posted at each cash register.
The following are a group of Irish pastoral views along the road from Westport to Galway.
The roads are narrow but good. Several places have the trees form an oval around the road.
This was a cute little farmhouse near the lake above.
A few more miles down this windy road, we discovered this cemetery...
We had parked in a church parking lot, but did not know it. It was a white non descript building with no name...
And on the other side of the building and in the back of the building, we found these statues/scenes.
Back on the road.
There seems to be more new and growing in Ireland than in Scotland. These new condos were in a small town nearing Galway.
And then there is still some of the old with fresh flowers.
We arrive at The Lodge in Barna outside Galway city. We are greeted by Melanie.
And Melanie's Mum, our hostess, Brigid, on the right and one of her friends, Barbara. We shared a cup of tea with both of them before "checking in".
Our lodging is to the right of the car. It was the original gate-keeper's lodging for a property which is now across the street. The gate-keeper's lodging dates back to the end of the 18th century. The property across the street is now condos. And Brigid's home was added sometime during the 19th century.
Our front door.
The living are of the lodge was added during the 19th century....
The fireplace uses PEAT, not wood!
The bedroom is the original, oldest, and, at the time, the only existing gate-keeper's cottage. Said gate-keeper lived in this one room....which is very large!
Added in 1901, the shower is smaller than a cruise ship shower!
The kitchen, added at the same time, is spacious, equipped with a washer/dryer, dishwasher.
The back yard, shared with owners, has a "nursery stream" where salmon and trout hatch and grow. The streams runs to the Galway Bay, connecting to the Atlantic.
We are off to eat, per Brigid's suggestion, to Donnelly's pub, less than 2 miles from the house.
Donnelly's is a bit like our lodge....the lower picture is the original and the upper is the newer....newer being 230 years old!
The entrance, side and gardens are like so many places here....covered with flowers!!!
As Tom has just mentioned, JFK is revered in Ireland.....for obvious reasons.
Monkfish wrapped in Irish bacon
mussels galore....not exactly pub food
We walked to the end of the street after dinner....one block to the bay.
Wondered if the owner realises that anyone can reach through the rotted opening above the door....why the padlock?
Also wondering how the County Council would note "on the spot"?
Looks awful when the tide is out
Yikes!! Don't park here!!!
