Connemara

We were still in Galway today and was offered an optional tour to Connemara and Kylemore Abbey, which I went on. Connemara is in County Galway and is a pretty countryside area with many lakes.

Connemara

Countryside

Many farms in Connemara and many shades of green.

Countryside

Kylemore Abbey

We took a self–tour of Kylemore Abbey and its grounds. Its 70–room mansion was built in 1867 by Mitchell Henry. In 1920, Benedictine nuns who had fled Belgium during World War I established a monastery here. The abbey was definitely one of the most spectacular sights on our Irish tour.

Kylemore Abbey

Victorian Walled Garden

On the abbey’s property was a beautiful Victorian walled garden.

Victorian Walled Garden

Gothic Church

The Gothic Church on the abbey’s grounds was built by Henry Mitchell in memory of his wife Margaret who died from dysentary while on a trip to Egypt in 1874. Henry, Margaret, and a great–grandnephew are buried in the church.

 

 

Gothic Church

Killary Fjord

We next took a lunch cruise on the Killary fjord on this boat.

Killary Fjord

Killary Fjord

The lake was picturesque, especially the different colors of the hills surrounding the lake.

Killary Fjord

Clugh Na Mara

We stopped at the village of Clugh Na Mara with its many deserted houses and hundreds of miles of dry stone walls. The village became deserted in the 18th and 19th centures due to economic hardship of the Irish, resulting in mass migrations such as during the potato famine.

 

 

Clugh Na Mara

Clugh Na Mara

A deserted house in Clugh Na Mara. Ruins of houses, churches, and other buildings are just left where they are in Ireland. We have seen many of them.

Clugh Na Mara

Connemara

Scene on our way back to Galway.

Connemara

Galway Pub

I wanted to make sure that I went to a pub at night in Ireland to have a Guinness and to listen to Irish music. Some of my tour mates joined me. The first pub we went to in the Latin Quarter in Galway was too crowded, but we found some seats in the second pub we tried. We were planning on having dinner at the pub, but this pub didn’t serve food, just alcohol. A couple of the men in our group went out for pizza and brought it back, with permission, to the pub. A very nice gesture and I had a great time here. Even Coors is on tap here and you will also often find Budweiser. Our tour guide said that all tastes in beer are provided.

Galway Pub

Guinness

My Guinness. Very, very good.

Guinness

Pub Music–MOVIE

Traditional Irish music at the pub.

Pub Music–MOVIE