Connemara-Galway-Killarney

Yesterday, we left Ballina bright and early (as usual) and headed south to Connemara. Words and pictures won't do any justice to the beauty of this region, but we'll post some pictures anyway! We stopped for coffee/tea and scones here in a minuscule town not far from where The Quiet Man was filmed--Maureen O'Hara still lives not far from the pub. Next we stopped at a little workshop called Connemara Marble where 600 million year old Irish marble is made into jewelry.

By lunchtime we made it as far south as Galway, where we shopped around for a few hours. We may have stopped in a local pub for a shot of Jameson as well. Shop street was bustling with locals and tourists, especially around the many street performers. 

Last night was the dinner of a lifetime. We ate and watched a show on the upper floor of a medieval castle built in 1520. It wasn't a huge castle by any means--about 60 people fit snugly into the banquet hall. We were greeted at the door with cups of mead, or honey wine, which was actually pretty good! Two of our newfound friends, Lloyd and Kathleen, were crowned King and Queen for the night, and they chose us as part of the "court" that gets to sit at the head table. The meal itself was fairly traditional with a lox appetizer, potato leek soup second, chicken, potatoes, and vegetables third, and apple pie for dessert. COLLEEN MEAT ALERT: She ate healthy amounts of the raw salmon and chicken! There was also unlimited wine, so we won't be able to provide details of the end of our night. A harp player and two singers performed between each course and gave a comedy skit/ poetry reading at the end of the night, quoting famous authors like WB Yeats and George Bernard Shaw. We really felt like we were in the Middle Ages!

Today we traveled to Killarney, where we first rode "jaunting carts"--horse-drawn carriages--through Killarney National Park. We rode as far as Ross Castle, then hopped on a boat for a tour around the park's largest lake. Again, we tried to capture the best views on camera!

Tonight we ate dinner at the Bleachfield Bistro. Throughout dinner we heard performances of traditional Irish music by a cross-dressing leprechaun and two older men and watched two Irish dancers. The musicians played the accordion, drums, bagpipes, flutes, bones, and spoons--impressive! The Irish dancers did the usual jig, reel, and triple reel, but they also did a "brush dance". Afterward Rachel was chosen to perform this dance in the middle of the room along with another man on the trip. If there is a video out there of this comically uncoordinated performance, we'll find and post it. Tomorrow, it's onto the Ring of Kerry!