Shamrocking it up: A 6 day tour of Ireland. What the craic!
The official definition of craic is enjoyable time spent with other people, especially when the conversation is entertaining and funny. It is the perfect description for the Shamrocker team in Ireland, the sister company of the Haggis tours across Scotland. The trip back to my ancestral homeland was a blast from history to dancing and whiskey to Kilkenny beer.
Day 1: Dublin to Westport
The first day of our tour saw us headed to Westport in County Mayo on the country’s west coast.
Hill of Tara and the Irish Lia Fáil (Stone of Destiny)
Our first stop was the Hill of Tara. It might be the ancient seat of Ard Ri ha hEirann (the High King of Ireland). Or it all might be a myth.
Atop the hill stands a stone pillar, the Irish Lia Fáil (Stone of Destiny).
According to Celtic mythology, Lia Fáil was brought to Ireland by a semi-divine race known as the Tuatha Dé Danan. The Tuatha Dé Danan had travelled to the Northern Isles. They learned skills and magic in its four cities and proceeded to northern Scotland with a treasure from each city. The Claíomh Solais, the Spear of Lugh and The Dagda’s Cauldron were three of the four treasures. The fourth, from Fálias, was the Lia Fáil. The magical stone roars in joy when the rightful High King of Ireland puts his feet on it. It also has the power to rejuvenate the King and endow him with a long reign.
None of us were the rightful High King of Ireland. Or the stone no longer roars. Or it’s just a mythical story. I’d like to believe it didn’t roar for me because of the story of Lugaid Riab nDerg.
The story of Lia Fáil
Lugaid Riab nDerg was the son of three brothers and their sister. His mother had heard that her three brothers were going to attempt to kill their father. None had an heir, so she seduced them and produced one in case they all died, which they did.
When he died, his brother Eochu became High King. Eochu married a beautiful woman called Étaín, the reincarnation of Midir’s lover, a Tuatha Dé Danan member. Midir’s wife turned Étaín into a fly, but an Ulster warrior swallowed her, and she was reborn.
Midir returned (by taking the appearance of Eochu’s brother) and took Étaín away. During the search for Étaín, Midir returned and presented 50 women to Eochu for him to choose from. He chose who he thought was Étaín, but it was her daughter, Mess Búachalla. Étaín was pregnant with Eochu’s child when she left. Eochu turned Mess away, and a herdsman raised her.
Eochu was burned to death. Eterscél, his successor married a woman called Mess. One night, an unknown man in the form of a bird ‘visited’ Mess. She gave birth to his son, Conaire Mór and they raised him as their own. Sometime later, a man called Nuadu Necht killed Eterscél and Conaire returned the favour. He became the High King of Ireland for the next thirty, or perhaps seventy years. The history here is clearly a little deformed so it probably doesn’t matter.
When Conaire Mór died, Lugaid Riab nDerg became the High King of Ireland. When he arrived at Lia Fáil, the stone did not roar. His foster-father, Cúchulainn, split the stone with his sword so it could never roar again. Oh, except for when it roared under Conn of the Hundred Battles and perhaps when it roared under Brian Boru.
Or it could just be a giant phallic rock…
Trim Castle
Trim Castle was our second stop, just a short trip down the road. It is one of the largest Norman castles in Europe. With an area of 30,000 m2, it is also the largest in Ireland.
The castle is now famous for its part in the production of the movie Braveheart. It was both the walled city of York and some of the scenes set in London, including one of the most famous scenes – the beheading of William Wallace. Naturally, it required a reenactment; they may take our lives, but they’ll never take our freedom!
Kilbeggan
Our third stop was Kilbeggan, home of one of the oldest licensed whiskey distilleries in the world. Following a whiskey tasting, most of us joined in the whiskey-tasting competition, which I did not win.
Knock
Our last stop for the day took us to Knock. In 1879, there are claims of an apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Joseph, St John the Evangelist and Jesus Christ. It has become an international place of pilgrimage, with over one and a half million pilgrims visiting every year. I’m not a believer, but I crossed myself with the water, just in case.
Day 2: Westport to Galway
Today saw us travelling through County Mayo into County Galway, along the west coast of Ireland.
Croagh Patrick
The first stop for the day was the 764-metre mountain where St Patrick fasted for forty days sometime in the 5th century. There is also a small chapel that exists from the same time.
On the last Sunday in July, thousands of pilgrims climb the mountain in honour of St Patrick. Some climb barefoot as an act of penance. Traditionally, pilgrims perform rounding rituals where they pray while waking sunwise around features on the mountains, including three ancient cairns, likely Bronze Age burial cairns.
I climbed part of the mountain and can guarantee that barefoot would not be my preferred way.
Doolough Valley
The next stop was the devastating and dreary Doolough Valley, the site of the Doolough Tragedy during the Great Irish Famine on Friday, 30 March 1849. Two officials were due to confirm social welfare recipients at Louisburgh failed to complete the inspection, asking people to come to Delphi Lodge the next day instead to continue receiving relief. This forced hundreds of destitute and starving people to walk for 13km in very bad weather. Seven people, including women and children, were discovered on the roadside overlooking the shores of Doolough Lake, and nine others never reached their homes. Local folklore maintains that the total numbers were even higher. A cross and an annual famine walk between Louisburgh and Doolough commemorates the event. The monument in Doolough Valley has an inscription from Mahatma Gandhi: “How can men feel themselves honoured by the humiliation of their fellow beings?”
Kylemore Castle
Next on the cards was a quick stop to photograph Kylemore Castle, originally built as a private home by a doctor turned politician. Does anyone other than me want to marry that guy? It now houses Kylemore Abbey, a Benedictine monastery founded in 1920 and the Kylemore Abbey International Girls School.
Clifden, Recess and Galway
Lunch today was at Clifden, with a pre-lunch Irish Coffee for good measure. After lunch, we stopped a couple of times in Recess to see some of the local statues.
On arrival in Galway, we dressed up to visit the cultural epicentre of the town. Irish dancing! Unsurprisingly, I was one of the first to get up for a dance and one of the last to sit down. I even worked my way into the precious circle of ‘experienced dancers’ and was lucky enough to be chatted up by my partner, who may have had more chances if he was 50 years younger. Turns out he was the ‘King’ of Irish dancing in Galway. Lucky me!
By the night’s end, I was almost ready to go home. I had experienced everything travel-related that I could think of for my trip. But the chance of a Kilkenny in Kilkenny dragged me onwards.
Day 3: Galway to Doolin
Day 3 saw us travel from County Galway to County Clare, around the coast and through some of the most spectacular scenery we’d see on the trip.
Dunguaire Castle
The first stop was the stunning Dunguaire Castle, a 16th-century tower house believed to be the most photographed castle in Ireland. Part of the lore about the castle is that the Lord of the Castle was very generous while he was alive, which has continued into the afterlife. Today, if a person stands at the front gate and asks a question, they will have an answer to their question by the end of the day.
The Burren
From one of the most picturesque castles in Ireland to possibly the most picturesque landscapes, the Burren. One of the largest karst landscapes in Europe, it’s mostly limestone rocks stretched as far as the eye could see.
Cliffs of Moher
Our final stop for the day was the Cliffs of Moher, Ireland’s most popular tourist attraction. As someone lucky enough to live near the Great Ocean Road in Victoria, Australia, I found the cliffs less impressive than others in the group, but they were still spectacular.
Marking the high point of the cliffs was O’Brien’s Tower, initially serving as a teahouse or folly, possibly built to impress the women the owner was courting. A lovely sight at the start of the day, it probably needed a bit of help to impress any of his potential partners who happened to visit as the sun went down for the day.
Doolin
Doolin of County Clare was to be our overnight stay. As the traditional home of Irish music, the night wouldn’t be quite right without a visit to McDermott’s Pub, founded in 1867 and still going strong. We partied until the evening turned into early morning and it became necessary to return to our accommodation.
Day 4: Doolin to Killarney
Today was all about County Kerry, the town of Dingle and the Dingle Peninsula and finishing up in the lovely township of Killarney. First up on a long day of driving was the ferry crossing from Killimer to Tarbet across the River Shannon, eventually arriving in Dingle for a late lunch.
Dingle
Dingle is the only town on the Dingle Peninsula. It is an old fishing port with ties to France and Spain, with many of its houses built in the Spanish tradition. Dingle is home to the original Murphy’s Ice Cream, which makes ice cream with the milk of the (almost) endangered Kerry Cow, considered the first cow to be bred purely for dairy purposes. Tasted beautiful, even in the freezing cold Irish winter.
Dingle is also home to Fungie, a male common bottlenose dolphin known for his friendliness to humans. Separated from other wild dolphins, he lived in very close contact with the people of Dingle. He was first seen in Dingle Harbour in 1983 and has continued to seek out human contact ever since, never leaving the harbour for more than 4 to 5 hours and regularly interacting with tourist boats specifically set up to say hi to Fungie. Fungie even has a permanent statue in the centre of town.
Update: Fungie disappeared in October 2020 and has not been seen since. This plunged Ireland into a deep state of sorrow and sparked a full offshore search. He is believed to be over 40 at the time of his disappearance, leading many to suggest that he simply passed away from old age. Many believe that he died of loneliness when the government restricted the tourist boats during the COVID-19 lockdown. Others believe that, like Elvis, he is not dead and will return one day.
Dingle Peninsula
After our stop at Dingle, we spent the morning doing a section of the Slea Head Drive along the coast of the Dingle Peninsula. The peninsula stretches 48 kilometres into the Atlantic Ocean; its tip is the westernmost point of Ireland (and arguably Europe). The peninsula has stunning beaches, scenic coastal views and even Ireland’s second-highest point on top of the 952-metre Mount Brandon.
Day 5: Killarney to Kilkenny
Our second last day saw us travel from County Kerry through County Tipperary into County Kilkenny, promising the one activity I had wanted to do since arriving in Ireland: drink a pint of Kilkenny in Kilkenny. But first, we gained the gift of the gab and went a long way to Tipperary.
Blarney Castle
Blarney Castle was first built in the 1200s, with the current keep dating to 1446. It’s been captured twice in the Irish Confederate Wars and the Williamite War, so I’m not sure how effective it is as a castle keep. The castle is now in ruins and is one of Ireland’s most popular tourist attractions, along with the associated house and garden.
Blarney Stone
The reason for the popularity is the famous Blarney Stone. According to legend, kissing the stone endows the kisser with the gift of the gab (great eloquence or skill at flattery).
A variety of equally implausible legends to tell the Blarney stone have emerged. Jacob used it as a pillow when he dreamed of the ladder to heaven. Alternatively, it is a piece of the Stone of Scone that Roberty Bruce gave to MacCarthy Chieftain to thank him for providing soldiers to help fight Edward II. Or that a witch told Cormac McTaidhg Láidir MacCarthy about a stone that had magic properties.
The most elaborate story tells how the Queen of the Fairies in south Munster fell in love with a young chieftain who broke her heart. As she grieved his death in battle, her tears joined his blood in the stone and absorbed her magical powers. The Queen of the Fairies told Cormac McTaidhg Láidir MacCarthy that the stone had been built into his castle and that, if he kissed it, it would resolve his difficulties.
Regardless, millions of people have performed the kissing of the Blarney Stone, including several famous people. You must climb to the castle’s peak and lean backwards on the parapet’s edge to kiss the stone. Trip Advisor recently ranked the Blarney Stone as the most unhygienic tourist attraction in the world.
Tipperary and the Michelstown caves
It’s a long way to Tipperary. And Tipperary is not just associated with war anymore. The Michelstown caves were a series of massive caverns filled with dripstone formations, stalactites, stalagmites, calcite curtains, calcite crystals, and huge calcite columns. The Tower of Babel is the most famous of all the formations, considered one of Europe’s finest columns. As per most caves, it was discovered by accident when a farmer dropped a tool and found a cave.
Kilkenny
Our final stop for the day was Kilkenny, a beautiful town in south Ireland. Home of the Kilkenny Pub. Which serves Kilkenny beer. The bartenders knew I was Australian when I entered the door, but I didn’t care. I drank my pint of Kilkenny in the Kilkenny Pub in Kilkenny. And I liked it. We finished the night with an Irish shot at the Zoo while we watched a group of people test how many pints (out of 100) break when you drop them from shoulder height. I didn’t count, but I can confirm that most do.
Day 6: The home straight – Kilkenny to Dublin
Day 6 was our final day on the tour, taking us from County Kilkenny up north to County Dublin and back to Dublin City via the Rock of Dunamase and Glendalough.
Rock of Dunamase
The first stop of our last day was the Rock of Dunamase and the ruins of Dunamase Castle, built in the 12th century and just as good for the scenery as it was for the view of the castle.
Glendalough
Our final stop for the tour was supposedly, according to our tour guide, Kevin, the tour’s highlight. Perhaps that is because Saint Kevin founded Glendalough. Kevin was a descendant of one of the ruling families in Leinster. He studied as a boy under the care of 3 holy men, visiting Glendalough as part of his studies. He returned in the 6th century with a small group of monks to found a monastery. The ruins of the monastic city can still be found in Glendalough.
Historians say the most impressive monastic remains is the Round Tower, which stands 30m high and forms an impressive structure in front of the beautiful rolling hills surrounding Glendalough. It was built somewhere between 900 and 1200 AD and was used both for calling the monks for prayers as well as for defence purposes. Its main door is 3.5 metres above the ground and can only be reached by a ladder pulled into the tower during an invasion.
However, my favourite building was definitely the twelfth-century St Kevin’s Church. The beautiful little church with a tiny round belfry on its top is the only remaining fully preserved church on the site.
One of the more strange remains is the Deer Stone, an example of a bullaun (or bullan) stone, which means bowl. It’s a flat stone with a hole in it. The stone’s purpose is unknown; perhaps it was spiritual or just for grinding grains. What is interesting is the story behind it, which led the valley to become a pilgrimage station for Christians in Ireland. According to legend, St Kevin prayed for help for one of his workers whose wife had died while giving birth to their twins. After his prayers, a doe came from the woods every morning and left milk for the workman in the hole in the stone, enabling him to feed his children.
We were almost out of time but convinced Kevin and the driver to take us to the upper lake, a magnificent view with the cola-coloured water surrounded by rocky hills and mountains formed by glaciers during the Ice Age. The water is brown because it runs through the peat-rich soil and flows down the cliffs into the upper lake and the lower lake, its smaller sister lake. When the valley was formed during the last ice age, a glacier left a pile of rock debris across the valley’s mouth. The Pulanass River, which plunges into the valley from the south via the Pulanass Waterfall, created a delta that eventually divided the original lake into two.
Back to Dublin
After that, it was back to Dublin and the end of the trip. This, my first trip to my ancestors’ homeland, was an exhilarating experience, allowing me to experience both the sights and culture of a country that seems so similar to home in many ways until you look left to see a castle built centuries before white Australia was founded,
I’m leaving you with this sign. Any ideas what it means, let me know.
