One good thing about being in Dublin is it's so close to the UK and Europe, so a long weekend or a few days is a good chance to 'pop over' and see somewhere different.
Four days in the UK recently was a good opportunity to do some voluntary work for a friend and also spend a weekend socializing and relaxing.
Sunday after church in Oxord, we cruised through villages, crossed the Thames and we arrived at the King William IV pub at Hailey. Drive up Quiet Lane, cross Church Lane and eventually, there it is - a pub seemingly in the middle of nowhere with rolling green hills all around. Opening time is 6pm and a perfect time to have a Gin and Tonic and sit outside at the tables and laugh at the crazy lambs in the field opposite as they played and jumped and chased each other. I liked the 'brother and sister' in picture!
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Oxford Villages
Below are some gorgeous homes in villages with names like Clifton Hamden, and Sutton Wick. The garden was just gorgeous and down a dead end lane that lead to a church (maybe that doesn't really make it 'dead end!)
We had lunch at the Barley Mow, on the Thames in Long Witteham, Abigdon. A typical pub, old patterned carpet, low dark beams and good 'pub grub'. The Shepherds Pie was delicious!
We had lunch at the Barley Mow, on the Thames in Long Witteham, Abigdon. A typical pub, old patterned carpet, low dark beams and good 'pub grub'. The Shepherds Pie was delicious!
A sign I loved and a friend I made!
These pictures are taken at Maum, near the Maumturk Mountains in Joyce Country, named after James Joyce, the famous Irish writer. This is the region that hosts the Connemara Marathon each April. It is stark, but amazing.
Also in this region is Kylemore Abbey. This 19c neo-Gothic mansion was built for Mitchell Henry after he spent his honeymoon in the area and loved it. During WW1, a group of Benedictine nuns left Ypres and eventually set up in Kylemore, turning it into an Abbey. Today they run an exclusive boarding school here.
P.S. The gate WAS open!!
Nothern Connemara
Tully Cross is just north of Letterfrack, a Quaker established village near the entrance to the Connemara National Park. Tully Cross has many thatched cottages and from there the road leads to Killary Harbour, which looks like a fiord but may not have been glaciated. It is 16km long and over 45m deep and and mussel rafts dot the harbour, as can be seen in the photo. Also you can see the Atlantic! It was rather special to walk on the beach and realise we had reached ocean that sends us most of our weather here in Dublin. The surf wasn't that great, but the wind was strong!
Roundstone - Connemara
Roundstone is the quaintest little harbour village. The harbour is actually a long way from the sea, seemingly inland along Bertraghboy Bay. As with much of this rugged coastline the harbours are at the top of inlets. It is home to lobster boats and traditional currachs, with tarred canvas bottoms stretched over wicker frames. As you can see, the one street requires patience and courtesy by all drivers! The villagers are very friendly and welcoming people. It is on a coastal road that leads to Clifden, one of the Connemara's most popular summer towns and a very scenic place with the 12 Bens - grey quartzite, bare peaks in the background and needle sharp church spires on the skyline. This road is very narrow and sparse, between bogs and rocky flats with glimpses of the rugged coast in the distance and old and modern versions of typical Irish cottages dotting the countryside.
Oughterard, Co. Galway
At Easter we headed across Ireland to Galway and stayed at a small town call Oughterard, on the shores of Lough Corrib, the largest lake in Ireland. We stayed in a guesthouse and had a traditional Irish breakfast (well the options were there, we didn't try the black pudding or sausages) and woke to an amazing view - see pictures. This a big angling area and the 'Gateway to the Connemara, a wonderful wild area of Ireland with stunning mountains and lakes and bogs and rugged coastline. We were welcomed by Michael who made us a pot of tea and we sat by the peat fire getting the low down on the area from him.
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Afternoon Tea in Co. Galway
My friend Jen from the UK (we used to work together in Australia about seven years ago) came for a week and we had a great time. It was a good opportunity to visit some of her relatives, so off we headed to County Galway. I was pretty pleased that I managed to drive 3/4 way across Ireland! We had actually been this way at Easter, so I knew the route to the N6 which leads to Galway. We stopped at Moate for lunch and then headed to Aughrim to her place. Although she had been there a couple of years ago, things do change (even in country Ireland) and after driving many gradually narrowing lanes, we eventually had to stop a passing motorist and ask directions.
We found the house and were welcomed upstairs to the lounge for a chat - mainly family history. After a while she put the tea on and eventually called us downstairs, apologizing that we had to walk through the kitchen, which contained a wood stove, a table, the dog's basket and a drying rack on the ceiling. We entered the tiny dining room and the table was set with a beautiful cloth and the good china. She had spared no trouble and we were served scones with butter and jam (cream is for Sunday), coffee cake, warmed apple tart and fruitcake and our cups were topped up repeatedly with tea. She still digs her own potatoes and does all her own cooking and keeps busy with news of the relatives and locals. We also called to visit her sister who is 89 and frail but still manages on her own. We sat by her stove in the kitchen as she reminisced about being a new bride in the family home which had raised 9 children! About 5pm we had to leave (and say no to more tea!)
I found it a privilege to see another side of country life in Ireland, listen to stories of life in the last 80 years and the hardships of farm life.
We found the house and were welcomed upstairs to the lounge for a chat - mainly family history. After a while she put the tea on and eventually called us downstairs, apologizing that we had to walk through the kitchen, which contained a wood stove, a table, the dog's basket and a drying rack on the ceiling. We entered the tiny dining room and the table was set with a beautiful cloth and the good china. She had spared no trouble and we were served scones with butter and jam (cream is for Sunday), coffee cake, warmed apple tart and fruitcake and our cups were topped up repeatedly with tea. She still digs her own potatoes and does all her own cooking and keeps busy with news of the relatives and locals. We also called to visit her sister who is 89 and frail but still manages on her own. We sat by her stove in the kitchen as she reminisced about being a new bride in the family home which had raised 9 children! About 5pm we had to leave (and say no to more tea!)
I found it a privilege to see another side of country life in Ireland, listen to stories of life in the last 80 years and the hardships of farm life.
Getting some culture in Dublin
We are keen to experience many aspects of life while living here. Ireland has a strong history of literature and the arts.
One Sunday afternoon recently we went to The National Gallery of Ireland. As it is free, we will do it in stages. Who would have thought that a painting of a family evicted from their home during the potato famine would have been so realistic that waves of homesickness swept over me and had me in tears?
Today we had our first trip to the theatre. We haven't been for a long time. So we went to a matinee of 'Love Letters' at the Tivoli - Jerry Hall and David Soul were the two actors, recounting their lives through a series of letters they wrote to each other. David has certainly aged since Starsky and Hutch!! ( I can say this as he born 14 years before me!) They weren't demanding roles, sitting reading the letters, but we enjoyed it and plan next to go and see The Deep Blue Sea which has just opened and getting great reviews. Then there is the Natural history museum, Trinity College and the Book of Kells....so many things to see!
One Sunday afternoon recently we went to The National Gallery of Ireland. As it is free, we will do it in stages. Who would have thought that a painting of a family evicted from their home during the potato famine would have been so realistic that waves of homesickness swept over me and had me in tears?
Today we had our first trip to the theatre. We haven't been for a long time. So we went to a matinee of 'Love Letters' at the Tivoli - Jerry Hall and David Soul were the two actors, recounting their lives through a series of letters they wrote to each other. David has certainly aged since Starsky and Hutch!! ( I can say this as he born 14 years before me!) They weren't demanding roles, sitting reading the letters, but we enjoyed it and plan next to go and see The Deep Blue Sea which has just opened and getting great reviews. Then there is the Natural history museum, Trinity College and the Book of Kells....so many things to see!
Anzac Day In Dublin
April 25th. 6.30am. Grangegorman Military Cemetery, Dublin.
A dawn service to remember the Anzacs. How special to be with over 100 other Aussies and be part of a memorial service to honour those who died in service of their country. Ten Anzacs are buried at Grangegorman and a candle was lit at each grave so respects could be paid.
The morning was still and cool. The occasional solemn but special. A harpist played and speeches were made, wreaths laid, prayers said. The last post played.
This is the third year the Australian Embassy has held the service and we were so grateful to be a part of it. We met the Australian Ambassador who wanted to know why she didn't know about us being in Ireland! A light breakfast was provided afterwards. Snags and bacon in a roll, orange juice, anzac biscuits! Tea and coffee, with the optional shot of Bundaberg Rum! And a sprig of rosemary to remember, which we wore for the rest of the day.
A dawn service to remember the Anzacs. How special to be with over 100 other Aussies and be part of a memorial service to honour those who died in service of their country. Ten Anzacs are buried at Grangegorman and a candle was lit at each grave so respects could be paid.
The morning was still and cool. The occasional solemn but special. A harpist played and speeches were made, wreaths laid, prayers said. The last post played.
This is the third year the Australian Embassy has held the service and we were so grateful to be a part of it. We met the Australian Ambassador who wanted to know why she didn't know about us being in Ireland! A light breakfast was provided afterwards. Snags and bacon in a roll, orange juice, anzac biscuits! Tea and coffee, with the optional shot of Bundaberg Rum! And a sprig of rosemary to remember, which we wore for the rest of the day.
They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old;
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Ireland - the IT hub???
I'm trying to be very controlled as I type this! Eleven days ago our internet went down, it has been slow every since - when it works - and not all the computers will work at once. I have discovered internet cafes all over the place and am currently sitting on the coffee table, with the laptop on a chair right in front of the telly so I can plug straight into the router!
Very annoying when some of Scott's work needs to be done at night to contact the development team back home and I like to be in regular contact with family and friends. The landlords have been helpful, but are getting sick of us! We have had stories from a damaged fibre optic cable to an upgrade that hasn't worked and needs to be rolled back to everything is ok...all this from the 'service provider' We've had our router checked, reset and the modem is located elsewhere in the building so we can't try that. Sometimes the mac works, sometimes it doesn't, the other two don't work on wireless...arggghhh! as my daughter says
I'm off to the UK tonight for a few days..hopefully when I get back it will be sorted as I have lots to upload and update!
Oh and it's not just the internet...no mail is being delivered in our area due to staff refusing to work to new regulations....
Where is that carrier pigeon?
Very annoying when some of Scott's work needs to be done at night to contact the development team back home and I like to be in regular contact with family and friends. The landlords have been helpful, but are getting sick of us! We have had stories from a damaged fibre optic cable to an upgrade that hasn't worked and needs to be rolled back to everything is ok...all this from the 'service provider' We've had our router checked, reset and the modem is located elsewhere in the building so we can't try that. Sometimes the mac works, sometimes it doesn't, the other two don't work on wireless...arggghhh! as my daughter says
I'm off to the UK tonight for a few days..hopefully when I get back it will be sorted as I have lots to upload and update!
Oh and it's not just the internet...no mail is being delivered in our area due to staff refusing to work to new regulations....
Where is that carrier pigeon?
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