The Emerald Isle - Galway (Part 3)

Today we were headed to Galway and on the way we stopped in Adare which was a quaint storybook village. We had a little time to walk around and take in the sights.

We also stopped at the Cliffs of Moher. It was a really windy day but the cliffs were incredible.

Afterward, we made a quick pass through the village of Lisdoonvarna which hosts a month-long matchmaking festival each September. As many as 60,000 attendees from all over the world descend on this tiny village with hopes of finding love...or at least a cute Irishman for a few days.

Castle ruins were everywhere throughout the countryside. I would have loved to stop and poke around some of them.

After arriving in Galway, we checked into the Harbour Hotel. It was adequate but nothing to write home about. I guess I was spoiled from my previous few days at Dunloe. Looking out my hotel room window, I noticed the view of the cemetery across the street.

Creepy or quaint? I couldn't decide.

Other than the hotel, I loved Galway. It was easy to navigate and very walkable with lots of shops, restaurants, and street buskers. It felt artsy and vibrant.

Over the next several days, we saw the following places:

Inishmore

We took a ferry to Inishmore which is the largest of the three Aran Islands. It turned out to be one of my favorite places that we visited.

How can you not fall in love with a place where people build tiny fairy houses in their front yard?

Dun Aengus is a Celtic stone fort that sits dramatically on a cliff. The hike to get there was a little long but the views were stunning.

These are some additional pictures from around the island.

Kylemore Abbey

This estate was absolutely breathtaking and has quite a colorful history. It started as a hunting lodge where a couple honeymooned. Later they purchased the land and built their dream home...a castle. When the Mrs. died unexpectedly, it was then sold to an American heiress and her husband, the 9th Duke of Manchester. It's rumored that the Duke had a terrible gambling problem and subsequently lost the estate in a bet. Later, the castle became a sanctuary for a group of nuns that fled Belgium during WWI and today it continues to be a working monastery.

This is the neo-Gothic church on the grounds.

This is the Victorian Walled Garden

This tree looked like one inhabited by a fairy so I had to get a picture. There were lots of them everywhere.

Well, my Irish adventure was coming to an end as I was flying home in the morning. What an incredible trip! There were so many beautiful sights, each more amazing than the last, and the people were some of the friendliest that I've ever encountered.

The group I travelled with was fantastic. The schedule was hectic at times with little down time but I never would have seen as much on my own. Because I didn't have to worry about all of the logistics and planning on this trip, I returned home truly relaxed.