Cliffs of Moher, Bunratty Castle, Killarney, Busiest day ever, Mar 31

It's an early departure day - buses are loaded and we're off at 7:00am.  Our first destination is Cliffs of Moher.  I should mention that our tour guides plan shopping stops( and bathroom breaks) on these long wanderings around the island.  It is very well organized as each coach stops at a different spot.  Otherwise, 140 people would delay us getting everyone to the bathroom and shopping and munchies.  Our route goes along the North Atlantic coast and through Ennis and eventually Killarney.

 I'm sure Gerry, our tour guide told us what this particular castle was, but I've forgotten.

 Maybe there will be sunshine.

A hint of a rainbow

 Glimpses of the North Atlantic Ocean

We stopped here at a little cafe for a bathroom break and coffee or tea, muffins or scones. A couple of the boys decided to run along the shore.  They misjudged the waves and got wet feet.  It was pretty cold and of course rainy.  They tried drying their socks on the space heater at the cafe but finally bought dry socks at the next store we came to. 

This is the only picture I have of the Cliffs of Moher which was hanging in the Dublin Airport.  

 It looked peaceful enough, a little sun.

Looks like lots of walking though. Then the wind kicked up.   Jim and I were too traumatized just getting into the Visitor's Center.  The wind was super strong. To walk from the coach to the shops, we had to bend over at the waist and link elbows and power through to walk on the sidewalk.  The coaches were rocking in the wind.  Our driver was worried that the door would be damaged by the wind gusts.  The park ranger said they were at a level orange alert which was one level short of closing the path to the cliffs. 

I got this picture off the internet.  Picture overcast, angry skies, certainly no sheep on the meadow, huddled, bent over stumbling walkers trying to get to the wall to see the cliffs.  Not sure if I want to come back here even if the weather is good.  Aidan said he did not want to live in Ireland because the wind was too strong.  Jon and family did walk a distance up the path but gave up when Aidan became airborn even with Jon holding on to him.   The wind is especially nasty as it will blast the front of you and whip around to slug you in the back.  So we stayed inside.  There were several shops with wonderful Irish merchandise and a delightful little restaurant.  There is a very nice educational display with history, native plants and birds and a wonderful Imax type movie with a GoPro camera that captures the incredible craggy views and also underwater features.  So we learned alot without risking life and limb to walk to the cliffs.  As we were leaving we watched a panel fly off the side of the German coach.  The driver staggered out to pick it up but the wind kept blowing him backwards.  One of the other guides staggered out to help him and together they hauled it back to the bus.  Needless to say, we were happy to leave the inhospitable Atlantic gales smashing into the Cliff of Moher

Off we go into the countryside.  All those stones.  Image what it must have been like BEFORE the field was cleared.  Notice the sheep huddled against the wall.  Even they knew this was no weather to be out in.

Ancient buildings next to a newer settlement

Not sure exactly where we are, but that's the Atlantic

Just around this corner we came to a Irish version of an " dueling Mexican standoff" with our coach and another going the opposite way.  On these narrow streets there wasn't an inch to spare.  Our guide Gerry asked everyone to breathe in to save room.  After a few seconds of each driver eye balling the other, the other bus inched up on the sidewalk and we shrunk ourselves around the corner with the merest tiny space to spare.  Bless Margaret!!!

 In the distance is an old abandoned railway bridge.  Gerry said the railways were the only business to be so successful they put themselves out of business.  By expanding into the west of Ireland, it became possible for starving people to get to the coast to immigrate.  So it was that during the great famine, nearly a million left Ireland. Some parts of Ireland are turning the old railway lines into hiking paths.  There are adventure tours now for cyclists, hikers and those who want an active vacation.  My warning, be prepared to be wet and cold while you enjoy the rough, beautiful mountains, bogs, ruins, and countryside

 So many ruins with no one alive who remembers their story.

 We arrive at Bunratty Castle and Folk Park.  This is sort of like our version of a Renaissance fair with old buildings set up to replicate a village in the castle days, you know, blacksmiths, old fashioned bakery, tea shop, etc.  This one has a restored castle. More about that later..

Lunch with the family at McNamara and Son Pub where there was an authentic peat fire in the fireplace.  Jim had another wonderful version of seafood chowder.  They did pause when he asked for ice tea(crazyAmericans)

 I didn't care what provided the warmth as long as I could get in out of the rain and cold!!!

 This is where we finally found Jim's tweed hat to match his wool vest ( called waistcoat in Ireland).  We had looked all over for one without a snap in the front, with only 6 panels instead of the floppy Gatsby style with 8 panels in a warm light brown tweed.  Success!!  Close up to follow later

Must wear raincoat over vest and warm coat.  It may look brighter but rain showers were always happening.

That's where they got the idea for conestoga wagons!!!  Old world, new world.

Very cure baby goats romping around

Aidan looked longingly at this playground, but cold, rain and mud deterred.  Besides, there was the old school and the castle to explore.

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The band was scheduled to perform outside which would have been great.....except for the rain.  So the Corn Barn was transformed to a concert hall.   There was a mix up in time too, their time was moved up one hour which disappointed those visitors who came at 3:30 when Glenbard had started at 2:30. 

Band Repertoire - they played selections from these

Emperata Overture  Claude T. Smith

World's Fair March   Alfredo Antonini / John Cacavas 

Winds of the Run    Eric Osterling (featured woodwinds)

Hilltoppers March   Paul Yoder ( Glenbard's fight song)

Song of Lir    Fergal Carroll

Fantasy on an Irish Air    Richard Saucedo ( This was Danny Boy and one of our guides always sang quietly along with this one)

Hands Across the Sea   John Phillip Sousa/Fred Fennell

Selections from the musical "Rent"    Jonathan Larsen/Jay Bocock (This one was especially complex and showed how talented the students were)

Stars and Stripes Forever    John Phillip Sousa / Keith Brion

Jon rented the large instruments for the band.  How would like to be the rented van that chased us all over the island with the instruments.  Only the band performed here. The orchestra and choir were scheduled to perform later in the evening at St Patrick's Church in Kenmare.

 The castle wall which where the villagers would evacuate to for protection from invaders

 Note the stairs and the height of the building - too much for us to climb.  We visited the ground floor.  Kristin and the kids went all the way to the top

 Authentic poultry complete with noisy crowing rooster.

Daffodils and primrose, perfectly happy in the rain.  Off we go to Killarney and finally to our hotel for the next 2 days