The drive from Doolin to Galway, along the coast (R477), was spectacular – more limestone, farms and ranches, stone houses adorned with bright flowers, and ocean views that mesmerize. We arrived at our condo in the Salthill area of Galway early for check-in, which gave us a chance to check out the neighborhood. Continue reading “Galway: Sept 4-6”
Sept. 1-4: Doolin, Ireland
What Do’in in Doolin? by Cathy
As directed by our Airbnb host, we picked up the keys to our Doolin cottage from Fred, the neighbor and local musician. The sign on the door said, “Knock loudly, and then be patient.” We knocked. We waited. Patiently, we thought. Then, thinking our knock may not have been loud enough, we knocked again. “Ulrigh, I ‘ear yuh!” we heard from inside. Moments later, the door opened to reveal Ted, a white-haired and bearded, jolly fellow, with one tooth and one leg missing (thus explaining the “be patient” part). He gave us the keys and a hand drawn map of the town with several pubs, one store, and one church marked. He told us which pubs were his favorites – O’Connell’s and McGann’s – which corresponded to where he’d be playing the following nights. We thanked him and told him we were looking forward to seeing him perform.
Our excitement about staying in this 100+ year-old house was briefly dampened when we discovered there was no WiFi.
Waterford to Doolin via Limerick
From the Penthouse to the Outhouse, by Cathy
The drive from Waterford to Doolin was like most drives in Ireland – varying colors of green out the window and, luckily, blue sky with the kind of cotton-ball clouds that add, rather than detract from the landscape. Jeff’s driving on the “right” side of the car and the left side of the road was (and continues to be) great, even when we got off the main roads and onto the notoriously narrow hedge-row and/or rock-wall lined roads.
We stopped off in Limerick to see if we could catch the Angela’s Ashes walking tour that was recommended Dan Flaxman (who we’re meeting up with in Florence on 10/2) a good friend of the McCourt brothers. Jeff worked at Perry’s with Michael McCourt, one of Frank’s younger brother’s, from the late ‘70s to the late ‘80s and got to know Michael, Frank, and Malachi McCourt quite well. Malachi is still alive and living in New York, but with both Michael and Frank now gone, our visit to Limerick was more about paying homage to a friend than being a tourist. We asked a woman at the tourist information office about the walking tour and she directed us to the Frank McCourt Museum, just a few blocks down the road (a common Irish phrase). Continue reading “Waterford to Doolin via Limerick”