wanderlust: louisburgh and the west

After leaving Sligo we headed to County Mayo. On the way we stopped in Turlough, where the (free!) Museum of Country Life is located. Turlough also has a great round tower. Good stuff.

Check out Josh's new Aran sweater--doesn't he make a great Mr Rogers?

Back to the museum. It opened in 2001, and exhibits the rural way of life of the Irish people between 1850 and 1950. This exhibit showed a man-trap. Seriously. Back when the Irish tenant farmers were struggling to become owners of the land that they worked, the landowner's weapon for preventing people from trespassing on the land was this giant metal trap that could probably take off a leg. Ouch.

One of the exhibits also showed how resourceful people were, and how they made things like baskets, sleeping mats, hats, horse leads and saddles, and these lovely costumes...
Straw costumes for disguise and protection were worn on many occasions throughout the year. In some parts of the country, especially in Sligo and Mayo, strawboys went to weddings (uninvited) and demanded a drink and sometimes money. Bad kids.

This is the Turlough house, which used to be the landowner's house in that particular area. It was a B&B for a time as well.

We spent some time wandering around Westport and then drove to Murrisk to hike up Croagh Patrick. Croagh Patrick is 2,507 ft tall, and is an important site of pilgramge. This view of Clew Bay is always gorgeous.

The sheep beat us to the top.

The chapel that was built on the top of Croagh Patrick. When it's clear, you can see it from the ground.

View from the top!

The statue of St Patrick at the beginning of the climb.

Having a pint and dinner at one of many lovely pubs! This one had many drunk old men. It was quite fun. There was one guy who giggled a lot, and one guy who kept yelling 'turn it up! turn it up! about the match on the TV. The barkeep said, 'we don't have any turnips here!'

Josh went surfing at Carrowniskey beach. There's a surf shop in Louisburgh now!
The rented board.

That little speck at the corner is Josh headed into the waves.

Took a walk to the rocky beach (past the cottages and all the fun places we went to during our semester here!)

Beware the bull.

The Louisburgh-Islandeady Gaelic football game in Westport .

Cute kids when we all went out to eat for Bridget and PJ's 31st wedding anniversary!

Aren't they cute? We stayed with Megs and Paul at Bridget and PJ's house--more fabulous Irish hospitality! It was a lovely time. They are such great hosts. Bridget made us a fabulous lunch on Sunday that filled us up so much we couldn't even stop for fish stew at Clifden hours and hours later!

After thanking our Irish family, we headed south on Sunday. This is one of my favorite areas in Ireland--Doo Lough, on the way to Leenane. So pretty!

Stopped by Kylemore Abbey...

And drove through Connemara, a beautiful area with lots of peat bogs! Though you can't really see it, the turf (peat) is cut and piled. The bogs are cool. And peat fires smell just beautiful.

Driving on the Clifden Sky road, looking out on the Atlantic!

It was windy!!!

We got into Galway to our B&B and walked into town ate some fabulous garlic cheese fries at Supermacs in Eyre Square. Tasty!

Galway is a super cool town--there's not a ton of touristy things to do, but it has such a good vibe to it. It has a big pedestrian area with lots of shopping and random street musicians and good people watching. Like what this guy is doing with Oscar Wilde and Edmund Wilde.