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| My Daughter at the Grave of famed poet W. B. Yeats, near Sligo |
Where We Stayed
Dublin: The Harding House - a lovely small hotel in the Christchurch area (right across from the Christchurch
Cathedral). We stayed here at both the beginning and end of our trip. "The Harding" also has a delightful pub, called "Darkey
Kelleys," which offers fine traditional music every Tuesday night. "The Harding" is *** and deservedly so. An extremely pleasant
place, although the showers are a bit weird for Americans. Quiet, too.
Western Ireland
Hotels at which we stayed included The Westport Hotel in Westport, The Park House in the City of Galway and The Alpine
House in Dingle. All are excellent,
but The Westport Hotel especially so.
It also offers a hot tub, a sauna, a heated swimming pool, a fine lounge with live entertainment, and a superb restaurant. (This
hotel is a favorite with Dubliners who go west for a vacation.)
Aside from these three hotels, we stayed in B&Bs, which in our experience are not as good as desired, but quite good.
Incidentally, Hotels and B and B's (especially the latter) are often characterized as en suite or not. En
suite means that every room has a private bath. Irish breakfasts are usually excellent, usually included in the price,
but not always so. Tea is available in one/s room and in the Dining Room. (One may or may not always get coffee.) As far is
known, all tea is made by Bewley/s. (The American equivalent is Twining/s Irish Breakfast Tea.)
High Season means "June through August." This period has the most pleasant climate but lodging may cost double
what it would cost in other seasons.
A Map of Ireland
Please refer to Page "12" for a current map. (This was downloaded from one of the many Irish websites.)
Music On This Site
I've downloaded the "midi" files of typical Irish music (not Irish - American music) from a variety of sources. On subsequent
pages, I rarely identyify the music. However (to give fair credit), about 80% of this music came from one website: < www.contemplator.com/ireland/>. On this page, the melody used is the Irish National Anthem, composed by Patrick Heany in about 1911.
"Home Page" information is continued on Page 1, following.
Comments
If you/ve visited this website and want to comment on it, please complete the form below and send it. Note that you need
not be related to or even know Daniel (the webmaster), his daughter, or Ed. Then click the <SUBMIT> button. Thanks!
The St. Patrick Memorial
The sculptor of this splendid memorial was Ken Thompson, and the memorial was erected in 1990. On the base of the memorial
are the following lines, all from Saint Patrick/s Confessions:
"I am Patrick, a sinner most unlearned, the least of all the faithful and utterly despised by many.
"The voice of the Irish: We ask you, boy, come and walk once more among us.
"It was then most necessary to cast out our nets, that a very great multitude might be caught by God.
"Let your conclusion be that my success was the gift of God."
From the base of the memorial, you can see the tallest mountain in Ireland, Croagh Paidric ("Patrick’s Mountain");
the mountain is so named because St. Patrick once made a pilgrimage there. Many devoutly religious people repeat this climb.
This memorial is a "must see" for everyone that visits County Mayo. (My photograph of it is on Page 4 here.) (My thanks
to Mrs. Bronach Joyce, Director of the Clew Bay Heritage Center, for this information.)
BOOK INFORMATION
The three of us used thoroughly Frommer/s Ireland 2003 as a planning guide and information resource. I now have
Frommer/s Ireland 2004 (by Susan Rowan Kelleher © 2004, Wiley Publishing, Hoboken, NJ 07030 - 5044), $19.99 plus tax.
(It is available almost everywhere travel books are sold.) This is a superb book by an American - born woman, married to an
Irishman, who now lives in Dublin. I also own four other books about Ireland and believe that, if a book about Ireland is
interesting and/or informative, one should buy it. Many are worthwhile. With regard to the first item referenced, however,
it was indispensable. (Apparently, Ms. Kelleher/s book changes little from year to year.)
While hotel information was current, some other detailed information was not very current. Prices continually go up because
of the Exchange Rate (see Page P12).
INDEBTEDNESS
My daughter in California paid for most of this trip - a terrible expense for a single mother living on a strict budget
and raising a son single - handed - as a 75th birthday present for me. The trip was her idea, and I shall always be grateful.
Thanks, too, to her friend Ed for handling part of the expense and a great share of the planning and work!
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