To celebrate our 20th, Anna and I returned to the wilds of Ireland. This time we were unencumbered: no kids, no work, few fixed plans. The theme of our time was rest: one morning I slept in past noon, something I haven’t done in decades.
Other highlights from the trip:
- Singing sea shanties at top volume in a packed bar in Galway with the Wellermen
- Biking the stark, tree-less landscape of Inis Mór in the blazing sun
- Exploring a remote corner of Ireland called The Burren. The road narrowed from a divided street to a country lane just one car length wide, and further still to just two paved stripes with a grassy rise in the centre – while officially remaining a two-way road with an 80 km/hour speed limit. Hidden in the hills is The Burren Perfumery, founded by a botanist who extracted beauty from abundant wildflowers in this rugged environment.
- Long talks in Limerick with Devin, an old friend from Victoria.
- Hearing the clop of horse hooves along the River Shannon in Limerick. It wasn’t a carriage ride for tourists: Irish Travellers still favour getting to town by horseback.
- Experiencing trad music at its purest and finest at the Willy Clancey Memorial Concert in Miltown Malbay. Even outside the performance, the skill level of the eight-year-olds busking on street corners exceeded that of most high schoolers back home.
- Traditional Irish melodies never pause for breath but cascade up and down, flowing like unbroken rivers. So too Irish conversation, which never pauses for breath but continues in unbroken flutter.
- Finding the World’s Best Gas Station Food Court in Kells, complete with a carvery (cleverly named the Cook of Kells) and an ingenious smoothie machine.
- Reconnecting with Tim and Jen, old friends from Regent College, at Killeavy Castle in Newry.
- Scrambling through the heather to the summit of Slieve Gullion, the highest point in County Armagh. I limped for days afterwards, but the trek and the view was worth it.
Photo Gallery - Ireland
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