Connemara & Cong Tour

We headed out Connemara National Park way this morning, northwest of Galway City, to the western-most area of Ireland through the magical hidden valley of Lough Nafooey.

(Click photos to enlarge.)

Lough Corrib is 65 square miles and boasts "over 360 islands -- one of the most famous islands in Lough Corrib is the wooded Inchagoil Island. Visitors to Inchagoil Island enjoy private beaches and wooded paths that lead them to St. Patrick's Church, a 5th century edifice, and the 12th century Saints Church. While strolling through the woods, visitors may also stumble upon an old cemetery and the remnants of a few cottages."

Continuing north, we pass Killary Harbor and Ireland's only fjord.

(Didn't do a photo stop here, so a stock photo will have to do.)

Passing the bridge from The Quiet Man, starring John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara...

...we go on to Cong, the little village in which it was filmed.

We also visited Kylemore Abbey and its Victorian Walled Gardens.

Kylemore Neo-Gothic Church

(Yes, Ireland has lots and lots of palm trees, surprisingly!  We heard the story of how palms were much less expensive than other trees way back when -- forgot all of the details -- so some guy bought up a ton of them and they were planted all over Ireland.  It is some variety that survives in their weather, which rarely gets into the 70's.)

The story of Kylemore Abbey.

The fireplaces of Kylemore Abbey.

The Victorian Walled Gardens at Kylemore Abbey.

And more Kylemore shots:

Passing some of my favorites scenes, those of the sheep and cattle grazing, we end up at the ruins of Ross Errilly Friary, a medieval Franciscan friary and National Monument of Ireland.

Ross Errilly Friary

We even caught a farmer herding his sheep, though with the motion of the bus and the dog running the sheep, it was not easy.

(See the dog on the left?)

A warm affection for the Irish and their countryside is rooting in my heart.