Tuesday, May 20, 2014 - Off to Galway

Driving rain on the M16 most of the way to Galway, a three hour drive.

On the M16

I spent the trip writing in my journal in the back seat until Janet said, "Green pastures."

Blurry sheep

I looked up to see sheep and cows grazing in endless fields of green.   I tried of course to take "sheep" pictures and only got speeding blur.    I did get a nice shot of the yellow gorse bush, which grow everywhere and of a peat bog we passed.

Gorse Bush

Peat Bog

Janet said to watch for where the hedgerow turned into stone walls and sure enough there were hedges surrounding crumbling walls and then stacked stone walls creating a crazy quilt of patterns across the fields dotted with sheep.   I have never seen so many rocks!

Hedgerows give way to stone walls

Just as we arrived in Galway the sun began to part the clouds.

Entering Galway from the M16

The rain had stopped and we arrived at the Four Seasons B&B to be greeted by Eddie Fitzgerald, as talkative an Irishman as you will ever meet.

The Four Seasons

He immediately tells us the story of the new St. Nicholas Cathedral and how it was funded by the Kennedy brothers and Cardinal Cushing from Boston during the 80's - and we haven't even gotten into the house yet.   He suggested that what we really wanted to see was the old Collegiate Cathedral of St. Nicholas of Myra - the oldest medieval parish still in active use in all of Ireland.  It was here that Christopher Columbus used to pray before making his historic trip across the Atlantic to discover North American in the name of Spain.

We walked into town, which took about twenty minutes.

Steve and Janet in front of Maxwells

Had lunch at a lovely place called Maxwells that served Plaice, which is a local fresh caught fish.  Then a stroll down the pedestrian walkway.  Galway's a bit like Newport, RI as a seaside resort town full of tourists.   Its also a university town: Yeats University and the National University of Ireland are just a few.

Oscar Wilde and Bernard Shaw

It's commercial, but also funky and artsy like Provincetown on Cape Cod.  Galway is also home of the Claddagh ring named after a former fishing village just across the River Corrib that runs through the center of the city.

Claddagh symbol
of friendship and faithfullness

Janet bought a new Claddagh ring and I bought a penny whistle and a mandolin book.  I tried mandolins, but realized I had no real way to bring one back with me.  Then we went into a knitwear store where I bought beautiful Aran knit socks for Julia.  It was tempting to buy a sweater, but I waited as we are going to the Aran Isles in the morning.

A visit to the Collegiate Cathedral was quite moving.  Its a beautiful old Romanesque church with multiple layers of ancestors buried in the floor and Sunday School projects sponsored by the neighborhood Mother's Union on the tables. The oldest still active parish in Ireland where Columbus said his prayers. I sat in the private chapel and gave thanks for this trip and prayed for my mother and all of my Irish ancestors.

Mother's Union Sunday School Project
Easter Vigil

Tig Coili - a classic Irish pub with "trad"music sessions was just across the cobblestone street,

but we walked over to the River Corrib first and were astounded to see how swift and violent were the waves and current.  Apparently people fall in all the time and are swept to sea by the raging current - and I imagine many drunks.

Swift current of the River Corrib

Claddagh Village

Numerous swans graced the edges of the river and the Claddagh village fishing boats along the opposite side against the darkening sky which was both teal grey and blue.  Very dramatic.   Claddagh Village seems like it was filled with lore and ancient wives tales, mystery and magic as well as hard working fishermen and their wives.  On our side the sun was still shining and people were laying on the grass above the river, while the clouds threatened from the opposite bank.   So we ducked into the Galway City Museum which had the statue of Padraic Connoeal an Irish storyteller and political commentator who died in poverty from alcoholism.

They also had a full size Galway Hooker - not what you are thinking - but a traditional Claddagh sailing ship hanging from the ceiling.  This one was named for a Claddagh King during the 1960's - an example of a clan, which has held onto its identity.

Galway Hooker "Mairtin Oliver" named for a Claddagh King

Claddagh fishing wife in traditional garb
Photo from Galway Museum 

I took pictures of the artifacts and pottery and a list of tarifs from the old port city.

List of regulations for commerce in Old Galway

Reliquery of a saint's skull

Just when we left the museum it began to thunder and lightening.  We headed back to Tig Coili in downpour an hour early for the 6:30 session.

While we waited we were chatted up by a very drunk, but nattily dressed older man, who gave up his seat at the bar for me.  He seemed very interested in whether I was married and needed company.   It took an hour of explaining to him that I was just there to hear the music before the music actually started.  He apologized and explained that he was Irish and the Irish just were that way.  Janet and Steve ordered pints and some Tullamore Dew -  a very smooth Irish whiskey.

Janet and Steve at Tig Coili

Police badges from around the world behind the bar

The music started with a fiddle, a small squeeze box and a tin whistle.   My drunken companion said it was his friend Jerry Mullholland doing the singing - a fine rendition of Waltzing Matilda.  Then he recited a poem about cows and acid rain in County Cork.  A true Irish bard.

Trad music sesien

I was able to escape then because our dinner reservation was at 7:00 in the old Customs House on the river.  Ard Bia (or Fine Food) at Nimmo  - right near the Spanish Arch, named for the Spanish ships and seamen who frequented the town.

Spanish Arch

Ard Bia at Nimmo - indeed fine food
- in the old city customs house

On the way home we got to see the seedy side of this port town.  We took a side street home and we witnessed what looked like a drug hand off as two youth approached each other and then hurried off in opposite direction.  Tomorrow its off to Inesmoor in the Aran Isles.

Scenes on a side street Galway

Off the main drag