8/17 -- The Cliffs of Moher, Explore Ennis

We set off for the Cliffs of  Moher today, hoping that the rain would hold off or at least let up for a bit while we were there. On the way, we saw a monument to the Great Famine and one of many St. Bridget's Wells.

We could not stop at the monument, and the bus windows were wet so this is not the best picture, but it is a sad story. There were places then to help, but they were overloaded. A four-year-boy, whose family had all starved, was brought to a workhouse by a neighbor. It was winter, he was lightly clothed and starving. The people who ran the place said there was no room and closed the door on him and then debated whether to make an exception and try to help. By the time they decided, he had died on their doorstep. 

The right hand panel represents the door closed to the
hapless toddler.

Before the arrival of Christianity in Ireland in the early 5th century and looked at co-opting the existing pagan gods to make Christianity more accessible and acceptable to the populace. The goddess Bridget was quite popular and associated with many of the springs or wells across the country and was transformed into St. Bridget. (On the Kerry peninsula, we encountered many people making St. Bridget's Crosses out of reeds and selling them as good luck charms.) We had a quick stop at a well and cemetery and found also many thankful offerings to St. Bridget lining the walls to the spring.

St  Bridget

The well or spring

The cemetery with both old and newer headstones.

Finally, we arrived at the Cliffs of Moher. The rain was tolerable, but the wind was ferocious. Jim saw a child who was peering thru a mounted telescope actually get lifted off the ground by the wind. We both donned our rainpants for wind protection, not rain, and I wore my buff to keep my neck and chin warm. The cliffs were spectacular, despite the slight fog and we walked to both ends of the vantages points before retiring to the visitor's center, which was a bit of a disappointment. I think the stop could have been 30 minutes shorter and we wouldn't have missed anything, but perhaps in better weather, we would have ventured further outdoors.

The primary cliffs, which would be even more spectacular
under better conditions.

Looking the other way from the cliffs was O'Brien's Castle

O'Brien's Castle up close

On of the other Jims (there 3 Jims now) took this.

More cliffs looking past the castle

This rock formation is at the base of the cliffs above.

A little further back, this sheer wall was more visible.

The wind is trying to blow  Jim backwards.

When we walked above the original cliffs and
looked back, this was the view of the castle
cliff.

 

We started from Ennis, the lower right on the map, and drove
to where the red arrow is pointed. We had lunch just north
in Doolin, which is also the ferry stop to the Aran Islands,
where we will go tomorrow.

This evening, Holly led us around Ennis and to Knox's Pub, where she  had reserved an upstairs room for a special  music show with three local people just for us. They played fiddle, accordian, and bouzouki, a 10-stringed instrument that looked like a cross between a mandolin and a 12-string guitar. Between playing jigs, reels, and hornpipes, we asked them about their music and instruments. It was a truly delightful encounter.

This is the bouzouki. It has paired strings,
but the strings are tuned the same instead
of in octaves, like the 12-string guitar, and
very different pitches too -- D-A-D-A-D
instead of E-A-D-G-B-E in the guitar.