wagnersinireland2019 - Tumblr blog

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July 20, 2019 - a sample of the Bru Boru show in Rock of Cashel. Great music, singing, and dancing!

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July 20, 2019 - Last day in Ireland. First photo is of Rock of Cashel, second is of Hore Abbey, both were viewable from the windows of our B&B. We walked the Tipperary Heritage Way from Athassel Abbey (my favorite abbey ruins) back to our B&B, about 10 miles. The trail was alongside the River Suir and along the edges of pastures full of cows, it was beautiful, but at times a bit rough going.

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July 18 2019 - Bunratty Castle, County Clare, Ireland

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July 18, 2017 - St. Brigid's Holy Well-Liscannor, Ireland.

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July 17, 2019 - Inisheer, the smallest of the Aran Islands. We took a very rough, 30 minute ferry boat ride here from Doolin. Many people on the boat got sick, but the Wagners all managed to keep our breakfasts down. The island is cross crossed by stone walls, intricately built and some over 8 feet high. There is the ruins of a church and a castle. Thomas particularly liked the 1960's shipwreck that can also be seen in the opening credits of the Father Ted series.

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"Baby Guinness" shots from the pub owner, Kahlua and Bailey's Irish Cream.

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July 16, 2019 - hiked the Cliffs of Moher today from Hags Head to Doolin, about 9 miles, beautiful scenery.

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Shrine of Our Lady of Knock - on August 21, 1879 in the late afternoon, for more than 2 hours, 18 villagers aged 5 to 75 years old, saw a vision of the Virgin Mary with Joseph, John the Evangelist, and the lamb of God on the altar. Mary was silent and never spoke to the visionaries, she instead appeared to be praying. Joseph also appeared to be praying while John was saying the mass. We were able to attend mass at 8 am in the small chapel that is built in front of the wall where the vision appeared. We also went in the large Basilica where there is a beautiful mosaic of the vision.

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A sample of tonight's music at McDermott's Pub in Doolin.

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July 15, 2019 - Dunguaire Castle (Tower House), Corcomroe Abbey, Caherconnel Stone Fort with Sheepherding dog demonstration with Border Colllies, Poulnabrone Wedge Tomb in the Burren, High Cross at Kilforna, McDermot's Pub in Doolin.

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The weather was gorgeous in Galway, all the locals were joking it was their one day of summer.

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Galway!

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July 14, 2019 - between Dublin and Galway we stopped at Newgrange, but instead of waiting two hours to get in, we took a photo and went to the much less visited site of Dowth, where we could walk on the mound, look into the gated chambers, and get up close to a carved rock. We had the place completely to ourselves and even walked across a field to a ruined abandoned church. Next, we toured Kilbeggan Whiskey Distillary and did a little tasting. I really liked their Single Grain Irish Whiskey.

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July 13, 2019 - A huge day in Dublin! The book of Kells, Trinity Library, lunch with Linda (a Dubliner with the City of a Thousand Welcomes program), Kilmainham Gaol, Guinness Storehouse, and cocktails at Vintage Cocktail Club in Temple Bar.

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July 12, 2019 - the final stop on our Ulysses walking tour with our guide, David Halpirn, at Sweny's pharmacy, where Leopold Bloom bought a bar of lemon soap. I learned so much about James Joyce and his book, Ulysses, on this tour, but I remain conflicted whether or not I want to read this very challenging novel.

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July 12, 2018 - James Joyce museum and Martello tower. James Joyce spent six days at this tower and then loosely based the first chapter of Ulysses on his stay here.

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July 12, 2019 - we decided to stop by Holly Child School Kilkenny, the school where my students at Connelly do an exchange program with every year. The school was not in session, but we were lucky enough to run into Anne (manager of finance) who gave us a wonderful tour of the school. Much of the original school is housed in what used to be a hotel. The school is very close to the ocean and the views from the science labs are amazing. Other classrooms have views of the Wicklow Mountains. I loved that three library is called the Maeve Binchy library, named after the famous author who is an alumni of the school.