On our drive back to Achill Island from Galway we stopped in the small town of Clifden and found these ruins of a relatively ‘young’ castle outside of town. Built in 1835, it didn’t last very long for a castle!

At one point the castle was a school for young Irish girls training to be maids for the “Big Houses” of the English or Irish gentry landlords.

The drive along the wild west Irish coast is beautiful!

We ended the day with an evening walk into the moors as the sunset colored the clouds.

The 5 of us Fallon and extended family took a trip to Galway to experience the trad (traditional) music scene there.

We started with a trad Irish lunch!

After lunch we joined a city walking tour to learn some history of the city, including visiting a section of the medieval city wall preserved within a modern shopping mall! Much more scenic is the short 3.7 mile River Corrib that flows from Lough Corrib to Galway Bay through Galway City.

Moored on the river is a Galway Hooker, a type of boat specific to the area, built to withstand the rough seas of Galway Bay.

We also saw the cutest thatch-roofed store in Galway!

We finally made our way to The Crane Bar, after attempting to hear trad music at 3 other bars, but finding no seating available!

We arrived early enough to get seating to view and hear the 3 fiddlers, one accordionist, one harmonica player and a drummer on a snare drum perform.

The harmonica player also did several Irish step-dance sets!

Robert spent the day on another adventure in London, visiting the Tower Bridge and the nearby attractions!

The moat around the Tower of London has been re-landscaped into a wildflower garden Oasis!

In the background is the Tower Bridge, often mistaken for the London Bridge.

In 1968 the London Bridge which was opened in 1831, was sold to an entrepreneur who reconstructed it at Lake Havasu City in Arizona in 1971! A new London Bridge, in London, was constructed and opened by Queen Elizabeth II in 1973.

The Tower Bridge is supposedly more impressive than the London Bridge!

After a tour of the bridge from below and above, Robert continued his walk around London.

A view of the Tower Bridge with the modern skyline of London in the background.

A beautiful garden view along the Thames River.

We went for a late morning swim at Keem Strand in a light mist and cool breeze.

A long ‘strand’ of sandy beach and clear sea-glass green water the same temperature as the air!

The sun broke through the clouds and the breeze blew the mist away. After we left the water we looked back as a seal popped it’s head up as if to ask ” where are you going? The water’s great!”

In spring the waters here are frequented by basking sharks that in the past were hunted for their valuable oil.

After our swim we decided to climb the cliff above the beach.

We accidently got off the main trail and followed sheep trails through the heather on the slope.

At the top are the remains of several buildings, from ancient watch tower, medieval shepherd shelter to more recent coastguard lookout, all with long views of the rugged Atlantic coast.

A gap in the crumbling stone wall frames the moor sweeping up the sides of the cliffs.

On the right in the above picture is Croaghaun mountain towering over the valley and sweeping down to Keem Strand. On the opposite side of the mountain the tallest cliffs in Ireland plunge down to the Atlantic, cliffs that are three times higher than the more accessible and tourist-mobbed Cliffs of Moher!

Our adventures today deserved a reward! The smallest pub on Achill Island and one of the smallest in Ireland!

A toasty turf fire helped warm us to the bone after our swim and hike in the blustery cool breeze on the cliffs!

We woke up in a temporary accommodation, not being able to get into our B&B after a 2 hour drive through the dark and stormy night. We were able to find enough beds for the 5 of us at a nearby hotel, Achill Isle House in the nearby town of Keel. We enjoyed a delicious breakfast and headed to explore the area before moving to our original accommodation.

We met our tour guide for one of the last tours of the season at the ‘Deserted Village of Slievemore‘.

On the south slope of Slievemore mountain near Keel are the remnants of a village site that was occupied for about 6000 years. Rows of the remains of about 100 houses line an ancient road with sweeping views down to Keel beach. The last residents moved on in the 1960’s when it was considered more of a ‘booley’ village, occupied primarily in the summer by cattle herders.

Now it is home to rainbow colored sheep!

After settling in at our B&B house in the town of Dooega we took a drive around the south coast of Achill island on  a tiny portion of the 1600 mile Wild Atlantic Way.

We stopped to admire the white cliffs of Ashleam.

We then stopped at Kildavnet Tower, a stronghold of the famous “Pirate Queen” Grace O’Malley.

Grace O’Malley, Gráinne Ní Mháille in Irish, was an Irish noblewoman in the 15th century, who inherited a sailing fleet and trading business from her father, and lands from her mother. She was a strong leader and even met with Queen Elizabeth I as an equal.