Alrighty not because there isn’t much to say but because I keep dragging this out and you really probably don’t need the play by play. So here is Days 4, 5 & 6.
Our first day in Galway, since we were both tried of sitting in a car, we walked about 30 minutes to the downtown shopping area. This is a quaint old section of town that during the day is pedestrian only streets. The streets are cobblestone but for the most part not unlike an old part of town in the States, except the difference in age and the Irish look and feel.
That evening my brother and I met up down by the bay to find dinner. The location we met has a Great story to it. You see, he was desperate to ride bike around and I was worn out, so we went our separate ways for a couple hours. About the time for dinner he sent me a meeting location down next to the Galway Bay. I arrived, made sure I was in the right location and then began to look around. A stone’s throw away I saw a little area that looked like an observation point of sorts, with what looked like a rather large plaque. Of course I went over to see what this was and I was so glad that I did. For wouldn’t you know it, it was a plaque with the words to the song “Galway Bay” written on it, in 4 different languages. “Galway Bay” song happens to be one of my all time favorite songs about Ireland and I was so excited that I’d get to actually see Galway Bay while I was there. This plaque made it that much more special. I might’ve teamed up a bit. The cool thing, my brother had no idea that it was there, he just picked a random spot. But you know, The Father knew and He knew that it would Bless the socks off me. I LOVED it and it was just before sunset. If you’ve never heard it before take a moment and listen here. Now remember this song here is a part of my Irish heritage, that I’ve grown up listening to and Dreaming of one day seeing. When you listen, think of that place you’ve always dreamed of seeing, that you are finally getting to see and then you may have an idea of how I felt. Seeing that plaque was one of the things that made that trip feel real.
Our second day in Galway we went out to The Burren and visited the smallest and remotest chocolate factory in the world. Hazel Mountain Chocolates, located on a 300 year old family farm. It was a quaint little place. In the back you got the grand tour of their very small chocolate factory. Each time they make a batch of chocolate, the beans are always from a single source. They don’t mix beans from one farm location to another. Another thing is that even season to season a source can change in flavor and scent but that is the uniqueness of the beans coming through. They don’t add anything to keep the flavors consistent. Of course my brother and I had to purchase some to bring home. Yes you definitely could taste the quality in the chocolate. Out front of their factory, they also had a small café with a bunch of Cocoa themed/flavored items. I no longer can remember what each had but I do remember it being yummy. I would definitely return to their place, it was a quiet, peaceful location, out in the middle of nowhere but still not that far out that it’s too long of a drive.
After the Chocolate factory we made our way into the town of Kinvara, where we would be attending a Medieval Banquet at the Dunguaire Castle. We arrived in town early so we had time to roam around and also just relax. For the most part we relaxed in the park of sorts by the boat docking area. The craziest thing about this area was the tide. We were still on the Galway Bay and I say the tide was probably right around a 20 foot difference. There was nothing but mud in the harbor area and the sailboats were sitting up on their keels.
That evening we attended the Medieval Banquet and show. It was a small location but the show was interesting. They recited poetry, sang songs, played the harp and told stories. The neatest part about the evening, there was a family there, parents and their adult children, the dad was a descendent of the O’Hynes family that built the castle back in the 1500’s. They were now from Oregon, I believe now, talk about crazy cool. He said he wasn’t sure if he wanted to come at first because his ancestor who had left Ireland was a wanted man but he was then happy that he had come and was having a wonderful time.
The next day we headed out to see our Roots! First we headed for Tulsk, Co. Roscommon, this being where our 3x Great Grandparents were buried, along with their youngest son and daughter-in-law, our 4x Great Uncle and Aunt. I knew they were buried in the Tulsk cemetery but didn’t know the location of it. Finally we arrived in town and had to turn left or right, as I turned Left my brother looked right and spotted a cemetery. Sure enough it was the right one. Our 3x Grandpa and his son had been Ropemakers and Grocers in Strokestown, Co. Roscommon. The were both Francis Kenny. The elder died in 1891 at the age of 88 and the younger died in 1926 at the age of 73. They had lived in one of the hardest hit areas during the Great Potato Famine. The elder had from what we know 16 children, all of which were born right before, during and right after the famine, many of them ended up emigrating to the States.
After visiting the cemetery, we headed onto Strokestown, Co. Roscommon. Where we took a tour of the Strokestown House. This was the manor house and it is still furnished with a lot of the original items. This house has also become a great source for famine period documentation. Most everything was destroyed or forgotten from that time period but this place has a wealth of information and now holds the National Famine Museum on it’s grounds. The interesting thing is that it just happens to be the exact town that one of my branches of Irish ancestors actually come from. We actually were able to walk on the street they had lived and worked on. I look forward to one day going back and seeing more of the town and maybe locating the building or at least the location they lived and worked.
The next day we headed out early for Northern Ireland.
