A Return Trip to Ireland, Part 2

Garden Gate at Glenveagh N.P.

Having fun on Carrick Island, N.I.

Powerscourt Estate Gardens

Welcome Back!!

In part 1 of our Ireland trip, I began a Top 10 countdown of our favorite experiences. We ventured through numbers 6-10.  Here, in part 2, the countdown continues with the top 5, leading to number 1.  I noticed something rather amusing with this countdown.  It pretty much sums up my interests and hobbies to a tee.  For those who know me, you know that I love photography, gardening, travel and genealogy.  The top 5 seems to encompass all of these interests beautifully.  It also made me realize that I much prefer outdoor landscapes to city life.  That's probably why the larger cities and towns made the lower half of the list, with one exception. 
 And so, without further ado, I present to you our top 5 experiences.......

P.S. in case you missed Part 1, you can catch up here.  I also recommend that if you are reading this on a cell phone, you may want to view the web or desktop version as sometimes the photos can appear distorted on the phone.

#5-Glenveagh N.P./Mt. Errigal

Glenveagh Castle

Within the rugged landscape of Co. Donegal sits two beautiful places: Glenveagh National Park and Mount Errigal.  The gems of Glenveagh N.P. are the Glenveagh Castle and gardens.  From the visitor center, one can either walk 4 km. to the castle and gardens or take a shuttle bus.  The easy walk takes you alongside the shoreline of a lake surrounded by the Derryveagh mountain range.  The area reminded us a lot of the Cairngorms of Scotland.  The mountains have no trees but the coloring of the vegetation looks like camouflage. Glenveagh is the 2nd largest national park in Ireland.  
                                

                             Yeah, the castle was nice....but the gardens!  Oh My!!

             

Not far from Glenveagh N.P. is Mt. Errigal.  Its height is 2,564 ft.  Most folks we spoke to said it would take about an hour and a half to reach the top.  What they failed to mention is that there are no trail markers and the mountain is very rocky.  Now, I don't mind a challenging hike, but I like a reasonably safe hike.  For me, Mt. Errigal did not meet this criteria.  You start off walking through very marshy grassland.....again, unmarked.  Then you proceed to climb up terrain which is rocky and lots of loose pebbles under foot. The ridge itself is also very narrow with sheer dropoffs and no guardrails .  I didn't feel safe, so I sat this one out.  However, super Mike did make it to the top.  He did agree that it was a very tricky hike.....worse than Angel's Landing in Zion N.P. in Utah.  That said it all for me.  I made the right decision.  Mike did get some spectacular photos up there, though. 

 Mt. Errigal 

If you look closely, you can see a few hikers making their way up. 

#4-Powerscourt Estate and Waterfalls
Only 45 minutes south of Dublin in the Wicklow Mountains is the magnificent Powerscourt Estate.  Built during the mid 1700s by the 1st Viscount of Powerscourt, the estate was a great example of Palladian design and architecture.  In 1961, the estate was sold to a private family who still own the property today.  Tragically in 1974 during renovations, the mansion suffered devestating damages during a fire which gutted the main home.  It did not reopen to the public until 1996. Visitors can't view the inside of the home, but  there are gift shops and a cafe on the first level for their enjoyment. Today, it is a fine reminder of the majesty of days gone by. One could spend a good part of the day taking in all of the pristine gardens, the beautiful Wicklow Mountains, and the stately mansion. Even on a rainy day, it was quite enjoyable.    

The Majestic Powerscourt Estate and Triton Lake 

Winged Horses at Triton Lake

Dolphin Fountain

The hardest part of this blog is choosing favorite or best pics, especially when the subject matter is something I love so much.  It's hard not to share more photos of Powerscourt, so I narrowed it down to those that sum up the beauty of this place. Hint: you can click on individual photos to see them in better detail if you so wish.  

You know I was in my happy place here.   The Serene Japanese Gardens

A trip to Powerscourt would not be complete without driving a short distance to the Powerscourt Waterfalls.  They are the highest in Ireland at 386 ft.  We had to dodge a few raindrops all day, but Powerscourt is a place that you have to put on your list of places to see while in Ireland, especially if you love beautiful gardens and scenery.

#3 Co. Wexford

County Wexford is in the southeast quadrant of Ireland. It rarely gets much mention in tour guides nor is it part of any tours.  It seems they all like to direct you to Waterford, Cork and then on to Killarney.  I say, give it a look. It's a nice area because you can get a taste of the rugged coastline without fighting crowds which tend to invade the west coast.  The town of Wexford is of personal interest to me because it is here that I can trace my only known Irish ancestors.  My 3rd great grandfather, John P Furlong, emigrated from here in the mid 1800's and lived in Louisiana.  Unfortunately, I have no idea where his family is buried or which church they may have attended, so we just walked around the town.  Co. Wexford is also home to the gorgeous Johnstown Castle. Why this attraction doesn't get more publicity is beyond me. It's a real gem.  And lastly, on the advice of a nice gentleman we met at Johnstown, we drove to Hook Peninsula Lighthouse. Another beautiful spot with fewer crowds.

Wexford Abbey

Fishing Tower @  Johnstown Castle

Hook Lighthouse Buoy

Around Wexford

We only scratched the surface of Wexford.  Next time, we hope to go back and visit the Saltee Islands.  This is a sanctuary for all sorts of seabirds including puffins!!

Fishing boats wait in the harbor

Ruins of the Wexford Abbey

Johnstown Castle

The beautiful Johnstown property was acquired by the Esmondes of Lincolnshire England in 1169 after fleeing the Norman conquest.  The family built two towers on the property in which the family lived.  The property and grounds have a turbulent history, especially during the Cromwellian era when English troops wrecked havoc on Wexford and its surrounding areas.  In the mid 1800s, an Esmonde descendant regained ownership of the property and built the castle on the grounds today.  In 1945, the property was gifted to the Irish nation.  Today, it is home to the Agricultural Heritage Museum and the grounds are an idyllic place to walk and decompress from the outside world.

I should also note that the grounds were designed by the same landscape architect as the Powerscourt Estate. Need I say more?

The gardens are more subdued and tranquil here, but we saw more waterfowl like ducks and swans and a few peacocks too. 

Hook Peninsula

Hook Point Lighthouse

#2-Northern Ireland Coast

In part 1, we visited the cities of Derry and Belfast in Northern Ireland.  Although these two places are fascinating, for sheer beauty, the coastline of Northern Ireland is a definite must see.  We were lucky to have a pristine clear day for this part of our adventure.  But, be forewarned.....it can be crazy busy!!! Giant's Causeway was the busiest stop with many bus loads of tourists.  Needless to say, it was hard to take photos without a lot of people in them. Afraid of heights or wobbly bridges?  Well, gather your courage, otherwise you might miss out on some of the most beautiful scenery you will ever see at Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge.  Pictures don't do it justice.  And really, the bridge wasn't too bad to cross.
Another point of interest is the Mussenden Temple which sits atop a cliff above the town of Downhill.  

 Mussenden Temple
Built in 1785 as a library by Frederick, 4th Earl of Bristol and named in memory of his cousin, Frideswide Mussenden and his wife. It was rumored that the Earl greatly admired his cousin's wife's beauty and built the library for her. The structure is enclosed and its walls were once lined with books.  The temple was kept warm by a fire constantly burning from the basement. The flue remained opened to allow the warmth to rise and keep the library dry, therefore not destroying the books from the moisture outside.
Today, the temple is part of the National Trust
In the above photo,  a train tunnel runs underneath the temple which carries commuter trains from Belfast to Derry. That's Mike on the beach to give you perspective of the height of the cliff

Giant's Causeway
Known as Ireland's top attraction, Giant's Causeway is a cool spot, but very crowded. The key element here is the geological formations.  Hexagon shaped stones and columns litter the shoreline which visitors can climb.  If you have ever been to Devil's Tower in Wyoming, then these formations will be familiar to you, but on a much smaller scale.  It is said that these were formed 60 million years ago.  Of course, there is an amusing Irish legend as to their true beginnings.

Link:  The Legend of Giant's Causeway 

Approaching Giant's Causway

Can you see Camel Rock?

Ladies and Gentleman....The Stones

The Stones and Seapinks

Lots of tourists enjoying the stones

Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge

If you can overcome any fear of heights, then the Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge is an attraction not to be missed. For more than 350 years, the original use for the bridge was by fisherman who crossed over to Carrick Island to fish for salmon.  The fishing has pretty much dried up here, so the National Trust has made it a tourist attraction.  The current incarnation of the bridge spans 66 ft and rises 98 ft above the water below.  This whole area is stunning with turquoise green water, rocky cliffs, and vistas out to the sea which stretch for miles.

Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge

I'm crossing the bridge!! Island off the coast

Lucky shot.....no people!!  Shades of blue and a sea cave, too

Seagull on Carrick Island Rocky cliffs above the ocean

#1-Cork and Bray
And so we have made it to number 1 in our countdown.  But, why two places?  It all goes back to my interest in genealogy.  If you'll indulge me here for a little background, then you will see why these two places were an obvious choice for the top spot.  As stated in part 1, I told you that our first adventure to Ireland was back in 2016.  Before that trip, I did a lot of research into Mike's grandfather, William McAuliffe, who emigrated from Cork to the U.S. in 1911.  From what I was able to uncover, we walked in his footsteps and found the old family home place, church and cemetery plot for some of his ancestors.  We had no idea back then that some cousins were in the area because there had never been any communication over the years. Anyway, in July 2017, I posted a genealogy blog about our trip and the family history.   Fast forward to about six months after that post.  Mike was on his daily walk in the woods behind our house when his cell phone rings. The woman on the other end identified herself as his cousin Luci in Dublin.  She and her sister Lolo (Noelle) had seen that blog and she contacted us.  They never knew what happened to the McAuliffes who emigrated to America and were thrilled to see the story online.  So, for the past 3 years, we have been in contact with and have met even more cousins online on Facebook.  When we told them we would be returning this year, 13 cousins and/or spouses met us for dinner one night and several of us played tourist in Cork the next day to see the city and to revisit family points of interest.  At the end of our journey, Luci and Lolo hosted a wonderful lunch and outing in their hometown of Killiney/Bray.  It was there that we met one more cousin, their brother, Luan.  We had such a wonderful time and were overwhelmed that so many would take the time to meet us. Four even flew over from England!!  Many stories, laughter, and photos were shared.  It was this reunion that made Cork and Bray our #1 vacation experience.  Plus, we really do love these two places.  Cork feels like a second home now and Bray reminded us of a coastal Mediterranean town.
Special thank you to Luci, Lolo, and Marianne for putting everything together.  

Link: The Story of William and Wilhelmina McAuliffe

Around Cork

Cork on the River Lee                     St. Fin Barr's Cathedral

Colorful Cork

Cork's City Center  photo credit: Mike McAuliffe Lest We Forget War Memorial

The Family Reunion

Our first meeting with our Irish cousins was a nice dinner in which everyone gathered for our initial encounter.  Cousins and spouses came from Cork, Dublin, Bray, and England to meet up with their American cousins from Virginia.  Most are second cousins of our generation, but two, Auntie Veronica (Roni) and Uncle Jim would have been Mike's father's first cousins.  At 87 and 90, respectively, we were honored that they too made the effort to come.  It was a joyous evening. Thank you cousin Marianne for the photos here.  We were so busy meeting everyone, I don't think either of us snapped a picture that night!!

Us with Uncle Jim, 90 and Auntie Veron, 87 James, Mike, and Marianne  Marianne, Claire, and Ruth

l-r: Ruth, Lolo, Marianne, Claire, Luci, Mike, Me, Paul, Maggie, Mary, Jim Let's eat!! Mike and Maggie

Love these two!! Mary, Paul, Lolo, and Luci Me with dear Uncle Jim

The next day, some of us played tourist and not only walked around town to visit sites important to the family, but also rode a double decker bus to see the city of Cork.  Boy, was that fun!  It was also helpful see sights around town and hear some family stories about each place. There's a bit more to our adventure in Cork, but I will leave it here and maybe continue on my genealogy blog someday.

Sitting on steps leading down to a foot bridge which the family would have walked to go into the town of Cork.

Ready for the tour!!

Standing in front of the family homeplace at 27 Summerhill Rd.

Bray

Guess what?  We are almost finished!!  Our last stop and co-winner of our favorite experience was the seaside village of Bray.  Again, there is a strong link to family history here, but it is also a beautiful spot.  We took the train from Dublin to Killiney, which is where our cousins Luci, Lolo, and Luan live.  Luci had us over for a wonderful lunch where we met Luan for the first time.  We then ventured to Killiney Hill which is a lovely park with panoramic views of Dublin Bay, Killiney, Bray and the Wicklow Mountains. Then is was back to Lolo's for afternoon tea. 

So, why is Bray important to our family history?  Back in 1956, Mike's grandparents William and Wilhelmina took a cruise to Cork.  It was the first time that William had been back to Ireland since he emigrated in 1911.  During that trip, they visited William's sister Jane and her family in Bray.  One of the photos from that trip shows William and Wilhelmina walking on the promenade in Bray.  The photo below shows us reenacting that shot. 

Sadly, in 1957 William passed away.  I'm so glad he made it back to his homeland before his death and saw his family one last time.

Link: Story Behind Killiney Obelisk Bray Promenade Grandstand

Luci, Lolo, Luan, and Mike   Beautiful Bray

The view from atop Killiney Hill The Bray Promenade

And there you have it, our trip to Ireland.  There are a few things I left out, but overall, I hope you have enjoyed this little adventure.  So, until our next roadtrip, I wish you Happy Travels.

Melody