A Long Weekend in Connemara
On Friday, the 26th October,
Melly and I decided to have a long
weekend in Connemara. This is a wild rugged landscape
to the west of Ireland. We took advantage of a half
price, two night
hotel and dinner package
at the Carna Bay Hotel, in Carna Bay, Connemara and arrived at nearby Roundstone
for dinner about 9.00pm. The restaurant probably served the
best
fish meal (Sea Bass) I have ever had and I still dribble even thinking
about it. The two girls who run the restaurant were very
friendly
and around 10.30pm we headed off for the Carna Bay hotel, which was a
further 10 miles away.
We booked in and although the hotel and bedroom were very nice, the room was a little cold. The next morning we ate a "full Irish" breakfast and departed for Cliften (the capital town of Connemara). We drank a Smoothie and did a little shopping before heading for Cliften Castle. This castle hasn't been habited since 1898 and only the stone is left. It was built under the direction of John D'Arcy - the founder of Cliften and was sold when he became bankrupt while trying to support the local population from the "Great Famine" during the 1840's. After looking around and posing for pictures we left for the nearby "Seaside Nursery" where we bought two small palm trees.
Afterwards we headed back to Roundstone and visited the Bodhran Centre, where they make the Bodhran (Irish Drum). We posed for a few more pictures in Roundstone and then made our way back to the Carna Bay hotel, which was now much warmer than the previous evening. In the evening we enjoyed our free three course meal. The next morning we ate another "full Irish" breakfast and then briefly explored nearby Carna Bay, before departing home.
We booked in and although the hotel and bedroom were very nice, the room was a little cold. The next morning we ate a "full Irish" breakfast and departed for Cliften (the capital town of Connemara). We drank a Smoothie and did a little shopping before heading for Cliften Castle. This castle hasn't been habited since 1898 and only the stone is left. It was built under the direction of John D'Arcy - the founder of Cliften and was sold when he became bankrupt while trying to support the local population from the "Great Famine" during the 1840's. After looking around and posing for pictures we left for the nearby "Seaside Nursery" where we bought two small palm trees.
Afterwards we headed back to Roundstone and visited the Bodhran Centre, where they make the Bodhran (Irish Drum). We posed for a few more pictures in Roundstone and then made our way back to the Carna Bay hotel, which was now much warmer than the previous evening. In the evening we enjoyed our free three course meal. The next morning we ate another "full Irish" breakfast and then briefly explored nearby Carna Bay, before departing home.