Introduction to a week in Ireland

Ireland became a reality in 2006 when my friend Debbie called me to see if I could join her for a trip in August. Debbie had just landed a very good job in Australia and wanted to start her trip in Ireland. Generosity is her middle name because she insisted to pay my way if I could join her. I did not think I could get away, given the complexities of my day to day life, however my husband, Terry, was very supportive about the trip. He would care for Michael so I could get away. Since I work for the phone company, my vacations are planned way ahead of time and coordinated by seniority. Luckily I had requested two weeks in August together, so we could plan Michael’s High School graduation lobster feast in our backyard. The following day, Debbie & I left for a fantastic journey to the Emerald Isle. 
         She asked me which areas I was interested in visiting. I told her I wanted to see more of my ancestral homelands such as Kilgill, Corrandulla, and Anbally, all in East Galway, and visit Innishbofin and Cleggan which are in West Galway which happened to be where my in-laws came from originally (Schofield). I had an interest in visiting Cooleanig, Beaufort in Killarney, Co. Kerry. I wanted to explore the Burren in Co. Clare. While in Galway, I hoped to meet a family I had been corresponding with online whose son, Mark Anthony had passed away two years prior from Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, at the age of 18. They were very important to me and I really wanted to meet them. I hoped to meet my cousin Lucia who lived in Northern Ireland in Caslerock, Co. Derry. I had been corresponding with her since I was about 15 and felt very close to her. Her grandmother and my gr. Grandmother were sisters from the Dolly family in Anbally, Co. Galway. Her grandmother was the only sister to stay in Ireland of 6 girls. Our families stayed in touch since 1891, sending photos, all in my possession, and news from the area. Packages were sent back and forth as well. Unfortunately, I have no letters from any of the correspondence. I asked Debbie where she wished to visit, however being the good sport she is, she was happy to visit the areas I mentioned.
         We started out trip near Limerick where Shannon Airport is located. We drove to Killarney, then crossed the Shannon River by ferry and drove towards Co. Clare and made our way up to Galway. From there we left for Co. Sligo, and up towards Co. Donegal, making our way into Northern Ireland. We visited my cousin there. Unfortunately, we did not visit Dublin or Belfast on our trip because I thought it would be a travesty to say we visited those cities and only spent a day in each. The Titanic Museum was closed so I said not to Belfast. The Book of Kells would have to wait for another visit as that was in Dublin at Trinity College. Instead we visited the Giant’s Causeway. We left my cousin’s and drove 8 hours across the Emerald Isle to Ennis where we spent our last night. The whole trip was spent mostly in hostels which I highly recommend as inexpensive and safe accommodations but most interesting. Debbie coordinated it all online and she did all the driving in a stick shift (Fiat). Remember driving on the opposite side of the road can sometimes be a challenge but Debbie stepped up to the plate and did a great job. I will be posting our trip highlights day by day in a travelogue with some photos of each area.
         I emailed my cousin with our trip itinerary and contacted my online friends as well. I took phone numbers before I left and kept in touch with Terry by email at the many internet cafes in Ireland. The trip unfolds…. Two weeks before we left, there was a group of extremists arrested at Heathrow for plotting to take down some American planes.  Did I feel safer? Perhaps not, but Ireland was worth the visit.