Burren and south

Day 1 - Thu 15 Oct - another Martello

As Frank is giving us an introduction to his BnB, he notes that Axel installed the wifi.  "Axel is a genius", Frank advises, "and is wife Sandra is really smart too."

I know Axel's a genius.  I've installed his Home Assistant integration to control my AlphaESS solar inverter, and have had many email conversations with him over the last couple of years.  We have similar IT backgrounds, have worked for similar IT companies, and both have a passion for solar, home automation, EVs and tech in general.  

As Pauline and I were planning our Ireland trip I was really hoping Axel would be willing to meet us as we travelled through Galway and south.  And indeed he was, suggesting walks to show off the best of his local area south of the city.

First stop the Finavarra Peninsula, and right at the tip is another Martello tower identical to the one we saw at Point Bar up north.  

But this one was different - the door was open and we could go inside.  I could immediately see why they were so formidable.  Rather than just being a round tower, there was a huge central column that supported the roof and the heavy cannons on top.

As we were discussing them I mentioned the one in Sydney Harbour.  What was that defending against?  Napoleon wasn't that ambitious!  I had a suspicion it was the Russian threat, and when I looked it up later I was partially right.  The initial scare came when two American warships entered Sydney Harbour at night in 1839, which prompted a defence review.  Construction was accelerated in 1853 at the start of the Crimean War as the colonial government feared a Russian naval strike on Sydney.  So now we have Fort Denison sitting on Pinchgut Island in the middle of Sydney Harbour, easily visible from the Opera House and Kirribilli Point on the Shore.  It has never fired a shot in anger.  It did, however, suffer friendly fire damage in 1942 when the USS Chicago mistakenly shelled it during a Japanese midget‑submarine attack.  That initial American threat came good!

Axel and Sandra have a delightful Border Collie called Fiadh.  No ideas, Pauline!

Next stop lunch, where I can finally indulge in some decent Atlantic seafood.

Day 2 - the Burren

We must have got on well as they invited us for another walk, this time to the Burren.  

On the way we drop in on Father Ted.

I must admit I've never seen the show, but to those in the know it's very funny.

The Burren? The name comes from Irish Boirinn, meaning “rocky place", and it's not hard to see why.  Of course we have to take a pic of Mullagh More to WhatsApp to the grandkids as the thieving Monkey continues his travels getting into all sorts of trouble.  And look, sunny weather!  Hiking this place in driving rain would not be a fun experience.

First time we've felt inclined to use our walking poles too.  The ground isn't just rocky - it's fall of holes.  We're walking on clints, being careful not to twist an ankle by slipping into grikes.  It's a typical karst landscape where the limestone bedrock has been sculpted and worn by glaciation and erosion over millions of years.

It was great meeting Sandra too, and Frank was right.  She and Axel both used to work for large IT companies, and that's how they met.  Both have since retired from IT and now run a cattery.  Needless to say we had lots in common, and geek talk didn't come into it much at all.

Thank you Axel, Sandra and Fiadh for showing us this amazing place.

I was particularly interested in their opinion on Irish reunification and animosity towards the British.  General consensus is that it's easing over time, but reunification will be measured in generations, not years.  There's still hostility to the idea in Northern Ireland by the Unionists who cling to their British identity, but a growing acceptance on both sides that reunification will occur long term.

I think the same is true of any conflict, whether Israeli/Palestinian, Russian/Ukrainian, or anywhere else.  First step is to stop the fighting, then introduce measures to reduce the friction.  Over time the anger and bitterness recedes as the conflict is relegated to history, and younger generations get on with their lives.  Perhaps simplistic as the human animal is well known for its aggression, not always held in check by a thin veneer of civilisation.  While conquest by force has succeeded in the past, it is less achievable in the global village we live in now.

We say goodbye to Axel and Sandra as good friends, and would love the opportunity to welcome them to our patch of paradise in the future.

Day 3 - south to Gneevgullia

We're heading south to County Kerry, but what to see on the way?  The Cliffs of Moher are a well known tourist attraction, but expensive and crowded even in the off-season.  We decide on the Poulnabrone Dolmen - a neolithic portal burial tomb which gets us up close and personal with more of the Burren.  That 4m long capstone weighs several tonnes, and you have to wonder at the effort expended to get it up there.  Essentially the trick was to build an earthen ramp and slide or lever the capstone up the ramp using timber poles.

A huge amount of effort for a burial tomb, whereas nothing of the neolithic houses remains on the flat section.  You can get a good idea of the clints and grikes that Pauline's standing on.

Interestingly, cattle graze this site in winter months.  You wouldn't expect there to be much feed, but in winter the water table rises, the limestone retains warmth, course summer vegetation turns to hay, and grass grows well in the mineral-rich pockets.

Next stop is Bunratty Castle, standing beside the River Raite in County Clare.  Built as a stronghold in the 15th‑century by the MacNamara and O’Brien families it's sympathetically restored, with a little bit of maintenance still ongoing.

But it's more than just a castle. 

 It's part of a "folk park" with excellent restorations of early farming cottages and supply stores.  Might be time to call in the thatcher on this one.

The old Post Office had a special appeal for Pauline.  

I suspect a new animal is on the cards when we get home.  Perhaps to keep the lawn in trim?

Meanwhile the story of the Farmer's boy had an appeal for me.

A walled garden capped off an excellent visit.  While today was mild and sunny, when the wind is howling in this part of Ireland you need something solid to protect the trees and plants.

Our BnB is in Gneevgullia just to the east of Killarney, and well situated to explore County Kerry in the south west.  While Frank's bedsit BnB was on the cosy side, we can really spread out in this one.  A shame about the noisy shower though - when you've got gravity-fed cold water you need a decent pump.  Even I felt it oppressive, and that's without hearing aids.

So we're all set to explore the Rings.  Of Power?  No - of rugged scenic beauty.  Fingers crossed the weather holds.