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Ceide Fields
Killala
Thursday, September 6th
Innfield, Ballina
Picked up our rental car and headed west. Our first stop was Innfield to buy bottled water. We asked in the gas station for a recommendation to grab a bite and we’re directed to the Hotel Bar. Great heavy beamed place with church pew like seats made me feel for the first time we were in Ireland. We ordered plain meat sandwiches. What you got was just that, very fresh meat of your choice on homemade bread. The slaw salad was particularly tasty. We had a harrowing trip across country our first day. Narrow roads, left side driving, diversions off diversions (detours) traveling under the 100kmph, we make it as far as Ballina, because frankly, Michael did not get much sleep on the plane and really can’t go any further. The name Ballina had a nice ring to it and according our B&B guide had plenty places to choose from. I navigated and we found the Belvedere House run by the friendly duo of Mary & Tom. It had the elements we were looking for: they took vouchers; it was clean, comfy and quiet. There was a pot of tea waiting for us.
The B&B was walking distance from town. We were glad, as the streets were so narrow you had to fold your side mirrors in. Someone clipped us and folded back my mirror, cracking the back and scratching the side strip. We chose the Broken Jug for dinner. I like the name. I ordered the smoked salmon on brown bread, Michael opted for the fish stew. We both had our pint of Guiness.
Friday, September 7th
Ballycastle, Ceide Fields, Foxford, Balina
We head toward Ballycastle and the Ceide Fields (pronounced Cage A) a Neolithic site on the ocean. It is elicits a wow from both of us. Breathtaking. There is a guided tour as we walk over the ancient bog. Our guide a knowledgeable historian/ archeologist tells about how the 5000-year-old walls were discovered as a farmer was cutting peat from the bogs. Eight feet down they found the stone walls. On the way back we stop at Kallala round tower from the 12th century. I am glad Michael brought 2 cameras as we compose our shots differently. I’m more abstract while Michael takes in the big picture.
Journeyed down to Foxford to tour the Woolen factory. No tour that day, everyone was on holiday. They have a great gift shop with an abundance of quality woolens if you want to spend the money. We settled on a fine Irish wool cap for Michael’s birthday present.
In Ireland Pub, bar music doesn’t start until 9:30 at the earliest. The place we settled on, Paddy Macs, didn’t start till 10:00, kind of like our “Indian time” in Oklahoma. We sat at the bar and took to the bartenders. The jukebox was playing Johnny Cash’s Burning Ring of Fire. It struck us as funny as it was Friday Night and could just as easily been sitting at the Park Tavern listening to the same song. The next selection was I’m Proud to be an Okie from Muskogee. When the singer guitar player finally came on he played a mixture of Irish tunes (You can’t keep the family on 22 acres of land) and American country western including more Jhonny Cash. After finishing our pints of Guiness (I also had my first glass of Smithwicks), we were just about to leave when he started to sing Take me Home Country Roads. As it was Michael’s birthday and he was born in West Virginia it was too much to ignore. Michael whispered to the singer as we left that he was born in West Virginia. At that point the singer announced to the whole bar what Michael divulged to him and we got a round of applause when we exited. What fun.