Iirimaa – Galway

One sheep, two sheep, three sheep and some cows

After a good breakfast, we went to the airport to pick up the rental car. It took less time than expected and we also got the desired compact car.

With a little bit of difficulty with the clutch but without any problems with driving on the left side of the road and without many stops, we drove to Galway.

Upon arrival, the first surprise was that parking at the cathedral was free due to the holiday. Both Easter Sunday and Easter Monday.

The second surprise was that it was raining, not just a little, but a little more.

The third surprise was our accommodation, located in the pedestrian passage and in a house where I thought I would never find my way out. (But it worked out, I'm coming back.)

There, we freshened up, watched a little handball, and read about the city's culture.

So we ended up walking in the rain once again to the facade of the Lynch House. It was here that James Lynch Fitzstephen hanged his son after he confessed to the murder of a Spaniard. James Lynch Fitzstephen was also the namesake of the word 'lynch'.

Other historical mentions in Galway are the statues of Oscar Wilde and Eduard Vilde (an Estonian writer) as well as the Galway Girl.

The next day, we left rainy Galway and headed north to the Connemara Peninsula. Accompanied by sheep on the road, stone fences, and gorse bushes as far as the eye could see, the sun also made an appearance here and there.

One of the first stops was Kylemore Abbey (more about it here), but it wasn't worth a look inside and outside the grounds due to bad weather and a €16 entrance fee. However, there was a beautiful view.

Continuing on the Wild Atlantic Way, the route took us along the Atlantic coast, with hardly any people or villages. Occasionally, there was a cottage and a lot of wind - and now also cows on the road.

What you can also find here is the Alcock and Brown Memorial, not far from the landing site of the first non-stop transatlantic flight in 1919.

But enough about history, we saw many, many, many sheep. Few people. Lots of incredible nature. And a delicious chowder.

The evening wasn't long either, as the alarm clock was set quite early (for our standards)....