Julie's Semester in Ireland: East County Clare

Today we had our East Co. Clare trip with our API director. It was a lot of fun, but I think it is really hard to follow the beauty of Connemara. On this trip we saw Bunratty Castle, had lunch in a little town called Gort, Kilmacduagh Monastery and the Early Christian round tower, and Coole Park. Here's a little history of each of the places as provided to us by our director. If you're not interested in that, scroll past the rest of the text for the pictures!

Bunratty Castle: At Ireland’s premier visitor attraction you are invited to explore two wonderfulexperiences – the acclaimed 15th century Bunratty Castle and 19th century BunrattyFolk Park. The Castle is the most complete and authentic medieval fortress inIreland. Built in 1425 it was restored in 1954 to its former medieval splendour andnow contains mainly 15th and 16th century furnishings, tapestries, and works of artwhich capture the mood of those times. Today, the castle stands peacefully indelightful grounds. The houses and cottages of the folk park spread out at the footof its massive walls, much in the way that the cottages and crofts of old would haveclustered around its base. Wander through the castle and marvel at the finestcollection of medieval furniture in the country which brings to life a vital part of our Medieval past.

Gort-Gort is a medium sized market town on the Galway to Ennis Road, situated in a gapbetween the Slieve Aughty Mountains and the Burren to the south. The town takes itsname form King Guaire, the sixth century King of Connacht, who built a castle here.He had a reputation for his generosity and it was said that his right arm, hisgiving arm, was longer than his left. One legend recalls how Guaire was sitting downto dinner when mysteriously the plates disappeared out the windows. He quicklyfollowed them on horseback and soon met St Colman who had just finished a seven yearfast and had eaten the food. The King was impressed by his ingenuity and granted himlands at Kilmacduagh where he built a monastery, one of the oldest in Europe.

Kilmacduagh Monastery and the Early Christian round tower- In the seventh century, St Colmán Mac Duach founded the monastery bearing his namein South Galway, close to the foot of the colourful limestone scenery of the Burren.It is recognisable from afar through its 100-foot high Round Tower which leans twofeet out of the perpendicular. Centuries older than its famous counterpart in Pisa,it is the tallest and best-preserved of its kind in Ireland. It overlooks a twelfthcentury cathedral which was greatly expanded in the fifteenth century. This is now aruin with a blocked doorway. Not far away stands the unusual thirteenth centurybishop’sresidence. Other churches survive at Kilmacduagh, the most charming of whichis O’Heyne’s Church, with its fine carved stonework of around 1200.

Coole Park- The National Parks & Wildlife Service runs Coole Park which, together with theadjoining Garryland, is a Nature Reserve of approximately 405 hectares (1000 acres). The seven woods celebrated by W.B. Yeatsare part of the 6 kilometres of nature trails taking in woods, river, turlough, barelimestone and Coole lake. Coole Park was once the home of Lady Augusta Gregory,dramatist, folklorist and co-founder of the Abbey Theatre with Edward Martyn ofTullira Castle and Nobel prize-winning poet William Butler Yeats. Coole Park, in theearly 20th century, was the centre of the Irish Literary Revival. Yeats, GeorgeBernard Shaw, John Millington Synge and Sean O' Casey all came to experience itsmagic. They and many others carved their initials on the Autograph Tree, an oldbeech still standing today. Although the house no longer stands, one can still appreciate the surroundings that originally drew so many here.