| Piscitella | Blog | Family | Travel/Visits | Gallery | Forum | Hikes | Events | Calendar | Email Us |
| Joe's Ireland West Coast Trip
2/26/00 - 2/27/00 |
||||
| Enjoy
the details and pictures of my
two day west coast of Ireland trip. Day 1
and
Day 2. There are a lot of wonderful pictures, see them all, Don't miss out! To see a map of Ireland and the Trip Outline Back to the Piscitella's Ireland Home Page |
||||
| Day 2 started out really early. I called it an early night in Galway and got up and out at 6:00am to get an early start on the day. It was almost an hour into my journal for the day before the sun came up. Unfortunately I saw a castle and some other really nice sites but the camera was not able to capture the photo. The photo of the tower to the right was taken after I waited 10 minutes for enough sunlight to capture the picture. To see the West Coast pictures from Galway to Clifden client the link. |  |
 |
Finally I made it to Clifden. It was a beautiful drive along the coast but I was getting worried that I was gonna run out of gas before I found civilization again. The first picture that is shown below was taken from Sky Road overlooking the city of Clifden. The second picture was taken on the main street in Clifden. Click on the Clifden link here to see more picutres for my stop in Clifden. |
| After leaving the city of Clifden I traveled through the Twelve Bens mountains on my way to the Kylemore Abbey. It was a brilliant ride. The Kylemore Abbey is located in the Twelve Ben mountinas on the Kylemore Lough river. The Abbey was built by Mitchell Henry for his wife. in the early 2000 century. The Abbey is currently functioning as a private all girl school. Click on the Kylemore Abbey link here to see more picutres of this stop. |  |
 |
After I enjoyed the different views of the Kylemore Abbey and Church it was off to Cong to see the Cong Abbey and Market Cross. The ride was through the country side and it was so green and beautiful. Along the drive I spotted a building out on a small island in the river. I remember reading somewhere that this place was a popular stop with the fisherman. |
| Next was Cong. The town was really small so it was very easy to find the Abbey and Cross. The road heading out of town actually split between the Abbey and a Church. The Cong Augustinian Abbey was founded in the early 12 century on the site of the 6th century monastery. To see more picture of the Cong Abbey. |  |
 |
Just a few miles south of Cong is the Ashford Castle (wow, what a find. I didn't know it was there!). The castle was located on the most georgous gounds that I saw in Ireland. Once you headed into the grouds you realized the grounds had been made into a beautiful golf course (pictures on the link page). The castle itself was rebuild in Gothic Revival style in 1870. The castle is considered one of Ireland's best hotels! See more pictures of the Ashford Castle and grounds. |
| From the Ashford Castle I was headed east through the town of Tuam to
Roscommon to see the Roscommon Castle. The castle was not to hard to find
but the enterance way to the castle was located on a dead end road that was
not one of the best areas in Ireland. As you can see from the picture
the Castle has not been maintained and was not in very good shape.
The castle was built in 1269 and rebuilt again 11 years later after it was destroyed by the Irish led Hugh O'connor. |
 |
 |
Next I was off heading south from Rosscommon to Athlone located on the Lough Ree river. Right in the center of the town was the St. Peters and St. Paul church and the Athlone Castle. The picture to the right is a view of the castle from the bridge above the Lough Ree river. |
| Next off to Birr castle where there has been a Norman castle on this
site since 1170. From the 14th to the 17th century the O'Carroll family
ruled from here and the territory was known as Ely O'Carroll. The castle
was granted to Sir Lawrence Parsons in 1620 and it is still the private
family home of the Parsons family.
Constructed at Birr Castle in the 1840's by the third Earl of Rosse, this was the largest telescope for over 70 years and attracted astronomers from all over the world. Through the Great Telescope the 3rd Earl discovered the Whirpool nebula in the 1840's. The telescope looks and moves just as it did over 150 years ago and demonstrations are held daily. |
 |
See Day 1 of the trip click here
|
|
Save Up To $75 on Last Minute Deals at Travelocity! Use Coupon Code "LASTMINUTE75" |
|
|
|
| Email: joe@piscitella.com | Date last updated: 06/12/2006 |