Day 28 The Cliffs of Moher again

Moira at the Cliffs of Moher

As you can see from the picture above it was another perfectly splendid day in Lahinch. It is my last day here and I have to admit that going back to the Cliffs of Moher was not my first thought. But Ellen is in a little singing group that was performing up there to raise money for local charities, so Marie, Ellen and I went up there for the afternoon. (Patrick and Pat went to Kilrush for Patrick's dancing competition.)

The first thing you noticed was the traffic. It's Saturday and the sun is out and I think every tourist in Ireland came to the Cliffs today.  It took us 15 minutes just to get into the Car Park - it was chaotic!

Then once we actually got over the road and into the Cliffs of Moher Park, there were just millions of people. I tried to keep away from them, but that was a bit hard! But there were lots of attractions to look at and lots of people collecting money!!!

I think Marie knows every single person in the area, so she met up with her former boss from when she worked for a short time at The Cliffs.

Joe and Marie

Here's a small sample of what was available!!

Marie went for the cars!!!

This Morris Minor was complete with Mr Bean!

And of course there were lots of crafts to have a look at...

Spinners

And of course you could always have a look at the actual Cliffs of Moher!!

Cliffs of Moher

But what we had come to see was the young people singing..

Ellen's singing group

Here's a small selection of their performance

That one was called "Clare my heart my home" and a lot of the Mums were singing along too!!!

Ellen on the fiddle

There was also a  group from the Clouna school and they sang great little song, which they had made up themselves. It was called "In County Clare we have it all" It received a great clap at the end!

When I asked one of the Mums if that was the entire school, she said "Oh no, we have 51 students"

I think one of the first classes I taught had nearly that many students in it!!!

Clouna is about half way between Lahinch and Corofin.

Here's their song - it's a ripper!!!

So after all that musical entertainment, Marie offered to buy some drinks, but the queue was just too long. Even the toilet queue went forever!!!

So we stopped and had our photos taken with the virtual background..

Cliffs of Moher Background

O'Brien's Tower

We stopped at the tourist shops on the way out and Ellen selected a necklace with her name on it!

Ellen and Moira and the necklace

Ellen and Marie

Then to compensate for not being able to get some refreshments at the Cliffs we stopped on the way home at Liscannor and Marie and I both had a half pint of Smithwicks! It was lovely and cold after all that  thirsty work.

Ellen and Marie in the pub. 

So that was my last day in Lahinch for now... and what a way to spend it!

I meant to mention I was up very early again this morning to watch my footy match. It was on here at 4.30am

Have to admit I don't mind getting up early if we keep on winning. What a match!!!

So it's been a very full day and it's still not over. I'm going to Mass at 6.30pm then I taking pizzas up to the Shannons for our last meal for this time.

Then tomorrow I'm on the road to Dublin - actually to Balbriggan - from whence my maternal Grandfather came. I'm not planning on doing much family tree stuff there though - we've gone about as far as we can go with him.

What a wonderful month this has been. I have been so blessed with family, with the weather, with so many people in the village who were kind to me and suggested places I could go. I feel very much at home here and hopefully I will return one day to continue the story!

PS Had a lovely dinner with the Shannon family - think I've nearly convinced them to come to Oz!!!

Beautiful sunsets from their house''

Patrick Pat Marie Ellen Shannon

Sunset over Tullygarvan

 Day 27 Doolin

Doolin

After all the history and heartbreak of yesterday's post, I thought we would revert to the Lahinch travel guide again today and recount my trip to Doolin.

Map of Lahinch to Doolin

It was only a quick little jaunt and the weather was absolutely magnificent. I have been so lucky with this weather. I was talking to Sean this morning and he said May was the best month to come to Ireland - usually pretty sunny and longer days. And I trust his farming weather instincts. I was just lucky that I chose May, because the travel agent warned me it would be dearer around April because of Easter.

Anyway, I cruised up to Doolin after lunch yesterday. And it's a pretty little town. I usually approach it from the North as I come down from Ballyvaughan, but today I came in from the South and it looked different somehow. But the town was hopping and everyone was out in their shirt sleeves. There are a few parts to Doolin. Even the village seems to be in two parts and then there's Doolin Pier.

The picture at the top of this page is where you come into town. Then if you go on a bit further you come to a different part of Doolin. I had a coffee in these tea rooms.

Doolin Cafe

Doolin Pub flying the Clare flags

But the Pier part of Doolin was really humming. I couldn't stop to get a picture, because there were absolutely no parking places. It seemed to be full of quaint little shops and people were just wandering around eating ice creams etc..

But when you got to the actual Pier, there was a car park, as that is the ferry terminal to take you across to the Aran Islands

Aran Island in the background

The sea looked nice and calm, but you still wouldn't catch me going on the ferry. Pity, because I've seen shows about them and they look fantastic!

But the bay around Doolin looked just lovely. You could see the other side of the Cliffs of Moher from Doolin.

View from Doolin

On the way home I side-tracked to another beach that lies between Doolin and Lahinch, called Clahane.

It was a lovely little beach but nothing special, but when I was telling Marie, she informed me that Clahane was the beach to be seen at! You didn't just go swimming, you went swimming at Clahane!!!

Here's a few pics.... Not nearly as nice as Lahinch Beach!

Clahane houses

Me at Clahane Beach

Clahane Beach with Cliffs of Moher in the background

So that was yesterday...

This morning I was quite busy..

I went up to Marie's to do my washing for the last time. It's such a beautiful sunny day I put them on the line and then I will return this evening to pick them up. Marie and Pat have gone to a wedding at the Falls Hotel in Ennistymon so Marie was off work today.

Then I went to Mass - probably my last weekday Mass here in Lahinch. I said goodbye to Andy, a dear old 93 year old man who used to be a Vet and who always said Good Morning to me and had a little chat.

Then I went back up see Nora and say goodbye to Sean and herself. They have been so hospitable and put up with me asking all those questions about out family and its history. Nora gave me a St Brigid's Cross that Sean had made and some perfume and and lovely gold chain. I shall always remember her when I wear it.

Marie also gave me a St Brigid's Cross so I will put them both in special places in my house. 

I have found my Irish family to be so generous, but the greatest gift they have given me is to accept me into the family and treat me as one of them.

On the way home from Tullygarvan I stopped down near Cregge Beach and took some photos of Moy House - where Smother was filmed. The house really stands out. It's quite close to Marie's place and you can see it as you drive down the road back to Lahinch. And the beach below it often featured in the series as well. 

Thanks to those who let me know that Series 3 of Smother is just starting on the ABC now and we can watch it on iView. I'll get on to that when I get home!

Here's a few pics I took this morning

Moy House

Look at all the daffodils!

Cregge Beach

Cregge Beach - looking towards Lahinch

So that was my exciting day. Sadly I'm going to have to start packing soon as I leave here on Sunday morning. It's been such a wonderful experience for me to really enter into the life of a village in another country. Although, it is really not that alien. I was thinking this morning, that a lot of what life is like here in Lahinch reminds me of my own childhood and I feel very comfortable in this environment. 

The Church, in particular, just reminds me so much of my Parish at Wattle Park in Melbourne, and even the way that the priests say the Mass just brings back memories of days gone by.

It's been a very comfortable place to be... and I've loved every minute of it.

And now I'm off to get my washing!!! 😁

 Day 26 Lahinch (continued)

An Gorta Mor - The Great Hunger

Located in County Clare, between the towns of Lahinch and Ennistymon, sits the memorial “An Gorta Mór” by Alan Ryan Hall. The monument is located between the local workhouse at Ennistymon and the site of a mass grave.

There was still more about the history of Lahinch that I wanted to share yesterday, but I feared the post would get too long, so I'm adding the extras into today's post.

One of the defining events of Irish history is An Gorta Mor - commonly known as the Great Potato Famine.  The picture above is located just outside Lahinch on the road to Ennistymon and is found opposite the mass grave in the paddock across the road.

These pics contain the explanation of the Great Hunger - sorry about the quality and my reflection in each one!!!!

The Famine in Ireland

Map of the area including the Mass Graveyard

Memorial Stone

Paddock where the Mass Graveyard is found

Emigration and the Famine

Ennistymon Union and the Great Famine

It's so hard to imagine how horrible this time must have been,

Again Wikipedia sets the scene for us :

The Great Famine (Irish: an Gorta Mór [ənˠ ˈɡɔɾˠt̪ˠə ˈmˠoːɾˠ]), also known within Ireland as the Great Hunger or simply the Famine and outside Ireland as the Irish Potato Famine,^[1][2] was a period of starvation and disease in Ireland from 1845 to 1852 that constituted a historical social crisis which subsequently had a major impact on Irish society and history as a whole.^[3] With the most severely affected areas in the west and south of Ireland, where the Irish language was dominant, the period was contemporaneously known in Irish as an Drochshaol,^[4] literally translated as "the bad life" (and loosely translated as "the hard times"). The worst year of the period was 1847, which became known as "Black '47".^[5][6] During the Great Hunger, roughly 1 million people died and more than 1 million fled the country,^[7] causing the country's population to fall by 20–25% (in some towns falling as much as 67%) between 1841 and 1871.^[8][9][10] Between 1845 and 1855, at least 2.1 million people left Ireland, primarily on packet ships but also on steamboats and barques—one of the greatest exoduses from a single island in history.^[11][12]

The information there states that the Great Famine lasted from 1845 until 1852.

Our Great Grandfather - John Curtin - emigrated in 1855, aged approx 24 years (we are still unsure of his birth date!), so our family must have been involved in this awful time.

You have to wonder how much that famine affected his decision to emigrate.

He had six siblings and his brother Michael had inherited the farm, so I guess there were not too many options open to him.

Antoinette at the Clare Genealogy Centre suggested that he would have been a prime candidate for emigration to Australia. He was a young married farmer with one baby and Australia was screaming out for people to work the land, after they no longer imported convicts. Apparently they were given free passage to Australia. 

It's amazing how this event about 12 000 kms away led to the Curtain family today as we know it!

Smother

The other thing I wanted to share today was related to the TV program "Smother"

I'm not sure if any of you saw it, but it is based in Lahinch. 

Apart from the story, I just watched it to see all the scenery around Lahinch.

Nice little video about behind the scenes filming of Smother.

But there's a connection between that story and our family!

Moy House - used in Smother

Moy House is a Georgian country house hotel in County Clare, Ireland, about 3 kilometres south of Lahinch off the N67 road near the village of Moy. Originally set in 15 acres of woodland on the River Moy, it was built in the mid 18th century as the holiday home of Sir Augustine Fitzgerald. Wikipedia

According to Antoinette at the Clare Genealogy Centre, that gentleman - Sir Augustine Fitzgerald - was the landlord of the Curtin farm at Tullygarvan. One thing I'm not sure of is how did the family come to own the land, after being tenants for so long??? Might need a bit more research for that. 

Once again it has a connection to the Rineen Ambush..

This comes from the Facebook page - The Vintage Lens - looking at times past in Clare

Last night, a new thriller drama called Smother aired on RTÉ. It was filmed around Lahinch, and the location of the main house in the story is the beautiful Moy House, which is in the townland of Carrowgar, just outside Lahinch. Moy House, which overlooks Cregg Beach, was built in the early 1800s. It was initially the summer residence of Sir Augustine Fitzgerald of Carrigoran, Newmarket-on-Fergus. By the end of the 19th century Major George Studdert was living there, until he died in 1909.
In April 1933, there was a failed attempt to burn Moy House, just before an A.C.A (Army Comrades Association) dance was due to be held there. Petrol was sprinkled over the floors and furniture of the downstairs rooms, and there were several marks where a light had been applied but failed to ignite. The owner at the time was Margaret Lehane, but the house had been unoccupied for some years. Margaret’s husband Dan and son Patrick had been murdered in their former residence in Cregg, by the Black and Tans, after the Rineen Ambush in 1920.

The follow up comments are quite interesting too, if you have the time to peruse them.

Meanwhile back to today...

These last few days I have experienced an important part of the Irish culture - how Lahinch deals with the death of one of the community.

The gentleman who died was Donal Kenny - owner of the Kenny Woolen Mills shop in the main street, and his son owns Kenny's Bar which I have frequented a few times for my Smithwicks.

When Mr Kenny died, the first I noticed was that the shop was closed.

Then the next day a black ribbon was attached to the door of both the shop and the pub.

Black Ribbon and Funeral Notice on the door of the shop

Black Ribbon and Funeral Notice on the door of the pub

So as noted on the Notice, they brought him to the Church at 6pm. Now the Angelus Bell goes religiously at 12 noon and 6pm. But this was a different toll... reminded me  of "For whom the bell tolls". So I went out to have a look. And people were everywhere, but especially gathered around the steps to the Church. And the entire staff of Kenny's pub were standing outside that establishment, as were the staff of the Woollen Mills. They stopped the hearse outside his shop and they carried the coffin up to the Church. I took a little video - I hope it's not disrespectful, but it does showcase the Irish culture in a very real way.

So it seems that after the coffin is brought into the Church, people offer their condolences to the family and then prayers are said. Then the actual funeral Mass is held tomorrow at noon. 

There is a certain reverence about his death, that the whole town acknowledges.

People are very close knit in this village, and although everyone knows everybody's business, it's at  times like these, that the bonding is very evident.

May his soul rest in peace. 

I also went to Doolin this afternoon, but I think I'll leave that  until tomorrow!

 Day 25 Lahinch Town

Main Street of Lahinch 

Over the course of this blog I have shown a few snapshots of Lahinch town, but I thought I would try to get few extra things that capture the essence of this wonderful little village.

I have come at a great time! The weather has been amazing, and the main bunch of tourists have not yet arrived!! They're starting to spruce up the town after the winter rains..

They've painted the Atlantic Hotel

But let's just recap a little history  - some of which will echo yesterday's story about Ennistymon.

The Clare County Library describes Lahinch as follows..

Lahinch is best described in the literal translation of its name, "Leath Inis", or the "Half Island." This colourful description of the village is borne out by the Atlantic to the west, the Inagh River to the north and the smaller Moy River to the south. The official name, in Irish, is Leacht Ui Chonchubhair, or O'Connor's Cairn, erected in memory of one of the O'Connor Lords of Corcomroe who was slain by his nephews in 1471. The site of this grave is believed to be at the end of the Main Street.

And a little more about Lahinch from the same source..

Lahinch developed from having just a few cabins in the eighteenth century to having a population of over one thousand people in 1835. However, no significant development took place in the early nineteenth century as the sea front continued to take a severe battering from the Atlantic gales.

Lahinch's popularity and fame depend on two features. First and foremost is the mile-long beach of golden sand stretching along in front of the village, promenade and sandhills. With the growing popularity of sea bathing and the arrival of the West Clare Railway in 1887 people began to arrive in unprecedented numbers. The village's secondary, but by no means lesser, claim to popularity and fame is its Golf Club.

It seems a shame that the West Coast Railway was discontinued. Imagine the trade it could do these days with all the tourists in Lahinch.

Here's a Short History of the West Clare Railway

From wikipedia..

The West Clare Railway (WCR) originally operated in County Clare, Ireland, between 1887 and 1961. This 3 ft (914 mm) narrow-gauge railway ran from the county town of Ennis, via numerous stopping-points along the West Clare coast to two termini, at Kilrush and Kilkee, with the routes diverging at Moyasta Junction. The system was the last operating narrow gauge passenger system in Ireland and connected with the mainline rail system at Ennis, where a station still stands today for bus and train services to Limerick and Galway. Intermediate stops included Ennistymon, Lahinch and Milltown Malbay.

The history of Lahinch is similar to that of Ennistymon especially as regards the the Rineen Ambush.

Rineen Ambush Memorial

Rineen Ambush Memorial

Song about the Rineen Ambush

The Clare Library tells us

In September 1920, in reprisal for the Rineen Ambush, British troops set fire to many buildings in Lahinch, including the local dance hall near the Promenade.

The other towns that were subjected  to the burning were Ennistymon and Miltown Malbay.

The Centenary of the Rineen Ambush was celebrated on September 22 2020

Clare FM is the local radio station and they devoted a special segment to this.

There is a story attached to those pics of the Rineen Ambush Memorial.... Wattle is always having little adventures!!!

I could get a pic of that memorial from Google Images, but having read the history I thought I would go and see it for myself - given that it's not far from Lahinch. So I put it into Google Maps and when I arrived at the spot where it was telling me to go, it showed a dinky little lane that would barely fit my car. So I thought I would just keep going and do a U turn somewhere and come back again... However that road doesn't really lend itself to U turns, so I kept going to Spanish Point...(That was on the blog on Day 19!)  I went into the Armada Hotel, because it was lunchtime and I thought I could kill 2 birds with one stone. So I asked the guy behind the bar if they did sandwiches and he said No but took me outside to a little cafe where they did serve sandwiches. On the way I asked him if he was a local and did he know about this monument. I struck it lucky because he was right into all that history. He took my iphone and added the Memorial in as a dropped pin. So I thanked him profusely.

 

But... by the time i had my croissant with ham and cheese I went back to the car and that dropped pin was taking me to Burke's hardware (Hello Andrew and co!) in Miltown Malbay.

So I went back in and there was no sign of Bernard (I had found out his name!) So I asked another young man, who, fortunately, was also right into all that history and he was happily  telling me the whole history of the Rineen Ambush and the Black and Tans involvement etc...  (I think he was Callum) . He also told me exactly how to get there!

So I was so blessed twice with the lovely Irish lads who helped a damsel in distress!

Long story - but it was the highlight of my day!

On the way home I called in to the Lahinch Golf Club and it was buzzing. It's yet another perfectly splendid day today. The mornings are a bit misty but by lunchtime the sun is out and all the locals are in their short sleeves. (I still think there's a bit of a cool breeze!)

Here's a few pics for my mad golfing mates!!

Lahinch Golf Club

Lahinch Golf Club

Lahinch Golf Club

Lahinch Golf Club

Lahinch Golf Club

Wikipedia give us a bit of history again...

It was founded 131 years ago in 1892 by Alexander W. Shaw and Richard J. Plummer, officials of Limerick Golf Club. They laid out an 18-hole course, the original course had ten holes on each side of the road.^[3] It has been described as the "St. Andrew's" of Ireland

 

Perhaps just one more thing of interest to finish off...

In 2014 there was a huge Hurricane (Hercules) which pounded the Promenade at Lahinch  with massive waves.

Hurricane Hercules arrived to Irish west coast on 3rd of January 2014 by 7 PM and Lahinch promenade started to be pounded by giant waves and onshore wind 45 knots strong.

Here's a few photos by George Karbus

Waves crashing in to Lahinch Promenade Jan 2014

Waves crashing in to Lahinch Promenade Jan 2014

This short video gives a live version...

A couple more pics..

Wave damage to Lahinch Promenade Jan 2014

Monster waves Lahinch 2014

You may have noticed in the pics that I have taken of Lahinch Beach in 2023, the Promenade is now protected by massive big boulders. Apparently this storm did great damage to those houses and shops on the beach front...

Lahinch Beach this morning.

Lahinch Beach this morning.

There's so much more I could add, but I still have a few days left!!! But that's a bit of a start. It's hard to explain a place that you have come to know a little better through living in it!  But you have to start somewhere!