Britain 09 - Day 14

Introduction

Friday, and our last day in Ireland. True to reputation, the rain that had been intermittent now settled in. The day dawned grey with heavy overcast sky, which only got worse and wetter during the day. Our plan had been to drive from Killybegs south, to Sligo, examine some of the well-preserved Stone-Age tombs, then continue through the Connemara to Galway. Most of the sightseeing became impossible, and the Connemara will remain as a part of Ireland to be seen and experienced on our next visit. Even getting through Galway became a trial, with the main roads clogged with traffic in the late afternoon. To cap off a bad day, the hotel we had booked at had seen better days. Even finding it proved a mission in the rain. The service in the bar and restaurant was so poor, and the food so late and unacceptable that we were not charged for food or drink. The final insult came late at night when the people in the next room held a party to celebrate the EU Referendum held that day, and they kept trying to break into our room through the connecting doorway. We were pleased to be leaving at 6am for our early morning flight to Manchester, so were not at all perturbed by the late opening of the restaurant for breakfast.

Drumcliffe

A hidden gem in the gloomy weather was the small village of Drumcliffe. In common with so many places in Ireland, this village lived on its reputation as the site of one of St Columba's monasteries, the round tower all that remains. It's second claim, and this is unique, is the resting place of the poet W.B. Yeats, in the churchyard of St Columba's Church. Even the rain managed a short break, long enough to take a few photos.

St Columba's Church, Drumcliffe

The doors to the Church

The memorial to John Yeats

Closeup of the swans on the doors

The interior of the Church

The church organ

The story of St Columba at Drumcliffe

St Columba's Tower at Drumcliffe

The grave of WB Yeats

Church sign

St Columba's Cross and Tower at Drumcliffe

Another view of the grave of WB Yeats

Drumcliffe to Connemara

This section of Ireland was getting its regular irrigation from the rain, to keep the grass and trees growing in top condition. I am sure they were growing well, but there was little evidence of this apart from the rain.