SUNDAY 
KINVARA & COUNTY CLARE


Early in the morning in the village of Kinvara.
Dunguaire Castle is on a small outcrop that sticks out into the southern part of Galway Bay.
It was built in 1520
The gates were locked, so I took a photo through a hole in the wall.
There must have been something on this little island near the castle at some time. There's a stone arch still standing.
You can get one of these new homes for about a half a million euros. They look pretty nice. I wouldn't mind living there.
I was driving to the Cliffs of Moher and took a side excursion to find some cave or something. I thought it might be an open cave but it was a pay thing. Anyway, on the way back to the road I was on I passed this. It's Doonagore Castle, a tower house built in the 1500's. In fact, I didn't know what it was until I got home and somehow stumbled upon in on the web.


Here are the Cliffs of Moher.
At their highest point they are 214 metres high
On the top of the cliff to the right is O'Brien's Tower, built in 1835 as a viewing point for tourists. They wanted €2 to climb to the top. I can't see how it's a better view up there. I mean I guess you can see a bit more looking down to the water.

I read that it was built by Cornelius O'Brien to impress female tourists. Yeah, I guess a big tower will do that.
On the opposite side is some other tower. It's on private property though.
An important sign on the wall. I believe it is telling people not to chase the birds because they might accidentally step into a fire.
Here was another accidental find and yet another example of ruins just standing all over the place over there. This is Leamaneh Castle.
These little side trips didn't always work out. There was a sign near Leamaneh Castle that indicated a stone fort somewhere around here. But as is often the case, once you make the turn to follow the sign there's nothing else to point you on your way. I never found the fort. I did find these horses. Maybe the put up these stone walls as their own little fort.
This area is called The Burren. It could easily be called The Barren. There's not much there.
Believe it or not, the sat-nav still knew where I was, even on this little road which it told me to be on.

TO CORK