Ireland: Act One

Western Way

Six months after this trip I am finally ready to rehash what happened! I waited so long to see what memories would stand out so I could focus on the highlights for y’all. I’m going to divide this trip into two parts: part one will be before the hospital and part two will be after. And yes, we had a hospital visit, but all is fine now!

Quick overview of our trip first. 

Our group consisted of my dad (Dr. Dad), stepmom (DD), brother (Bro), sister-in-law (Curgz), stepbrother (CC), half-sister (Elf), Hubs and myself. We hiked for 5 days along the Western Way from outside Galway to Westport. We hiked carrying our day packs and all of our luggage was transported ahead of time by the company.

Act One

• Galway to Oughterard

The first leg of our trip we flew into Shannon and then hopped a bus to Galway. Galway was a cool town; it had the right amount of tourist kitschiness where the city felt alive and welcoming, but not so much to be patronizing. With our belongings were safely stored away at our AirBnB, half of us went out and about and the other half stayed behind and napped. While gallivanting around we had a Guinness at a pub called The Skeff. Starting here and moving forward, every single person we met and socialized with was the kindest, chattiest person. I mean, I’m a Georgia girl and I know Southern hospitality, but the Irishmen put us to shame! Hubs at this point said he felt ill so he slept, or tried to, most of our Galway experience. Poor man, he had a nasty infection in his finger and was on antibiotics for it. Then he started feeling feverish so Dr. Dad started him alternating ibuprofen and Tylenol thinking Hubs was reacting to the antibiotics and long travel. Unfortunately, we were very wrong.

Dr. Dad in the streets of Galway

sisters who love street art

We took a bus from Galway to Oughterard. Oughterard would be our jumping off point the next morning. That evening Hubs became so feverish the owner of our bed and breakfast offered to call her doctor but we declined thinking he would recover during the night. Again, we were wrong.

• Day 1 Hike

Hubs, Bro, and I being ourselves

After a delicious traditional Irish breakfast we were dropped off at the trailhead and commenced our beautiful first day of hiking. We trekked from Oughterard to Cornamona. Bro was in charge of making sure we stayed on course. Whenever we asked him how much farther it was always, “Just two more kilometers.” He said this for, I don’t know many kilometers, but at least 4 or more miles. (Two km is actually equal to about 1.25 mi.) The hike ended at the doorstop of a local pub. A ride provided by the tour company came and picked us up after we had our celebratory Guinness. On the way to our bed and breakfast we got to drive past Pirate Queen Grace O’Malley’s castle.

"how much farther?" "only about 2 km"

• Day 2 Hike

perfection in a picture

The second day was the toughest day. (From my experience at least; apparently day four was very strenuous but I did not hike past day three.) We hiked from Cornamona to Connemara.  The trail wound through some local farms and then went up a steep hill to St. Patrick’s shrine called Mám Éan. CC, Hubs, and I took our sweet time on this hike. CC and I like to look at everything and take pictures and sweet Hubs was having major fever chills and aches. We made our way down the hill and to our next bed and breakfast. That was a little farm in Connemara. Hubs immediately showered, ate, and went to bed. My siblings and I lingered at the cozy lodge/restaurant/pub down the road for way too long. We closed the place down. Word to the wise: be wary of a drink The Skeff staff called “fluffy duck”; it’s two parts Baileys and one part Hennessy. 

Dr. Dad and DD at  Mám Éan

the siblings about to close this place down

love love love and wine

• Day 3 Hike

here we go!

This third day Hubs and Elf rode straight ahead with our luggage to the next bed and breakfast in order to sleep. Hubs still felt terrible and Elf had had too much fun the night before to enjoy a day along the Western Way. (By the way, that bed and breakfast was haunted, I swear. In the middle of the night I awoke with the feeling I was being watched. I rolled over and saw two dark figures on the wall. I blinked hard and looked to see what would cause the shadow. When I looked back, they were still there. I blinked again and they were gone.) The others and I hiked from Connemara to Leenane.  Ireland reminded me so much of Iceland with its green rolling hills, the rocky landscape, and the numerous amounts of sheep. After a day of hiking we went to a pub for some delicious local mussels. We even walked past the mussel farm from which they came! And yes, we did make plenty of "muscle" farm jokes. Poor Hubs didn't get to eat with us, but I did bring him back a "toasty" (a toasted ham sandwich) and some mussels. At the end of this day he was so incapacitated that the next morning he and I went to the hospital.

I don't typically like mussels but I devoured these

That ends the first act and leads us into the second act of this saga. I will pick up on that next post.

-Sarah-

Bonus Pics! 

Connemaras in Connemara!

buckskin stallion

his mare was grazing with their colt and sheep