September 14, 2008
We awoke too early again, and watched a zoo program called Roar for an hour, then watched the televised Highland Championships on BBC. Love those Kilts! After a very filling breakfast, and a slan leat to Angela, we headed north to Belfast. On the way, we stopped at Monasterboice, which is a very old churchsite. Now a graveyard, there were tons of celtic crosses around, and two very elaborate and old high crosses that told the story of Jesus’s crucifixion. A big surprise was finding another ancestral line of mine, a McCullough, buried there, amidst the huge ancient trees.
As we went, the roads became much nicer once in Northern Ireland. I know the Republic is doing a lot of work on their roads with help from the EU, so I’m sure that will change quickly. I tried driving for a bit - not too hard, but Mom was too upset about not driving to let me continue. Besides, I am the far better navigator. We drove to Carrickfergus, met the ocean, then drove along the Antrim Coast, which is very beautiful and rugged. Bought batteries in the small town of Ballycastle, which was the receiving point of Marconi’s wireless message from Rathlin Island. The puffins had already flown off for the year, so we didn’t take the ferry out to the island. Took a break at Glenarm Castle Garden tea room - scones again, and I’m not complaining!
After that, Mom was driving again. We took a shortcut across the Antrim mountains, which are both mysterious and intensely interesting in how barren they are. Heather was in bloom everywhere, and fog moved in and around the marshy bushes and sheep. We also went to the Giant’s Causeway, which was a bit too touristy for me. Breathtaking views, though you had to look through the people to see them. Somehow, we managed to skip Bushmill’s distillery. It has been a long day, and we have not had a full meal since breakfast. Tomorrow, I vow that we WILL eat lunch!
I feel worse and worse every day with this cold. I’m sure walking in the sea air didn’t help. I got my kids and husband presents today, I’m sure the first of many.
September 15, 2008
The day started out nice, but rainy. We had a huge breakfast at our B&B, Glenageary farm, and got to meet a Scots couple from Clyde as well as a couple from British Columbia at table. There was a westie that did a little dance for bacon. We headed for Omagh right after.
It wasn’t a straight direction to Omagh, though. Mom called it a distraction. We became highly distracted in Donegal. First, it was with the Grianan Ailigh, an ancient building of dry stone that was the innaugural seat of the O’Neils. It was extremely misty atop the hill, and in the stone ring, but patience rewarded us with a sudden, amazing view of the valley below; the Swilly shining like mercury. Since we are related to Niall of the Nine Hostages, Mom decided we were definitely O’Neils. It was easy to do in such an inspirational place.
I found a small dolman indicator on one of my maps that was outside of Raphoe, so we managed our way there. What a wonderful surprise. Beltany Standing Stones - at one time a stone circle, then turned into an iron age fort. Sheep were everywhere. I think wellies will be a requirement for any more trips to Ireland, because we had a rough time in the rain and sheep poo trying not to mess up our pants! Not that I really cared much about that at the time. I was so entranced by the area. The small dark forest nearby was wonderful, and the light glinting through the trees reminded me of stained glass windows. The path that led to both stones and forest was overgrown, deep and still. Huge trees covered with knots of ivy made the place very mysterious, and being there was very special for me. Mom made it to the stones, but decided against approaching the sheep who were also inhabiting the pasture. Good Call.
The man who runs the Greenmount Lodge (the B&B we stayed at in Omagh) knew some people from Huntsville Alabama. That blew my mind.
We had a wreck after we reached Omagh. It was late, and we had not had lunch. We were stuck in some kind of fairy trick for about 2 hours where all of the street signs were the same. I’m convinced of fairy mischief in that. But anyway, the airbags deployed, and we were both shaken up a lot. Everyone was really nice about it, and we managed to get a ride back to the Lodge while our poor crumpled Yaris was taken to a car shop down the road. Tomorrow, we head to Derry to plead and beg for a new car, although at this point, I am longing for home and really wanting to hug my kids.
