There's Moher to Life Than This

October 6, 2010

The receptionist at Barnacles had convinced me that the Galway Tour Company provided excellent tours of The Burren and the Cliffs of Moher (featured as the Cliffs of Insanity in the Princess Bride -- see video clip here), two of Ireland's most popular attractions, at only 20 euro for a full day, so I was in. It was a long day indeed, but an excellent tour, lasting from 10 a.m. through 6:30 p.m.

Breakfast = lame. It always sounds so nice to have breakfast included, but it almost always disappoints (Jerusalem's Little House in Bakah being a notable exception).

I walked to the Coach Station near Eyre Square, boarded a bus full of old people and couples (and one strange Spanish solo guy), and a several hundred kilometer drive began. Our tour guide was Desmond Murray, who has been conducting this tour for 16 years, and I believe has been guiding tours in general since the 1950s A.D. His online reviews have been extremely positive, and well justified, I think. He was obviously extremely practiced, but the jokes were good, at least to the extent I could understand his accent (which was very heavy). He was friendly, a good driver, and lent me 20 euros for lunch before I could go to the ATM and pay him back. He mentioned that he is sometimes known as "King of the Burren".

But what is the Burren? I learned that it is a rocky area in County Clare, covered in limestone. We stopped at one Neolithic burial site out in the Burren, which now consists of some large stones stacked upon each other. It was some pretty impressive landscape, reminded me somewhat of the harshness of the Icelandic landscape. Here's what it looks like, more or less.

Walking on these rocks wasn't easy. It was a good thing that I wore my hiking shoes. Desmond also showed us an old castle, some of the sites in the towns we passed through in the Burren area, as well as a grove in which he claimed there were leprechauns (warning us not to step on them).

Lunch was at Gus O'Connor's Pub (founded in 1832 and supposedly famous) in the town of Doolin, a small town near the Cliffs of Moher.
I ate bangers and mash (sausages and mashed potatoes) and a Guinness. I have to semi-take back what I said about Guinness not being that great. It's kind of not as great as they say it is, but it really is quite good, and it is better here than in the U.S. and it is actually impressive that all the locals actually drink it with pride. So my opinion of it is high, even though I thought the Storehouse had a bit too much of a commercial feel. The bangers and mash was delicious. Here's a picture of the pub.

The Cliffs of Moher are Ireland's most visited natural site. They are more than 200 meters high, the ocean crashese dramatically against them, and they are super beautiful. There was a huge visitor center built into the hills above them where I bought some postcards. I walked up and down the length of the cliffs (and listened to some Einstein on the Beach on my iPod -- seemed particularly appropriate). What else can you say about this? Here's some pictures:

There were more sites that Desmond showed us on the way back, and I looked at them, and I climbed on more of the Burren rocks, but I was also tired and slept part of the way. When he finally dropped us off at 6:30 p.m., I was very nervous about the fact that I had a 3 hour projected drive ahead of me to Killarney, which would be mostly in the dark and my start time was slowly slipping ahead. I bought 3 red bulls and some candy, and paid for my parking and charged my Blackberry (it was almost entirely drained) so I'd have some help from Google Maps and I got in the car ready to focus super hard.

The drive ended up going very well. While I still spent half an hour driving in circles in Killarney, I made the drive with almost no mistakes (both of which were corrected very quickly). Although I must admit that I was scared during the substantial portions of the trip where the road was two lanes. The headlines from the oncoming traffic are blinding. There was some rain. And while most Irish cars drive ridiculously fast, there is the occasional car driving well, well below the speed limit -- passing on those roads is terrifying but I did it maybe twice. My heart was racing for a good minute after completing each pass.

Killarney is a small town, but it is still organized in the same confusing way as Dublin and Galway -- one way streets everywhere so it takes a full cycle around the city to correct any wrong turn made. But I found my hostel, the Railway Hostel, finally, and parked my car in the FREE PARKING.

I settled in, and walked out to the streets (it was only 10:30 p.m.), grabbed a mediocre kebab and went to O'Connor's Pub, which was recommended both by Lonely Planet as well as by the receptionist. As usual, I started off sitting quietly drinking a Guinness and the next thing you know I'm talking to an American guy (about 50) from North Carolina in with his wife for a wedding and another American guy (about 30) in with his girlfriend for another wedding, and we're trading stories about Ireland, and the American guy buys us shots, and then this New Zealand guy with a beard invites me and the American guy and his girlfriend (and the two German girls he was with) to some party in town, and all decide to go. Along the way, I learn that not only is the New Zealand guy and the two German girls staying in my hostel, they are in the same room. Small world. The "party" was at some Irish guy's apartment, surprisingly nice looking, but it was kind of boring. I immediately started lobbying the American guy, his girlfriend and the two Germans to go to the Killarney Grand, which was downstairs. Eventually I was successful with the American and his girlfriend (Germans seemed happy at boring party).

The Killarney Grand was also recommended by Lonely Planet and the receptionist. Although there was a 5 euro cover (the American convinced the bouncer to waive it for his girlfriend), it was totally worth it. Lively place, music playing. Band was called the Waxies, two guys in kilts, singing 80s covers. Eventually, the girlfriend got mad, wanted to leave because she and the American guy had a bus to catch in the morning, they had a little bit of a fight, but he stayed because he was having such a good time, kept saying this place was the best thing he had seen all trip. Stayed until 2:30 a.m. Good time!

Bjork -- There's More to Life Than This