Poets and Pints!

We began this next gorgeous, sunny day with a delicious breakfast in a very formal dining room of the Castle Murray.  I had smoked salmon and scrambled eggs and Gordon, again, had a full Irish breakfast. Poached eggs, bacon, sausage, grilled tomato, black pudding, white pudding and toast.  I don't know how, or why, he does it!

We left the County of Donegal, by-the-way pronounced donny-gal not donna -gol and headed out and south toward Sligo on our way to Westport on the West Coast of Ireland along the Atlantic Ocean.  Along the way we happened upon a beautiful little cathedral - the burial site of the Irish poet W. B. Yeats.  Here's a little Yeats poem:

“WINE comes in at the mouth
And love comes in at the eye;
That's all we shall know for truth
Before we grow old and die.
I lift the glass to my mouth,
I look at you, and sigh.”
― W.B. Yeats

This cross is from 700 A.D. and survives today.

The little, pristine, Catholic chapel where Yeats is buried.

And his wife is buried with him.  George Yeats.  Gordon  and I were scratching our heads over this one until we googled him and found out his wife's name was Georgina but he called her George.

Inside the little chapel

There was a really cute gift shop outside the chapel with a lot of Irish sweeties!  Hard to resist.

 After we left the Chapel we headed inland for about 6 miles to see a lovely Lake or lough and a waterfall.  Glencar Lake and Waterfall.

Many majestic mountains dot the Atlantic Coast of Ireland

Fall is coming!

Looks like the seven sacred pools in Maui right?

And afterward, a little soft ice cream!

The signs in southern Ireland are written in English and Gaelic.

City Hall in Sligo.

Traveling the Wild Atlantic Way!

This is our hotel in Westport.

Across from a tidal basin which is pretty much a mudflat.  Tomorrow morning I suspect it will be full of water.

the hotel and row of shops is a converted old quayside warehouse.

 After a quick rest and shower we headed into town for pints, dinner and Irish music.

First stop is Matt Molloy's a famous Irish flautist.

 Read about Matt here:  Matt Molloy  His pub is very colorful and loud with twangy Irish music.

This adorable group of 6 men had obviously been sitting awhile drinking pints of Guinness.  I envied them their long-term camaraderie obviously having lived in the same village a long time, maybe even growing up together.  They were loud, laughing, drinking and eating bags of crisps.  No one was unruly, just enjoying each others company.

Matt Molloy's band!

Fun sign inside the pub.

Gordon waiting for his Guinness to settle!

Many colorful pubs abound in Westport.

And the many signs of the little village.

A shallow stream running through the village.

Just strolling along!

Top of the High Street

and bottom of the High Street

Okay

Still many beautiful flower baskets.

We ate a a restaurant we had booked when we got to town called Mango's.  A very small boutique restaurant with excellent food.  In the rest room there was this sign.

 We had delicious meals of baked white fish again for me....

 and Gordon had a local fresh seafood curry.  When you are by the coast, fish is the best right?!

We are beginning to feel like Bonnie and Clyde packing up and running every day for the last three days but tomorrow night will be our last one nighter.  We've booked a particularly nice hotel in Galway just an hour south of here.  Our plan is to hike in the morning before taking off.  We'll see!