Ireland Sheep Tour - irelandsheeptour

We departed Belfast this morning ahead of schedule (a first!) and headed south toward Dublin. Just north of Dublin we visited the farm of Tom Bailey. He treated us to lunch in the village nearby  nearby (he treated all of us, which was very generous). 

We got into Dublin about 2:30 pm. A guide came aboard our bus and gave us a tour of the city, ending at the Guinness brewery. It was interesting, but the best part (in my opinion) was the view from the Gravity Bar at the top of the brewery, where we "enjoyed" a complimentary pint of Guinness. 

This evening we were on our own in Dublin. A few of us got to enjoy some traditional Irish music (well, traditional until they played Johnny Cash's "Ring of Fire". We were the only ones singing along, but we sang very loudly. The locals figured out the chorus by the second verse).

Tomorrow is the National Ploughing Match. We are REALLY hoping it doesn't rain!

 

Day 6

This morning we departed Portrush and headed for the farm of Victor Chestnutt near Bushmills. This was a fantastic stop. Victor took us to two pieces of his property. This first piece was situated on an old army barracks during WWII. It literally on the cliff overlooking the atlantic ocean. Fantastic views, as you can imagine. We got to peer over the cliff down to the rocks below. Breathtaking. Did I mention it was raining? It rained all day, but we didn't let it dampen our spirits.

Victor then took us to his home farm where he provided us with hot tea & coffee, scones, and toilets (a good combination). He had blue faced border Leisters and cattle there.  Pearce got in with the sheep and helped Victor's son wrangle one of the rams.

Victor clued us into a ram sale that was going on nearby. Due to the incessant rain (we were now all soaked), we gave folks the option of doing 1 of 3 things--1. Ram sale, 2. Shopping in Balleymena, 3. Sheep Dog Trials in Antrim (which was the planned activity that day). Six people went to the ram sale (including Victor, who just rode along on the bus with us), a handful went shopping, and 30 of us die-hards went to the sheep dog trials.

The trials are a story unto themselves…

Because the fields were thoroughly drowned, our coach was unable to take us all the way to the trials. We walked probably 3/4 of a mile from the coach to the trials. And not just an easy walk--we're talking mud up to your ankles, rain, tractors splashing by, etc. We had reserved seating at the grandstands and luckily they hand an awning over the stands so we were atlas somewhat out of the elements while we watched the trials. The conditions there were difficult--even many of the Irish had had enough.

Tonight we made it into Belfast and are currently at the Park Inn. We just finished a nice dinner at the hotel restaurant and are now retiring early. Something about being out int the rain for about 7 hours straight just zaps the energy out of you! We've taken advantage of the hotel's laundry service (since everything we wore today is completely covered in mud).

Tomorrow should be a relaxing day: Giant's Causeway, Antrim Coastal Road, shopping and free time in Belfast.

We are collectively doing an anti-rain dance. The Ploughing Match would be quite miserable in the rain.

We are now in Portrush, which is in Northern Ireland. The last 2 days have been eventful. On Thursday we departed Ashford Castle and made our way through beautiful Connemara to a sheep research farm. It was very remote and the bus crossed a stone bridge with about 1/4" clearance on each side. The research center had a small barn at the base of a mountain, but they had a powerpoint presentation ready for us. The view from there was incredible. Barren mountains, green valleys, and sheep everywhere. After lunch we went to Kylemore Abbey and got a quick tour. It was as beautiful and serene as ever.  Thursday night we stayed with various local hosts.

This morning we were enroute to the tweed center when our road became blocked due to a bad accident up ahead. We waited in line for about 20 min then Barry was able to talk the Garda (police) into letting us go up ahead and turn the bus around. We took an alternate route and ended up at the tweed mill about an hour late. It was well worth it though! They gave a weaving demonstration and then we in turn helped stimulate the Irish economy buy purchasing some of their goods. We had a late lunch and then went to a sheep farm near Letterkenny. We've arrived into Portrush this evening, have had dinner and are now settling down for some much needed rest.

Tomorrow we visit the farm of Victor Chestnutt and then go to the sheep dog trials in Antrim. We overnight in Belfast tomorrow night.

We've all agreed that Barry and the bus driver deserve generous tips at the end of all this!

Presently at Ashford Castle. It is like a fairy tale--absolutely wonderful. Only downside is a slow internet connection, so no photos to pass along tonight.

Has rained off & on all day. And by off & on, I mean 5 min sun, 5 min rain, 5 min sun, etc. Went to the Cliffs of Moher--breathtaking but very windy. Nearly enough to blow a person over. We only stayed about 30 min which was plenty. Burren limestone area was unique and beautiful. Lunch in Galway City. Had an hour there before getting back on the bus. There were plenty of small cafes and pubs to eat at. An accident up the road caused a delay and the bus couldn't make it to our pick up point. (A truck hit a girl crossing the street, apparently). Were delayed a bit because of that. Burdell said the Atlantic water along the Irish coastline is the most turbulent he's ever seen. Keep in mind he's comparing it to the Oregon coast. We had waves crashing along the shore, salt spraying, etc. It was great.

Drove directly to Ashford Castle from Galway City. Easy drive. Ashford is grand. Several of us walked around the grounds and the sun actually stayed out for about 30 min. It was kind of a miracle. We even spotted a rainbow.

Lough Corrib, on which Ashford sits, has the clearest water I've ever seen. It's as if all the elements were hand picked for this location.

Dinner at each location received good reviews.

After dinner a small group of us (4) congregated in the lounge of the hotel. About every 5 min another couple would join us. Before long we had a circle of chairs that took up the entire room. We kind of ran that part of the hotel for a while.

Tomorrow we head to Kylemore Abbey and 2 sheep farms. Tomorrow night is our farm stays, so don't expect an update tomorrow night (likely no internet).

All is well. We had very narrow roads today and a few gray-hair inducing moments because of it. In my mind I know the roads are only going to get more & more narrow. Hopefully the bus manages to not get any wider.

Day 2--two sheep farm visits in the Limerick area, lunch in the quaint village of Adare. Dinner at the Hamptons Restaurant next door to the hotel.

First sheep farm was that of Michael Power, who was very personable and easy to talk to. He showed us around his barn, talked about the Irish sheep industry, and then let the group wander about. As a group we really did wander--all the way up to the top of a hill over looking his farm. It was beautiful and peaceful. Everyone commented on just how perfect and idyllic it was.

Darren Carty from the Irish Farmers Journal joined us today at both sheep farms. He was able to answer a lot of questions and provided us with good information about the current state of the sheep and beef markets in Ireland.

Second farm was of the O'Shea family, which is run by Morgan O'Shea and his two sons. It started to rain while we were there so we didn't get too far out into the pasture. He has the stoutest Suffolks I have ever seen. The grass here is as lush and green as you would imagine it to be. When the sun's out every direction looks like a postcard.

We had a great dinner and then several retired to the hotel lounge. Before long Pearce was telling stories and we were erupting with laughter (probably to the dislike of the other guests).

Tomorrow we head north to the Cliffs of Moher, the Burren, Galway and end at Ashford Castle. Folks are pretty excited about the castle.

I've uploaded a few photos. Look under the "pictures & videos" tab above. There are lots more, but these are the first ones my tired eyes were drawn to.

Today was our big day of arrivals. We took three shuttles from the airport back to the hotel. The first group got into their rooms straightaway without any headache. The second and third groups...had a bit of a wait before their rooms were ready. Luckily hotel provided us with the Executive Lounge, complete with complimentary drinks and sandwiches.

Our Welcome Dinner was at Dolan's Restaurant, a short bus ride from the hotel. We had a private room upstairs. The food was delicious and the service was outstanding. They served some of the best deserts in Ireland, I would argue.

After the dinner a few of us visited in the hotel lounge for a while before turning in. We have a few very tired travelers, but I'd say that the trip is off to a great start.

Attachments:

Day 1 of the tour has started out quite well. I brought the first group of arrivals back to the Savoy Hotel and everyone seemed to be doing ok. A bit tired, perhaps, but ok. Our bus driver is an interesting fellow--seems to know all there is to know about Ireland, and could answer any question that was thrown his way.

After a late breakfast, the rest of the day is free until the Welcome Dinner. It's raining--not heavy but enough to make it chilly. The forecast for the rest of the week looks more promising.

On a personal note, Steph's and I's luggage came in this morning, against all odds! We feel completely reborn. Clean clothes never sounded so good! We will actually look presentable for the Welcome Dinner. Hooray!

Steph and I have successfully landed in Ireland. Our flights on Friday were a bit messy. A mechanical issue on the first flight out of Cedar Rapids put a wrench into our best-laid plans. From there on we were on a variety of different flights. The good news is--we're here. The bad news is--our luggage is not. We've been assured by the airline(s) that our bags should arrive sometime Sunday morning. Luckily there is a Dunness Store (which is like a Target) across from the Savoy Hotel. We've been able to stock up on a few supplies, and are now resting up.

The weather here is quite nice. Limerick had sun mixed with clouds today, and a few intermittent showers that never lasted very long. Just be sure to bring an umbrella or a rain coat! We did...but both are in our checked luggage. We took shelter in some doorways until the showers passed earlier today.

It seems like only yesterday when the trip was 6+ months away. Now it is merely days away! Steph and I have been getting everything squared away at Premier and at home. We are packed and ready to roll! Luckily, she & I are getting into Limerick a few days early so that we will be bright-eyed and bushy-tailed when we meet everyone at the airport.

We've been keeping an eye on the weather in Ireland. Websites vary somewhat, but generally it looks like it will be mild during the first part of the trip, and a bit colder when we venture into Northern Ireland and back down to Dublin. We might have chilly visits to the Sheep Dog Trials and to the Ploughing Championship. Luckily, there are plenty of wool sweaters, scarfs and hats in Ireland!