I went to Ireland by using the summer vacation. The theme of the travel at this time was to affect touching to a very interesting culture of Celt and know what the music of enya resulted on the wholeor and her birth hometown.
I always travel alone, but in this time I traveled with Professor Miyazaki Chuo University. He is the teacher of my British History and Literature when I was in university. He went to Ireland for publishing new edition of his book about Ireland. It was very lucky and accompany after an interval of four years to travel with him. He was traveling with other two persons, Ms. Masaki who is painter for his book and Mr.Katou who is junior college lecturer and also whoes teacher is Professor Miyazaki. Then, I am 4 joining line persons this time.
Let's make the internet travel in Ireland immediately. (When the photograph is clicked, a big photograph is seen)
August 12
1. Shannon
Somewhere in Europe, it is necessary to transfer to Ireland where no direct flight from Japan. There are a lot of numbers of flight, and near, convenience are Britain. I purchased ticket to Shannon at the west of Ireland as soon as arriving at the Heathrow airport in London. And I stayed one night in my frind's house inLondon.
There is very no passport control from Britain to Ireland! Of course both of nations are EU, but I was very surprised that no control for me though I am non EU person. It was a part of Britain before the independent after the first great war and Ulster (Northern Ireland) are stiii British territories. So,it is possible to go to Ireland without control.
It was about one hour that arrival at the Shannon airport.
It is an airport where a lot of direct flight from New York which is the nearest an American continent. But there was a small building that I felt it was in a large plain. The arrival was delayed a little because of the congestion of the London Heathrow airport, but there was no trafic jam in this country side. I hired a rent-a-car and aimed to go to Limerick to meet Prf.Miyazaki.However it was still one o'clock and the meeting time was four o'clock, I decided to see the Bunratty Castle near the airport. A man in the rent-a-car shop advised it was about 30 minutes to Limerick.
But I had one thing to do before visiting the Castle. It was lunch! I found a pub next to the Castle. The meal of the pub was very delicious, especialy the taste of the boiled cabbage was special here. I like pub lunch very much.
This is the castle.
It is preserved very well and the viewpoint is full. But, the interest here is to be restored an old street any more. The teacher whose clothe was very old fashioned taught Irish (Gaelic), and the field is cultivated and the domestic animal is kept if going to the farm if entering the elementary school of 150 years ago.2. Limerick
Driving about 20 minutes I acrossed a big river. This is river Shannon that is the longest river in Ireland. Limerick located at the mouth of river Shannon. It's population is about 60,000 persons and it is the No.4 city in Ireland. I had no straigt road map because I had borrowed the car very quickly so I had forgotton to buy a map. But, I could arrive at the station which was meeting point at once. I tried to park ,and to look for money unusually because it is charge (I could not understand any in some measure), then I heard voice that calling me from the other side. We joined safely somehow.
The sun was also still high and they had booking hotel yet around the station, it is immediately a departure by four persons. Limerick sightseeing was tomorrow morning for the present.
3．Askeaton
We ran from Limerick in national road N69 and about 30 minutes. It was an arrival at the village of the Askeaton. The abolition unprepareness of a considerably big monastery and the castle which was about to collapse remain though it was a declining quiet village. The monastery was a considerable scale and the part in the corridor beautifully remained again though the castle grounded to our regret owning privately, was not able to approach. There was tourist information though it was a very small village.
4．Glin
I heard there was a big castle in Glin, but after all, only the gate along the national road was found. Moreover, it was the coffee shop and there was no entrance anywhere. It was not recorded on a map, so it might be private. We were driving along the coastline and I thougt this road was a nice drive course.
5．Carrigafoyle Castle
We were going on N69, then entered small path. Then the castle of tower which soars in the marsh belt jumped into our view.I climbed immediately though the landward collapsed, dropped. The vie from the top was very nice. In surroundings, it was castles where anything did not have something by which view was interrupted and either why it was made to purposely by such a marsh.
To August 13