HOLIDAYS in IRELAND

What a difference a day makes.....and after the rain and wind yesterday, we were blessed today with a beautiful day to tour the Burren and the Cliffs of Moher. My photos, once again, are in reverse order starting out with our final getogether in Morans seafood pub and restaurant in Kilcolgan. This is known as Moran's of the Weir and is a wonderful place to go if you like fresh seafood. Here you get the finest of Galway Bay Oysters, wild Salmon, and fresh cod, and whatever other fresh fish is available at the time. The prawns and crab are also all local and equally fresh and delicious and i could not recommend this place highly enough. Last evening we had a lovely farewell party with the Lambert family and i can only say that i wish that we could have had more time together. It was far too short, two days, but i feel that there will be another get together in the future. Brian was absolutely taken by the magnificent golf course at Lahinch and i could tell that he would have given anything to just grab a set of clubs and head off down the first fairway. He would have had me alongside, as given the day and the wonderful course, any lover of golf would have felt the same.

Below we have Patty and Karina on the hillside with a Norman Tower Castle in the background. This photo was taken at Doolin near the Cliffs of Moher.Seated on the verandah overlooking the golf course at Lahinch.
Kelly, in her snazzy hat, Mom Patty and big sis Karina. In the back ground....all on his own.....big brother Keith. Why the face Keith?
Take it from me....he was just caught at a bad time there. He really did have a great time and was the best of company.

A group of golfers getting set to drive off at the first. All of this group were from the USA, as are quiet a large number of players at any given time on these western links courses of ours. If you want to enjoy really magnificent links courses, come to Ireland....and especially the West.

A view of the eighteenth green from the balcony.
Another view of the course.
Brian at the entrance to the course and clubhouse.Note the date? 1892
Some of my happy pals in our VW Caravelle.
Keith and Kelly at the Cliffs. It looks a liitle overcast here but it was a really lovely day all in all. Lets just call this a cloudy moment.
Brian and Karina on the climb to O' Briens Tower at the Cliffs.

Below again......Kelly in Lisdoonvara. This town is famous for its Matchmaking festival which is held every year in September. If you want a wife or a husband then come to Lisdoonvara and let the Matchmakers pair you off with an ideal partner. It works a lot better than going out to a pub, like most people do, having ten pints, and then choosing your partner for life. Does that make sense to you?

The family together on the mountain side on the Corkscrew Hill with Galway Bay and the Burren in the background.
Sampling the fare at the Farmers Market in Ballyvaughan.
You can tell that he has a mouthfull.....Keith enjoying his Bratwurst in Ballyvaughan.
Patty was really caught here....having a Bartwurst also. They were delicious.
Inside the ancient 11th century Abbey at Corcomroe.

The happy family all together on an old famine road at Corcomroe Hill in the Burren.

Well what can i say.....lost for words would be maybe the most appropriate comment as i could not say enough about my latest family group. Is there a nicer experience than sharing time with a family who are a real family.It was so easy to see just how much they enjoyed being together, and for me, to be a part of that, was a privilege for which i would like to thank them sincerely. This year i have been particularly lucky with all the nice people i have toured with and they all have been special in their own way. I have enjoyed so many different people and so many different moments, but being with happy, well behaved children is, for me, as a family man myself, extra special.
Thank you Brian, Patty, Karine, Keith and my little mermaid, Kelly. I hope that you enjoyed the bunny Kelly.