Personal Chauffeurdrive/car and driver vacations in Ireland

The Bunratty Folk Park is well worth a visit if you are in the Bunratty area. You can visit the famous castle at the same time, but a stroll through this recreated Irish village is an education in itself. Here you have a picture of the main street where you will find shops, the post office, the pub, and the old school house, along with many more interesting establishments. Further on up though the town you will find the old church and the farmyards. There you can see an assortment of animals including the great Irish Wolfhounds. I enjoyed a walk through myself the other day and, as always, enjoyed it very much.

A typical fishermans/farmers cottage. The old boat is a Currach which was the traditional boat used by the fishermen on the West Coast. Note the lobster pots lying against the boat and the stack of peat/turf up against the gable end of the house. The old thatched roofs were not always good quality and the houses were damp and cold. The thatch was often riddled with vermin, mice and birds and bugs, and they were also a liability if the chimney went on fire as sparks could set fire to the thatch. They served their purpose when you had no other choice.



Now you can see the interior of the old house. There was always a large open fireplace and a wide chimney. The houses were always smokey, especially if the wind was blowing the wrong way. Here you can see the areas blackened by the fire.Note the basket of peat/turf to the right hand side of the fireplace and the big iron pot in which just about everything was cooked. The old kettle is also there, and the earthenwear jugs.
One most interesting feature in this photo is the area to the left with the curtains. This was an alcove with a bed in which an old person, maybe a granny or grandad, or a sick person, would be placed. If they wanted to sleep, then they could draw the curtains, but if they wanted company, then they would open them. There was always somebody close by to keep them company and to watch over them. Most importantly, they were close to the fire and warm. They really did know how to look after their own in the old days. How good are we today?

As i write, the sun is shining and, eventhough it is cold, it is a lovely Sunday morning in the West of Ireland. This year we have been blessed with good weather. Long may it last. As i always say.........there is no place like Ireland when the sun shines......but then, there is no place like Ireland anyway.

If you are planning on coming to Ireland and are nervous about driving yourself, and do not want a bus tour either, then why not contact me. You just might be pleasantly surprised.

Maybe you could tell your friends about my Blog.

Catch you again soon

Dave