Jeff and Anne-Marie and family in Galway June 2018

My latest group, from the USA, arrived on Tuesday evening, late in the day, and are pictured together on their arrival at the Kinvara guest house in the town of Kinvara, on the southern shores of Galway Bay.
Here they are, pictured together, from the left, Erin, Kirstin, Lauren, Jeff, and Anne-Marie. Jeff's Mom and Dad are missing in this particular photo, but will appear very shortly.

On Wednesday we left Kinvara early, as we were on our way to the Cliffs of Moher, before the day got too hot, with the excessive temperatures we are experiencing at the moment.
Our first stop was in the matchmaking town of Lisdoonvarna, familiar to many of you who have toured with me in the past. This is the place to come to, if your are seeking a wife or a husband.
Here we have the whole group together with, from the left, front row,Jeff, Erin,Anne-Marie snr, Jack, Anne-Marie's husband, Jeff's Mom and Dad, and Lauren, and in the back row, Anne-Marie Jnr, and Lauren.

Then it was on to the cliffs, and how beautiful they were in the scorching sun today.

Another view of these famous cliffs.

After spending time at the cliffs, we were off to visit Anne-Marie's cousin's in Kilcreest, county Galway, cousins Anne-Marie had never met before. This was a most exciting, and emotional experience for Ann-Marie, and it turned out to be such a very special day for everybody. The first place we visited was the old cemetery, where all of the family had been laid to rest, and here we have Anne-Marie, with the old cemetery church in the background.

The family grave was there to be seen and here, and  in the photo above, we have, Anne-Marie, standing beside the resting place of so many of her long gone relations.The setting for this graveyard was on a high hill overlooking a valley, and was really quiet a lovely place.

The old Kilcreest church dates back into the eighteen hundreds, and was open for us to visit. Once again, for Anne-Marie, this was an emotional experience, as it was in this church that all of her family members would have been baptised and confirmed.

Then it was on to the old homestead of the Finnerty family, now the home of Thomas and Ita Finnerty, the first cousins of Anne-Marie. What a wonderful moment, as they came face to face in Thomas's and Ita's home.

Thomas then brought us down the road a short distance, to show us the field where the original house had been, in the background in this picture are , from the left, Thomas, Anne-Marie and Jack,

Then it was in to Thomas's home for tea and refreshments.

 From the left, here we have, Jeff, Jack, Thomas and Anne-Marie, and another cousin Pat.

 Below,the Finnerty family had gathered together to greet their American cousins,

All together at the hotel they brought us to for a meal. From the left, a friend of Ann-Marie's from many years ago in the USA, then Jack and Anne-Marie, Thomas and Ita, Pat and his wife, another first cousin and Thomas's brother, and John and his wife, another brother.
What a great reunion this had been, and a very special time for Ann-Marie and her family.

Thursday was spent in Galway city, and here we have the group, pictured together outside Galway's beautiful cathedral.

A lovely picture of the group inside the cathedral.

Anne-Marie and Jack have a special devotion toe the Mother of Perpetual help, and here they are pictured together at the special altar to our lady inside this lovely cathedral.

The famous Lynch's window in Galway City, from which the magistrate James Lynch, had hung his own son, a son he had found guilty of murder.

Another famous landmark in Galway city, the Browne doorway, located in the heart of this Anglo Norman town.This was the entrance door to the Browne family's home in the heart of the town.

 Tonight they were off to Dun Guaire Castle for their Medieval banquet in Kinvara. These banquets are very popular and great fun.

A full frontal of the castle.
Tomorrow we are off to Killarney and the sunny south of Ireland. Come along and enjoy.