Sligo Town tour guide Adrian O’Neill has always loved history. Sitting in secondary [or high] school; listening to an incredible teacher tell stories of Columbus, Magellan – explorers and guides in their own right. It’s no wonder Adrian wound up doing what he does: giving intimate tours of beautiful and historical Sligo Town, usually with groups
When it comes to folklore, history, and legends of the Wild West of Ireland, the opportunities for exploration are endless. Along the Causeway Coast in particular; you may find yourself immersed in stories of walled cities, wandering giants, and ships full of treasure. Walls of Derry With any good adventure, you might find yourself in
A Postscript I returned from my Clare-Connemara-Galway Tour, glad to be home and see my family, but a little melancholy at leaving the home of my heart. And tremendously grateful to have had the opportunity to share my experiences with all of you. Wild West Irish Tours not only inspired me, they healed a wound in
Day 9 ~ Slán to Ireland A quiet thread of melancholy hovered over me as I made my way to breakfast on the last morning of my Clare-Conemara-Galway tour. And even though I’m glad to be home and see my family again, I’ve left a large piece of me behind in Ireland. I’ll have to return
Day 8 ~ A Day of History and Reflection The final day of my Wild West Clare-Connemara-Galway Tour was a quiet wrap-up to a week of history, myth, legend, song and breathtaking sights. But quiet doesn’t mean dull! Far from it, in fact. It was a perfect day for anyone who, like myself, enjoys history
Day 7 ~ A Place to Call Home I have discovered Heaven. Another beautiful, sunny day on the Clare-Galway-Connemara tour that began with a ferry from a Doolin to the Aran Island of Inis Oíirr (Inisheer), the smallest of the three Aran Islands whose name means “Eastern Island.” It started off with amazing views of the
Day 6 ~ On Top of the World A heat wave has hit Ireland this week, and I’ve managed to acquire a bit of a sunburn…and I’m having the time of my life on the Clare-Galway-Connemara Tour! Today I realized a long-held dream. I took a journey to the top of the world, the edge
Day 5 ~ A Spiritual Journey A scorcher in the Wild West of Ireland today, as the country enters a heat wave and I headed out upon a journey of spirituality and self-discovery. Stony outcrop of the Burren, stones in every fertile place.~ John Betjeman The Burren (Boireann) means “great rock,” and that’s exactly what
Day 4 ~ From Sweeping Romance to Gritty Reality and back again Another fabulous day with Wild West Irish Tours that brought out the romantic in me! Our first stop was the “Quiet Man Bridge,” where John Wayne and Maureen O’Hara played out the loves scenes in the movie. What an incredibly lovely place, full
Day 3 ~ History and Old Hollywood A lovely day for a cruise…and that’s exactly what we did! We left our B&B early and drove through gently-rolling, sheep-dotted hills, while the clouds chased the sun and the sun chased back in a wind-blown game of “Catch me if you can.” There is no sky quite
