Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Cynthia's Irish Travelblog

The day I arrived in Ireland was the day I found my heart’s home.

I’ve been in love with all things Irish since I was in my early teens, so naturally I was thrilled to finally spend 10 days there last summer, part of a three-week visit to England, Wales and Ireland. It was hard to contain my excitement as we left the ferry, the Jonathan Swift, in Dublin and drove to our first destination, the lovely village of Feakle in County Clare.

The cottage we stayed in could have belonged to Siobhán Desmond, heroine of my novel, In Sunshine or in Shadow,  with its stone walls, thatched roof, and the lovely warm hearth. When we arrived, the fire was burning merrily, and the wonderful, sweet scent of peat filled the room and warmed our hearts.


I’d made a list of places to see before I left, and one of the first was Bunratty Castle, a spectacularly beautiful castle dating back to medieval times, complete with winding staircases and amazing views from the battlements. The best part of the castle, for me, was the folk park, designed to look like a Nineteenth Century Irish village. And it was there I found Tom Flynn’s cottage. Loop Head House was the cottage of a fisherman/farmer, just like Tom Flynn, a minor character in In Sunshine or in Shadow who plays a major part in the love story in my upcoming release, Coming Home.

But the highlight of my trip had to be the day I visited another castle, Dunguaire Castle, in Kinvara, Galway.

The cover of In Sunshine or in Shadow features a lovely castle on a brooding autumn day. The minute I saw that picture, I loved it, but all I knew was that it had been taken “somewhere in Galway.” But shortly after reading the book, an Irish friend of mine identified it as Dunguaire, so naturally that had to be one of my must-sees.
How can I describe my reaction to finally seeing the castle I’d begun to think of as “mine?” A thrill, of course, but more than that. It was joy and sadness and excitement and something very close to tenderness. I “knew” this castle. It was a part of me, as no other place had ever been, or ever could be. It was me, somehow, and in some strange way, it was the people of Ballycashel. And as we toured the castle, all the way up to the towering battlements, I found myself imagining the battles that had been fought for this beautiful land, and the lives and loves of the people of this place.

And I wished I could stay forever!

23 comments:

  1. How awesome for you to see that castle. I have chills just reading your post. Thanks for bringing us to Ireland today. Jillian

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  2. Thanks, Jillian, I had chills the entire time I was in Ireland. Thanks for stopping by!

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  3. Irish chills. Yes. Most writers visit sites first, then write about them. No doubt at all about that castle calling out to you before you ever saw it, Cynthia! Lovely post.

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  4. What great pictures Cynthia! I love Bunratty Castle! I can only imagine its gradeur in person! Hope to get there one day! You are on lucky lady!!

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  5. Hi Pat, I think I was destined to visit Dunguaire. Maybe I lived there in another life. I recently learned that a woman by the name of Morrissey married one of my ancestors in 1800-something (can't remember right now, I'll have to look it up), and I'm wondering if maybe she was a Galway woman. I'll have to do a little bit more research - preferably in Galway itself! Glad you enjoyed the pics!

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  6. Hi Chicks, Bunratty was absolutely lovely. I loved the contrast between the magnificent castle and the humble cottages in the folk park. We had a family photo taken in period costume, and I swear my husband and son could have passed for the Lord of the Manor and his heir! Glad you enjoyed the post!

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  7. Great post, Cynthia! Bunratty was my first stop in Ireland after the airport, so I will always remember it with great fondness. Did you by any chance go to Dirtie Nellie's Pub? What a place! Just the name cracks me up. I never got to the Medieval dinner at Bunratty, but I did get to Dirtie Nellie's.

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  8. Miriam, about four years ago, I had the fabulous good fortune to experience both the Medieval Banquet at Bunratty AND Dirtie Nellie's. The banquet was quite a show, a feast of roast meat and mead served by Julliard grads dressed in period costumes. They sang like angels and played harps and fiddles. At Nellie's they were all drunk and singing O Holy Night even though it was May :-) But we loved it!

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  9. Hi Miriam, no I didn't do the banquet or visit Dirtie Nellie's. But there was a lovely "local" in Feakle we frequented called Maloney's. Lots of atmosphere, even a banked peat fire. But as long as I'm making that list of places to go on my next trip... And there's a medeivel banquet at Dunguaire, too, that features a literary history of Ireland after the meal. My next trip we'll hopefully stay at a B&B near the castle, so you know that's on my list!

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  10. I am glad you had a great time. Loved the pictures. Thanks for sharing.

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  11. Hi Sarah, glad you enjoyed the post and the pics. I took so many it was hard to narrow it down to just a few.

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  12. I SO know how you feel, Cynthia. I feel the same about Scotland. I have never had a reaction like I did, especially while sitting in a boat on Loch Ness, in Scotland. I started crying and felt like I'd come home. My husband thought I'd gone mad, but I couldn't explain how I felt. It was so overwhelming and I knew I would have to come back again and again. My great great grandparents were born in Scotland on my Mother's side of the family. I think they were trying to pull me back home...

    So glad you were able to experience it all. The castle I think of as mine is Eilean Donan in Scotland. :)

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  13. What a wonderful thing to see a place that you have known in your soul, Cynthia. I love the picture of Bunratty Castle. What a special place it must be to you.

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  14. Love that Dirtie Nellie's! And I know what you mean about "soul places." My next trip hopefully will be to Scotland. It'll be interesting to see if that exerts the same pull on me as Ireland does. But I'm sure I'll love it either way.

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  15. Paisley, I know exactly what you mean. I was very near tears when visiting Dunguaire. I definitely have to return - soon! Thanks for visiting!

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  16. Donna, I really do believe my soul knew that castle. When I speak of going back to Ireland, people ask me why I don't want to visit some other country in Europe - and yes, I'd love to. But no place is as special to me as Ireland, so I plan to go back and visit all the places my heart and soul recognize. Thanks for visiting!

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  17. Miriam, I have some Scottish friends, and I'd love to see Scotland too. But I want to see everything I've dreamed of in Ireland first. There will be plenty of time to do other countries once I've had my fill of Ireland.

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  18. Like you, I had to go first to Ireland. The strength of the pull to that place can't be overstated and I would certainly never leave if I had a choice. Strange.

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  19. Cynthia, Ooooh, I love your blog. It brings back such happy memories of the two trips my husband and I took to Ireland. There's nowhere else like it, is there? Thanks for sharing your experiences and your photos.

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  20. Hi Caroline,glad you enjoyed the post. This was the first time I'd been to Ieland, but it definitely will not be the last. There is no place on earth like Ireland. The minute I arrived, it was like an old friend. I can't wait to go back!

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  21. I loved this post! Especially since I just returned from this wondrous land. Hubby and I were fortunate enough to enjoy the Medieval Feast at Bunratty Castle and after we enjoyed our wondrous supper and entertainment...we "retired" to Durty Nellies for a few pints. *ahem* Perhaps we're all "old souls" just longing for our roots, eh?

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  22. Maeve, I believe you're right, especially since I learned I do have an Irish ancestress from Famine times. I'm hoping to find out more about her before I return. Thanks for visiting, and glad you enjoyed the post!

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