Been a while since my last update. We've moved on from Galway, through Westport, and finally to Sligo. Saying goodbye to Galway was sad; we had a lot of fun there. But now we're here in Sligo and making the most of it. Just to catch you up, last week we took a trip to the Aran Islands and the fort of Dun Aengus, which was lot of fun. We also had papers and a midterm exam, which were not. A couple of days ago, we went to a large collection of ancient tombs out in a field somewhere, climbed a mountain (another one), and got up to the large, very old passage tomb that sits on top. We also went to the beach, which had significantly less educational value. Today, we went to Yeats country, visited the grave of W. B. Yeats, and took a ferry 'round Innisfree. The island (pronounced "Inishfree") is on Lough ("Lock") Gill, and the whole area is the subject of much poetry.
As for the town of Sligo, i's a little more laid-back, more blue-collar, than previous towns. There might not be a lot of charm to it, and the city centre is a decent walk from the hotel, but there are some fine bookstores, pubs, and pizza joints for us to frequent. Last night, Jeff and I saw a Sean O'Casey play called The Plough and the Stars, presented by the Sligo Drama Circle. It was a darker, more cynical take on the Easter Rising of 1916 that ultimately led to Irish independence. The thick accents and community theatre production values sometimes made understanding the play difficult, but it was an overall enjoyable experience. Also, our hotel is a converted mental institution. Now, some pictures.
Sitting on the cliffs at Dun Aengus, Inismor, Aran Islands.
Clanmacnoise, on the River Shannon. Site of many very old churches and Celtic high crosses.
Last night in Galway. Bonfire on the beach.
Jeff on the beach, Strandhill, right before he got all wet.
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