Amongst the National Geographic Explorer's many expedition staff were several Irish natives, and we were told in a light-hearted way, but no doubt with deep sincerity, that the proper name for the islands of England, Ireland, Wales and Scotland should be the British and Irish Isles, and not just British Isles as it is recorded in the NatGeo Atlas in all cabins. During our four days on and off the Irish coast, these staff and other local guides and entertainers we encountered demonstrated firstly a passionate and detailed knowledge of Irish history, and a great determination to let us foreigners know about the injustices their nation had endured!
Lighthouse on the starboard side as we sailed into Cobh harbour. [8179]
The awe-inspiring St Colman's Cathedral at Cobh lit by morning light. [8182]
Ever so colourful wooden houses face the harbour in Cobh. [8185]
Cobh, County Cork
Our first port of arrival was Cobh, pronounced 'Cove' and once spelt that way, and any immigrations formalities here were conducted between the ship's purser and an onshore officer in the Explorer's bistro without any involvement of or inconvenience to the passengers. Cobh lies on the edge of several epic events in world history. From 1849-1920, the city was called Queenstown to honour a visit by Queen Victoria. During that period, the potato famine raged due to a 'blight' affecting the crops, partly inspiring some 3 million Irish to emigrate all over the world to escape it, most never to return. Their last sight of Ireland was the port of Cobh. To compound that misery, in 1912, the Titanic's last port of call was Cobh before it next touched land on the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean. At Queenstown, 123 new passengers boarded, and only 44 survived. And then in 1915, a German U-Boat sunk the SS-Lusitania in 1915 just off Cobh with a loss of 1198 lives. Citizens and fishermen of Cobh rescued many.
Fishing boat refections in Cobh harbour. [8210]
Signpost in Cobh pointing to tourist attractions. [8209]
Cobh's multiple disasters have many memorials, this one celebrating the Lusitania rescuers, we think. [8205]
That dilapidated dock you can barely see in front of the white Cunard office builing is where the last 123 passengers boarded a tender to join the Titanic. [8237]
The Cobh Heritage Centre, once the town's railway station, now hosts memorials to the Lusitania, the Titanic and the Irish Immigration. [8258]
In the Cobh Heritage Centre's exhibition on Irish immigrants, baggage and destinations. [8249]
Memorial to the first Irish family to be registered as immigrants in the USA. [8264]
Right at the dock, this train runs from Cobh into Cork quite frequently, about a half hour run. [8196]
That arc of fancy terraces in a prize location in Cobh are modelled on similar in Bath, England. [8234]
Our guide in Cobh. [8236]
The town commemorates and exploits these sad stories in a most moving Heritage Centre on the same dock as the NatGeo Explorer, and we were able to visit it as well as walk around the town. On the steep slopes of Cobh is the St Colman's Cathedral, constructed in 1919. With a 91m tall neo-gothic spire and 49 bell carillion, it boasts of being the largest in Europe.
Cobh's magnificent cathedral and its colorful houses. [8267]
Thanks to a good local contact, we were able to see a game of Hurling at a GAA Club (whatever that is) in suburban Cobh. Hurling is regarded as the Irish national sport (because no-one else plays it) and indeed we have seen children practicing it in parks and on beaches on our earlier visit to Ireland. It was been played for over 1000 years. The game resembles hockey in that the objective is to get a ball into a net (or over it, for a lower score). The players have a paddle on which you can balance the ball while running. There is no protective equipment except on the head and face, and that paddle looks rather lethal! During the game, we enjoyed some pints of draught Murphys stout, regarded as vastly superior to Guinness in this town, and an Irish folk band called the Wandering Waves entertained us afterwards, including, at our request, The Red Rose Cafe. Then a very pleasant walk in evening twilight (it never seems to get dark) downhill and back into town and the docks.
In hurling, players can run with the ball balanced on that paddle, no mean feat. [8294]
Irish folk band, the Wandering Waves, proved to be a great hit at the Hurling Club. [8304]
Dingle, County Kerry
Just south of Dingle Bay in County Kerry lie the two inhospitable Skellig Islands. For almost the only time during our expedition around the Irish coast, it started raining, quite heavily, as we approached the Skelligs in the NatGeo Explorer, and it abruptly stopped when we left, making us think these two jagged rocks were attracting their own unwelcoming microclimate. Away from the Skelligs, we enjoyed a sunny warm day.
Skellig Michael and Little Skellig, off the coast of Ireland near Dingle. [8422]
Pity about the scaffolding, but this is part of the monastery on Skellig Michael, the location chosen for its height (closer to God) and solitude. [8351]
A light and access pathway cling to the wall of Skellig Michael. [8334]
Gannet on the wing, one of many, swirling around the Skelligs. [8337]
Gannets in their thousands nest on narrow ledges on the Skelligs for the purpose of breeding the next generation. [8442]
Not sure if the comment under the Guinness sign is a comment on its veracity or something else. [8457]
Green hills and hedge rows of the Irish countryside just outside Dingle. [8478]
Thomas Crean (1877-1938) is an unsung hero of polar exploration according to our onboard Irish naturalist, Jim. He was born near Dingle in Annascaul, a town we have unwittingly driven through before, and Jim hosted our visited to Crean's birthplace and the pub he established on retirement from exploration duties, the South Pole Inn. Crean participated as a seaman and later an officer in British Antarctic expeditions, 1901-1913 from which he was honoured for heroic efforts in securing help for a stricken mate. He was one of Shackleton's crew during their epic mission of survival in reaching and crossing South Georgia without the loss of any crew.
Lookes quiet outside, but the tiny South Pole Inn was packed with people heartily eating and drinking in the cramped rooms inside. [8458]
The publican of the South Pole Inn clearly had the gift of the gab when he explained to us how he was the latest in a string of owners since the pub was sold by the Crean family. [8475]
Young boys and girls hang out on this grassy patch after school, maybe while their parents enjoy a cleansing ale at the nearby South Pole Inn. [8473]
The grave of Tom Crean near his house in the village of Annascaul. Crean was an unsung Irish hero, according to Jim, an Irish naturalist on the NatGeo Explorer. [8468]
The babbling brook passing though the hamlet of Annascaul. [8464]
Steel roofs on stone buildings are not that common around here, most are thatched or turfed. [8466]
Husband, wife and dad made up this traditional Irish music trio who performed for us on the deck of the NatGeo Explorer. [8496]
It would not surprise us if this row-by in a traditional Irish boat was orchestrated by Expedition Leader Andy. [8499]
Aran Islands, County Galway
The Aran Islands are three islands in the mouth of Galway Bay famed for wooly jumpers, a steely determination to preserve traditional Irish culture and language and many ancient Christian and pre-Christian sites. We visited the largest island, Inishmore and another Inisheer, both requiring disembarking via Zodiac.
Dawn heralds a fine day as the NatGeo Explorer approaches Inishmore in the Aran Islands. [8503]
Coming in on Zodiacs, we were able to make a dry landing on a brick pier at this beach in Inishmore. [8551]
The Aran Sweater Market greets arrivals on Inishmore, just one of many places to spend Euros on traditional woolen jumpers. [8545]
Ruins of 'The Seven Churches' on Inishmore. We don't believe there are actually seven on this site, and don't understand why any religion would need so many in one place. [8512]
The most spectacular sight on Inishmore was 'the most magnificent barbaric monument in Europe' (said 19thC artist George Petrie) the U-shaped bronze or iron age fort Dun Aonghasa sited on a very high promontory, ringed by four layers of stone walls. One hypothesis is 'it was built in the 2nd century BC by the Builg following the Laginian conquest of Connacht', and excavations show first construction around 1100BC.
The long and sometimes very uneven rocky path up to Dun Aonghasa fort on Inishmore. [8527]
Lazy tourists can be ferried around Inishmore with this mode of transport. [8549]
View from inside the Fort of Aengus. We doubt if they feared attack from the sea! [8539]
Our landing on Inisheer was at a delightful and popular beach, and from there we had a pleasant walk through hedge-rowed fields to have a look at the now very rusty wreck of Irish cargo ship MV Plassy, laden with whisky, stained glass and yarn, which was wrecked in a storm in 1960 and later, washed ashore. Everyone on board was rescued by the Inisheer Rocket Crew using a breeches buoy. Inisheer was populated with large groups of teenagers who were either camping here or had arrived for the day on ferries. Bicycle hire was available and was obviously taken up by many.
Over crystal waters and under blue skies, Zodiacs ferry us onto Innisheer from the NatGeo Explorer. [8567]
Ferries bring many visitors to the Aran Islands from the Irish mainland, this one arriving at Inisheer. [8558]
Inisheer on the Aran Islands was crowded to groups of school children, obviously a popular place to visit. [8617]
The water is cold so not many people actually immersed themselves in it. [8637]
No shortage of rocks for fences on Inisheer. [8621]
The hulk of the MV Plassy washed up on the shores of Inishee. [8608]
The sunken church on Innisheer was lost in windblown sand and excavated centuries later. [8629]
Thatched roof on a stone house in Inisheer. [8623]
As the NatGeo Resolution sailed away in that evening, we passed close by the 200m high, 8km long Cliffs of Moher in rather deadlight, the day's earlier sunshine having dissipated. The spectacular view from the sea contrasts with our angle from the clifftops some years ago. The weather deteriorated somewhat into the night, with a bigger swell and rougher seas. Many passengers gulped ginger lollies which were available 'like candy' on our ship.
The Cliffs of Moher as seen from the sea. [8721]
Killybegs in County Donegal is one of the busiest fishing ports, but the first thing we noticed on arrival was a dock full of wind-turbine towers and blades, destined for off-shore installation, we were told. We chose an 'archaeology tour' which bussed us to Cloghanmore and Malinmore where there were Neolithic ruins dating about 3000BC. Our guide, Derek, was a highly qualified archaeologist, and rewarded us with detailed interpretations of what we saw, namely the ruined stone portals to burial mounds (now gone) of presumably important individuals. The portals originally faced in the direction of sunrise at the summer solstice. Derek was uncertain as to why these portals had totally collapsed. He was more inclined to believe in natural forces over thousands of years rather than human intervention.
Sinbad the Pilot coming aboard to guide the NatGeo Explorer into Killybegs. [8733]
Massive wind-turbine components dominate the port area at Killybegs. [8791]
Collapsed portal to a burial mound in amongst sheep in a field. [8747]
Derek, our archaeology guide, explains what we are seeing. [8752]
Portal to a neolithic burial mound in the midle of farmland at Glencolmcille in Co Donegal. [8770]
Intriguing grain-like structure showing in the lichen on the rocks on this neolithic site. [8774]
Between Killybegs and Glencolmcille, a tiny cove which smugglers would have loved in past times. [8745]
Farmers identify their sheep around here by colour-coding them. [8783]
Fuscia. [8746]
Leaving Killybegs, but before leaving Ireland entirely, the NatGeo Explorer passed close by Slieve League, a stretch of coastal cliffs north of Donegal Bay, which soar, straight out of the water, to nearly three times the height of the much more well-known Cliffs of Moher. Sunset colours are supposed to be brilliant, but for us under gloomy skies, the light was dead. And in the evening twilight, a small group played traditional Irish music on board.
Long,tall and shrouded in mist are the sheer walls under Slieve League, the highest sea cliffs in Europe. [8814]
Not quite the crowds of the Cliffs of Moher, but the cliffs at Slieve League in Donegal still attract some attention. [8792]
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