Today dawned clear and sunny, and the beautiful weather persisted as we left our hotel and journeyed to the Rathbun Farm.
The farmer and his wife supplement their income by welcoming groups into the old farm buildings, showing off their sheep, and offering delicious homemade scones with fresh butter and jam and positively the best tea ever.
First we learned about sheep farming, hearing from Fenton that he raises the lambs for meat, so keeps the ewes and two rams as the production team. He has around 80-90 ewes. The lambs are born in the spring, and as soon as they reach around 100 pounds in weight, they are shipped to the slaughterhouses. Lamb is a large export item in Ireland, and there's also a healthy Irish market. Their wool, we learned, is no longer a desirable product, as most consumers in the northern hemisphere prefer the softer merino wool from Australia and New Zealand. He must keep the sheep sheared for health reasons, and ships the wool to China at a loss. There it's used for coarser blankets and rugs.
Ted, the border collie, gave us a fine demonstration of how a working dog earns his keep. This one fairly small guy is all the farmer needs to keep his sheep in line. It was a pleasure to watch him work. He is all business, however; once he had shown off his skills, he retired to the farmhouse. He had no interest in all the love we tried to lavish on him. By this time in the trip, we are all missing our fur babies!
After a really interesting session in the barn with the sheep, we joined the farmer's wife in a lovely room where she served us her homemade scones. What a treat! Afterward we toured the two very old farm buildings that they have preserved to show how life on the farm was 250 years ago. After a little tour of the house, we wandered the grounds a bit, then boarded our bus for Galway.
With only two hours in Galway, the hubs and I decided that lunch was a nuisance we just didn't need. We were still pretty full from the scones, etc., so we brought out our trusty Rick Steves and began to explore.
Although there is a lot of history in Galway, there's much more fun in the here and now. It's a lively international city with visitors, but not in huge numbers. From Eyre Square down to the Corrib River, the main shopping street has been made into a pedestrian walkway, and it's lined with small shops, many pubs, and a smattering of historical landmarks. We poked around, enjoyed the many buskers, found some things that (typical Rick Steves) were a little quirky, and just generally enjoyed ourselves. We are grateful Galway was included on this trip, even though our time there was short.
This was the longest day of the entire journey, traveling all the way from Ennis to Enniskillen. Lots of bus time (erk), but one fascinating stop after we left Galway at a tiny village called Knock. (Knock just means "hill" in Irish.)
Knock is the site of a fairly famous shrine that was established as a result of a vision shared by at least 75 villagers in 1879. Having been investigated and approved by the Pope, a basilica was built, and many pilgrims visit it daily throughout most of the year. On a cold, gray, windy day, we wandered the grounds, poked our heads into the sanctuary, and went on our way. I believe this is the first active shrine I have ever visited, and it was serious business for those who were there seeking blessings.
By 5:30, we had arrived in Enniskillen, driven through the very picturesque town, and continued for a few miles out in the country. At this point we are in Northern Ireland, which is part of the United Kingdom. There is no marked border, but suddenly the road signs speak of miles rather than kilometers, and the roads are A roads rather than N roads. And, oh, yes, we need pounds instead of Euros. Otherwise, it's still just beautiful Ireland!
The Manor Country House Hotel is drop-dead gorgeous. Featuring a beautiful golf course and a large lake, it is a luxurious resort. We dined here this evening, and now to bed.
Tomorrow, back to the Republic for shopping in Donegal, then into Northern Ireland again for a two-day stay in Derry. Euros, pounds - whatever.
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