On the west coast of Ireland there is a section of land called the Cliffs of Moher. These cliffs are 900 feet above the Atlantic Ocean and a shear drop from the edge to the water below. Very interesting and very wild so we decided that a visit was in order.
Above, John’s Castle in Limerick, Ireland.
The modern rugby stadium in Limerick.
Below, crossing the Shannon River at Limerick. Very strong current in this area.
A sad memorial to the Irish Famine. Many people came to Limerick hoping for passage on a ship to the US or Canada. Sadly, most died if not while waiting on a ship then on the ship during passage due to their physical condition. The ships known as hunger ships were the same type ships used to carry slaves from the African coast to the west. In this memorial, a child is knocking at a door looking for food. An emaciated mother is giving the last of her food to her children while she goes without eating. The crossed hands were beggar's hands. The English could have fed the entire Irish population at little cost or they could have allowed the Irish to fish in the rivers and along the coast. They did neither. We now know that at the time of the famine, the population of Ireland was almost 8 million while the population of England was about 13 million. The English saw a way to dramatically reduce the Irish population by allowing the famine to run its course. It worked, the Irish population was reduced by 25% due to either death or immigration. The entire situation was compounded by the churches closing their doors to the starving and saying, “that it was the will of God!”
Golfers playing on a very windy day on an Irish links course. Below, our first view of the Atlantic Ocean.
Another monument to the Irish Famine.
Arrival at the Cliffs of Moher on a very cold and windy day with Elaine suffering from a bad cold and sinus infection. Ugh! The monument Elaine is standing by are of 2 Puffins by her shoulder.
Below, the dramatic cliffs and their drop to the Atlantic below.
In the distance above are the Aran Islands off the west coast of Ireland. It is so windy there that the people claim they will fall over if the winds ever stop blowing because they are always walking bent into the wind.
They have built a nice modern walkway along the cliffs since we were last here in 2005. The rock below looks man made, but it has just been eroded by the wind and water. The surf around it as well as the whitecaps on the sea behind it give you and idea of the weather conditions.
Below, this is an area of Ireland known as “The Barrens” on the way back from the Cliffs of Moher. For all the world it looks like a moonscape. Heavy rocks and boulders everywhere. My thought was that this could have been one of Dante’s seven circles of Hell, being required to plow this ground for eternity!
Left the Barrens and slept on the bus most of the way back to Dublin.
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