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June 23, 2018

Shannonside House’s breakfast was even better than Tinsley House!  After our excellent breakfast, we headed to Tesco to see if I could get my phone working and pick up a few extra supplies for our drive north.  We left the Athlone Tesco a few minutes after 10 AM.

We made our way to Carrowkeel in about two hours.  We arrived at the parking area (to be clear it is not a car park) about noon and there was already a group of six other cars parked.  On my other visit 15 years ago we arrived on a Saturday morning and had the place all to ourselves.  I think that the internet has increased the popularity of this site.  The other difference is you have to leave your car about 1.25 miles (2 km) from the top and walk up now.  Fifteen years ago we drove to the end of the road and it was a very quick walk to the tombs.

Both children did it, but it was a long walk for them and it was a warm 19° by this point in the day too.  Once we arrived though they loved exploring the cairns.  Even the the tightest squeezes were pure fun for them.  We looked at the typical four graves and the cist then made the trek back to car.  The Carrowkeel complex consists of 14 passage tombs in all but some are spread out from the main concentration of tombs.

The first cairn  you come to is Cairn G.  It is a smaller version of the Newgrange tomb.  It is cruciform in shape with three side chambers.  There is also a roofbox that aligns with the midsummer sunset.  Newgrange is the only other known roofbox and it aligns with the midwinter sunrise.  They appear to be complimentary monuments.  Cairn G is also notable because it is 700 years older than the more famous Newgrange (built around 3900 BC)!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fionnuala got carried about 1/3 of the way back to the car.  It was 1:30 when we returned to the car, so we abandoned plan A for lunch and made our way down the mountain to eat at McDermott’s in Castlebaldwin for lunch and it was perfect.  I would recommend a visit to anyone.

Refreshed and stomachs full we piled back into the car with the goal of reaching Donegal as fast as possible, but did make an emegency restroom stop at Drumcliffe (NOTE: the toilets here are pay toilets).  From there it was smooth sailing and we arrived at An Scrín in Teileann about 4:30.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I’ve said it before, but there is not a more beautiful place than this when the weather is nice.  After a stop for some groceries we settled in.  The children played hurling (we had purchased hurleys at the Supervalu in Cahir) in the yard while Sarah and I unpacked and made dinner.  The house is just as nice as I remembered from our last stay here.

Liam’s Highlight of the Day:  Hurling
Fionnuala’s Highlight of the Day:  Carrowkeel

Drive time from Athlone to Carrowkeel: 1:45
Drive time from Castlebaldwin to Teileann: 1:55

Gaeilge Experience for the Week:  TV each morning and some radio.  The booklet at Jerpoint Abbey was also in Irish.

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