Mulranny

We left Balleek Castle heading for Mulranny (or Mallaranny, up to you!) via the north coast to see Downpatrick Head. So should this post be in the Balleek section or the Mulranny section? That was a good topic of conversation after breakfast (superb) at the Mulranny Hotel. So here we are, Downpatrick Head appears in the Mulranny section even though it is considerably closer to Balleek.

Not that I have a great deal to say about Downpatrick Head, other than this was the first time in the trip where I felt we were seeing something of Ireland that you would not find anywhere else. The pillar of granite you can see sticking out of the sea was once part of the mainland. It broke away in 1393. People were actually living on the outcrop so a bridge was built. It was washed away as well. No surprise there. If the sea can wash out 300 thousand tons of granite, I think it will make short work of a wood and rope bridge.

On to the Ceide Fields heritage site. not much to report, just a bunch of fields.

And down to Mulranny. We stopped off at Centra, our favorite Irish supermarket, to buy the obligatory lunchtime sandwich and then on to Ballycroy National Park to eat it.

The main reason for the Mulranny leg of the tour was to be in striking distance of Achill Island where Chris (Nephew) and Claire (Chris’ partner) and Pearl (their daughter) live. Once settled we drove out to the Island for a visit and dinner with Chris and his family. They have bought several acres of land at the foot of Slievemore Mountain with Leel Lough on one side and the Atlantic Ocean more or less at their front door. The grand plan is to put up four log cabins and rent them out. They have just finished renovating the house and started to level the field in the back. Amazing to see them and their plans.

The next stop is Galway.

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