Trips With Kevin

Trips with Kevin has Moved!

2016-07-22T07:07:00.001-04:00

Trips with Kevin has moved to: www.tripswithkevin.com

Thank you for following Trips With Kevin over the last few years. We have outgrown our current location and have moved to a new location. I hope you enjoy the newer site, please let me know if there is anything that you miss.

Check out our latest trip to Ireland here:

Gaeltacht Vacation 2 -The Gaeilgeori Strike Back

Ireland With Children 2 - The Gaeltacht

Ireland With Children 2 - The Gaeltacht Day 1: Letterkenny, Gartan and Gaoth Dobhair

Ireland With Children 2 - The Gaeltacht Day 2: Letterkenny and Gaoth Dobhair

Ireland With Children 2 - The Gaeltacht Day 3: Doe Castle, Grianán of Aileach, Killydonnell Friary and Marble Hill Strand

Ireland With Children 2 - The Gaeltacht Day 4: An Charraig Fhinn (Carrickfin Beach)

Ireland With Children 2 - The Gaeltacht Day 5 - Dún Lúiche and An Bun Beag

Ireland With Children 2 - The Gaeltacht Day 6 - An Fál Carrach: Ray Church and Cross, An t-Sean Bheairic, Tullaghobegly and Machaire Rabhartaigh Beach

Ireland With Children 2 - The Gaeltacht Day 7: Donegal Castle and Mountcharles

Ireland With Children 2 - The Gaeltacht Day 8: Killybegs

Ireland With Children 2 - The Gaeltacht Day 9: Tobar Ciarán, Shalwy and Croagbeg Court Tombs, Kilclooney Dolmen and Narin

Ireland With Children 2 - The Gaeltacht Day 10: Sliabh Liag, An Port, Gleann Gheise (The Glengesh Pass)

Ireland With Children 2 - The Gaeltacht Day 11: Málainn Bhig, Málainn Mhóir and Cill Charthaigh

Ireland With Children 2 - The Gaeltacht Day 12: Glencolmcille Folk Village, St. Colmcille's Well, The Tower Walk, Glen Bay Beach

Ireland With Children 2 - The Gaeltacht Day 13: Gleann Cholm Cille and Killybegs

Ireland With Children 2 - The Gaeltacht Day 14: Gleann Cholm Cille to Trim

I hope you enjoy sharing this trip and all of our future travels.

Kevin

10 Great Free Attractions in Ireland

2016-03-13T14:25:00.000-04:00

An updated version of this site can be found here

Ireland is a wonderful place to visit. For many, the biggest drawback is the high cost of airfare. However, one of the best things about Ireland is the number of great attractions that are free. I have put together a list of some of my favorite free sites.

Sliabh Liag, An Teileann, County Donegal

Located beyond Killybegs in southwest County Donegal are the highest sea cliffs in Europe. More wild and striking than the better known Cliffs of Moher, this could well be the best scenery in Ireland. Though more people are catching on to how special this place is (thanks to the Wild Atlantic Way), it still is not heavily touristed. I don't think I've every been anywhere more beautiful than Sliabh Liag on a sunny day. Also not to be missed is the boat trip below the cliffs.
Nice alternative to: The Cliffs of Moher

Doe Castle, Creeslough, County Donegal

Somehow it took me 15 years to make my first visit to this castle. After seeing it mentioned in a couple of "must-see" lists, I figured I would track it down. You can image my surprise when I found out there is no admission charge. One of the better preserved castles in Ireland, this is perfect for (and popular with) families as the children can roam around and play. There are no guided tours available, but it has all the features of the castle you dreamed of as a child.

Derry Walls/Bogside Murals, Derry, County Derry (Londonderry), Northern Ireland

Derry is perhaps the best tourist city in Ireland. As a flash point in Irish history, Derry has a lot to offer the visitor. As one of the few towns in Europe that still has it's city walls intact, it provides a nice opportunity for that experience. It is possible to do the needed research (before you leave home) to give yourself an excellent self-guided tour of the walls (and thus Derry itself), but guided tours are available for those interested. After walking around the walls, it is very easy to walk down the stairs from the walls into the Bogside neighborhood (made famous as both a no-go zone for the British military during The Troubles and as the site of the "Bloody Sunday" massacre during a 1972 civil rights march.

Kells Priory, Kells, County Kilkenny

This was the highlight of my first trip to Ireland. In 1997, the internet was not full of tourist information and in many ways that made travel more exciting. We had purchased the Collins Touring Map (which is very good) partially because it identifies places that a tourist might find interesting. We entered Ireland through the ferry in Wexford and I saw a monastery marked on our map in the village of Kells. I assumed (erroneously) that was the the home to the famous Book of Kells. When we arrived we were surprised to find that it was a different Kells, but pleased to discover we were all alone at this majestic, heavily fortified monastic site. Even though it is more visited now than it was 20 years ago, you still might find yourself as the lone visitor when you arrive and it is totally free!

Quin Abbey, Quin, County Clare

I have passed this site many times without stopping as I was speeding along to one of the many other nearby sites. That was a big mistake as this monastery includes many features that are unique, including a tower house castle incorporated into the walls and a completely intact cloister (which I have not seen anywhere else in Ireland). In addition, across the field there is another beautiful medieval church that is also free. Parking in town was very easy and there is no charge to one of Ireland's most impressive abbeys. It is easy to imagine people actually using these cloisters due to the completely intact structures.

Drombeg Stone Circle, Glandore, County Cork

Located near beautiful Rosscarbery, the is one of the finest Stone Circles in Ireland (if not the finest). The circle is still complete (which is rare after thousands of years of land use) but it also has a Fulacht Fiadh (a communal cooking pit) located a very brief walk away. This site is very popular with tourists, so unlike may of the sites on this list you aren't likely to be alone but you will not regret the visit.

Carrowkeel

I am unsure of how I ended up with no photos of this incredible site, but I did. It takes a little bit of effort to get to this site which is located just outside of Castlebaldwin, Co. Sligo, but it is worth the trouble. Located on top of a mountain overlooking Lough Arrow, the moutaintop is full of Newgrange style burial chambers. One of them contains the only known roofbox besides the one at famous Newgrange tomb. While the roofbox at Newgrange is aligned to the Winter Solstice sunrise, this one is aligned to the Midsummer sunrise. Again, if you spend some time doing the research before you leave for your trip, this could be a very rewarding visit.

Grianan Alieach

Despite visiting the site more than once, I again inexplicably have no photo (though I will have one in July). This is perhaps the best example of a stone ring fort in Ireland. Overlooking the city of Derry and Lough Swilly, this was one of the royal sites of ancient Ireland. Located near Burt, the site is very easy to find and access.

Climb a mountain: Knocknarea or Croagh Patrick

Many of my trips to Ireland have been the type with two or three attractions per day and a fair bit of distance to be covered in between. Thus, climbing a mountain often did not sound appealing. However, once I did I changed my mind. If you are going to only climb one, I recommend Croagh Patrick (where St. Patrick is said to have spent the 40 days of Lent once). The climb is very doable and elderly people routinely complete the pilgrimage barefoot, but it is a significant climb and the last 10 meters/yards require ~~climbing~~ scrambling over some loose stones. The reward at the top is spectacular though and you will have others all along the way to provide inspiration as needed. It will take take a fit person about 1 1/2 hours to reach the top (it is slightly faster to return) so it takes up most of the day. For a smaller commitment though, Knocknarea near Sligo is also very rewarding. It is an easy, gradual 30 minute climb to the top of Knocknarea. When you reach the top you see the giant cairn that is featured in the picture. The mound is said to cover the tomb of Queen Maebh. There is a nice carpark and a portable toilet in the carpark (at least in summertime). This view from here is pretty impressive!

Dublin Museums: Chester Beatty Library. National Museums, National Gallery

Dublin is an expensive city, but fear not. There are a number of wonderful, free museums available that would easily fill a day or two. The Chester Beatty Library contains a world renowned collection of medieval artifacts including a stunning collection from the Middle East. The National Museum of Archaeology was a pleasant diversion for me one stay as I was available to spend two mornings taking in the exhibits which contain everything from one of the world's finest prehistoric collections, some interesting items from ancient Egypt as well as exhibits on modern Ireland. For anyone with even a mild interest in art, the National Gallery is great. In addition to some of the world's most famous paintings, there are also plenty of impressive Irish artists on display. You could easily spend a few days taking in only the city's free attractions and have a very enjoyable stay.

Go to a beach: Silver Strand

Although not known for "beach" weather there is a reason that surfers from all over the world flock to Ireland. There are amazing, white, sandy beaches on all of Ireland's coasts. Some of them are absolutely breathtaking. Of all of them, the one that stopped me in my tracks was An Trá Bán (The Silver Strand) near Glencolmcille, Co. Donegal. At the bottom of a cliff sits this shallow horseshoe shaped beach. The water is often warm enough to swim in comfortably and lacks the scary undertow that is present at many of Ireland's pretties beaches. There is also a nice carpark that also has a portable toilet in the summertime.

Riverbend Park, Great Falls, Virginia

2016-02-27T11:02:00.000-05:00

An updated version of this site can be found here

On a snowy weekend morning in January the family headed out to Riverbend Park for a walk along the Potomac River. Riverbend Park, located in Great Falls (Virginia), is maintained by Fairfax County and provides miles of trails that wind through the woods along the Potomac River. The park has some very nice facilities. There is a nice visitor's center that contains basic information on the area including some live animals and a good display on the native tribe.

Outside of the visitor's center there are a couple of covered picnic tables, a huge observation deck with chairs and a large outdoor picnic area. There is an additional picnic area just across the street next to the larger parking area. The visitor's center is next to a boat launching ramp. The site of the ramp used to be a ferry that would take you to the Maryland side of the river. This was the closest crossing to Washington, D.C. after passing the Great Falls and is the one that President Madison used to return to the District after the burning of Washington.

We had a very enjoyable (if cold) walk in the woods. I can't wait to return in the spring when it is a bit warmer! Entrance is free and the trails wind for miles through the woods. Basic snacks can be purchased in the visitor's center and there is a restroom on the observation deck. This is one of the most beautiful places in Virginia during the spring and autumn. I highly recommend a visit if the opportunity arises.

Ox Hill Battlefield Park

2016-01-21T08:11:00.000-05:00

An updated version of this site can be found here

Entrance to Ox Hill Battlefield Park

The parking are has six parking spaces

On a cool, damp December day I treated my children to a visit to Ox Hill Battlefield Park. I had never visited this site before and many locals either don't even know it exists or have forgotten. Perhaps the most significant thing about this particular battlefield is that is almost disappeared.

The battle took place on September 1, 1862 as Stonewall Jackson's troops attempted to cut off the Union retreat from the Second Battle of Manassas back to the safety of Washington, DC. The battle took place over about 500 acres in between West Ox Road, Route 50 (Lee-Jackson Memorial Highway), Fairfax County Parkway and Fair Lakes Parkway. Today about 4.8 acres of that is preserved as Ox Hill Battlefield Park.

The beginning of the battlefield path

The park is located at 4164 West Ox Road, Fairfax, VA.

In the 1980s, this mostly undeveloped part of Fairfax County began to see heavy development. In the process, land that had been mostly untouched was rapidly turned into townhouses, condos and shopping malls. The development was proceeding rapidly, but in 1987 one developer purchased what today is the park and wanted to move the memorials that had been placed in 1915 for the two fallen Union Generals. They also unearthed the remains of a Confederate soldier and removed it from the site. This resulted in resistance from the locals and eventually the creation of the battlefield park.

Until recently, there was not much to see at the battlefield. On September 1, 2008 (the 146th anniversary of the battle), Fairfax County re-opened the park and I am pleased to say it is wonderful. The Battle of Ox Hill was the only major Civil War engagement that occurred in Fairfax County. Much of the county was quickly overrun by the Union army due to the close proximity to the capital, Washington. Consequently most of the opposition in the county was in the form of quick raids (mostly thanks to the work of local informants) instead of full scale battles.

Here at Ox Hill (Ox Hill is the high ground where Route 50 and West Ox intersect), Stonewall Jackson and his troops intercepted Union troops as they were retreating to the safety of their capital city (Washington, DC). In the ensuing battle, which took place for two hours in the rain through woods and farmland, approximately 1000 Union troops and 500 Confederate troops died. The battle was actually significant in that in forced the Union out of Virginia and set the stage for Lee's invasion of Maryland (the only invasion that the C.S.A. attempted). Sixteen days later, the two nations would meet at the Battle of Sharpsburg, MD in what became the bloodiest single day in U.S. history.

The park itself is very nice. I was pleasantly surprised by what a nice job they had done with this park. The parkland is like an oasis from the shiny, modern, noisy development that surrounds it. There is a small parking area that can be accessed from West OX Road (at the intersection of Monument and West OX). From the parking area a nicely bricked path winds through the central area of the battlefield (known as the cornfield).

At the parking lot is a covered display explaining the battle, it's significance and where the battle fit in the big picture of the war. As the path winds though the park, nice signs have been erected explaining the battle. They really did a good job with the informational signs and the fences that were erected along the lines of the original fence lines to help you visualize the cornfield. The path makes a loop through the park beginning and ending at the parking lot.

After the war ended, this land was owned by John Ballard (a member of Mosby's Rangers). Upon his death he left the land for monuments to be erected to Confederate or Union troops that died in the battle. In 1915, two monuments were erected to honor the two Union Generals who died in the cornfield. There are plans to erect two more monuments, one for the Confederate soldiers and one for the Union soldiers who fought here.

The park is free, peaceful and poignant. If you are ever near the park (across the street from Fairfax Town Center and down the street from Fair Oaks Mall), I would recommend a stop. My pictures start at the parking area and proceed clockwise through the park (following the order of the signage).

The fences have been built in the place where fences stood in the cornfield during the battle

The boulders were placed on the spot where General Stevens died

The memorial to Generals Stevens and Kearny were placed in 1915 by some trustees from New Jersey

The Kearny Memorial

The Stevens memorial

The tribute left by Fairfax County in 2015

Kearny's stump (said to be the spot where he fell, but he actual fell about 150 yards way in an area that is not in the park)

My children charging the Union lines

Reston Christkindlmarkt 2015 -- The 10th Anniversary

2015-12-12T15:54:00.000-05:00

An updated version of this site can be found here

On Thursday, December 3^rd we took the family to the annual Christkindlmarkt that the Bundeswehr has presented in Reston, VA every year since 2006. The Bundeswehr is the German armed forces and Christkindlmarkt means Christ child market. These are traditional German Christmas markets and we are lucky enough to have Germans that organize this one near us.

The market is held at 11150 Sunrise Valley Drive, Reston, VA 20191 from 4-9 PM on the first Thursday in December. Entry and parking are free, but it is a very busy place. A big hit in Reston over the years, this also is a draw for many Germans in the area. We arrived at 5:30 PM and the place was already full of people and a joyous energy.

The Brass band

We arrived hungry with the two children (6 and 3) and immediately began trying to sort out the food scenario. There are a few options for food. The main attraction is the bratwurst and pea soup tent (It's easy to find -- it's the one with no line). To gain entry to the line you must first purchase tickets in a nearby tent. Each bratwurst (imported from Germany) costs $5 and includes sauerkraut and a bun. A bowl of pea soup with a bun is $4. Everything was absolutely delicious, but tables were hard to come by at the six o’clock hour. In addition to the main courses, there are three beer tents each selling a different beer (I’m not sure of the beer prices as I gave the beer a miss) and a stall accepting donations for bottled water and soft drinks (however much you feel is appropriate).

The line for bratwurst and soup

More of the food line

The dining tent

Additional tables outside of the tent

The other food options include a tent where they were making waffles and cotton candy. Next to that was a tent where a butcher was selling German meats (uncooked) at one end but on the other end you could purchase a large pretzel for $5 (delicious) as well as baked goods such as cookies (also delicious) and strudel.

Delicious German cookies

While most of the stalls were made up of food and beverage vendors, there were a few other notable items. There were a couple of stalls selling crafts, such as nutcrackers and a brass band playing Christmas music which greatly added to the ambiance.

One of the craft stalls

It was easy to see why this place has developed such a strong word of mouth following. One obvious clue as to the authenticity of this market was the amount of German that was spoken everywhere. It was also nice to see the German grandparents that had brought their American born grandchildren to experience the event as well.

The members of the Bundeswehr who were manning the stations were well chosen and certainly added to the experience. Each one we encountered was very friendly, helpful and engaging. Most of them went out of their way to engage our children and were very sweet with them. In addition, all of the money raised during the event goes to a local charity each year.

I look forward to including this into our family Christmas traditions in the upcoming years and would encourage you to give it a try as well. It is bustling for sure and the weather this year was fairly cold, but they do a really good job! As the children get older I look forward to this being a symbolic kick-off to the Christmas season.

Washington, D.C. vs. U2

2015-11-28T15:19:00.001-05:00

An updated version of this site can be found here

I assume that for most people this has gone under the radar, but not for me. It has come to my attention that we are in the midst of a secret war on the Irish band U2 by Washington, D.C. The relationship between the city and U2 goes back to 1980 and appears to have been a love fest. However, over time it appears that the District has decided to send the lads a message. My own theory is that it began when they played at University of Maryland in College Park, but then when did Maryland start to collaborate?!? Let's take a look at the conspiracy.

On December 6, 1980, U2 performed their first gig in the United States in support of their new album Boy. The next day they arrived at the Bayou in Washington, DC for what became a legendary performance. That night they made a big impression on the locals and would begin the metro area's love affair with the band. They returned three months later on March 3, 1981 to play two shows in one night! Again, all reports were that they were amazing (you can listen for yourself here). One reporter even compared them to the Police and the Clash. They would continue to make routine stops in the DC metro area for the next 28 years (last seen in 2009). So what went wrong?

This is where the conspiracy theory begins. The Bayou, found at Wisconsin and K in Georgetown (under the Whitehurst Freeway) closed it's door after the 1998 New Years Eve show. They hosted U2's first three DC shows, all of which left a large impression on the local punk and rock communities. However, the rough and tumble Bayou bouncers were replaced by an oh-so-chic movie theater catering to the white collar residents of Georgetown. Where did it all go wrong? I think I might know, but indulge me for a moment.

Almost a year after they first stormed into Washington, D.C., U2 returned for the fourth show in four months. December 11, 1981 at the Ontario Theatre in the Adams Morgan neighborhood of the District (go here for a listen). This time they were popular enough that Bow Wow Wow was opening for them (U2 had been the opener a year earlier).

I think this is where the war began. You see, it was about this time that the local punks were falling in love with the Boy and October albums. In fact, according to Micheal Azerrad's book "Our Band Could Be Your Life", it was these albums that led to the breakup of DC punk legends Minor Threat in 1983. Apparently this was something the District could not abide. The Ontario Theatre was demolished in October of 2013 to make way for some "upscale" condos.

Is it a coincidence that the next area show was held in College Park, Maryland at the University of Maryland's Ritchie Coliseum? I would like to think we are not naive. This was the third date of their American Tour promoting the album War which would eventually be documented on Under a Blood Red Sky. U2 would blow up in the near future. The Ritchie Coliseum has not yet been blown up, but it was replaced in 2002 by the Comcast Center. I think we all know why. Could it be a coincidence that the site of U2's first five area performances have all been shut down?

In 1984, U2 had really broken through. The Unforgettable Fire produced the hit single "Pride (In The Name of Love)" and apparently that made DC want them back. The Unforgettable Fire Tour saw U2 perform at Constitution Hall on December 5th, 1984. When they returned on April 8th, 1985 however, they were back in Prince George's County, MD at the Capital Center. This is the point where I think this could have become a Bad Brains vs. Minor Threat thing. U2 kills Minor Threat and over the next 35 years the legacy of Bad Brains begins to eclipse them. Was U2 colluding with Prince George's County to make PG's Bad Brains more famous than DC's Minor Threat? What happened to Constitution Hall? What happened to the Cap Center? Constitutional Hall dodged a bullet by being named at National landmark in 1985. Otherwise, the punishment would have been obvious. The poor Cap Center wasn't as lucky. You can see for yourself what happened on Dec. 15, 2002.

With the release of The Joshua Tree, U2 became the biggest band in the world. This was all that DC could take. On September 20, 1987 U2 played at RFK Stadium (DC's largest venue). I'm sure the boys in the band thought all must have been forgiven, but just as they were about to play the most epic songs of the set Bono slipped and dislocated his shoulder. Biggest band in the world, eh?

U2 didn't climb out of working class Dublin by letting people push them around though. Once they completed the innovative Achtung Baby, they returned to RFK to show off the new sound for two shows (August 15th &16th). Reports were all positive and I'm sure U2 thought it all was forgiven at this point.

One of the early stops on their amazing Pop Mart Tour was once again RFK Stadium. It had been almost five years since we had seen them and I think many of us had forgotten all about Bono's fall in 1987. The show was great, the new songs were integrated well (even though the Pop album had only been out a couple of weeks). Before we had even reached our car to leave, I was excited to see them the next time they played at RFK! However, it looks like RFK is about to be eliminated as well. Any day now, RFK's last tenant will relocate to a different part of the city and they are already discussing the demolition of RFK Stadium.

For the next few years, U2 scaled back the magnitude of the stage shows and returned to arenas. On the Elevation Tour (promoting the album All That You Can't Leave Behind), they stopped in at the MCI Center for two nights (June 14th and 15th, 2001). They were really impressive on this tour, probably better than on the Pop Mart Tour. Tickets sold like hotcakes, and everyone had a blast! Is the feud over???

On the Vertigo Tour (promoting How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb) it was U2 who fired the shot at DC. You see, the original American tour had skipped DC and we had driven to Philly to see them. It was great, but were they really going to skip DC? I thought everyone had put this behind them! Six months later, U2 caved in and came to DC. October 19th and 20th saw the return of U2 to the District of Columbia. They were wonderful! Below is the show I went to... They responded with two good shows, but what message had U2 been trying to send here?

U2's last visit to the DC area was once again in Prince George's County, MD at FedEx Field (built on the former site of the Capital Center!!). The show was amazing, the set list included songs from War all the way through to (unfortunately) No Line on the Horizon. They brought the house down (as did opening act Muse) and sent everyone home feeling great (with the possible exception of the District of Columbia).

As you can hear below, this place still loves U2.

So how does U2 respond? By touring North America in 2015, playing multiple nights in Boston, Toronto, Montreal and New York but not a single day anywhere near DC. Ouch. Is the end? Was the magic at the MCI Center just to taunt the District before showing them a wonderful night in Maryland and then never returning again? Is this all in my head? In Prince George's County involved? Who's side are they on anyway? How many more buildings must be destroyed?

The causality list of this war:
The Bayou (site of all 3 shows on the Boy Tour) - demolished
The Ontario Theatre (host for the October Tour) - demolished
Ritchie Coliseum (The War Tour) - not used for much of anything anymore
Constitution Hall (Unforgettable Fire Tour) - Declared a National Landmark thus saved
The Capital Center (Unforgettable Fire Tour) - demolished
RFK Stadium (Joshua Tree, Zoo TV and Pop Mart Tours) - in preliminary plans for destruction
MCI Center (Elevation and Vertigo Tours) - Safe as of now
Fed Ex Field (360 Tour) - site of old Cap Center and being considered for destruction

Welcome to Paradise! Lancaster, PA (Amish Country)

2015-10-03T15:29:00.000-04:00

An updated version of this site can be found here

Labor Day Weekend, 2015 (September 5th & 6th)

For our Labor Day weekend, we headed off on a mega-family weekend. My parents own a travel trailer and had booked in at a campground in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. My sister's family and my family were able to book the two cabins at the campground and we had an extended family vacation for the weekend.

Lancaster County is a unique and interesting place to visit due to the large number of Amish that live here. The Amish practice a form of Christianity that focuses on living a simple life. Another distinctive feature of the Amish is that they speak a form of German known as Pennsylvania German or Pennsylvania Dutch.

It took a while due to the holiday traffic, but we eventually made it to our destination, Roamer's Retreat. Roamer's is located in Kinzers, about 20 minutes east of Lancaster city. Our cabin was wonderful. It featured a room of bunk beds for the kids (four total beds) and another bed in the front room. The main room of the cabin has a kitchenette with a full size fridge, microwave, sink and everything you would want to have in a kitchen except a stove. There is a grill in the front of the cabin for cooking. There is table with four chairs and a television in the main room as well. Outside there is a table on the porch, plus a large picnic table in front of the cabin.

Our cabin at Roamer's Retreat

Our first day was Saturday. After having a great family breakfast (all ten of us) we headed through the back roads to a shop known as 3 Sisters (at the corner of Newport Rd (Route 772) and Usner Rd in Buyerstown). We got some delicious pies, really good bread and some cookies since they would be closed on Sunday and Monday. Then we walked across Newport Road to the farm stand and purchased some amazing corn, apples and other fruits and vegetables.

We dropped off our purchases at the campground and then set off for Katie's Kitchen (which has good food) to use the great picnic area. After our picnic we headed to our target destination, the Strasburg Railroad. We had intended to ride the train that afternoon, but it took us a while to get assembled so we bought tickets for the next day instead.

Playground next to picnic area at Katie's Kitchen

One of our other goals for the weekend was to buy some food from Stoltzfus Meats in Intercourse. I bought Lebanon bologna, whoopie pies and some candy (all of it was wonderful). Then it was back to the campground where the kids (3, 4, 6, 6, and 9) enjoyed the playground while supper was prepared. Those supervising the playground also got treated to a live Gospel group. Each evening we were also able to watch the Amish farm next to the campground harvest tobacco and corn.

Sunday, we headed to the railroad after another great breakfast (cooked by my father). The Strasburg Railroad is the longest continually operating stream railroad in the United States. It's a very enjoyable 45 minute train ride, but you also can be dropped off at a really nice picnic area where you may hop back on any of the trains that pass by once you are ready to return.

Train returns to the Strasburg Railroad

Play train at the Strasburg Railroad

Play area at the Strasburg Railroad

After the train, we headed to the Oregon Dairy in Lititz for a picnic and some ice cream. I don't know if this is the best ice cream in the area or not, but I do know that it is really good and you get a lot of ice cream for the money. They also have an absolutely amazing playground!

Oregon Dairy playground

Milking the ceramic cow at the Oregon Dairy

After lunch and our ice cream it was on to the Cloister in Ephrata. The Cloister was founded in 1732 as a monastery for an unique religious movement. The community lasted until 1813 when the last of the members died. It is a very intriguing look into the radical sort of religious ideas that were allowed to exist in colonial America. The original buildings are mostly still standing and are unique among American colonial building because they are built using German architectural styles instead of the English style that was typical in the colonies. Everything else aside, it is an extremely peaceful place to spend an afternoon. We stayed until closing time (5 PM) and then returned to Roamers for supper. We watched the farmers harvest their crops as we ate and then enjoyed our last s'mores of the weekend. After the children were in bed, Sarah and I were able to enjoy our porch with coffee and a clear black night that let us examine the constellations on a beautiful night.

The Clositer, Ephrata

The original buildings of the Ephrata Cloister

Wild turkeys at the Cloister

Manassas National Battlefield

2015-10-02T11:41:00.000-04:00

An updated version of this site can be found here

A sweltery hot day at the end of July is a perfect day to visit Manassas National Battlefield! Unless you don't enjoy 90+ degree heat and high humidity. I don't and I'm a native, but it does give you a great idea of what the weather was like on the day the First Battle of Manassas was fought at the end of July, 1861.

NOTE: If you were schooled in a non-southern state this battle was probably referred to as the Battle of Bull Run. If you want to see the battlefield (the National Park), it is named Manassas National Battlefield. Bull Run Park borders the battlefield but is an actual park (picnic areas, campground, wooded trails, etc.) It's great, but it isn't the battlefield.

First Manassas is important for many reasons. In addition to being the first substantial fighting of the American Civil War it was the first use of many important battlefield innovations. Perhaps most importantly, it changed and shaped the course of American history by beginning a brutal, drawn out conflict. July 21, 1861 was the bloodiest day in American history up to that date. Unfortunately, this war would produce multiple days that would surpass it.

As a local, my visits to this site are usually to enjoy the trails or natural beauty (especially the mindbogglingly beautiful bluebells that bloom each April). For other Virginians and other southerners, the first thing they think is "hallowed ground". Many legendary officers made a name for themselves on that day while many others added to an already impressive reputation. A few of these men became heroes for their performance on this battlefield. July 21, 1861 was the day it became clear to everyone that this would be no "little rebellion". The battle has been featured in many films and television shows including Gods & Generals, North and South and The Blue and The Gray. The story has been told over and over (as it should be).

Leading up to the battle most southern states (the southeastern United States) had voted to secede from the United States. This was not a new idea, it was first presented by James Madison and Thomas Jefferson as an appropriate response to the Federal Government overstepping the powers of the Constitution. Jefferson suggested in his resolution that a state had the power to nullify a Federal law in such an instance. These ideas were embraced a few years later in New England, later in the western United States and eventually in South Carolina leading up to the Civil War. The Civil War would be the first time these questions were addressed conclusively. Consequently, the slavery question would also would addressed in the process.

We began our day by meeting the rest of our family at the nice Henry Hill Visitor's Center. From here you can take the guided tour, which I recommend. The tour is a nice overview of the battle but keeps you close to the building. To really get a feel for the place I recommend either doing the self-guided driving tour or doing the cell phone tour. For the cell phone tour information click here. For the printed script of the cell phone tour click here.

The Henry House, destroyed in the battle resulting in the first civilian death of the war. The house in the picture was rebuilt in 1870.

These guns mark the placement of Rickett's Battery (USA)

The "Stonewall" Jackson Monument.

Notice how muscular he and his horse are!

Monument for General Bee, who died near this spot during the battle. It is here he is said to have uttered the famous phrase "There stands Jackson like a stone wall. Rally behind the Virginians!"

The day was very hot, so we spent a little over an hour outside on Henry Hill. The kids had been good, but had certainly had enough. We rounded up our group of five adults and six children (aged 3-12) and headed to Brownsville Picnic Area (in the park). It has a large parking lot, a covered picnic pavilion and restrooms. It is important to note that there is no sink for washing here, so come prepared for that. Otherwise it is a great picnic site.

As we finished our lunch very ominous storm clouds were rapidly approaching, so we relocated to Baskin-Robbins in Centreville to cap off our day with some well earned ice cream as we watched the rain come down outside.

When you are finished visiting the battlefield, I would recommend one final stop. The Confederate Army (the southern states) won the First Battle of Manassas. It came as a surprise to most people, so much so that many of the Washington elite had come to witness what they assumed would be resounding U.S. victory and a swift end to the conflict. Most of them were in an area known as the Centreville Heights which today is on Route 29 east of the Battlefield. The battle ended in what became known as "the Great Skedaddle". After the defeat, the U.S. army dispersed in a rather panicked manner and got tangled up with civilians as they tried to cross the small bridge across Cub Run. Among other consequences was the capture of two U.S. Congressman who had come to see the battle.

You can see the crossing site by taking Route 29 east to Centreville and turning onto Prince Way (your first left after Centreville Baptist Church if you are driving from the battlefield). There are some legal parallel parking spaces on the street. You can then walk back in the direction of Route 29 and turn right onto the bike path (asphalt path). After a short walk you come to a historical marker and then the creek itself. In 1861, the bridge was narrow and wobbly and the banks as you can see are fairly steep. A brief (5 minute) visit will help you picture "The Great Skedaddle".

Cun Run Historical Marker

Modern bridge over Cub Run

Richmond Day 9 - Capitol Square and the Science Museum of Virginia

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An updated version of this site can be found here

August 18, 2015 (Tuesday)

Today breakfast was iffy again -- the eggs and sausage on the buffet were cold. After breakfast, we headed downtown to Capitol Square. Capitol Square is a nice park that contains the Capitol building, Governor's Mansion and a bunch of statues and monuments honoring some of Virginia's greatest citizens. We were able to park for free on the street right in front of the guest entrance. We looked at the monuments around the park, decided against the 20 minute tour of the Executive (Governor's) Mansion (we weren't sure the children would make it enjoyable for the parents). The first building we went into was the bell tower which houses the Visitor's Center - the ladies inside were very eager to help and offer suggestions. They convinced us to go into the capitol and look around without doing the tour (again due to concerns about the children losing interest during a tour). I am so glad that we did. The kids enjoyed walking around looking at the building, and there were lots of restrooms. At the end of our visit Liam got a state flag in the gift shop (I was so proud).

Washington Statue

The only statue for which Washington ever posed

The Civil Rights monument

The Executive Mansion

The Virginia Capitol Building, home of the oldest continuously operating law making body in the Americas (1619)

The Capitol housed both the Virginia and Confederate National Legislatures from 1861-1865.

Liam with his Virginia flag

Then we went to Carytown and ate lunch at the Galaxy Diner. Carytown is an area full of locally owned eateries, artisans and shops and an interesting day in itself. The Galaxy Diner has a B Grade alien movie theme and a fun vibe. We very much enjoyed the Galaxy Diner, but I started feeling badly -- my back and head were hurting a lot -- before we got our food so we didn't linger. The portions were large and delicious, I wish I had felt better!

Our food at the Galaxy Diner in Carytown

Since I was feeling poorly, we went back to the hotel so I could rest. The kids and Sarah went to pool, and after a while I went down and used the spa and sauna and that helped loosen up my back.

Once my back started to feel better we headed to the Science Museum of Virginia (it is next door to the Children's Museum and shares a parking lot). Housed in the old spectacular train station, it was a big hit. We stayed for 2 hours (closing time) and the kids weren't ready to leave. The exhibits are designed to be interesting for adults as well as children and include predominately hands on exhibitions. After we closed down the museum we headed back to the hotel to eat. For supper, we ate leftover pizza and our leftovers from lunch.

The foyer of the Science Museum

August 19, 2015 (Wednesday)

For our last morning we skipped the hotel breakfast and headed to Krispy Kreme to get the kids hot doughnuts. If you have never been, when they have hot doughnuts ready each customer gets one. They are good and not to be missed!

Enjoying Krispy Kreme

After breakfast we returned to Monument Avenue to retake the pictures of the monuments we saw in the rain. When we were finished we returned to hotel, packed and left for home. Another great vacation is concluded.

The Arthur Ashe Monument

The Stonewall Jackson Monument

Richmond Day 8 - Maymont

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An updated version of this site can be found here

August 17, 2015

Virginia is for Lovers!

Breakfast was great again! After breakfast, we headed over to Maymont Park. We thought that the kids would enjoy the Children's Farm. The farm is great and is free to visit. At the farm there are pigs, goats, chickens, a donkey, sheep and some other animals that we didn't see like cows and horses.

It was very hot (in the 90s and very humid) today and Liam (6) was not enjoying the walking. Most of the farm as you would expect is not in the shade and it cut our visit short. The kids really enjoyed feeding the goats though. The farm also has a large garden and while we were looking at the crops, they gave us a bunch of tomatoes and peppers! (to Fionnuala's delight).

Irish (Gaeilge) at Maymont Park. Your cow might be black red or dun (brown).

The goats waiting to be fed by visitors

Produce from the park's garden

Liam (6) was really sagging and both kids said that they were hungry so we headed back to Short Pump to the Whole Foods. When we had visited here before we were very impressed and decided to eat lunch there today. The kids and I had pizza and Sarah had a salad. My pizza was the best I've had at a Whole Foods. An added bonus was the window next to our booth that allowed us to watch the cakes being made. Fionnuala (3) was so excited by it that she was clapping and jumping. They also had a water cooler in the dining area, which I had never seen in any of the other Whole Foods I had visited before. It was nice to not have to buy a bottle of water that the children wouldn't finish.

Sarah wasn't feeling very well and the kids had really struggled with the heat, so we headed back to the hotel to relax. We didn't do as much today, but the kids had fun and it allowed Sarah some much needed comfort. We spent some time at the pool once we returned to the hotel. After we finished at the pool we ordered some pizza, french fries and salads from Picciotti's Pizza off of Broad Street. Everyone enjoyed the pizza a lot, we were very happy that we decided to give them a try.

Richmond Day 7 - Three Lakes Park

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An updated version of this site can be found here

August 16, 2015 (Sunday)

This morning was the first blip in a week of breakfasts - I went to the buffet to get scrambled eggs and sausage and they were both cold. There was a family reunion and wedding party in the hotel this weekend as well as a bunch of families taking students to the University of Richmond. I assume that the full hotel led to the drop in quality. The milk for cereal ran out and they also had trouble keeping up with demand for half and half. We were still fine, but it was not the excellent breakfast experience that we had the last six days.

Coin Laundry

We needed to do a third load of laundry today. We did learn a lesson though, we have been going to the pool almost every day and the children have been going through two sets of clothes each day (before swimming and after swimming). We ended up at the intersection of Skipworth and Broad at Coin Laundry. Once our clothes were in the machines, we headed to Cheswick Park to use the playground. It's a great park, but we almost missed it. The entrance is across the street from the hospital (Henrico Doctor's Hospital) so make sure to slow down or you will go right past it. It has great wooded trails through the woods, a nice large playground, picnic pavilions and nice clean restrooms. When it was time to pick up our clothes, the kids enjoyed the Ms. PacMan and other arcade machines in Coin Laundry.

Cheswick Park

Wildlife in the park

Trail in Cheswick Park

We dropped off our clothes at the hotel and decided to return to the Panera where we ate on our last visit (2010) in the Willow Lawn Shopping Center. We all had more than we could eat so we packed it up to eat for supper tonight.

When we finished eating we dropped the food off at the hotel and headed to Three Lakes Park. It's about a 15 minute drive from the hotel. This wonderful park contains three small man made lakes, wonderful wooded nature trails that circle each lake, has multiple restrooms and a great nature center all of which is free! We began in the Nature Center which hosts a small aquarium. The kids really enjoyed seeing the animals (mostly fish, snakes and turtles). We spent about 30 minutes inside then another 5 or so minutes on the deck over the lake. There were so many turtles that you could see them all the way across the lake. The kids also enjoyed seeing the fish that they had seen underwater from the deck above.

Aquarium at Three Lakes Park

Exploring the Nature Center at Three Lakes Park

Wall to wall turtles on the lake

Next we headed across the parking lot to the great playground where the children played for a long time. It was a very warm day so we headed back to the hotel and then to the pool.

The playground at Three Lakes Park

For supper we ate our leftovers from lunch. It was nice day even with the heat, but the places we visited all had enough shade that it never felt that bad.

Richmond Day 6 - Henricus Historical Park

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An updated version of this site can be found here

August 15, 2015 (Saturday)

Today was move-in day at VCU, so we decided to do something outside of the city until the roads were fully open and less crowded. I was very happy with our choice, Henricus Historical Park. Henricus Citie was the second settlement in the New World (1611) and until this park opened there was nothing to mark it. This was actually the site of many of the crucial historical events that are associated for most of us with Jamestown (Pocahontas, John Rolfe's tobacco discovery, etc). It was also home to the first hospital and college in the English colonies.

We arrived about 10:30 and were greeted by a friendly worker after we used the restrooms. The park starts in a re-creation of an Arrohatek (part of the Powhatan) village. There are a few houses, totem poles and some of the craft work and tools of the natives. There was also a period dressed interpreter making clay cooking pots and beads that interacted with us and was a big hit with Fionnuala (3) in particular. The kids really enjoyed the village.

The kids explore a native canoe

Arrohatek Village

Next we entered into the rebuilt representation of the fort (much smaller than the 7 acre original). There were a few more interpreters inside that fort that happily inacted with us. I found this to be much better than the Jamestown Settlement. Our children were a little younger than the optimal age, but they very much enjoyed exploring the protective platforms and watch tower as well as the pig, cats and goats. Inside Rev. Whitaker's house was an especially good interpreter that explained the transition that Pocahontas had to make to become English. Another interesting thing we learned is that a lot of (if not most of) the furniture that they used is from The New World.

The kids celebrate with dancing on the gun platform at Henricus Citie just as they did in Quin, Ireland and Málainn Bhig, Ireland last year.

Henricus Citie

I wish that this had been built when I was in school as it gives a better idea of what life was like for the early colonists after the starving times in Jamestown. Our visit was an hour and a half, but we didn't visit the bluff overlooking the river. The site is also located inside a nature conservatory and contains about 3 miles of trails through the woods.

The kids picked up an item each in the gift shop, which I thought had a really nice selection of items. Then we headed to Chick-Fil-A in Chester where we ate lunch and the kids played in the playground. We then headed home and took the kids to the pool in our hotel.

After we finished at the pool we ordered food from Olive Garden again. The food was so good last time and it is so convenient to the hotel that we decided to get food there again. It was just as delicious as last time. We are still amazed at how good the food was!

Richmond Day 5 - Old Blandford Church and Cemetary, Petersburg

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An updated version of this site can be found here

August 14, 2015 (Friday)

Today we headed to Petersburg which is about 40 minutes south of Richmond. Our goal was the Old Blandford Church and the Farmer's Bank building. We arrived at Blandford Cemetery and set up the John Herbert tombstone for a grave rubbing. The tombstone is from 1704 and commemorates one of my first ancestors to come to America. His original grave site was about 3 miles out of Petersburg on his plantation, Puddledock. About 1895, the family had the tombstone moved to the churchyard. If you leave town headed toward Fort Lee you will pass Puddledock Road which used to lead to the estate. Near his tombstone are the graves of an American General from the Revolution and a British Maj. General from the Revolutionary War. As you might imagine you won't find this elsewhere.

Old Blanford Church, Petersburg, VA

Sarah did the rubbing while I took the children around the graves nearest to church. They offer tours that focus mostly on the stained glass windows in the church and have a nice office with friendly people. It took about an hour to complete the rubbing.

John Herbert Tombstone, Old Blandford Church

Gen. Joseph Jones Grave (Revolutionary War General)

Maj. Gen. William Phillips Grave, British General during the Revolutionary War

John Daly Burk's Grave. He published the first comprehensive History of Virginia

After we had packed everything up it was noon, so we headed to Lee Park for a picnic and a playground. I chose this park because it has a picnic area, playground and restrooms. This part of the park wasn't fancy, but was okay. We were able to eat our picnic at a table in the shade and the kids were able to play on the equipment with some local children. We used the restrooms on our way out, and they were basic but clean. We were all a little tired, so we headed back to the hotel to relax.

Lee Park

For dinner tonight, the kids asked for Chinese. So, we ordered take out from Hunan East about 7 minutes south down Broad Street. We ordered Hot & Sour Soup, Egg Drop Soup, Chicken & Broccoli and Teriyaki Chicken. The soups were good, the chicken and broccoli was good, but Sarah and I weren't crazy about the teriyaki (we had never had it before).

Richmond Day 4 - Monument Ave. and Riverfront Canal Cruises

2015-09-01T06:45:00.000-04:00

An updated version of this site can be found here

August 13 2015 (Thursdays)

Lombardy Park

Today we headed downtown. I dropped off Sarah and the kids at Lombardy Park in the Fan District to play at the playground and left the car there. The park is at the intersection of Lombardy and Park one block from the Stuart monument. I got a parking space between the park and the monument!

My mission was to photograph the monuments on Monument Ave. (the rain had cut us short on Monday). The monuments start one block from the park with J.E.B. Stuart. Walking away from downtown you next come to the

Robert E. Lee monument. I walked up as far as the President Davis monument admiring all of the amazing architecture and the monuments.

It took me about 20 minutes to walk from the Stuart monument to the Davis monument snapping pictures. By this time I wanted to check in on the family so I turned around there. In addition, my parking was for 1 hour and the parking enforcement officer was actively checking.

General J.E.B. Stuart Monument

First English Lutheran Church, Stuart Circle, Monument Ave. built 1911

St. John's United Church of Christ, Stuart Circle, Monument Ave., built 1928

Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church, between Stuart Circle and Lee Circle

General Robert E. Lee Monument

House on Lee Circle, built 1929

This cannon marks the earthworks of the inner defenses of Richmond

President Jefferson Davis Monument

When I returned I gathered everyone from the playground and we headed to the canal. We were able to park for $6 (all day) at the end of Virginia St. and walked to kiosk for the Riverfront Canal Cruises. We bought our tickets and then used the restroom in the Southern Railway Taphouse. We waited next to the boats for about 20 minutes, the kids enjoyed playing on the grassy slope and looking at the boats. Tickets are $6 for adults, $5 for children and Fionnuala (3) was free.

Riverfront Canal Cruises, Richmond

At noon, our tour began. It lasted 40 minutes and Rusty was our guide. We were surprised by how short (in distance) the trip was. It was good to hear the information he gave on the short stretch of the canal that is open for use, but a lot of his talk was on general historical events and not specific to Richmond. I would have enjoyed more Richmond information, but we were fortunate enough to see a Blue Heron up close as well as six turtles. Liam (6) lost interest about half way through the trip, largely because you are not allowed to move around while the boat is moving and he wanted to look over the side at the water, etc. All in all not a bad trip. I chose this because I thought the boat would hold the kids interest, but it was slow moving and the guide didn't engage the children. I think that the Trolley tour probably has the Richmond information I would like and might be just as interesting to the children.

Blue Heron we saw on our trip

One of many turtles we saw in the canal

The Lucky Strikes smokestack

When we got off the boat, we ate lunch at the Southern Railway Taphouse. The food was very good. It's not a bad place for kids, but also is not cheap. We ordered 1 chicken tender appetizer, 1 pretzel appetizer, 1 Great Return sandwich, 1 grilled chicken wrap and 1 chicken salad sandwich for a total of $46.56. They do have a mind boggling selection of beers though. After a while, we boxed up our extra food and we went back to the car.

We paid a visit to the Robinson Street Laundromat next. It was great, with an attendant and air conditioning which is rare. It was also cheaper than laundry in Farmville! While the load was in the wash we headed over to Plaza Arts across from VCU to get supplies for tomorrow's grave rubbing project. The people working at the shop were incredibly helpful and got us loaded up for our outing. Then it was time to move the laundry. Sarah put the clothes into the dryer and then we got drinks next door at Starbucks. We took a walk around the block while the clothes dried and then packed everything/everybody back into the car and returned to Lombardy Park. We stayed until the children had to use the restroom and then returned to the hotel about 5 PM.

Side of Kuba Kuba at N. Lombardy St. & Park Ave.

For supper, we ate leftovers from lunch with the fruits and vegetables that we already had.

Richmond Day 3 - Jamestown Settlement

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An updated version of this site can be found here

August 12, 2015 (Wednesday)

We began the day with a nice breakfast again. After we had finished eating and gotten ourselves organized we began the trek to Jamestown, the first permanent English settlement in North America.

It's about 1 1/4 hours drive without stops from Henrico, but we stopped at the Welcome Center on I-64 to use the restrooms and get new Virginia state maps (free). We also stopped at the Martin's in Willliamsburg to get food for a picnic lunch.

We arrived at Jamestown Settlement a little before noon. They have a nice, large picnic area with lots of tables. We picked a nice table in the shade and enjoyed our picnic. When we finished our food, we headed into the large building. Admission was $41.25 (2 adults at $16.75 each, one youth at $7.75 and Fionnuala was free)

We spent about two hours exploring the site. It is an outdoor living history museum. They have recreated a Powhatan Indian village, rebuilt the Jamestown fort, and had replicas of the three ships that brought the settlers to Jamestown (the Susan Constant, the Godspeed and Discovery). The kids loved going inside all of the houses in both the Powhatan villages and the fort. They especially loved that each house in the village had a place where they could grind corn meal.

Making cornflour in a Powhatan house

the Powhatan village

Powhatan recreation

Storming the James Fort - not even the New World is safe
(Our first conquest was Doe Castle)

We've captured the outer defenses! Now let's plunder the houses!

Both children really loved going aboard the three ships that brought the settlers over to the New World. I remember this being what I loved about this place when I was young too. It was a warm day (August in Virginia always is) so we got some ice cream and cooled off before returning for a second visit to the ships. By this time, the kids were very hot and tired and it was mid-afternoon.

The Susan Constant

The Discovery

Not even your ships are safe from us!

When you return to the building there is a pretty good museum that takes you through the history of this region from colonial times through the Revolution, a cafe, two gift shops and some very nice, large, clean restrooms.

We were all ready to head back to Richmond, which took no time at all (1 1/2 hours including a bathroom break at the Welcome Center).

We visited the evening reception which had guacamole and salsa tonight with pretzels and chips. Then we used a gift card for Outback Steakhouse curbside pickup which is about 5 minutes drive north on Broad Street. We had two Outback burgers, two house salads and mixed vegetables ($29.46 total) all of it was really good! Sarah and I were impressed!!!

Richmond Day 2 - Farmville (The Heart of Virginia)

2015-08-28T08:14:00.001-04:00

An updated version of this site can be found here

August 11, 2015 (Tuesday)

Today we headed to Farmville for a day trip. The trip took a little under 1 1/2 hours from Henrico. The first thing on our list was a stop at the Bubble-Mat Coin Laundry on 3rd Street. We arrived about 10:30 and it was bright and sunny. By the time we finished our laundry it was already starting to get warm.

Bubble-Mat Coin Laundry

Farmville is the classic southern "market town". The town used to be a large tobacco port (#4 in Virginia), which is interesting as it is located in the center of the state. The Appomattox River, which is often so shallow you can walk through it without any trouble, flows through the heart of town and enabled goods to be easily transported to the larger ports of Petersburg and Richmond. In modern times the town is better known as the home of Longwood University and Green Front Furniture. For such a small place it has had quite a few well-known people associated with it (not including myself). I fell in love with Farmville when I attended Longwood in the 1990s. If you had asked me for a description of the town at that time, I would have said to check out the movie Slacker.

As with many other southern college towns, Farmville was a stop for lots of independent musicians. It was very common for bands to play up and down the coast from Washington down through Georgia and back up the coast developing strong followings. The greatest successes of the time would be the Dave Matthews Band from Charlottesville, VA and Hootie and the Blowfish (South Carolina and Maryland) but there were many others. Consequently, Farmville had a few great places to catch music and many different genres of music passed through. It was truly incredible to have a choice of three or four live bands playing original music every week, unfortunately Charlie's appears to be the only place left that hosts live music. Without a doubt Farmville's most famous act was Lady of Rage who honed her chops at Fever's.

My old apartment (From the front door to the right-hand side)
the Cowan-Hawkins House was on a map as early as 1878

These cars are parked on what used to be Pat McGee's house.

The last time I was in Farmville was 19 years ago. So our first stop was my old block. I noticed that they had not put up any historical marker, yet. 211A St. George Street played host to some pretty impressive music including Ben Tufts' bands and Gist, and Stanford Prison Experiment spent the night here in 1996. Next door in 221B lived Ashby Dodge who was friends with some kid that went to Longwood named Jason Mraz. I won't lie, I had no idea about him. At the other end of the block lived Pat McGee. He also left school to be a rock star. Then they knocked his house down. I don't feel as bad about the lack of historical marker now.

The Thornton House, Farmville, VA

After a brief stop to admire my old abode we turned around to look at some even more famous houses. Across the street from my old house is the Thornton House (309 Beech), built in 1756. Is it significant for two reasons (two reasons more than most houses). The first being that in 1836 it became the first property in Farmville purchased by a woman. The second being Robert E. Lee visited the house on April 7, 1865 to give his condolences to the Thornton Family (Col. John T. Thornton had been killed at the Battle of Sharpsburg, MD).

The Jackson House, Farmville, VA

Across the street you will find the Jackson House (304 Beech) the oldest part of the house was built in 1837. This is the house where on the morning of April 7, 1865 General Lee met with the Confederate Secretary of War (and others) to discuss the status of his army. They were interrupted however, when Grant's troops arrived that afternoon. General Grant spent the night about four blocks away on Main Street across the street from what today is Walker's Diner. Two days later, they met in Appomattox Court House and agreed to end the fighting.

Berkley-Hardy House, 303 Beech
Built in 1840 this is Farmville's best example of federal style architecture

Confederate Monument dedicated in 1900 faces the Longwood Buildings

From Beech Street's antebellum houses we walked a block to the Confederate Monument before checking out the Colonnade connecting the old Longwood buildings. It was then that the "I need to go to the Bathroom" call went out so we entered Ruffner Hall. Ruffner was originally built in 1839 and housed the college. As the school grew, so did the building until it was ultimately finished in 1907. Unfortunately, the building caught fire and suffered extensive damage in 2001 and most (maybe none?) of what is there today is not original. I was impressed with the job they did repairing the building though. If you didn't know about the fire you would never had known anything had changed.

Ruffner Hall, Longwood University

Jeanne D'Arc - Longwood's Patron Saint

Joanie on the Stony, Ruffner Hall

There traditionally have been two statues of Joan of Arc displayed at Longwood. Longwood was originally a women's college and in a unique move for a public school, adopted Joan of Arc as a patron saint. Joanie on the Stony lives in the great Rotunda of Ruffner Hall. Until 2009, there was also a bronze statue of Joan on her horse (Joanie on the Pony) in the center of the Colonnades outside of Ruffner where she was said to serve as protector of the college. Unfortunately she was removed due vandalism in 2009 and is now housed at the Longwood Center for the Arts.

Fortunately, she was present in Longwood's hour of need. In April 2001, as the fire raged and ravaged Ruffner and the neighboring Grainger Hall, Joanie stood her ground between the fire and the residence halls. The bronze statue turned red in the face of the fire, but the fire stopped unexpectedly directly above where the statue stood in the Colonnade. There were no injures in the fire.

After walking around the Ruffner building, we checked checked out the haunted tunnel. Longwood is full of ghost stories, there is even a website devoted to them. I thought it all good fun until one night instead of studying for my final exam for French class I was making a movie with my friends. It was a horror movie and we were all supposed to run through the dimly lit tunnels that ran from the Colonnade to the South Ruffner building. We had all heard that they were haunted, but never thought anything about it. That is until we began running into the tunnel and the camera turned to static. We all agreed that it was unfortunate and tried again. More static. A third try resulted in more static and goosebumps. We all agreed that maybe we should relocate to somewhere a little less spooky!

We passed through the tunnel in full daylight which is not at all creepy and took in the new (not yet open) alumni center and all the changes (no St. George street, no Cunninghams) that have happened in the last 19 years and then it was time for another bathroom stop in Hiner Hall and Coyner Hall where I used to visit the computer lab in order to use the Internet!!!

By now everyone was hot and hungry, so we went to Pino's. Pino's, an Italian restaurant, is a local institution across the street from the campus. We gobbled up our pizza and sandwiches which were as delicious as ever. We ordered a small pizza, Italian sub lunch special, turkey sub, french fries and a beer for $27.50.

Pino's Italian Restaurant, Farmville

After lunch we stopped by the Moton School. On April 23, 1951 this high school was the site of a walkout protesting the quality of the segregated facilities. This walkout was to become part of the famous Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court decision that led to integrated schools in the Unied States. Unfortunately before that happened Prince Edward County (along with the rest of Virginia) resisted integration by shutting down the public schools. This would be the case in Prince Edward County until until 1964.

Moton High School, Farmville

In addition to being an important site in American history, the Moton building itself is noteworthy for being commissioned by the Public Works Administration during the Great Depression. The school is now a fine Civil Rights Museum, the Moton Museum as well as a National Historic Landmark.

Next, we went looked around some more of the campus and took pictures of some the buildings on High Street.

The Reed-Elam House

Walter Reed's father owned this house while he was the local minister. Walter Reed himself attended school down the street. This building was originally built in 1853 as a rectory for John's Episcopal Church.

John's Episcopal Church, 1882

Lancaster Hall, Longwood University

Lancaster Hall on High Street was the Longwood library until 1991. It is another of Franklin Roosevelt's marks on this town. It too was constructed by the Public Works Administration in 1939 (the 100th Anniversary of the school).

Jarman Auditorium, Longwood

I have included a picture of Jarman Auditorium as well. Jarman was built in 1950 and is not particularly significant historically though you have seen quite a few actors that cut their teeth on this stage and Roy Clark traditionally holds a concert here. In additon, it housed WLCX from 1981-1995. I was one of the DJs for WLCX and also spent a lot of time here both as a music student and helping deconstruct sets after theatrical performances. However, the real reason I included this building is because it is haunted. I spent a lot of time here and heard countless stories of Dr. Jarman's ghost who is said to guard the students.

We had promised the kids ice cream, but on the way we stopped off to see Farmville Presbyterian Church built in 1827. This church was used to hold the memorial service for President Abraham Lincoln the day following the news of his assassination. It was also the church where the Union soldiers worshipped after the Civil War during the period when Martial Law was imposed.

Farmville Presbyterian Church

It was a really hot day so we thought it would be the perfect time for Sweetfrog. We ordered three small cups for a total of $8.31.

After our ice cream we walked over to the First Baptist Church building. It was built in 1836 and was originally home to Farmville Baptist Church which is now at the other end of the block. In between housing churches, it was home to the Southside Institute for Boys which was an elite private school that hosted the future Dr. Walter Reed (the yellow fever guy) among others as a student. In 1867, First Baptist (the black offshoot of Farmville Baptist) moved in.

About a century after Walter Reed studied here, the church became a focal point for the Civil Rights movement, vocally supporting the student protest at Moton High School. It was in this building that the decision was made to sue for school integration. Martin Luther King, Jr. would later visit to show his support. When the schools were closed, a school was set up in the basement and children were educated here while waiting for the schools to reopen.

First Baptist Church, Farmville

Next to the church is the remains of the State Theater (EACO Theater). The EACO Theater was built about 1921 and became a vaudeville venue. Many famous jazz musicians including Duke Ellington played here in the 1920s. It was later turned into a movie theater. By the 1990s, it was used for stage performances, but an ice storm in 1994 collapsed the roof and eventually the walls of the theater collapsed as well. The town now uses what remains as an outdoor theater.

The State Theater, Farmville

By this time it was pretty hot and the kids were done, so we drove to the end of town down Main Street for a look and then left for Richmond. When we got home, Sarah took the kids to the pool while I grabbed some veggies and a coke from the Manager's Reception. The pool was WAY too small for the number of people using it, there were about 10 people in the pool and another 6 or so on the deck. The pool can handle 5 or 6 people max.

For supper the kids finished the pizza from lunch. Sarah and I ate leftover BBQ from Buzz and Ned's, and veggies and chips from the Manager's Reception.

Richmond Day 1 - Children's Museum and Monument Ave

2015-08-22T20:11:00.001-04:00

Main room of the Children's Museum

An updated version of this site can be found here

August 10, 2015 (Monday)

The breakfast today was great. We had a nice selection of bagels, Krispy Kremes, muffins, sliced melon, whole apples, oranges and bananas plus a buffet with French Toast, home fries, sausage, bacon and scrambled eggs. There is also a made to order egg bar which makes delicious omelettes.

The first exhibit

It was a rainy morning, so we stopped by Wal-Mart on Forest Ave. (next to the Westin where we stayed in 2010) to find Liam a wallet. Then we went straight down Broad Street to the Children's Museum of Richmond. It has a nice, big, free parking lot. Admission is $16 per person, but the kids were in heaven!

There are a ton of different areas, including some outdoor areas. It is essentially a huge play house although most or all of the exhibits have been designed to be educational. Liam (6) absolutely loved it but he is probably at the top of the age spectrum for this attraction. For our family though, it was perfect. We stayed for about 1 1/2 hours and then it was lunch time, otherwise the kids might never have left! They both asked to return days later, and our 3 yr old asked for it by name.

The art room

For lunch we headed up Boulevard to Buzz and Ned's. They have developed a big reputation for their BBQ and we were close, so we decided to check it out. Sarah and the kids ordered the chicken sandwich and I order a brisket sandwich. The kids didn't love it, the chicken is very smokey and thus a bit tangy and spicy The brisket was good though. Our meal was $29.43 (3 chicken sandwiches, 1 brisket sandwich, 2 fountain drinks and 2 fountain waters).

We decided to try and take some pictures of Monument Avenue on the way back to the hotel as it appeared that the rain would be holding off. We started at the outermost monument, Arthur Ashe. Very near, is a marker to label the location of the city defenses during the Civil War. While we were at the Arthur Ashe monument, it began to rain lightly. As we walked to the next monument the rain began to pick up. Soon it was just plain raining! Sarah and the kids made a game of running in the rain, but we called it quits at the Maury monument which is fitting as these monuments were the non Civil War monuments.

Marker to commemorate the second line of defense for the city of Richmond during the Civil War

Arthur Ashe monument

Matthew Fontaine Maury monument

As we were driving back to the hotel the rain let up and we saw the signs for Agecroft Hall and the Virginia House. So, we decided to go have a look. We didn't actually want to enter the buildings--it seemed like the kids are not the ideal age for that--but we did want to see what they looked like.

Virginia House from the right-hand entrance

Virginia House from the left-hand entrance

Virginia House was originally part of the Augustine Priory of the Holy Sepulcher of Jerusalem in Warrick, England. In 1925 there was a demolition sale and the Weddell family purchased the priory and moved these buildings to Richmond with the intention of gifting it the Virginia Historical Society.

Agecroft Hall is the property next door and is not easily visible from the street. It is a rebuilt Tudor mansion that was also bought in England and moved to Richmond. The grounds and house do look amazing from what we could see!

Tonight, we decided to order takeout from Olive Garden (see note below). It takes about 3 minutes to drive there from the hotel, and is easily walkable. We ordered 2 Garden Salads, 1 Chicken Parmigiana, and 1 chicken and gnocchi soup. Everything was delicious!! Total bill was $29.48, but we had a $25 giftcard (that's why we chose Olive Garden) so the total was $4.48! We were very impressed with how good the food was. The portions were also very large, the Chicken Parmigiana was only about half eaten!

Note on our dining choices:

One of the best things about Richmond is the food! The city has an abundance of high quality local restaurants that are one of the big draws for visitors. Right before we left home however, Sarah pulled out a stack of giftcards that we had in a drawer that totaled close to $200, so we decided to try to use as many of those as possible on our trip (Some of them were seven years old!) In addition, dining out is not very easy with a three year old and a six year old, so we mostly used our giftcards and ate in the hotel. If you are able though, don't be afraid to wander into any restaurant that looks interesting to you, most of them are very good.

Richmond here we come!

2015-08-20T17:03:00.001-04:00

An updated version of this site can be found here

August 9, 2015

Today we left our home in beautiful Virginia for our amazing vacation in... Virginia! After choosing Richmond as our base, I discovered that Frommer's had listed Richmond as a Top Destination in 2014. We have to say that we agree that Richmond has a lot to offer.

We booked in for 10 nights at the Embassy Suites Richmond - The Commerce Center. We settled on this after pricing our initial idea, vacation rental houses. The Embassy Suites ended up having a better price and includes a nice breakfast as well as a Manager's Reception in the evening. We arrived about 3:45 PM, check-in was quick and easy and the two women at the desk were very friendly and helpful.

This Embassy Suites in located just outside of the Richmond city limits in Henrico County . The set up is similar to the Embassy Suites near the Pittsburgh Airport. When you enter the hotel there is a business center with a few computers, a couple of printers, some desk space and some office supplies. The machines were all new and fast. There is a small shop in the lobby, but for snack items I would recommend going to the Sheetz convenience store next door. The hotel rooms all surround a nice atrium style courtyard that has live plants and a stream running through it. The atrium also contains the dining area where you eat breakfast and where the Evening's Manager's Reception is held. I like this setup, the atrium makes the hallways feel more open and is more pleasing aesthetically.

The left-hand side of the living room

The right-hand side of the living room

The corner of the front room

Our kitchenette

Our (small) bathroom

Our 2 queen beds

The left-hand side of the bedroom

The wardrobe

As soon as we entered our room, both children immediately asked to go to the pool. So, we did. The indoor salt water pool is not big, but was more than enough for us and one other family. Five or six people really makes the pool feel full though. There also is a spa (hot tub) (it was closed for about a week but did reopen), a set of four reclining chairs, 4 tables with 4 chairs, a pretty nice sauna and a nice exercise room with treadmills, free weights and some other exercise machines.

We skipped the Manager's Reception, but they had a nice selection of fruits, veggies and cheeses, chips and a large bar. Beer and wine is complementary as well. Unlike the other Embassy Suites where we have stayed, this reception is seven days a week. We were all ready for a full meal, so we headed north on Broad Street to Cici's Pizza (about 5 minutes). We ordered four buffets and 1 Coke for $20.93. CiCi's isn't fantastic but is usually easy, cheap and the kids enjoy it.

The Manager's Reception

These all vary from location to location to some extent. We find it to be a nice compliment to the other amenities at an Embassy Suites hotel. At this location they alternated fruits on one evening and vegetables on the next. The also rotated chips and dips. One night there would be a ranch dip and another dip that they mixed that day, the next night would be guacamole and salsa. They also offer soft drinks, beer and wine. The alcoholic beverages are not allowed to leave the dining area.

Tips for travel in Ireland: The Top 12 Sights

2015-03-07T17:18:00.003-05:00

An updated version of this site can be found here

I often see lists of the Top 10 Places to visit in Ireland. After glancing at most, I usually feel that many places are missing (I think that is the point!). So, without deciding a number ahead of time I have made a list of my favorites. These are the places I would take you if you asked me to be your tour guide.

For suggestions on where to stay, click here
For suggestions on planning your trip, click here.

#1 - Newgrange (Brú na Bóinne), Donore, Co. West Meath

Waiting in the rain to enter Newgrange

If you only can see one thing in Ireland, this is it (it is a World Heritage Site). Newgrange is a prehistoric burial mound dating to about 3200 BC (Older than both Stonehenge and the Great Pyramid at Giza). This could be the most impressive Stone Age site in the world. There are many other smaller, similar monuments but this one is clearly head and shoulders above the rest. Even if you think you have seen all the Stone Age sites you ever need to see, you should visit here. Allow about 2 hours.

(Heritage Card accepted for admission)

#2 - Cahir Castle, Cahir, Co. Tipperary

Outer wall of Cahir Castle

There aren't a lot of accommodations in Cahir, but I recommend this as a nice place to spend the night. My favorite castle (very well preserved) to visit in Ireland is the main attraction here (and it is wonderful). This compact and peaceful town also boasts a nice walking path alongside the River Suir that will lead you to the interesting Swiss Cottage. The tours of the castle have always been great. Allow 1 1/2 hours for the castle.

(Heritage Card accepted for admission to the Castle and Swiss Cottage)

#3 - Carrowmore, Co. Sligo

Dolmen inside Stone Circle at Carrowmore

I LOVE visiting Carrowmore!
Carrowmore is the largest megalithic cemetery in Ireland. It contains 60 tombs in total, including one that is considered to be the oldest man made structure in the world. The tour lasts about 50 minutes and every tour guide I have had has been fantastic. This is a kind of one-stop shop for Megalithic Ireland. This cemetery was used for thousands of years and has just about every type of structure possible.

(Heritage Card accepted for admission)

#4 - The Dingle Peninsula

From Dingle Town, drive the Slea Head loop. The loop traces the coast of the peninsula and takes you to a multitude of sights. Among others, you will see a nice Bronze Age promantory fort, Beehive huts and amazing scenery. Even more awaits inland, including a wealth of medieval buildings, monastic sites and buildings. A lot of the sights in this beautiful part of Ireland are very unique. Accommodation is abundant here and if you head into An Daingean (Dingle Town) there are many and varied restaurants and shops (as well as the pubs and restaurants in the other villages you will pass through).

View from Dunbeg Fort

SIDE NOTE: Dingle Town (An Daingean in Irish) is the beginning of the Gaeltacht (an area where Irish is the primary language). Road signs in these areas only give the name of towns in Irish. It's no big deal, but you need to make sure that your map has the Irish version of town names.

Once in town, stop into The Tourist Office and they have great maps that have all of the town names in Irish.

(Some sights are free, some charge a couple of Euro and the Heritage Card is accepted for admission to the Gallarus Oratory and the Blasket Centre.)

#5 - Inis Mór, Co. Galway

This is one that you will have to go out of your way to include but is more than worth it. You can take a ferry or flight to get to the island. I would recommend flying if that is an option for you. You can fly over in the morning and back the next morning and it is an amazing day. A great way to see the island is on bicycle, but you can also go with a local by van or cart. The most famous site on the island is the enormous Dún Aonghasa. In addition to the stunning fort, the island is full of free outdoor sites.

SIDE NOTE: If you don't know Irish, you should familiarize yourself with the Irish version of places you don't want to miss as some signs are only in Irish. The Aran Islands are the place in Ireland where Irish is most used.

(Heritage Card accepted for admission to Dún Aonghasa, most sites on the island are free.)

#6 - The Rock of Cashel, Cashel, Co. Tipperary

About 45 minutes from Cahir (and a great combination to fill up one day without a lot of driving) is the Rock of Cashel. One of the more striking (and iconic) sites in Ireland, this was traditionally the seat of power for the King of Munster. St. Patrick is said to have baptized one of them here. The Rock is a combination abbey and fortress that contains a round tower and Cathedral all integrated into the same complex. On a nice summer day, I can't imagine a better day than Cahir and the Rock of Cashel.

(Heritage Card accepted for admission)

#7 - Giant's Causeway, Bushmills, Co. Antrim

Legend has it that Fionn mac Cumhaill (Finn McCool), a giant, built this causeway so he could walk to Scotland in order to fight a Scottish giant. Scientists claim that a volcano is responsible. I think we all know which is more likely, that's why it's called the Giant's Causeway. This natural formation is breathtaking, especially when the weather cooperates.

(Admission/Parking/Restroom is £9.00 (it is run by the National Trust UK))

#8 - Glendalough, Bray, Co. Wicklow

St. Kevin's Church, Glendalough

Glendalough is home to a medieval monastery that was founded by St. Kevin. As St. Kevin's fame grew his monastery became more influential, eventually becoming a pilgrimage site and one of Ireland's most important religious sites. For visitors today, that is all enhanced by the stunning beauty that surrounds it. The settlement was built in a valley surrounded by mountains that also is blessed with two beautiful lakes. The Monastic Site is next to a beautiful, free park that also contains some monastic buildings. I recommend taking in both, especially if the weather is decent.

(Heritage Card accepted for admission)

#9 - Sliabh Liag, Teileann, Co. Donegal

Slieve League from the east

Sliabh Liag (Slieve League) is the highest sea cliff in Europe. The cliffs here at the edge of Donegal are almost three times as high as the Cliffs of Moher! This is one my favorite places in the world. I have probably been here between 30-40 times and hope to be a frequent visitor again. The EU has done a lot of work here to increase safety in the last 15 years. They have done a nice job of allowing you to get close enough to have the full experience of the cliffs while making your visit safe at the same time. If you continue to walk toward the peak from the car park you will eventually reach what is known as "One Man's Pass". Legendary among hikers, this is a four foot wide path along the top of the mountain. Not to be confronted on a windy day!

SIDE NOTE: Teileann (Teelin in English) is in the Gaeltacht (an area where Irish is the primary language). Road signs in these areas only give the name of towns in Irish. It's no big deal, but you need to make sure that your map has the Irish version of town names.

(Admission is Free, but be mindful of the weather)

#10 - Dysert O'Dea, Corofin, Co. Clare

Castle O'Dea at Dysert O'Dea

Dysert O'Dea is a great one stop tourist attraction. There is a tower house style castle that is in good condition. Inside the castle is a tea room and an exhibition on the Irish War for Independence and Civil War. Also on the grounds is the remains of an abbey with a very unique High Cross and round tower.

(Admission is €4)

#11 - Derry Walls/The Bogside

The iconic gable at Free Derry Corner

Derry is unique in that it still has intact city walls. A tour of the walls are a must, especially for those not native to the island. As a focal point for much of "The Troubles", a tour will give a good understanding of modern life in the north. After touring the City Walls, I recommend a walk through the Bogside neighborhood. The murals in this Nationalist community are amazing (and famous) and if you are up for a museum, the Free Derry museum traces the Civil Rights movement in Derry. Derry is a wonderful, unique city to visit.

(There is no fee to walk the walls or look at the murals, but tours do cost a few pounds (Sterling) per person.)

#12 - Kells Priory, Kells, Co. Kilkenny

St. Kieran's Church, next to Kells Priory

This was the highlight of my first ever visit to Éire and I love to return anytime I am in this part of Ireland. Kells Priory is located in Kells (about 15 km or 9 miles south of Kilkenny). This Kells is not to be confused with the much larger, more famous Kells in Co. Meath. I recommend this as a stop while visiting (or even better, staying in) Kilkenny.

Near the Priory is the striking St. Kieran's Church which is now locked, but you can still see inside. The Priory's protective walls are majestic and a reminder of how even monasteries needed protection during the middle ages. On my last visit a lot of work was being done to the structure, so is should be in great shape for your visit.

(Admission is Free)

Ireland With Children - The Gaeltacht Day 8

2014-08-25T17:16:00.001-04:00

An updated version of this site can be found here

8 July 2014

Making the most of their last moments

Fionnuala (2) had trouble sleeping again and ended up in our bed. Liam for the second morning in a row saw the clock strike 6! Thanks to Liam though, our morning was relaxed and not rushed. At 9 o'clock we were off. Leaving behind the Gaeltacht.

A georgeous final morning in Teileann

We made a brief stop at the Supervalu in Killybegs for some picnic items and arrived at Drumcliffe at 10:45 for an early lunch. At 11 AM it was almost empty and made for a nice place to eat lunch. We bought tea and postcards and used the bathrooms before we set off again. This is the best all purpose stop in the Northwest (a nice sight, food and restrooms with no admission fee).

A near empty carpark at Drumcliffe

Picnic tables at Drumcliffe

The children celebrated our arrival in Quin with dancing!

We made a stop for diesel later but were able to make good time today. The traffic was light the whole way making for easy, stress free driving. Fionnuala got her nap in and slept all the way through our picnic. We arrived at Quin Abbey a little after 2 PM.
It really is a magnificent structure. The cloister here is intact and incredible. I've never seen a complete cloister (roof and all) before. The Abbey was built in the 1400s and includes the tower from a castle that was previously on the grounds. It was used on and off until the 1820s.
The only downside was we got yelled at for Liam being too loud and running. We were surprised as this is a ruin and we were the only ones there aside from the caretaker and the man mowing the grass. It still was beautiful, but less enjoyable with the employee scowling at us during our visit. Thankfully, the children were not bothered at all.

Quin Abbey, Co. Clare

Irish grave marker that reads: "Connor McCluin born in Quin in 1893 died for Ireland on Oct 22 1920 in Dublin Castle. May the light of heaven shine on his soul." (If he was in Dublin Castle in 1920 it means he died as part of the revolution)

Quin Abbey Cloisters

The square courtyard surrounded by the cloister

The entrance to Bunratty Castle

From here we headed to Bunratty Castle. The kids loved it and were really enjoying the Folk Village when it started raining and we were getting hungry. Admission was €30 for the family. Bunratty is perhaps the best example of a furnished Towerhouse Castle in Ireland. Built in 1425 and renovated in 1955, they have done a great job finishing it and the building is all complete allowing a visitor to wander into each room and see it as it would have been used. As has been said by many, the only downside to this place is the HUGE volume of tour coaches that stop here as well as it being a popular first or last stop for visitors using Shannon Airport. The castle is hard to miss as you drive on the N20 between Shannon and Limerick. Even with all the visitors, it would be a shame to miss. We gave the Medieval Banquet a miss since the children are so young, but will probably go when the children are older. While cheesy and touristy, it is still a nice evening.

The Great Hall, Bunratty Castle

The main guard, Bunratty Castle

Bunratty Castle

Bunratty Folk Park

From the castle we headed to our B&B outside of Ennis for the night, Lakeside Country Lodge. It is a big wonderful house on a lake with a view of a Newhall House (built in 1765) and Killone Abbey. We checked in, unloaded everything and then went to eat. Our landlady suggested the Poet's Corner in the Old Ground Hotel. It was perfect! They were very accommodating of the children and the food and service were very good too.

The family room at Lakeside Country Lodge, Ennis

After our meal we walked up to Ennis Friary, but it was closed (I didn't realize it was paid entry). It does look interesting, maybe next time we are here. On the way to and from the Friary we passed the Queen's Hotel which was mentioned in James Joyce's Classic Ulysses. We returned to our parking garage and headed back to the house.

The view from the Lodge, Newhall House on the left, Killone Abbey on the right

The kids enjoyed some time in the back yard and garden. Then it was time for bed. A good ending to a great trip!

The next morning it was off to Shannon Airport. Lakeside Country Lodge is a 10 minute drive to the center of Ennis and about 20 minutes to the Avis Car Rental at Shannon. The location is perfect for a night before departure.

We arrived three hours before departure and everything went pretty smoothly, we even had about an hour to spare at the gate. As a wonderful bookend to our trip, a family of three adults and four children sat in the chairs next to us. They instantly caught Liam's attention as he discerned the sounds of some Connemara Irish coming from their mouths. It was great to see the children using Irish not just with the adults, but also among themselves. It was an encouraging sight to see and made me think that maybe on our next visit we'll head to Connemara.

Ireland With Children - The Gaeltacht Day 7

2014-08-23T10:11:00.002-04:00

A Standing Stone in Málainn Mhóir

An updated version of this site can be found here

7 July 2014

Fionnuala (2) again had trouble sleeping in the middle of the night. We decided to start the morning in Málainn Mhóir in search of Megalithic tombs (returning to the seen of the crime). It turns out that they were fairly difficult to find and my memories of 14 years ago did not come through.

The entrance to the bar at Óstán Ghleann Cholm Cille

We did get a good look at Óstán Ghleann Cholm Cille (the Glen Bay Hotel) though. It was sad to see the place in disrepair. As you can see from the photos, it appears as if they just shut the door and left everything as it was on the last day of operation. In reception all the furniture is still there with brochures for local attractions on the tables! This was one of the few food options in the area for years as well as an additional bar. I usually ended up here about once a year for something. I saw Altan and The Revs perform in the Ballroom in 2001, spent the night there once and also attended a wedding at the hotel. In it's last few years they had added a 9 hole golf course that appears to be reclaimed as pasture. Hopefully, whoever buys it will be successful!

Óstán Ghleann Cholm Cille

At least the signs are bilingual

Reception at the Glencolmcille Hotel

Liam checks to see if there are any vacancies

The abandoned dining room

An Trá Bhán

Next, we moved on to the Silver Strand (An Trá Bhán) up the road in Málainn Bhig. The Silver Strand is one of my favorite places in the world. I love to come here and just sit and watch the sea. Unlike most similar attractions in Ireland, this one has two Port-A-Potties (Temporary Toilets) and a large car park. To reach the beach there are 165 stairs, so we opted not to try the steps with the children. They enjoyed the stop anyway! If you are up for it, the water is often reasonably warm because the water is shallow and the views from the beach are spectacular.

The Silver Strand Car Park

On the way home we tried to find Saint Kevin's/Cavan's Church (Teampall Chaoimhín). The Martello Tower is on the same road and looks like it is in great condition. The road isn't signposted but you can see the Tower, just head down the road that goes in that direction. The road is not paved beyond the pier and I would not recommend driving any further than that as it was difficult to turn the car around and it would have been virtually impossible on my own (there is picture below).

Maretllo Tower in Malinbeg

Martello Towers were built in the early 1800s as Napoleon was gobbling up Continental Europe. The British feared that the French would attempt to invade the Empire through Ireland. These Towers line the coast through this part of Ireland. From this tower you can see the Tower in Gleanncholmcille and one near Sliabh Liag.

The road to St. Kevin's Church

I found the church, but didn't go all the way down to it since it was a ways off the road and the rest of the family was in the car. In a couple of years, when Fionnuala can walk better we'll go all the way down to investigate. According to Michael Herity, the current church was built in the late middle ages. There is a cross slab at the site as well and the remains of a rectangular enclosure which surrounded the church. The site is opposite Rathlin O'Birne island and was used as a stop by monks and pilgrims on the way to the island which also houses a monastic site.

Teampall Chaoimhín in Málainn Bhig

Rathlin O'Birne Island

Teileann Bay

The Nuala Star leaving for a tour

We then returned to the house for Fionnuala's nap and lunch. After she woke, we took a brief spin down to the pier at Teileann Bay. We had seen what we thought might be a Holy Well (there is said to be one nearby) from across the water and wanted to check it out. We didn't find it, but we took some pictures anyway!

Though we didn't find the Holy Well, here is a picture taken from the well that might help YOU find it.

On the pier there is also an interesting marker that would be easy to miss. The Gallagher Bros. building (which is impossible to miss) is built around what turns out is an old church. There is also a marker which indicates that in the 5th Century some monks from Teileann sailed to Iceland and this is said to be their church. It would be easy to miss, and I passed by for years before I stopped to read the sign.

The marker at Teelin Harbour that honors the monks

The inscription in Irish, English and Icelandic

Station #1 of Colmcille's Turas

Then we head over to Gleann. We stopped by the Church of Ireland (St. Columba's) first. The current building was built in 1828 and is the prominent feature in the valley. Originally this was a monastic site, on the north and east sides of the church you can see remains of the original wall just beyond the current wall. Before the current church existed, the church used to sit above the entrance to the sous terrain.

I was hoping to see Bishop Daniel McGonagle's grave. He was one of Ireland's three representatives at the Council of Trent and local tradition has him buried here. The grave is supposed to be against the wall at the east end of the graveyard, but there is no indication of which grave it might be. There were however some other very old and interesting grave markers. The Church is also the beginning (Turas 1) and the end of Colmcille's Turas (Turas 15). Turas 1 is built on what originally was a court tomb, it is known as "The Altar" as has a small kneeling place just outside the churchyard wall.

Station #15 of Comcille's Turas

In the Church Yard is also a sous terrain. The monastic settlement's church floor was above it and it is thought that it might have been used for cool storage and also as a means of escape as the tunnel ends just outside of the churchyard walls. In the past you could just open it and go in, but it now has a proper door. For some reason when I went in years ago I didn't take any photos! I did find some on the internet though which you can view if you click here. If you get the chance to go inside, there are a few cross slab inside that are very similar to ones that are used in the Turas.

The entrance to the Souterrain at The Church of Ireland in Glencolmcille

Old Grave markers in Glencolmcille

The carving on this tombstone is the symbol of St. Columba. Colmcille means "dove of the church".

The Church of Ireland Churchyard, Glencolmcille

Next, we headed just a bit down the road to visit the Turas at Farranmacbride, which I wanted to show Sarah. From the church, we headed away from the sea and took the road to the left. After a large bend in the road is Turas 9. Cloch an Aonaigh (Stone of the Gathering) is an interesting cross slab as you can see below. Pilgrims look through the hole, place their backs against the stone and renounce the world, the flesh and the devil before circling the small cairn three times while praying.

Local tradition holds that couples would become engaged by standing on either side of the pillar and joining fingers through the whole. A crowd would be assembled to witness the ceremony, thus the name Stone of the Gathering. Sarah and I saw another similar cross at the Kilmalkedar Church a few years ago in Kerry.

Cloch an Aonaigh (Turas 9)

The cross at the top of the slab

The two carved circle at the bottom of the cross

Sarah wanted to see the Old Rectory, so we stopped by (but I'm not sure if you are supposed to). Either way, the younger locals have told me that is supposed to haunted. If not haunted, it is certainly a creepy place after dark.

The Old Rectory, Glencolmcille

On our way back through Cashel (the main village in Gleann) we paused for an attempt to recreate a photo that we have on our wall at home from the late 1800s. It's not exactly identical, but it's close.

The Glen Head viewed from Cashel village

To reward the children, we took them to the fantastic playground next to An Halla Muire. They had a fantastic time playing. We even heard a mother saying the Irish nursery rhyme, "Lamh, Lamh eile" to her child. We also got to hear an old man teasing the mothers on the playground for having a football, accusing them of not reading this sign. He then proceed to read it, emphasizing the part that says, "Don't play football in the park."

After a lot of hard playing we decided to leave. As we left, Liam said "Slán." to his playmate who responded in kind. Even though he played it cool, it made Liam's day. One of the things he was most looking forward to was being able to use Irish on the playground.

It was now time to eat and since we were leaving town in the morning we decided to splurge and eat at An Chistin (next to Oideas Gael). The meal was very good and the staff spoke Irish! I was fortunate to have someone I know walk in and be able to have a conversion as Gaeilge as well.

That was the conclusion to our stay here as we now headed back to the house to get ready for bed. Everyone is sad to be leaving, but at least we have a little time tomorrow to appreciate everything.

Gaeilge Experience: Gleann is often criticized for not being a "real" Gaeltacht, but we found Irish everywhere. Perhaps most of the locals do not use it as a primary language, but it is obviously spoken and easy for them to do so. It was a good final day in the Gaeltacht. Got to use Irish in the restaurant as well as being able to listen in on some locals using their Irish.

Ireland With Children - The Gaeltacht Day 6

2014-08-16T17:43:00.000-04:00

An updated version of this site can be found here

6 July 2014

Ready for Donegal Town

Today was Sunday, so we didn't rush to get out of the house. The children played outside for a while after breakfast and we gradually packed up the car. Our mission for the day -- Donegal Town. We made a brief stop in An Charraig and assembled our picnic, our children and then headed down the coast.

On our way to Donegal the views were so spectacular that we stopped in Largy to appreciate the view!

Road signs in An Charriag

The view from Largy: Drumanoo Head with St. John's Point in the background

We arrived in Donegal at 11 AM and headed directly to Donegal Castle. We were happily surprised when we were only charged for the adults (€8) and not for the children. This tower house castle was built in 1474 by Red Hugh O'Donnell and was renovated in 1614 by Sir Basil Brooke.

Donegal Castle

It has some nice furnishings and the wooden staircases that would have been in the castle are there (unlike most castles) including some tapestries and Persian rugs. The children had a fantastic time. It is a nice castle, but anyone on a tour of the entire island has likely seen many better. For us though, it was a nice day out.

Basil Brooke's addition to the castle

Donegal Friary

After about an hour at the Castle, we headed to see the Abbey. Donegal Friary was founded in 1474 by Red Hugh O'Donnell (the same man who built the Castle) and rebuilt by the 2nd Red Hugh O'Donnell in 1588. Originally this Friary would have had the same layout as Claregalway Abbey (as they are both Franciscan) although it takes some imagination to picture it. Much of the complex was destroyed when it was used as a fort in 1601. The Abbey (as it is known in Donegal) is most famous as the site where work on The Annals of the Four Masters began. The Annals were a history of Ireland from Noah's flood up to present times (the 1600s).

Facing the cloister with the Chapel to the left

Once again the children loved being able to climb around and play in the buildings. Liam excitedly called it "a castle". I really enjoy visiting this place. There isn't really much to it, but it's located at the end of the pier (just keep walking past the Tourist Office) and is usually peaceful in addition to having some nice views of the Bay.

Liam investigates

The whole story in Irish

The view through the Choir window out to Donegal Bay

The Chapel of Donegal Friary

The door to the Choir must have been built for little people!

The gable of the Chapel

Inside the Choir

St. Ciaran's Holy Well is only signposted in Irish

When we were finished here, we needed some groceries, so we crossed the street and went into Aldi. We were not very impressed and ended up leaving without buying anything (it was more like a Costco than a typical grocery store). The children said that they were hungry so we ventured over to the Blueberry Cafe, but it was locked up tight (at 2 PM). We returned to the car intending to stop at Supervalu and Shine's Takeway in Killybegs. We were able to get what we needed at Supervalu and headed to Shine's only to discover that they didn't open until 4. So, we went back to the house for some frozen fries.

St. Ciaran statue at the well

St. Ciaran's Well near Kilcar. In the right-hand corner you can see an early Christian Cross.

The stone mounds in St. Ciaran's Turas

After everyone had had their fill we headed back out. We had two goals, both in the same location. St. Ciarán's Holy Well and the Shalwy Court Tomb. The Well was easy. It's signposted off the Killybegs road and is only a few feet from the passing cars. It is also the site of a Pilgrimage (Turas) on March 5th each year. Next to the Holy Well is an early Christian Cross Slab (6th or 7th Century).

St. Ciarán is also said to have built a hermitage here which I assume is the church in the stations and also the reason that stations are performed here. In a picture below you can see the stone mounds that are in the center of the Turas map (also below).

From the mounds if you look down the valley toward the sea you can see the remains of the church. It is a roofless rectangular building. Local tradition holds that Kilcar used to be known as Kilkieran (Ciarán's Church). While we were looking for the Court Tomb, two other cars stopped to get water from the well (one man told his child it was for his "wee wart"). It was nice to see that it is regularly used.

St. Ciaran's Church, Shalwy Court Tomb, Croaghbeg Court Tomb

After extended searching Sarah spotted the tomb from afar, but we decided against making the trek all the way down in the wet, boggy field. As you can see from the photograph, this tomb is still is good condition. There are two other Court Tombs (all between 4-5000 years old) in this valley as well, one closer to the well is in poor condition and another (Croaghbeg) that is usually inaccessible due the often marshy conditions. In the photo, Ciaran's Church can be seen in the foreground with the Shalwy Court Tomb behind. If you magnify the photo you can see the Croaghbeg Court Tomb in line with the other two sites.

The beach at Muckross Head

We took the coast road back to Cill Charthaigh, and were glad that we did! The scenery was breathtaking, especially Muckross Head. The coast road on the east of Cill Charthaigh is a much easier drive than the one west of town.

The view from Muckross Head

We then returned home and began our meal and bedtime rituals. It certainly was another wonderful day. Sarah and I are both already sad that we are leaving in only a few days!

Gaeilge Experience: Not in the Gaeltacht for most of the day, so just signs, CDs, TV, radio and talking with the family.

Ireland with Children - The Gaeltacht Day 5

2014-08-05T14:01:00.000-04:00

An updated version of this site can be found here

5 July 2014

A little playtime after breakfast

The walk to Cloghanmore Court Tomb

Fionnuala had trouble sleeping again last night, so Sarah ended up in her room again for most of the night. It was another nice day and the kids and Sarah were able to play outside after breakfast. We left the house about 10:30 with our house guest in tow and Málainn Mór (Malin More) as our first stop. We unloaded at Cloghanmore Court Tomb, and the children were able to climb all over it as we were alone.We weren't able to locate the decorations that make this sight unique though because we had to pay pretty close attention to the children. Liam found out what happens if you fall in nettles. I immediately thoughtt "Neantóg a dhóigh mé agus cupóg a leigheas mé." (I was stung by a nettle and cured by the dock plant) thanks to reading Rabhlaí Rabhlaí every night. Unfortunately, I had no idea what a dock plant looks like, so poor Liam was very uncomfortable for a while. In addition, there was some standing water in the tomb as well as sheep droppings which took away from the fun a little bit. The tomb is located near the Glencolmcille Wollen Mill and was very easy to access and has a small car park (signposted) and paved walkway from the car park to the tomb. After looking around Fionnuala was in need of a nap so we returned to the house for lunch.

The courtyard at Cloghanmore

The southern chamber

The courtyard viewed from the tomb

Liam in the southern chamber

Fionnuala in the southern chamber

Cloghanmore Court Tomb, Malinmore

The end of the Owenea Riverwalk

A few hours later we woke Fionnuala and went to Ardara. Éamonn needed to be there in the evening and Sarah wanted to buy a sweater so it made sense. Sarah found a nice one at Campbell's, then we took a stroll along the new walk that has been built next to the river.

Owenea River, Ardara

The happy family in Ardara

After the walk we went into Nancy's for a drink. The children had their first sodas ever - Club Orange - and thought it was wonderful. The children were great in the pub! We then made a brief stop for toys. Liam chose a mini Tennis racket set and Fionnuala chose a set of Princess colored pencils. Then we parted ways with Éamonn, used the ATM and got some pizzas from Aroma Pizza to take home with us. The pizza was good and then it was time for baths and bed. The children have been wonderful!

Gaeilge Experience: We were fortunate enough to have a native speaker in our house, so we could speak as much as we desired. It was nice to hear the children interacting naturally with someone in Irish.

Ireland With Children - The Gaeltacht Day 4

2014-07-29T12:58:00.002-04:00

Daddy reads the description of the house

An updated version of this site can be found here

4 July 2014
Fionnuala (2) still is having trouble sleeping. Each night she has coughed herself awake. So, most nights Sarah has ended up spending much of the night with her. By the time we were all awake, fed and ready it was again 10 AM. It was pouring rain today, so we decided to head to the Folk Village in Gleann Cholm Cille. This Folk Village was the brainchild of Father McDyer. McDyer arrived in December 1951 to a shrinking, dying, poor parish. Through his leadership and connections he led the creation of many jobs and got electricity brought to the rural parish. The Folk Village takes you through life in a village from the 1700s through the 1900s and includes information about Father McDyer and his role in the community.

It was a good choice! The guided tours begin at 11, so we did a self guided tour which allowed the kids to roam around at their own speed. Adult admission was €4.50 each and the children (under 7) were free.

The children test out the phone system

Liam (5) particularly enjoyed it. His two favorite houses were the school house (I played teacher and the children played student) and the house with the film because there was an old telephone system that the children enjoyed playing with. In all of the houses except for those two buildings, the items were very old so there is no touching allowed. Everything is posted bilingually (even a couple that were only in Irish) and Liam loved reading the signs in Irish. The woman in the shop happily spoke Irish to me and bid us all farewell in Irish as we departed.

Splashing in the puddles at the Folk Village

We made a brief stop in the Tea Room for some tea and a chocolate bar for the kids and then headed back to the house to meet our friends, Eilís and Peter. We visited for about an hour, by then it was clear and sunny outside so we decided to conquer St. Colmcille's Chapel and Well again.

Turas 4: Mullach na Croise

We parked in the same place as yesterday and easily walked over to St. Colmcille's Chapel (we weren't sure if we were in the right spot yesterday, but Sarah spotted it from up the mountain). To reach the Chapel you have to pass through some gates in someone's field. Turas 4,and 5 are together. Turas 4 is known as Mullach na Croise (Hieght of the Cross). This station has a cross pillar with a plain Latin cross on a cairn.

The Latin Cross carved on the cross pillar at Turas 4

Séipéal Cholmcille

Turas 5 is Colmcille's Chapel (Séipéal Cholmcille). The site consists of the Oratory or Chapel and three cross pillars on top of cairns, and a large slab of stone on the ridge overlooking the valley. The Chapel is where Colmcille is said to have prayed and spent time copying illuminated manuscripts.

As you enter the chapel there is a slab of stone in the corner to your right hand side, this is Leaba Cholmcille (St. Colmcille's Bed). In the picture below you can see an alcove with some stones in it above the Bed. Pilgrims pass one of the stones around their waist three times and then lie on the bed and turn over three times. The stones are said to cure eye disease and migraines!

Leaba Cholmcille

Liam passing the stones around his waist

The kids loved laying in Leaba Colmcille and passing the stones around their waists. Tradition holds that this was the site of the church that Colmcille founded in 561. The current building is probably from a few hundred years later and most of the crosses at the stations date from the 600s or 700s.

As you leave the chapel if you continue straight you will see a flat stone that overlooks the valley. This is called Leac na mBoon or Leac na hAthchuinge (Flagstone of Request). It is here that pilgrims declare their focus for the pilgrimage.

Liam sa Leaba Cholmcille

The sign to the well

After the Chapel we headed to the Well. The well is off to the right of the track that leads to the Martello Tower on the Glen Head. The walk to the well is long for children and Sarah did not make it with Fionnuala. We all made it to Colmcille's Chair (Station 6) though which is on the path to the Holy Well. This is said to be where Colmcille sat and rested as he looked down on the valley. The sign is missing for this station.

Station 6: Colmcille's Chair

Liam and I made it all the way, but the path is small and uneven (and on the side of the mountain). He did really well even though it was a tough walk. Liam really enjoyed the well! We left behind our three stones, took a sip from the well and said a prayer. The views from the well are spectacular, but it was hard to take it all in because I was worried about Liam falling.

St. Colmcille's Well

Icon of Colmcille (the paint has worn off)

Cross carved in stone slab next to Well

Cross on top of Colmcille's Well (likely from the 7th or 8th Century)

Colmcille's Chapel as seen from his chair (Turas 6)

Colmcille's Chapel and Turas 4 as seen from his chair

All in all, I would do it again with a 5 year old but Fionnuala is too small to walk this on her own (it's too dangerous) and the walk is too difficult to carry her (it would be too easy to lose your balance). This took much longer than we expected (an hour for both sights), so by the time we were finished we were late for meeting another friend.

We picked up our friend and took the kids to the shop at Oideas Gael to pick out some books and DVDs. By the time we finished it was time to return to the house and eat. After dinner, Sarah offered to put the kids down so Éamonn (our guest) and I could go into The Rusty for a pint. There is a new owner at The Rusty who is English and he was behind the bar, so we did not attempt any Irish with him. We spent a while visiting at the house afterwards and then it was off to bed.

Gaeilge Experience: The Folk Village in Glen was full of Irish and the woman there was happy to speak it. She even initiated our second interaction as Gaeilge. We also were able to converse with our house guest who is a native speaker. The shop in Oideas Gael was all Irish. Liam spoke to the woman in Oideas Gael with no trouble and was able to use his Irish with Éamonn as well. This was the best day for Irish so far and something that we certainly couldn't have duplicated outside of Ireland.

Ireland With Children - The Gaeltacht Day 3

2014-07-20T15:17:00.000-04:00

An updated version of this site can be found here

3 July 2014

Main street Kilcar

We all woke a little before 8 this morning. The weather was nice again in the morning, but rain and clouds were expected later in the day. So, we went to Cill Charthair (Kilcar) to see what was there. We drove the coast road from An Carraig (Carrick) and were treated to some stunning views, especially of a Ring Fort. We did some exploring for a Meglaithic Tomb that was on our map near the Pier, but it was really tough driving and we aren't sure we ever found the location. We ended up in the village and got out to take it all in. We popped into the Centra, where my "Maidin mhaith." was greeted in English.

SIDENOTE: Cill Charthair is inside the Gaeltacht boundaries, but is not considered an Irish speaking village by most. About 20% of the residents are native speakers and most of those are adults. It is interesting to note, that in the shops in Gleann they could speak to me in Irish even though they probably don't use it as their first language. Cill Charthair is currently (the last 10 years or so) trying to do more to encourage use of the language. Hopefully this will result in an increased amount of Irish usage in the area.

After the Centra we went into the Community Centre (Áislann) that had tourist information listed as one of it's features. It is located just across the river next to the Irish Summer College. Everything is signposted bilingually and the language was prominent inside the building. The Tourist Information desk had lots of flyers, brochures and maps and a very helpful man inside (working on the building). I began by asking what there was to do in Cill Charthair and explained that we were looking to see whatever the village had to offer. He suggested the coast road and some other scenic drives. I inquired about the old church (that the village is named after) because I had seen mention of it on the internet. He eventually realized which church and then told me about the old church, three holy wells in town (as well as St. Kieran's Well and the court tombs in Shalwy/Bavan which I was already familiar with). He gave me directions (though fairly vague) and showed me a mountain pass (on the map!) that he and the other worker in the building said was more spectacular than
Glengesh. Unfortunately, none of it is signposted and they didn't have any maps. I did pick up a map comparing St. Kieran's Turas to St. Connell's Station on Inis Caol (near Narin). The facility is very nice and includes a computer room, a library, basketball court/indoor football pitch and tons of other classrooms. The library is fantastic and the kids enjoyed checking it out while I talked to the man in the front. It has a decent selection of everything (Irish and English). I think the kids would have stayed all day, but we packed them up to begin exploring with the information that we had.

The main junction in Kilcar

Fionnuala found the toddler section (bilingual)

Liam found the camera and Daddy found the Irish section

Above the car on the right you can see St. Cartha's church!!!

We started for the Church first. St. Cartha built the church about 540 and it is one of the oldest buildings in this part of Donegal. Like many other early Christian sites, it also has a Turas associated with it that it observed on March 5 each year. In addition to the church and graveyard there are the three Holy Wells that we learned about at the Tourist Information desk (St Carthach, the Blessed Virgin, and St Conall) located nearby. I was told that the Holy Wells would be hard to locate because none of the signposts were still up.
We headed up the road (which is one car wide) having been told that we would see the church from the road. We followed the road a ways until it became only stones and then turned around assuming we had passed it. We never did see it, but Fionnuala needed a nap so we headed to the house for lunch and a nap.

A little rain can't stop the Donovans!

After she woke from her nap,we went to the beach in Gleann (An Trá Beag across from the Folk Village). By this time is was raining steadily, but not too hard. The kids had fun playing in the sand and waves anyway. We stayed on the beach until we were pretty soaked. We went back to the car, put the kids in dry pants and decided to try and find St. Colmcille's Well.

Father and son in the waves with little sister on her way

Up the Glen Head in a drizzle

We ended up walking right past the well and walking a long way up the mountain on the Glen Head Tower Path. When we decided to turn around, it rained the whole way back. I said to Sarah as we turned around, "I thought the well was right by the car." Turns out it was! Everyone enjoyed hiking up the mountain anyway until the rain became heavier and cold. Even then, the kids did well. By then time we got back to the car, it was time to eat so we headed back to the house. It was another nice day out!

Down the Glen Head in a heavier rain

Gaeilge Experience: None in Centra in Kilcar, but as we left Kilcar village in the morning I heard an adult tell some children to "Mind the road" in Irish! The library had a fair selection of Irish books. The signage in Kilcar was pretty heavily Irish/bilingual. Lots of texting in Irish with friends.