Cliffs of Moher are located on the west coast of Ireland, along the famous Wild Atlantic Way. On a typically Irish rainy day, I left early morning from Dublin and was greeted with stunning sights of the Irish countryside.
We stopped at the Barack Obama plaza, located beside the village of Moneygall. Opened in 2014, it is named after the former US president, whose great grandfather lived in Moneygall and emigrated to the US in 1850. The idea for the plaza was born after Obama visited the village in 2011 to see his ancestral home and sip a few pints of Guinness. It stands out awkwardly among the tranquility & greenery of the Irish countryside, but if you are an Obama lover, it is like a pilgrimage, especially in the Trump years.
The rain picks up after we resume our journey and though I am glad I am not facing the brunt, I am disappointed that the views from my window look something like this -
After a 4 hour drive, we reach our destination. It is raining cats and dogs and expecting no let up from the rain, the only option is to experience the notorious Irish weather in the open ! As I get down from the bus, I am joined by Lulu from Mexico, who asks me if we can explore the area together. Pleasantly surprised, I am glad to have some company - if I am getting miserable in this weather, better to have someone by my side :)
The Cliffs of Moher take their name from a ruined fort "Mothar" (ruin of a fort), which was destroyed during the Napoleonic wars in 1800s. The cliffs stretch for 8kms along the coast. It is as much a historical landmark as a geographical wonder.
They have featured in many movies, the most famous of them being the Harry Potter. The edge of the cliffs is abrupt and is quite a shock. In fact, there have been so many accidents of people falling to their deaths that a memorial has been erected in their honor.
I get soaked to the bone as we explore the area. Tip: It is always better to go to the Visitor Center first, as they have a disposable coverall for such conditions.
The view of the drop is a good enough deterrent to keep one's distance from the edge, but in such slippery conditions and heavy winds, it is practically invitation to suicide ! We stay away and also, control the urge to take more photos.
There are a lot of myths associated with the cliffs, each one more interesting than the other. One of them is about a witch named Mal, who fell in love with a warrior called Chulainn. She chased him all over Ireland, but finally found him here. While chasing him, she leaped from the island hoping for the winds to carry her but she fell short and crashed into the rocks. Her blood reddened the bay, probably the reason Malbay is named so.
For a long time, I have been fascinated by the Irish countryside, music & pubs (which are famous outside its borders), but the trip was an education in the brilliant Irish sense of humor & their love for storytelling. No wonder, they have a saying - "never let the truth get in the way of a good story"
There are other stories of a fisherman falling in love with a mermaid, a corpse eating eel and an intriguing one about the lost city of Kilstiffen. The story goes that the village chief lost the golden key that opened the castle doors and as a result, the city sank. The village is said to remain underwater till the keys are found. There have been various theories on where the key is hidden but suffice to say, neither the key nor the village has been found.
As we moved indoors to the visitor center, I was glad to get some respite and a chance to dry myself. The difference was stark, also because we shifted from fiction to facts - it was time to gain an insight how life was, in the years gone by. Bird catching and egg gathering on the cliffs was a common practice until World War II. It was adventure sports taken to a different level. A dozen or so people came near the edge and sat down in a row behind each other, holding a rope long enough to reach the bottom. One of them would tie the end of the rope around his body and rappel down the cliffs, while the others held the rope firm. From the nests dotting the cliffs, the person would catch birds and their eggs till his basket was full. All that was left was to pull him back up and the day's work was done ! I am relieved this cruel practice came to an end, but not soon enough.
The sea and shore helped the small farmers to live, as they fished extensively in the summers and harvested shellfish and seaweeds from the shore in the winters. Farming is not the most feasible option, due to poor soil and bad weather conditions in the region. As a traveler, I am in awe of the place and love everything about it but it was not tough to imagine that life as a local might not be the most pleasant experience here. I spent maximum possible time by the shore, as it was wonderful to hear the sound of the waves crashing into the rocks. Looking at the waves taking shape was a mesmerizing sight and I turned back only when the bus driver made it clear it was time to go, if we were to reach Dublin on time.
After some time, we took a pit stop for our first proper meal of the day - only when I saw the delicious options available did I realize how hungry I was. While the others gathered around the fireplace to get some much needed warmth, I concluded that the best option was to fill my tank. As soon as I tasted the soup, I knew I had selected the right option.
The way back to Dublin was very pleasant, thanks to the warmth provided by the heater in the bus and the new found friendship. We passed the wonderful village of Doolin, which is the home of traditional Irish music. It is a vibrant and colorful place, worth a separate visit just to soak in its music culture (like Nashville is for country music fans).
Time passed quickly and little did we realize that we had another stop at Bunratty village, before we reached Dublin and made our plans for the Irish pub crawl.
Bunratty castle is a large tower house built in the 15th century.
It also has a folk park nearby with buildings in a rural setting. Farmhouses, shops and streets have been recreated as they would have appeared in the old times.
There is also time for some souvenir shopping - music & delicacies will be on top of my list any day !
We reached Dublin by 8pm and the adventure was all set to continue, as it was time to hit the famous pubs one by one. The difference in what I experienced whole day and what I was about to experience were poles apart - I thanked my lucky stars that the Ireland trip, made in such haste, had actually come to fruition. It is a country, which I fell in love with, and is a place I would love to visit again in future !
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