Day 11 – Sligo, Ireland to Northern Ireland
Donegal, Ireland is on the other side of the peninsula from Sligo, and has more “history” than Sligo. Our first stop was the Donegal Famine Cemetery, a small plot of land near the river to enshrine those who perished in the Potato Famine of 1846-47. This single event caused more Irish emigration to the United States than any other in history. Families today speak of those who left and were never seen or heard from again after going to America. The interesting thing in this cemetery is the lack of headstones – this was a mass grave!
Donegal also has a significant role in the history of the royal family and the church. Built in 1474, the castle was occupied until the 1700’s, and then lay dormant until taken over by the country in the 1990’s and rebuilt. St. Patrick’s Church is a Catholic church named after the patron saint of Ireland.
Horses, cows and sheep are found on the farms in southern Ireland. Sheep become the animal of choice, and farms begin to spring up as you travel north. This time of year, the greening of the various plants brings subtle changes to the landscape each day.
The number one tourist attraction for many years in Northern Ireland has been the Giant’s Causeway. The Antrim Coast provided the perfect location for Finn MacCool to built a stone causeway from Northern Ireland to Scotland. Ancient volcanic eruptions have resulted in geometrically-shaped basalt columns in a fairly small portion of the coastline. The scientific explanation makes sense, but that doesn’t take away any of the magic when you see it. The photos provided below are presented with no comments – enjoy them for what you feel them to be.
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“According to legend, the columns are the remains of a causeway built by a giant. The story goes that the Irish giant Fionn mac Cumhaill (Finn MacCool), from the Fenian Cycle of Gaelic mythology, was challenged to a fight by the Scottish giant Benandonner. Fionn accepted the challenge and built the causeway across the North Channel so the two giants could meet. In one version of the story, Fionn defeats Benandonner. In another, Fionn hides from Benandonner when he realizes his foe is much bigger than he. Fionn’s wife, Oonagh, disguises Fionn as a baby and tucks him in a cradle. When Benandonner sees the size of the ‘baby’, he reckons that its father, Fionn, must be a giant among giants. He flees back to Scotland in fright, destroying the causeway behind him so Fionn could not follow. Across the sea, there are identical basalt columns (a part of the same ancient lava flow) at Fingal’s Cave on the Scottish isle of Staffa, and it is possible that the story was influenced by this.”
To end the day before our dinner and last pint of the day, we visited Dunluce Castle, west of Bushmill. Dunluce, we are told, is a featured location in Game of Thrones. For me, it was another awakening, of sorts. Owners over the years included the Earls of Antrim, including the 5th Earl in the late-1700’s. A signboard at the castle gave me the name of the 5th Earl of Antrim in my personal database, previously called “UNK 5th of Antrim” and allowed me to identify his wife, as well, through Wikitree. I have added research into the Earls of Antrim to my To Do List, now that I also have links to them.
