County Galway and Mayo
Despite the erratic weather (what else do you expect in the west of Ireland) I could not fail to be enthralled by the beautiful, wild landscape on the trip around the peninsula that leads west from Galway to Clifden and then east and north towards Westport. It is relatively unspoiled and I can see why most tourists head west from Dublin to see this area. Stone walls, unseen here in the east, divide the landscape and in remote areas turf is still cut for fuel on a domestic scale.
Looking across the Atlantic from Clifden Bay across Talbot Island
Fishing has long been an important tourist attraction in Connemara
Clifden is famous not only for the scenery and the ‘sky drive’ but being where Alcock and Brown landed after their historic flight across the Atlantic
Peat (turf) cutting near Clifden at Loch Doire an Chlair
Sundews (drosera) growing in the low-lying areas of the bog around the peat cutting
Peat (turf) cutting in Connemara
I had heard that gunnera had escaped in the west but had not expected it to be quite so common. It grows in ditches and in windswept places where little else dare put its head up into the wind. I am not sure whether it is a real threat to native species but it is certainly doing well.
Kylemore Abbey on Lough Pollacappul, now occupied by Benedictine nuns
I regret not realising what an amazing place Kylemore Abbey was before I set off. I did not have time to visit properly and I will have to return to visit properly soon.
The Biking Gardener 
It’s like a bygone era. And you can see why it’s the “Emerald Isle”!
LOL. It is. The west seems to be lost in time more than the east.
I was at kylemore abbey many years ago. It is truely beautiful there thanks for the memory.
Well I hope to go back and see more than the notice board and the coffee shop! But I bough the guide so for once I will know what I am seeing when i see it rather than read it up when i get back. It looks like an amazing place
I seem to remember there was a wee chapel in the wood away from the Main Building it was lovely
yes it is to the right of the abbey in the photo
That’s right. It was very tranquil there.