Ireland: Galway to Donegal

Continuing north out of Galway through Connemara towards Clifden. We stopped at the terrific Kylemore Abbey and garden along the way. Traveling through the pretty village of Leenaun, arriving at Westport on Clew Bay, we saw its 100 islands and scenic views of the North Atlantic. Heading north through Castlebar to Sligo, Drumcliff, Ballyshannon and finally to Donegal. As always the landscape was full of eye-popping green, sheep and gorse - an evergreen bush with yellow blooms that smell like coconut. Every day we stayed in a different bed and breakfast, had a traditional Irish breakfast of eggs, sausage, ham, black pudding, toast, homemade brown bread, yogurt, cereal, juice and coffee (we never left hungry, that's for sure). Ireland is known for it's round towers and they are just rare enough that each one is a treat. Interestingly, Ireland was never invaded by the Romans and was untouched by WWII - its stone walls separating pastures, its traditional music and language are Gaelic in origin. Here are some English words that come from Irish. See pictures here and here.