This trip is starting to feel like one big international pub crawl, as we visited Dublin, then went on an over-night excursion to the west coast of Ireland. We visited Galway, Bunratty village and castle and the Cliffs of Moher.

Much history learned on this trip. The Irish Potato Famine transpired in 1848, where 1 million people died of starvation. They were so poor they couldn’t afford grave markers, so ordinary unscripted rocks were used. Many of these rock cemeteries, long abandoned, are still in existence.

There was no employment for the men to earn for food, so they built walls of stone everywhere. Most of the walls were in the middle of nowhere and served no practical purpose, just employment. The men were paid 1 penny a day, which was enough to feed a family. The Irish government had to pay for these walls.

Many also left Ireland and many went to New York City, where they formed the Gangs of New York.

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Dublin

A real Irish pub in Dublin

A real Irish pub in Dublin

Dublin

Dublin

Dublin

Dublin

Our route to the west coast

Galway

Galway. Spiked heels on the wire. What was this woman thinking?

Galway

Galway

Bunratty castle

The walls of Bunratty castle

The ladies of Bunratty castle

The lady of Bunratty castle

Medieval home in Bunratty village

My friend (I fed him) in Bunratty village

Abandoned cemetery in Bunratty village

Cliffs of Moher

Cliffs of Moher