Hands down, my favorite town in Connemara is Clifden and over the years John and I have been blessed with making friends in this pretty town. Actually, my favorite town in all of Ireland, not just Connemara, is Clifden. Clifden is the largest town in the area and considered the capital of Connemara. Back in 1812 it was founded by John D’Arcy and the ruins of the D’Arcy Castle can be visited and are located a short distance from town.
Main and Market Streets are Clifden’s principal streets and the town is a pleasant place to stroll. Clifden has everything one could need in a town – the fabulous Walsh’s Bakery/Cafe and Bake Shop, the always excellent Hillview Launderette, two Churches, Post Office, Library, pharmacies, butchers, quality jewelry shop, art gallery, movie theater, clothing shops, good restaurants and pubs providing nights filled with live traditional music. There’s a supermarket in town and two others on the edge of town.
I had a pleasant surprise on one of my walks in town when I spotted a “Cleggan Beach Riding Centre” poster in a store window and discovered that my friend Kaye and I were in the photo on the poster. So, a piece of my heart not only belongs to Connemara but even when I leave Clifden, a part of me gets to stay in town!
I want to share with you two of my favorite places in Clifden and some of my favorite people.
Walsh’s Bakery on Market Street is owned by Cathal and Joan Walsh and has been in the family since 1953. Their daughter Roisin lends them a hand when she’s not busy with her studies. Walsh’s is the kind of place where many of the staff members are longtime employees and regular customers feel like family. Back in 2013 when John and I first rented in Clifden we stopped at Walsh’s for breakfast and introduced ourselves to Joan and staff members Natasha and Stephanie. On our second visit we were greeted by name and on our third visit were asked “Would you like your usual?” My, oh my, that doesn’t often happen here in Florida! Walsh’s baked goods are as delicious as they are beautiful and Cathal’s bakery below the shop is immaculate. I’m quite partial to their jelly donuts and John to their tasty scones. The tables in the rear of the café have a lovely view of Clifden Bay.
It’s not often, if ever, that I’m excited about a laundrette but I am by Hillview Laundrette owned and operated by Jimmy and Louise Gibbons. The laundrette is located on what is probably the steepest street in Clifden. Church Street poses a challenge for those of us who are not very skilled in using manual shift cars on steep slopes, to say nothing of having to drive on the left side of the road while sitting on the right side of the car and shifting with your left hand. I met Louise back in 2013 when she worked at the Connemara Deli and made the tasty sandwiches that were a staple on our day trip picnics. Louise joined her husband Jimmy at Hillview a few years ago and their launderette is a gem. I will confess that even though we had a washing machine in one of our rentals, we brought our laundry to Hillview for the excellent quality of their work, the fair and reasonable prices and the pleasure of seeing Louise and Jimmy. Not only was our laundry always beautifully cared for and ready when promised, we were always warmly greeted by Louise and Jimmy and made to feel welcome and appreciated.
Our stay in Connemara this past summer coincided with the Alcock and Brown Centenary Festival. The very first non-stop transatlantic flight was flown in a Vickers-Vimy biplane and was achieved by Captain John Alcock, the pilot and Lieutenant Arthur Whitten Brown, navigator. Their flight started in St. John’s, Newfoundland, Canada on June 14, 1919 and landed the next day in the bog at Derrigimlah just outside Clifden. It took them about 16 hours to travel approximately 1900 miles from coast to coast. Alcock and Brown accomplished two “firsts” on that flight as they carried with them the first transatlantic airmail.
It was exciting to attend some of the Alcock and Brown Centenary Festival events especially as I’m sure that I won’t be around to attend the Bicentenary Festival events! Two of the events I attended were the “Achievement and Aftermath – The Alcock and Brown Story” series of lectures and the An Post (Irish Postal Service) Alcock and Brown commemorative stamp unveiling where I got to meet the stamp artist Vincent Killowry. At this event a gentleman who had acquired a piece of the Alcock and Brown Vickers-Vimy biplane allowed the relic to be passed around and I got a chance to hold a piece of history. Aside from my memories of this fascinating Centenary Festival, I was one of the recipients of a gift of the coffee table book A Century of Irish Aviation – Pioneers and Aviators, Alcock and Brown Centenary Edition, a photo history of Irish aviation and a real treasure.
There’s plenty more to share with you about Clifden and the rest of Connemara so pleased stay tuned for future posts.
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Clifden! I loved this post, though it has taken me awhile to say so! Teresa, you touch on so many delightfully personal responses to this place, but the personal is what brings places alive for readers. Your warm memories, lovely writing, and John’s photographs inspire me to travel to Clifden (and all of Connemara) to make my own memories. In fact, your personal responses to the world always make me want to follow in your footsteps. The Hillview Laundrette in Clifden was a pleasure to visit through your words! The idea that you singled out a laundrette as a particular favorite, makes it irresistible to readers. Bravo! https://www.susanmoger.com