Emerald Isle Virtual Tour – County Clare, Part 1

Well, readers, here we go on our virtual tour of Ireland, the Emerald Isle!  If the Covid-19 Pandemic had not halted all international travel, John, our friend Dawn and I would be in Ireland now. Since we can’t be there now, I’ll try my hand at giving you a virtual tour of what we would have been doing, seeing and visiting on the west coast of this beautiful country.

Our virtual tour will start in County Clare where the stunning Cliffs of Moher, the lovely Burren and the impressive Loop Head Peninsula can be found.  From Clare we’ll travel to County Galway which is speckled with beautiful historic sites, striking mountains, glorious beaches and the ever delightful Clifden, my favorite town in Ireland. 

We’ll also spend some time in pretty County Roscommon with John’s cousins the warm and welcoming Dolans.  County Mayo, which is home to my equally warm and hospitable cousins the Moylettes, will dazzle you with the beauty of her wild northern shore and the holy mountain Croagh Patrick.  So, come join me for the ride through gorgeous Ireland!

John and I are partial to the west coast of Ireland and once we land at Shannon Airport in County Clare it’s only about a ten-minute drive to the town of Newmarket-on-Fergus where friends Noreen and Michael McInerney own and manage the lovely Cahergal Farmhouse B&B and Holiday Cottage.  Cahergal which is Irish for “bright rock” is a beautiful 100 acre working farm with horses, cattle and sheep. 

The setting for Cahergal is a pastoral and relaxing one.  The pleasing green fields separated by rock walls and dotted with sheep always bring a smile to my face.  The impressive rock walls separating the farm fields are maintained by Michael who can build a three-foot-high and six-foot-long rock wall in a day.  This is no easy accomplishment and takes much skill.  Michael’s rock walls are a work of art!

Cahergal has been in the McInerney family for several generations.  In the 19^th century, Michael’s ancestors, Patrick and Bridget Murphy, had thirteen children only one of whom was a boy.  Nine of the twelve girls became Catholic nuns and all of them volunteered for foreign missions.  One of these nuns, Mother Xavier, was awarded a medal by King George V of England for her exemplary service to the missions in India.  Of the three girls who married, the eldest married a McInerney, an expert horseman. 

The McInerney skill with things equestrian was obviously passed down to the current Michael McInerney who served as Field Master and Joint Master of the County Clare Hunt and as a Whipper-In (assists with the hounds).

One of my great joys while staying at Cahergal over the years is riding with Michael through the fields on his beautiful Irish Sport Horses and helping Michael to herd sheep and cows.  Granted, we only herded them through two fields but it was a real thrill for this Brooklyn, New York gal!  During our rides, the sky was often a brilliant blue against the rich green fields with a view of the River Fergus in the distance.  Ah, the forty shades of green in the Irish fields is real!

Noreen manages the B&B and does a fantastic job of making her guests feel welcome and at home.  When we visit, we’re greeted warmly and invited to join Noreen for a cup of tea, some scones and a chat to catch up.  Seeing Noreen is always a wonderful way to start our journey in Ireland, especially after a long and tiring flight. 

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This pretty and immaculately clean B&B was built by Michael, Noreen and family.   Most of the B&B rooms are on the second floor which they built above the existing family home.  To the rear of the B&B is a beautiful holiday cottage for rent.  The cottage was built in the 1700s, modernized and enlarged by the McInerneys into a stunning holiday rental.

Whenever we stay with Noreen and Michael, we meet up with our dear friend Fr. Tom Fitzpatrick from the local parish of Our Lady of the Rosary.  Fr. Tom is a County Clare native and when his work load permits, does an exchange visit with a priest from our local parish here in Florida.  Go raibh maith agat (Irish for thank you) to our mutual friend Micky, another lover of things Irish, who introduced us to Fr. Tom.  Dinner with Fr. Tom on our last night in Ireland has become a most enjoyable tradition.  I can think of no better way to end our stay near Shannon Airport!

So, readers, if you’re looking for the perfect place to stay near Shannon Airport please consider the lovely Cahergal Farmhouse B&B. You will be happy that you did!

Stay tuned for County Clare – Part 2 when we visit the Cliffs of Moher, the Burren and Loop Head Peninsula.