September 24, 2009 — Our LAST Get-Together

Our LAST Get-Together at Cliffs of Moher Hotel in Liscannor, County Clare - Ireland

Our last concert was bittersweet, to say the least... John shared so many wonderful songs with us. Everyone listened intently with fragile emotions that, at times, spilled over. The combination of the room's ambiance, the realization that this would be the last time we would all be together on this tour, the tenderness and beauty of the songs, and the pureness of John's voice all served to make THIS concert our most treasured of the tour. We were honored and grateful when Paddy and his family performed a couple of Step Dances for us; and even more honored and amazed when his daughter shared a few tunes she has been learning. What a gift that was for all of us! It was so hard to turn in for the night... so hard to say goodnight, that many lingered until the wee hours of the morning. After all was said and done, each of us had shed a tear or two and left the room with a slightly heavier heart...

September 24, 2009 — Burren House

Burren House in Ballyvaughan, Co Clare - Ireland
We stopped at Burren House to have some lunch around 2:00 pm or so for a little over an hour. Lunch was so-so, but the views were stunning! The village of Ballyvaughan is situated at the confluence of the Atlantic Ocean and Galway Bay. At one time Ballyvaughan was a thriving port in Co Clare, but now it is mainly used for pleasure. It is well known as the "arts and crafts" center of the county. Chris and I especially enjoyed sighting several grey heron wading in the waters near the Burren House in Galway Bay.

September 24, 2009 — Poulnabrone Portal Tomb

Poulnabrone Portal Tomb (Dolmen) near Caherconnell in The Burren, County Clare - Ireland

"Poll na mBrón," in Irish means "hole of sorrows." This portal tomb, or "Dolmen," is one of the most photographed megalithic monuments in Ireland, mainly due to its superb sculptured form and easy access from the road. The site was excavated in 1986 and produced the main body bones of one newborn baby, six juveniles, and 16-22 adults, only one of which lived beyond 40 years (the majority were under 30 when they died.) An analysis of all the bone fragments revealed a hard physical life and a coarse diet; it was further proved that the bones naturally decomposed elsewhere (by exposure or burial) and only then moved within the chamber at Poulnabrone. A number of grave goods were found in the tomb: a polished stone axe, two stone disc beads, a perforated bone pendant, part of a bone pin, two quartz crystals, flint and chert arrowheads and scrapers, and over 60 shards of coarse pottery. This probably involved a ritual and reveal an exact planning, but the purpose remains unknown.

September 24, 2009 — Parknabinnia Wedge Tomb

Parknabinnia Wedge Tomb in Kilnaboy, County Clare - Ireland
One of many in the Parknabinnia area, this box-like wedge tomb has a 10 foot capstone. One end is closed while the other end has a small opening (as one observer has put it) to make a "spirit entrance" or "soul hole." During a site inspection of the wedge tomb at the top of Roughan Hill in August 1999, Carleton Jones discovered fragments of human bone lying on the surface of the clay floor of the chamber. Nine fragments in all (including one tooth) were collected.

September 24, 2009 — The Burren

Drive through the Burren, Co Clare - Ireland
The Burren (or "Great Rock") is a plateau occupying a vast area in North Clare. It rises in the south from the foothills above Killinaboy and Kilfenora, is bounded on the east by the Gortaclare Mountains, and is contained in the west by the Altantic Ocean. Its highest peak, Slieve Elva, overlooks Galway Bay and the Aran Islands. Driving through The Burren is particularly treacherous because the roads are quite narrow and primitive (though we experienced this throughout the tour in other counties as well). The Burren is essentially a landscape of limestone and is rich in Pre-Christian and Christian monuments. It is well known for its wildflowers and is a source of great interest and enthusiasm for archaeologists, botanists, speleologists, zoologists, ornithologists, and the like.

September 24, 2009 — Kilnaboy Church

Kilnaboy Church in Kilnaboy, County Clare - Ireland
Kilnaboy Church is located in a small village on the southern edge of the Burren with the same name. Kilnaboy (sometimes spelled Kilinaboy) means "Church of the Daughters of Baoth." The remains of 11th or 12th century church as well as a neatly-kept graveyard are quite fascinating, especially through the eyes of our guide, PJ Curtis, a local resident and author of the book "The Lightning Tree" among others. PJ's family history provided a local connection to what remains of the church and it's round tower. There is a 7,000+ year history in the Kilnaboy area, one of the first areas to be Christianized to the west of Shannon. The road that runs in front of the church is estimated to be about 3,000 years old and is thought to be one of the most haunted in Ireland.

The round tower was built sometime in the 9th or 10th century and would have stood about 120' tall (about 4 times its current size). Monks would use the tower as a place of safety from the vikings; when under attack, the monks would bring all of their writings, challices, and sacred treasures to the top and hide.

Over the south door of the church is a "Sheila-Na-Gig," also known as "The Hag with the Breasts." This figure of a woman with large breasts is thought to be a medieval fertility symbol , and women come from all over the world to pray to the symbol in the hope of increasing their own fertility.