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| The Burren, County Clare |
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| The Burren, County Clare |
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| The Burren, County Clare |
Yes, it happened. After all the promoting and cajoling, some of us from PCC got to Ireland for the Galway Arts Festival and more during July 2011. We saw such stirring landscapes as the Burren, above, and a couple of strong plays, including Misterman by Enda Walsh, which starred Cillian Murphy, and was a favorite of many of us on the trip. Murphy gave one of the best stage performances I've ever seen as he portrayed a man attempting to run from his guilt, madness, and the brutality of others. I can only hope it comes to Los Angeles. This video promotes the play, which sold-out during its Galway Arts Festival run.
While in Galway we also walked its streets. At Galway's center is a church from the early 14th century, which is within a hundred yards of row houses from the late 19th century and the former home of Nora Barnacle, the future wife of James Joyce, among the greatest writers of prose fiction. Across town we found the Spanish Arch of 1584 just across from the Galway City Museum, which was recently redeveloped.
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| The Spanish Arch fronts the River Corrib, with the Galway City Museum in the background. |
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| The Spanish Arch, left, across from the Galway City Museum. |
Galway is a city of 80,000 and during the arts festival it doubles as residents and visitors all seem to take to the streets, even with the skies darkening and light rain falling. Small as it is, Galway is a city of people, not cars. Its busiest streets, which would appear to be wide alleys to southern Californians, are occupied by pedestrians, shopping bags in hand, or baby carriages at their feet.
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| Quay Street, by day, Galway City |
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| Quay Street, by night, Galway City |
No matter the weather, the streets were at their best when the sidewalk performers came out and on Sunday evening, July 17 when the Macnas Parade ruled. The parade is street performance, theater, and fantasia, all in one. Take a look:
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Macnas Parade, Galway City Macnas Parade, Galway City 
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| Macnas Parade, Galway City |
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Macnas Parade, Galway City In an hour or so outside of Galway we could take a bus (and sometimes a boat) to some old, and very green, landscapes of Ireland. A highlight was the trip we made to Inis Mór, the largest of the Aran Islands, all of 12 square miles and a population of 900. Most of its residents work crafts, welcome tourists, and speak Gaelic, the ancient Irish language that is now spoken by only 10% of the country's population. Inis Mór is also the site of Dún Aonghasa, a prehistoric fort, probably from the 2nd century BC, that looks westward across the Atlantic Ocean from a cliff of more than 300 feet high.  Inis Mór. Dún Aonghasa.  Inis Mór. Dún Aonghasa. PCC students view the Atlantic.  Inis Mór. Dún Aonghasa. Janet views the Atlantic. A video from YouTube of Inis Mór. Dún Aonghasa. |
The Aran Islands also gave their name to the Aran sweater, popular with the local fishermen. As the sweaters grew in popularity so did a story surrounding them. Did the sweater's cable pattern identify, as many claim, the bodies of the fishermen who had died at sea? Or is this a myth perpetrated by sales reps for buyers and tour guides for tourists? The story, whether true or false, captures a disturbing part of Irish seafaring history. It was a dangerous way to make a living.
I only buy my Aran sweaters now from Sarah Flaherty, above, of Bungowla, Kilronan, Aran Islands, Co. Galway, Ireland. A warm, charming lady, she also does work for Steven Spielberg. I figure, what is good enough for Steve is good enough for me. Here I am modeling my recent purchase of one of Sarah's designs.
