Out and About in Ireland
April/14/2009 Ireland Journal
A week ago Friday, with only a few hours of sleep on an evening flight from Newark, I arrived in Dublin at 7:00 A.M. to get set for the first Guerrilla Management Workshop outside of the U.S. I met up with my teaching partner Judy Grann an hour later, and shortly thereafter Mary O’Driscoll arrived to whisk us off to Athlone, where the workshop would take place under the auspices of the Irish PPA and Skillsnet, a government-funded learning network for which Mary is a project manager. Since this was Judy’s first trip to Ireland, and she was determined to see a castle while in the country, Mary obligingly drove us to one: Here they are in front of Malahide Castle, which dates back to 1185.
After Mary got us settled at the Hodson Bay Resort, located on the shore of Lough Ree, Judy and I headed to Athlone Town to see the sights.
Athlone, County Westmeath, is located in the geographical center of Ireland, set on the banks of the Shannon River, which bisects the town.
Situated next to the bridge that spans the River Shannon is Athlone Castle, an imposing military fortress, which resides on the ground where the original wooden castle was built in 1129 because of its strategic importance as the principal fording point of the middle Shannon. The castle touring season begins in May, so Judy and I had to be content with walking its perimeter and photographing it.
Since the workshop didn’t begin until Sunday, Judy and I got a good night’s sleep then headed to the Athlone bus station on Saturday morning to take a quick sight-seeing trip to Galway. Arriving at the Galway bus terminal after a pleasant 90-minute bus ride, we took a leisurely shopping stroll from Eyre Square through the charming Shop Street and Saturday Market, and finally to Quay Street.
Next, we visited the famous Spanish Arch, a remnant of the town’s walls that protected Spanish merchant ships from looting. The arch stands on the left bank of the Corrib River, where the river meets the sea.
Then we explored The Long Walk along Galway Bay . . .
. . . made friends with a handsome heron . . .
. . . then stopped in for a late lunch at this charming restaurant just inside the Spanish Arch.
Judy and I feasted on a to-die-for seafood chowder . . .
. . . then made a few final purchases, and headed back to Athlone.
After Mary got us settled at the Hodson Bay Resort, located on the shore of Lough Ree, Judy and I headed to Athlone Town to see the sights.
Athlone, County Westmeath, is located in the geographical center of Ireland, set on the banks of the Shannon River, which bisects the town.
Situated next to the bridge that spans the River Shannon is Athlone Castle, an imposing military fortress, which resides on the ground where the original wooden castle was built in 1129 because of its strategic importance as the principal fording point of the middle Shannon. The castle touring season begins in May, so Judy and I had to be content with walking its perimeter and photographing it.
Since the workshop didn’t begin until Sunday, Judy and I got a good night’s sleep then headed to the Athlone bus station on Saturday morning to take a quick sight-seeing trip to Galway. Arriving at the Galway bus terminal after a pleasant 90-minute bus ride, we took a leisurely shopping stroll from Eyre Square through the charming Shop Street and Saturday Market, and finally to Quay Street.
Next, we visited the famous Spanish Arch, a remnant of the town’s walls that protected Spanish merchant ships from looting. The arch stands on the left bank of the Corrib River, where the river meets the sea.
Then we explored The Long Walk along Galway Bay . . .
. . . made friends with a handsome heron . . .
. . . then stopped in for a late lunch at this charming restaurant just inside the Spanish Arch.
Judy and I feasted on a to-die-for seafood chowder . . .
. . . then made a few final purchases, and headed back to Athlone.