Exploring Passage Graves

Monday, May 21, 2012--Galway to Sligo

It was a real hassle getting out of Galway this morning.  They have some of the worst traffic I've ever seen anywhere.  Fortunately, after we maneuvered ourselves through a couple of intersections with long lines of traffic to the road we needed for going out of town, we were going OUT.  The line of traffic coming into town seemed to continue for a kilometer (1/2 a mile)!

We made two stops on the way to Sligo.  Both were places where we explored passage graves, prehistoric (megalithic) burial sites that are mounds with entrance passages.  We stopped first at Carrowkeel, a remote, undeveloped site.  We had to drive down a one-lane country road for long distance to the base of a mountain to reach it.  Then we had to hike 1 km (1/2 a mile) to the top of the mountain.  When there, we found three stoney mounds with openings.  We were up there all alone (except for lots of sheep and their droppings we had to constantly avoid).  There were wonderful views in three directions.

The second stop was at Carrowmore.  It's a developed tourist site with a visitor center (and an admission charge which the other place did not have).  It has a large rebuilt central passage grave that is surrounded by the ruins of several more.  The best part at this site was the almost complete stone circle with a grave in the center--probably all of which was once covered by a mound also.

We arrived in Sligo without a reservation.  It's our only stop on the trip (up to and after now) where this is the case.  We went to the tourist office, and they listed the possible places for us to stay.  The town does not have an abundance of B&Bs like most towns in Ireland.  This one is a bit rugged compared to where we have stayed before, but it is convenient and satisfactory.  It has lots of horrible red decor--bedspreads, pillows, cushions, etc.--and brass beds.  It could easily serve as a bordello.

The tourist office had a wonderful booklet for a walking tour of the city.  It included a map and numbered points which are marked with brass plaques set in the sidewalks for each stop.  There is at least half a page of information on each stop.  We spent about 1 1/2 hours going around town reading about and seeing the sites.  Sligo is a very old town with lots of history of ups and downs in its economy.  It's the original home of W. B. Yeats, the writer, who is buried nearby.  It's also the northern port from where many Irish sailed for America during the 1800s.



Once settled in our B&B