The Adventures of O'Sandi in Ireland - Day 5...

Sunday, March 31st, found our tour group headed back to Dublin. But first we would pause in the Irish countryside at Ardrahan in County Galway to visit with Frances and Fintan at Rathbaun Farm.

Fintan and Frances are standing in front of their 250 year old thatched roof home. Fintan grew up in this home. They do not live here now but they keep the home ready for visitors to enjoy a real thatched roof home with a peat burning fireplace going.

Fintan raises sheep. We were to see his sheep dog demonstration. To do that we passed through his barn where he has a sample of the different kinds of sheep you would find in Ireland. I was happy to find a Jacob sheep. I was surprised to learn that this particular breed grows four horns instead of two and sometimes can grow as many as six horns.

There was even a ewe with two one day old lambs.

Fintan took us outside by the field with his sheep dog and talked to us about sheep in Ireland. Then his dog did his practice of rounding up the sheep and getting them in a pen by the barn. This dog was ready to go and do his work. We learned that he doesn't bark. He listens to the commands and obeys. It takes a few years to get them really ready to do the work for which they are bred. Their breed is called Irish Sheep Dog.

Fintan was a very gentle man. After the demonstration he led us back into the bar and filled some bottles with milk so we could feed the lambs if we wanted. Then we went to the other side of the barn to the outside pens. There were more sheep and one pen with a very, very pregnant looking little Irish pony.

While we were doing all this, Frances was in their kitchen and eating area making us fresh scones with fresh whipped butter. Oh My Goodness!!!  What Fintan and Frances have done is make a doorway from the back wall of the thatched roof home into this large room with tables to feed people or have a meeting. This part of their facility is about 25 years old. They had it constructed just like the thatched roof home so it seems like it all came from the same era and was made at the same time. However, the interior has modern fixtures in the kitchen.

Claude and I enjoyed hot chocolate with our scones. On a cold day it was even more delicious.  We were invited to go through the doorway into the thatched roof home in small groups.

The main floor of the home had a main living area with the fireplace. The room behind the fireplace was the formal parlor. According to Frances you were not allowed in there except for very special occasions...like when they laid you out after you died, then you could be invited to your own funeral and be laid out in there. The other side of this main level had what would have been two very tiny bedrooms. Frances said there was enough room to open the door and jump into bed. Frances and Fintan have made these into little coffee rooms with table and chairs. We were not allowed upstairs but there would have been other bedrooms up there. Each couple posed for their Christmas card picture for 2013 in front of the turf fire.

What a treat to see this little bit of heaven plopped in the countryside. I almost hated to leave it as it was so very peaceful and friendly. But on to Dublin that coach had to head.

This was Easter Sunday. It seemed strange not to be home and at Church for a special program to remember all we need and should remember at Easter. I found myself happy to be with lambs at the beginning of my Easter Sunday. It just seemed right to remember Him as I looked at those lambs.

We passed some of the biggest bog fields on this leg of the journey.

We were supposed to have gone to the Merry Ploughboy Pub this night. However, that was postponed until Monday night. This meant we got back to Dublin with some time in the afternoon and evening to do as we pleased. Alan knew he was going to go to Christ Church Cathedral. He invited those who wanted to go with him to drop their luggage in their rooms and return to the bus in 15 minutes and Gerald would drop us off at Christ Church and we could walk back to our hotel or catch a taxi. If we didn't want to go there we were free to shop or whatever for the rest of the evening. We were to find our own dinner.

 

For Claude and me it was a no-brainer. We were going to Christ Church. We had enough of shopping.

As it turned out, this was the perfect ending to an Easter Sunday. We arrived at the beginning of Evensong, their evening service. We quietly entered and took seats in the back of the nave. They gave us a program as we entered. Thank heaven. The music was splendid but the acoustics cause the sound to rise in that cathedral and roll around and around so that words are difficult to understand in the musical pieces. It is beautiful and meant to be that way but it was great to follow every word in the program from people speaking to the words of the music. I found where they were in the program and we followed through the remainder of Evensong.

 

Then we were free to tour Christ Church Cathedral and take pictures as we saw fit. Here are a few pictures of the interior of Christ Church in Dublin. Check out where the organist sits in the fifth picture.

When inside the cathedral I noticed the carved work over the entrance to where the choir sits had a little lamb in the center arch.

As we left Christ Church Cathedral to walk back toward O'Connell Street, I noticed this lamb over one of the doorways.

How grateful I felt for an Easter that began and ended with lambs.  I was so happy we went to Christ Church and enjoyed that beautiful Evensong service. It made this Easter truly unique.

 

Claude and I followed Alan as he led us like lemmings back across the River Liffey through a very questionable neighborhood and to O'Connell street where we could shop if we so desired or find a fun restaurant in which to have our evening meal. Claude and I walked a bit and then headed back toward our hotel.

 

As we walked we found a Viking ship of sorts. Claude climbed up in it and I got this great picture of my very own 'Great Viking'. Now that is a great way to end this Easter Sunday.