The first stop of my Celtic trip was Galway city. This is a rather unassuming town with nice shopping, a pleasant atmosphere and easy access to several picturesque locations at very affordable prices. Galway is the capital of the Gaelic West and is therefore one of the only cities in Ireland where Irish is actually spoken on the streets (you can also find it on the street signs and on the cultural explanation documents) and the birthplace of the now famous Claddagh ring. My friend and I stayed there for a few days and used it as our base to visit one of the Aran Islands (Inishmore) and do a half-day bus tour to the Cliffs of Moher.
The Aran islands, accessible by plane and ferry, were until recently quite isolated from the mainland and maintain much use of Irish over English. In addition, there are several stone forts and a continued web of stone walls that separate all the properties. This tradition of using stone walls (or mud walls where no stone is available) is maintained to this day, using easily accessible limestone rocks which are a natural part of the landscape. The Aran Islands also possess sheer cliffs facing the Atlantic, comparable to the famous cliffs of Moher, which have been used as arresting cinematographic landscapes for years (you may see them in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince). It’s a good thing that we were able to see these amazing cliffs, as the day we went to visit the cliffs of Moher, we saw nothing but fog!
On our way back from the cliffs of Moher we stopped next to a quaint historical castle, one of the hundreds that litter the Irish countryside. This one however had a very interesting story. In the year 1755 an earthquake of which the magnitude is now estimated at 9.0 hit the city of Lisbon, right on the coast of Portugal. In addition to the several thousand fatalities in Portugal, the resulting tsunami raced across the Atlantic, touching several American and European countries, including Ireland, and pushing in the sea several meters inland at Galway Bay and destroying half the castle!
(You can find more about historical earthquakes at the USGS website: http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/world/events/1755_11_01.php)
Since we were girls on a budget we were not able to fully enjoy the culinary offerings of Southwestern Ireland, however the first evening I did enjoy a particularly delicious platter of Fish & Chips. Although some might think of Irish food as a bland mixture of potatoes and boiled meat, I have found through my limited experience (the fish & chips and of course the beer) and through recipe books that this is not the case.
The Country Cooking of Ireland is a great recipe book. Firstly, it’s illustrated! Secondly it also uses and discusses certain culinary elements that can only be found in Ireland, thus adding to the argument of going over there and experiencing the food first hand. Thirdly, this book offers historical explanations to certain aspects and ingredients of Irish cuisine. Fourthly, this book explicitly tries to veer away from the bland stereotype that has followed Irish cooking for years. And finally, the recipes in here are quite good.
I’ve personally tried this version of the Irish Stew and was extremely satisfied (although I did trade the lamb for pork, as I didn’t have any on hand) and I am eager to try the recipe for Watercress and Almond Soup.
If I were to go back to Ireland (and I think that is a distinct possibility) Southwestern Ireland would definitely be a possible destination for a return. Next up: Dublin City!
cozyfun 