Friday, 13 May 1955
Walked around the grounds and island of Ballynahinch before our delicious breakfast. Left at 10 AM on a beautiful sunny morning. Got petrol in the garage of Ballynahinch Castle where a bespectacled and courteous young gentleman in a suit and tie worked an ingenious contraption that pumped a gallon at a time from two large glass bowls. The sketch shown here is only an approximation since it would have required a mechanical engineer to get it right.
Drove to Roundtree on the advice of the British ladies we talked with last night. It was spectacular. The clouds alone were magnificent and in constant change. Donkeys and carts were always in the road which was piled on each side with mounds of peat. It was rugged country populated by friendly souls with whom we exchanged waves of acknowledgment as we drove past.
We arrived at Ashford Castle, in Cong, at 2:30. This was an experience! The grounds and the interior were magnificent.
After tea, we drove off to see and investigate Ross Abbey in Headford, County Galway, where we climbed the old tower stepping on old birds’ nests and bracing ourselves against the waxy walls.
As we dodged children, cows, chickens and kittens while driving away from where we had parked near the ruin, a woman caretaker declared, “The traffic gets pretty heavy here sometimes.” Click on the photos to enlarge them. We had a fabulous dinner at Ashford Castle that consisted of smoked salmon, cream of celery soup, Galway sole Orly, roast pork loin, two varieties of potato, cauliflower, strawberry souffle and coffee for ten and six, or US$ 1.47 at the rate of exchange. There were little flags on each table, mostly Stars and Stripes. After some dinner talk livelier than Ballynahinch, but mostly conservative. A loud American male voice vulgarly blamed Roosevelt for the downfall of the U.S. so we left them to themselves.
The scenery here in County Mayo more lush than rocky austere Galway. On the castle estate are giant evergreens, birches, and exotic gnarled trees, plus large hollies. Birds sang large choruses of melodies unknown to us. This is where director John Ford filmed the classic The Quiet Man with Maureen O'Hara and John Wayne. On the roads we see old women with black shawls, busy long-haired border collies worrying sheep into position on the left of the road so we can pass; shepherds on bikes, scared baby lambs running to their mothers’ sides.