950 Miles of Ireland, 10 to go

After nearly 950 miles driven in seven days, our trip is nearing it’s end. We have seen so much and met so many that this has been an amazing trip.

Today we left Roscommon and drove to the Hill of Tara. This was the “chief pagan sanctuary of early Ireland” a place of worship and ritual for thousands of years. This is also the place where Saint Patrick explained the Holy Trinity to the Irish King using the shamrock as a metaphor. Creating an everlasting symbol for the country.

Speaking of things symbolic in Ireland. There are stone monoliths all over the countryside. Many buried as deep underground as they stand above ground. Symbols of strength and fertility, these monuments are present at the top of Tara, for this is where kings were crowned and held massive gatherings.

We moved on to the town of Trim, site of the largest Norman Castle in Ireland. It takes up the center of town and, from what we saw, is now the coolest dog park we’ve ever seen!

Last stop of the day, and the trip, was Bru na Boinne (the Bend in the Boinne) the site of the largest Passage Graves known. Passage graves are all over Europe, usually 10-12 feet high and about 20-30 feet in diameter. Here, on this site, they are huge, 40 feet high and 250 feet in diameter. These mounds predate Stonehenge by 500 years and the Pyramids of Giza by 1000 years.

We’re spending the night at a lodge near the airport, but quietly nestled in next to a golf course.

We can’t wait to see Ruby again!

Mary Jane and Matthew