This is post #5 of a blog series I’m writing including pictures of the recent amazing trip I took with our precious, beautiful daughter Leah. Here are posts #1, My daughter Leah and I went to Ireland, #2, Ireland: Dreams Come True, #3, We visited Bunratty Castle in Ireland, and #4, Bunratty Folk Park: the waterfall, the lamb, and the fairy village.
We took so many pictures with our phones that I need to break up the posts, to make it easier for you to read, as I know you live a busy, hectic life like mine and you don’t have lots of spare time!
I hope these blogs inspire and bless you. I thank my Lord Jesus Christ, who made this amazing opportunity and prayer possible.
“I love Ireland. I feel very at peace there. It’s just magical and beautiful.”–Eva Green
Dreams DO come true!
Dreams DO come true! I’d been praying for years to go to Ireland, and one of the reasons I wanted to go to Ireland was to see the Cliffs of Moher. They are GORGEOUS! The cliffs were the highlight of the trip for Leah and me both.
You often see the Cliffs of Moher in pictures of Ireland. The Cliffs of Moher are breathtakingly beautiful sea cliffs located at the southwestern edge of the Burren region in County Clare, Ireland by the Atlantic Ocean. They run for about 14 kilometres. It’s a rare example of sedimentary basin, rock formations that are normally only visible under the sea.
At their southern end, they rise 390 feet above the Atlantic Ocean at Hag’s Head, and, eight kilometres to the north, reach their maximum height of 702 feet just north of O’Brien’s Tower. The closest settlements are Liscannor and Doolin.
Leah and I stayed in a B & B near Doolin one night, but we went to the cliffs the second day of our trip, after staying in Galway (our fave city there!).
Movies have been made near the Cliffs of Moher, such as The Princess Bride, Leap Year, and Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (just FYI, I don’t watch Harry Potter movies. I have seen The Princess Bride, but not Leap Year. It looks good, though, so I’ll have to check it out!)
Tears filled my eyes as I looked out at the cliffs. God answers prayer!
There’s LOTS of steps at the Cliffs of Moher. Before we flew to Ireland, I bought Leah and me some good, hiking/walking boots. They were expensive, but one of the best investments I made for our trip as we did lots of walking.
You’ll want good hiking/walking boots or shoes for your trip wherever you go, because you don’t want your feet hurting being on vacation. We needed them this day at the Cliffs of Moher. We got the same kind at an athletic store in Belton, MO for about $75. They were extremely comfortable and waterproof (get the waterproof kind!).
Hag’s Head is the name of the most southerly point of the Cliffs of Moher in County Clare, where the cliffs form an unusual rock formation that resembles a woman’s head looking out at the sea. It is associated with a legend, as many places do in Ireland. The story is that an old hag or sea-witch, Mal of Malbay, fell in love with the Irish hero, Cu Chulainn, and chased him across Ireland. He escaped by hopping across sea stacks. Mal, not being as nimble, lost her footing and she was dashed against the cliff.
O’Brien’s Tower marks the highest point of the cliffs. It was built on the cliffs in 1835 by Sir Cornellius O’Brien as an observation tower for the Victorian visitors to the cliffs. It’s said to have initially served as a teahouse with a round table. Another version says he built it to impress the women he was courting. You can pay a fee to climb the stairs to go up the tower for an incredible view. Neither Leah or I wanted to do that.
There was a man playing an instrument at the cliffs, with a dog beside him. Street musicians are commonly seen all over Ireland, which Leah loved (she plays the violin beautifully).
The Cliffs of Moher Visitors Center was built into the cliffs and opened in February 2007. This includes exhibits with interactive media covering the geology, history, flora and fauna of the cliffs. A large multimedia screen displays a bird’s-eye view from the cliffs, as well as video from the underwater caves below the cliffs. There are also two cafés and several shops. Leah and I ate lunch in one of the cafes.
There are glass windows where you can look outside the cafe at the beautiful cliffs. I saw that many visitors just bought a sandwich or something and ate it outside in the sunshine, having a little picnic.
Eating lunch at the cafe was very relaxing for Leah and me. She had tried the sweet potato soup on our first night in Ireland at Bunratty Castle hotel’s pub, and liked it so she ordered this. I simply had “chips” (French fries), haha! They are so good!
We talked about getting the rich-looking chocolate cake or another dessert, but decided to wait. I had told Leah that I’d seen videos on YouTube of people talking about Ireland’s delicious ice cream cones. Leah said it was making her want one, so we found several stores along the way on our trip where they sold it.
Leah wanted to know how I was able to so quickly identify the stores where the ice cream cones were sold. They have giant, plastic ice cream cones outside. The ice cream is amazing! They put a chunk of chocolate inside the ice cream—yum!
However, we did get coffee and took it outside with us to go look at the Cliffs of Moher again. I thought these pics of Leah and me with our coffee were great! This time, we walked further along the cliffs.
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There’s a sign on a fence that warns visitors of danger as they are now leaving the visitor center’s grounds.
Near this sign was a couple who were vendors, selling jewelry. Leah bought her souvenir there–a unique necklace. The couple was a little strange, but I was happy that Leah got her souvenir! She wore the necklace throughout her trip. I think it looks great on her!
We climbed over a fence like many people did to get closer to the edge of the cliffs–but not too close! Some people were walking or SITTING on the very edge of the cliffs, which made me a little nervous. I didn’t want them to fall off. I was proud of Leah for going over the fence, as she has a fear of heights and conquered it.
In fact, she conquered many fears going on this trip, having never flown on an international plane or going out of the US before. What fear do you need to overcome through faith in Jesus Christ?
Ferry, boat, and plane trips allow visitors to get closer to the cliffs for a fee. The Cliffs of Moher charge 8 Euros, unless you buy discount tickets online. It has ample parking space just outside the cliffs.
One unique rock formation is Branaunmore, standing 67 metres high. Once part of the Cliffs, it was separated by erosion.
The cliffs consist mostly of shale and sandstone, with the oldest rocks at the bottom of the cliffs. At peak season, there are an estimated 30,000 pairs of birds living on the cliffs, which include Atlantic puffins. Leah and I never saw any puffins, but did see lots of white birds flying around the cliffs, likely sea gulls. You can also possibly see grey seals, porpoises, dolphins, whales, sharks, and sunfish near the cliffs.
Visiting the Cliffs of Moher in Ireland was a big dream come true, one of the most important items on my bucket list. I’m so happy that God answered my prayers and that Leah and I were able to go to Ireland together! We both had fun and loved it, and want to go back!
I could have stayed hours longer there, but it was getting cloudy and I wanted to get to our B & B before it possibly rained. I highly recommend visiting the Cliffs of Moher if you go to Ireland, and to plan several hours’ stay there.
In my next post in this Ireland Blog Series, I’ll share about us going to Galway, our favorite city in Ireland–it’s so fun! Stay tuned!
Thank You, Jesus!
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