Browsing Tag

Cliffs of Moher

Blog, Faith, Family, foodie, Parenting, prayer, Travel

The gorgeous Cliffs of Moher

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

My precious daughter Leah & I at the Cliffs of Moher, Ireland
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.

Cliffs of Moher, Ireland

Cliffs of Moher, Ireland

 

Leah at the Cliffs of Moher, Ireland

Leah at the Cliffs of Moher, Ireland

 

My precious beautiful daughter Leah & me at the Cliffs of Moher. A lady offered to take our pic together.

My precious beautiful daughter Leah & me at the Cliffs of Moher. A lady offered to take our pic together.

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.

The Cliffs of Moher have a rare rock formation that's usually only visible under the sea.

The Cliffs of Moher have a rare rock formation that’s usually 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!).

The Cliffs of Moher--God is good!

The Cliffs of Moher–God is good!

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!

cave in Cliffs of Moher

cave in Cliffs of Moher

 

me at the Cliffs of Moher

me at the Cliffs of Moher

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!). 

Leah's hiking boots

Leah’s hiking boots

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.

Hag's Head at Cliffs of Moher

Hag’s Head at Cliffs of Moher

 

Hag's Head

Hag’s Head

Hag’s Head, County Clare

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).

O'Brien's Tower at Cliffs of Moher

O’Brien’s Tower at Cliffs of Moher

 

musician at Cliffs of Moher & O’Brien’s Tower

 

Visitors at Cliffs of Moher

Visitors at Cliffs of Moher

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!

Cliffs of Moher cafe where Leah & I ate lunch

Cliffs of Moher cafe where Leah & I ate lunch

 

Leah's sweet potato soup & my "chips" for lunch

Leah’s sweet potato soup & my “chips” for lunch

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!

plastic cone sign

plastic cone sign

 

Ireland's delicious ice cream cone

Ireland’s delicious ice cream cone

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.

Leah with her coffee at the Cliffs of Moher

Leah with her coffee at the Cliffs of Moher

50

me with my coffee at the Cliffs of Moher

me with my coffee at the Cliffs of Moher

There’s a sign on a fence that warns visitors of danger as they are now leaving the visitor center’s grounds. 

Warning sign

Warning sign

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!

Leah's souvenir necklace

Leah’s souvenir necklace

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. 

Looking over the edge of the cliffs is a little scary!

Looking over the edge of the cliffs is a little scary!

One unique rock formation is Branaunmore, standing 67 metres high. Once part of the Cliffs, it was separated by erosion.

Cliffs of Moher rock formation

Cliffs of Moher rock formation

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. 

Atlantic puffin

Atlantic puffin

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.

me at Cliffs of Moher

me at Cliffs of Moher

 

My precious beautiful daughter Leah & me at the Cliffs of Moher. A lady offered to take our pic together.

So thankful–My precious beautiful daughter Leah & me at the Cliffs of Moher. A huge answered prayer!

 

Cliffs of Moher

The awesome Cliffs of Moher

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!

Me at Cliffs of Moher--so happy! <br/>Thank You, Jesus!

Me at Cliffs of Moher–so happy!
Thank You, Jesus!

 

Blog, Faith, Parenting, prayer, Speaking, Travel, Writing

My daughter Leah and I went to Ireland!

Ireland Blog Series #1

This is post #1 of a blog series I’m writing including pictures of the recent amazing trip I took with our precious, beautiful daughter Leah.

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. 

“Ireland, once you live there, you’re seduced by it.”–Frank McCourt

My precious daughter Leah & I at Cliffs of Moher

My precious daughter Leah & I at Cliffs of Moher

I’ve dreamed for years of going to Ireland. Maybe the idea first started when I read about my teen-year heroine Scarlett O’Hara in Gone With The Wind, whose father Gerald was from Ireland and who had a strong Irish brogue, so Scarlett was Irish, too. Or maybe it’s the breathtakingly beautiful pictures of the Cliffs of Moher, which I longed to see. Or possibly it was from hearing fun Irish music, like the jigs Leah plays on her violin.

Me at Torc Waterfall stone bridge

Me at Torc Waterfall stone bridge

Whatever the reason, Ireland has been calling my heart. So I began to pray for God to make a way for me to visit Ireland. My daughter Leah wanted to go, too. And God did it! I give Jesus Christ all the glory for this amazing opportunity! I told Leah that this proves that hard work and faith in Jesus can make your dreams come true! Yours can, too!

August 2018 box with my book, Walking With God!

Gods’ Glory Box items for August 2018, with my book, Walking With God

How? Through the profit of selling 7,700 copies of my book on prayer, Walking With God, to the Christian organization God’s Glory Box, I was able to buy a vacation package for two through Great Value Vacations.

This package included lodging for a week at the beautiful Bunratty Castle Hotel and lovely, immaculately-clean B & B’s of our choice, the car rental for a week from Dan Dooley’s car rental, and the plane flights from New York to Shannon, Ireland and back from Dublin, Ireland to New York. The flights from Kansas City (where I live) to New York and New York to Kansas City were separately priced.

Leah at pretty spot where we stopped at Killarney National Park

Leah and I went for seven days and had an amazing time! Ireland is GORGEOUS! I miss it and wish I was still there!

Two of the main things I wanted to see was the Cliffs of Moher near Galway and Torc Waterfall in Killarney National Park. These beautiful sites surpassed my imagination. The Cliffs of Moher were both mine and Leah’s favorite place.

Cliffs of Moher, Ireland

Cliffs of Moher, Ireland

 

The breathtaking Cliffs of Moher, Ireland

The breathtaking Cliffs of Moher, Ireland

 

me at Cliffs of Moher with coffee

me at Cliffs of Moher with coffee

 

A beautiful pic of Leah at the Cliffs of Moher

A beautiful pic of Leah with coffee at the Cliffs of Moher

 

Leah at Torc Waterfall Killarney National Park

Leah at Torc Waterfall, Killarney National Park

Another thing I wanted to see was Saint Mary’s Cathedral in Killarney. This gorgeous Gothic-style cathedral was built in 1853 and has beautiful stained glass windows and awe-inspiring architecture. It is the Roman Catholic cathedral in County Kerry.

It was designed by the renown English architect Augustus Welby Pugin. The Great Famine in Ireland and lack of funds meant the work had to be stopped several times, and when it was recommenced, the interior decorations finished by James Joseph McCarthy.

Saint Mary’s Cathedral, Killarney, Ireland

 

Stained glass windows in St. Mary's Cathedral

Stained glass windows in St. Mary’s Cathedral

 

Altar at St. Mary's Cathedral

Altar at St. Mary’s Cathedral

It is very true that Ireland is SO green and that is why it’s called the “Emerald Isle.” It rains frequently there, thus all the greenery. 

Most of the eastern half of the country has between 750 and 1000 millimetres (mm) of rainfall in the year. Rainfall in the west generally averages between 1000 and 1250 mm. In many mountainous districts rainfall exceeds 2000 mm per year.  Rainfall ranges from about 151 days a year along the east and southeast coasts, to about 225 days a year in parts of the west.

Light rain on windshield in mountains

Light rain on windshield in mountains

 

Ireland is so green due to all the rain

Ireland is so green due to all the rain

I prayed before we went that it wouldn’t rain, at least hard, while we were there because I would be driving and don’t like driving in rain or bad weather. It did rain lightly there every day for short periods of time, but the sun quickly came out. As one couple on a shuttle to the airport said, “The sun (the Son!) followed us.” Leah even spotted a rainbow one day, which I had prayed would happen if it rained, before going over there!

I had bought me and Leah lightweight raincoats on sale (hers, new, at Amazon and mine at a thrift store) before we went over there due to the rain. They came in handy a few times when it softly rained and they worked perfectly! This and our rolling luggage, backpacks, and hiking/walking boots were a great investment for the trip!

I didn’t want to chance our luggage getting lost going on an international flight, so we didn’t check baggage and took the backpacks and rollerboards on the planes. I tried to pack “light and tight,” but they were still stuffed, so I had to push them under the seat to make them fit. Having been a flight attendant helps!

our backpacks & rollerboards for plane

our backpacks & rollerboards for plane

 

Leah in her blue raincoat--it brings out her blue eyes!

Leah in her cute, lightweight blue raincoat that we bought for this trip–it brings out her blue eyes!

 

A powerful pic: Leah looking at Atlantic Ocean in her raincoat

A powerful pic: Leah looking at Atlantic Ocean in her raincoat

 

Me in a cute raincoat I bought at the thrift store on sale for this trip, in Galway at lunch

Me in a cute raincoat I bought at the thrift store on sale for this trip, in Galway at lunch

 

Me looking at Atlantic Ocean in my raincoat

Me looking at Atlantic Ocean in my raincoat

Pictures can’t do it justice and words aren’t enough to describe how gorgeous Ireland is! Ireland has breathtakingly beautiful mountains, the Atlantic ocean, lakes, waterfalls, trees, and flowers! I loved it and can’t wait to go back! Leah wants to go back, too–next time to see Giant’s Causeway in northern Ireland!

Atlantic Ocean

Atlantic Ocean near Galway

 

Atlantic Ocean beach near Galway

Atlantic Ocean beach near Galway

 

mountains in Killarney National Park

mountains in Killarney National Park

I’ll be sharing more blogs and pictures from this trip, so stay tuned here at BethJones.net. Please like and share with your family, friends, and peers. Cheers! 

Leah & me at the gorgeous Cliffs of Moher, Ireland: Dreams do come true!

Leah & me at the gorgeous Cliffs of Moher, Ireland: Dreams do come true!