Hogans Blog: August 2013

Saturday, August 24, 2013

More, More, Moher!

Part 3 of my summer holidays 2013 in Ireland, and a visit to the Cliffs of Moher in County Clare. Once again the weather was on our side. A perfect day to see these amazing cliffs. I've been here on a few other occasions when it was always either raining, misty or just dull and cloudy. But I finally got some nice photos this time. Click on images to enlarge!!!

A drive up Corkscrew Hill on the way.

Nice place to dial a pizza!

The Cliffs of Moher

A quick pose with my BK-46 Finnish football jersey!

I took a few video shots of my own while at the cliffs but it looks like I won't get to edit them just yet. Here's one I found on the net.

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This is part 3 of a set of 'Ireland' travel posts here on my blog. Click on the destinations below to read the rest!

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- Alan

Alan Hogan

Born in Ireland, Alan Hogan is a visual artist now living in Finland. He paints a variety of subjects in a unique style which mixes traditional values with a hint of contemporary and sometimes melancholy undertones. A graduate of art and design from DIT Ireland, Hogan worked for many years in the Irish print industry before moving to Finland in 2007. This is where he re-ignited his passion for painting, with several exhibitions already displayed including the popular ‘Helsinki Design Week’. He is currently a member of various art groups in Finland including the Helsinki International Artists’ Association. Alan Hogan lives in the bilingual town of Karis in southern Finland, where he continues to paint and sell his art. If you have any feedback, requests or questions for the artist, please send an email to his company studio 'The Art Garage' at theartgarage@rocketmail.com. You can also find this artist on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/hoganfinland

Tuesday, August 13, 2013

Postcard from Kinvara

... And so to part two of my Irish summer holiday recollections. This time a look at the village of Kinvara in County Galway on Ireland's west coast. This was to be our basecamp as planned back in Finland since way back in January beforehand. I even mentioned my plans to Irish radio presenter Hector Ó hEochagáin on his breakfast show to warn him I was coming over!

Kinvara can be found on the map below just south of Galway city in the centre of the picture. The village name can also be spelt Kinvarra as on the map here, but please don't ask me why!

After driving non-stop from Dublin it was nice to stretch the legs and find our pre-booked accommodation. And we were not disappointed!

Click on image to enlarge

View of Kinvara harbour with the Burren hills behind in the distance.
Our house rental is in the centre of this photo. Click on image to enlarge

Nice living space with all mod cons and free wi-fi!
Click on image to enlarge

Hawthorn / Fushia House Rentals
Click on image to enlarge

This was our home for three hot days and nights (that's something you don't hear too often in Ireland!). It got so warm that the asphalt on the roads started to melt. Unusual weather for Ireland, but always welcome. We prebooked our accommodation at the Hawthorn home rental after we booked our flights back in Finland.

Patio view of the harbour

Patio view with free parking

The tide comes in!

The tide goes out!

Kinvara Garda Station (Police)

Watching the sun set at a nearby beach

Old ruins close to Kinvara

A boat

A wall

A closed Pub???

For some reason P.J.Flatley's pub seemed to be closed while we were in Kinvara. I heard about a cellar bar there which interested me. But a visit wasn't to be had!
Luckily there's no shortage of bars and pubs in this small village, and over our short stay I got to visit a few of them. We got to hear some traditional Irish music in a pub called Connollys. Even though it's a pub aimed at the tourist trade, it came with a decent pint and prices weren't a rip-off like so many other tourist pubs. We also popped our heads into a pub called Conole's, but skipped having a drink as it lacked any atmosphere whatsoever. Instead we headed up the street to Tullys Bar which was just what I was looking for. A normal bar with a tv and music playing in the background. It also had a pool-table and friendly staff behind the bar. I wouldn't call Tullys a tourist pub, but it's a good place to meet and chat with the friendly locals. I couldn't have found a nicer place even though some dog ran off with the cue-ball in his mouth!
A decent pint of Guinness also.... mighty!!!

Good Morning Kinvara! Maidin mhaith!!

After a pleasant Guinness-fuelled sleep it was great to open my bedroom window to the smell of the sea. I've done this on occasions in Finland also, but it's never the same. It's a completely different experience. The sea looks and smells very different with salty water and seaweed everywhere.

Kinvara, Co.Galway

During our time in Kinvara we used the facilities in our house rental as often as we could. I got to cook a full-Irish breakfast to my Finnish guests which was hard work but fun. I then watched as they all tried to figure out how a typical Irish heating and shower system works, which was even funnier! Yep, some things are different in Ireland.

We did get to sample some of Kinvara's restaurants and pub-grub, the best being served at the Merriman Hotel where the staff were excellent.
Using Kinvara as a base on the westcoast we also travelled to nearby Doolin in County Clare, driving through the Burren and visiting the Cliffs of Moher. We also took a boat-trip over to the Aran Islands as well as driving around the Connemara loop. But I'm gonna write about that on my next blogpost.
Before leaving the west coast and heading to the city of Kilkenny we visited Kinvara's main tourist attraction Dunguaire Castle.

Dunguaire Castle, Kinvara, Co.Galway

Check out this program from the BBC here which shows more scenes from Ireland's west coast as well as some interesting bits of history. Might be a good idea to go full screen for this one!

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This is part 6 of a set of 'Ireland' travel posts here on my blog. Click on the destinations below to read the rest!

Share this blog!

Thanks for reading my blog and please feel free to share it with any of your friends.

- Alan

Alan Hogan

Thursday, August 8, 2013

Summer in Dublin, again!

Over the past few years I have often heard Irish people talk and reminisce about the warm summers of the mid-1970's and early 1980's. I often rambled on about it myself sometimes.
Well, after this summer of 2013 I reckon all that might quiet down a little. Last month was one of the warmest Julys in recorded history of Irish weather and I had the luck to be on holidays right there when it all happened. I want to post a few photos on my blog here for my own record and also just to show the world that Ireland can be a wonderful place when she gets some sunshine! (okay, it can be a pretty good place without the sun too!)
I went on a little roadtrip from Dublin to the west coast of Ireland with some friends from Finland. It was really great to show my home country at it's best and I think the Finns enjoyed it. Also it was their first ever visit to Ireland, so a bit extra-special! I don't like to do on-the-spot travel blogs as I am usually too busy enjoying myself to start typing. But over the next few entries in my blog I will post some photos of the places I visited, including County Galway, County Clare, the Aran Islands, Kilkenny City and firstly my hometown Dublin.

Lambay island, off the coast of Dublin.

Coastal rocks near Malahide in County Dublin

View over Dublin from Deer Park Golf club in Howth, County Dublin.

View of lighthouse from Howth summit in County Dublin.

View of Dublin Bay from Howth summit.

Dublin Bay on a sunny day in July.

After arrival in Dublin, it was off to John Kavanagh's pub also know as the Gravediggers because of it's proximity to the Glasnevin cemetary next door. Here's what was going on at the cemetary gates while I supped on my pint of Guinness. The Ghostbus is doing a tour with shots of alcohol being passed around to it's passengers to keep them awake. (below)

Gravediggers Ghostbus at Glasnevin cemetary.

While I've been to visit my family back in suburban Dublin on many occasions over the past few years, I reckon it must be over 4 years since I have actually gone into Dublin's city centre. Unfortunately I only spent one day there, but this time as a tourist!