Roundstone turned out to be a very friendly town in which to stay. Our B&B owners were very nice people who wanted to make sure we were comfortable. Breakfast was, of course, the full Irish fare which included soda bread. Soda bread is like a five grain bread and soooo good! After breakfast, we were out the door and on our way before 10 a.m.

We set the GPS for Kylemore Abbey and just drove the lanes until we found the place . No rush. Would you believe that the first Atlantic cable in the 1800's from the US to Europe came ashore just a few clicks up the road from our B&B? You would have thought it would have rated some kind of notice, but all we saw was a little sign on a post, easily missed, that pointed down a barely noticeable country lane. And I did see a sign for the Marconi half-marathon in a nearby town. At the time it was laid, the cable was considered one of the seven wonders of the world and did revolutionize the communications world -- bigger than the Internet!

After a stop in the cute little Victorian town of Clifden, we were off to see Kylemore Abbey. It is touristy, but tastefully done. The Abbey was built by some Dublin surgeon in the mid-1800's who had way too much money and time. It wasn't called an abbey then, of course. Probably a fishing cabin or something like that. He built it for his wife, as the story goes, but it is in primo fishing country so us guys will just let the ladies think it is for them . Makes for smoother sailing on the fishing grounds. He probably could have bought her a new Hoover or a blender. Anyway, he spared no expense, as the pictures will show. He also built a mini-cathedral for her -- true fact! When she died at an early age, after nine kids (maybe he did like her!), he built her a mausoleum. However, it should be noted that the fish hatchery building is about twice the size of the mausoleum, so I'm sticking with the fishing story.

This guy also liked nature and plants. He put together an incredible walled garden that has recently been restored at a cost of millions. The place is owned by a trust from the Benedictine Order of the church. It passed through a lot of hands to get there, but now it is home to 11 little monkettes (nuns) who, in addition to having millions in the bank, make soap, jams and chocolates to add to their portfolio and to sell to the tourists in the visitors center.

Dayna's note: Kylemore Abbey, for many years, was an all-girl's Catholic school administered by the Benedictine nuns . It closed in 2010.  

Pretty cool place, overall, but the weather was closing in -- what's new? This is Ireland! And, light was going to fade as we returned to Galway. The Connemara is not a place to be driving at night unless you really know the roads.

Our B&B tonight is the Grange House in Galway. It is a more modern establishment located on a short cul-de-sac that is mostly filled with other B&Bs. This, I've never seen before. It is quiet and the window is open so we will sleep well. Dinner was at a more modern pub called Flannery's. Who would have guessed that name would have popped up in Ireland?
 
Tomorrow, we will explore the streets of Galway . . . oh, and we will also pick up our laundry at the little launderette up the street owned by a guy who refused to stick it to us because Dayna had him in stitches about how he was supposed to use cold water here and no starch and about 39 other laundry rules and he had been in business for like 30 years and he probably had a half dozen Vietnamese with bars of Ivory and flat rocks hidden in the back room! Her show saved us a bunch of Euros . . . and we will smell better!

P. S. Dayna did really well behind the wheel today!