We've had a pretty rough winter here, the best weather being the one weekend that my friends came from England. And the three days of March 17-19 were quite notable for high winds and nearly continuous showers of hail, rain, sleet and snow, occasionally briefly interrupted for five minutes of sunshine. Let spring begin--Please!

On Tuesday we drove down to Sligo, and despite the slightly frosty roads and intermittent snow showers of the early morning, it turned into a beautiful day, with only a few random showers to keep us guessing. After a generous brunch at the Radisson Hotel (yes, they do now have a Radisson in Sligo!) we went to the churchyard in Drumcliff in the shadow of Benbulben Mountain, where the poet William Butler Yeats is buried and took a photo of his famous headstone.

Lisa & Leah at Yeats Grave

The mountain that he loved so much, Benbulben, had a dusting of snow on it and was intriguing as ever.

In addition to Yeats' grave, there is an old High Cross, and across the street a round tower, both from the 9th century AD.

Lisa & Leah - High Cross with round tower in background

There is now also a craft shop and tea room there, and an artists' gallery, too.

Next, we headed for Glencar, just on the border of Leitrim and Sligo. Glencar inspired Yeats to write "The Stolen Child" The sign promised a lake and waterfall, allegedly 10 km on the sign. We drove for quite a while (could it have been 10 miles, not km?) and we did see the most spectacular scenery, including the lake and surrounding mountains. The waterfall, however, cannot be seen from the road, and as the sign in the parking lot did not indicate how far a walk it might be, and it looked like it might rain again, we decided to leave that one for a day with better weather.

On the way back, Donegal town beckoned, with the O'Donnell castle being the main attraction. Only a few rooms are restored and furnished, but those are well worth seeing. The history and customs of the O'Donnell clan make for interesting reading on the top floor of the castle. Parking in the town square was adequate and close by (although I wouldn't bet on it in the summer), and we discovered a good health food shop called Simple Simon, with lots of natural and organic products.

Donegal Castle

Hope you all had a happy St. Patrick's Day!