Day 6: "Who you gonna call..." ~ Ray Parker Jr.

Bloody chamber - Bloody chapel... Close enough

          After breakfast, we will make our way to Leap Castle. If I manage to survive visiting the ancient Fairy grounds I wonder if I will survive this haunted Castle. It was not my choice to visit this frightening place, but Josh loves anything scary. So, I bargained with him and picked a castle tour that took place during the day (no dark creepy setting for me)! What I love about this excursion though, is that the owner of the castle takes you on a private tour. Supposedly the highlight is the “Bloody Chapel” which sounds very Bluebeardesque to me (LP 508). A good scare though is quite energizing, it really makes you value life more, but I might not be able to sleep that night ...
 

           After the Castle tour the next stop we will make is Clonmacnoise “Ireland’s most important ancient monastic sites” (LP 509). If Josh can have his pick, so can I.

           As the day has a theme surrounding the dead, one of the sites I wish to see is the old monastic graveyard. These Celtic crosses that serve as tombstones are spectacular. Considering I survived the Leap Castle (well I hope too ...) I plan on doing a little prayer service in the afternoon in the old cathedral (hopefully with a rosary I can purchase from the visitor center) (LP 510) . It just seems so fitting to pray silently in this spiritually awakening place. 

One of the tombstones scattered throughout the old monastery graveyard

          After this excursion, we will make our way to Galway (unfortunately today might be a little rushed so we will not be able to take the most scenic of routes and stop for photos etc. as I certainly plan to do for the rest of the trip. I love sitting in cars and watching the countryside pass by and I may drive Josh a little crazy if I make him stop so I can take pictures of castles and other Irish sites along the way :)

           We will be looking forward to seeing Trad on Prom for their Sunday show. As the link shows, there is a dinner and show special which looks very enticing. Succulent food along with dancing and singing sounds like the perfect way to end the night :) I recently saw Leahy perform at the Western fair and enjoyed their combination of Irish folk singing and dance, so I look forward to seeing Trad on Prom, as I can experience the Celtic performance in its homeland. Though the price for dinner and a show for the two of us will amount to a night's stay at a B&B we are treating ourselves :) 
(this video is taken from the Trad on Prom cite)

          We will be clamoring into our beds after this jam packed day. For convenience, we are staying at the Sunrise Lodge B&B for both nights that we are in Galway. This cute little place falls right between the location of Trad on Prom and the center of Galway, which is where we are heading tomorrow.