We continued driving towards Burren which is a karst landscape measuring approximately 250 square kilometres, which makes it one of the largest karst landscapes in Europe. It is bounded by the Atlantic and Galway Bay on the West and North respectively.
Because of some herds blocking the road access we were forced to deviate from the expected normal route and ended up just having the time to take some photographs with the Burren hills in the background. The view was nevertheless impressive because it did change completely from the exclusive green colour we had got used to since early morning.
We reached Galway in the Cronach Province by early afternoon. Known as Ireland's cultural heart the city also bears the nickname of Tribes, because it is said that fourteen tribes of merchant families led the city in its Hiberno-Norman period.
The bus stopped close to the Cathedral of Our Lady assumed into Heaven and St. Nicholas, which we briefly peered into. Built in 1958 its architecture is said to draw on many influences with its Dome and pillars clearly reflecting a Renaissance style.
We were entitled to a quick walking tour before we were given some free time to stroll around the city centre.
Our first stop was at St. Nicholas' Collegiate Church, the largest medieval parish church in Ireland still in constant use. Built c. 1320 on the site of an earlier chapel the church is dedicated to St. Nicholas of Myra (now in Turkey and which I was fortunate enough to have visited some years ago), best known today as the patron saint of children or "Santa Claus", though during the middle ages he was mostly revered as the patron saint of sailors.
Around the windows there are a number of decorative carvings including a dragon, two mermaids, a lion and Jacob with his ladder.
The baptismal font said to be of late 16th or early 17th century is beautifully carved and yet one of the interesting features that cannot be seen is the fact that Christopher Columbus almost certainly worshipped there in 1477, which in a way makes the whole atmosphere somewhat special.
In 1652, after a nine month long siege, the town was taken by the Cromellian forces, during which it is said many of the features of the church were destroyed and its premises used as a stable of their horses, which in many parts is still visible. At the junction of the south transept and the south aisle there are some carvings round the archway and an angel, which seems to be the only one in the church still in possession of a head, as most figures were defaced
We walked farther towards the Lynch window, where in 1493 the Mayor James Lynch FitzStephen,as both judge and executioner hanged his own son for the murder of a young Spanish visitor, who had the misfortune of befriending the Mayor's son. It has been advanced that this is at the origin of the word lynching.
Kearan, our guide
(To be continued)
