Ireland – Stamullen

We're back in County Meath, taking a 'vacation' from our vacation near the town of Stamullen (pop 3,720 in 2022) – a day for laundry, resting, and a brief trip into the countryside.

After breakfast, we start with the Mullaghteelin Barrow, a circular earthen embankment on the ridge of a nearby hill. It shares a geometric alignment with other megalithic formation is the area, including the burial tombs at Fourknocks (c2750 BC, 2023 visit) and Newgrange (c3100 BC, 2023 visit).

A survey marker rests in the northern rim of the Barrow, obviously indicating the local area's exact highest elevation (above) – a 'modern' monument on an ancient one. The circle appears unbroken except for the possible remains of a stone threshold facing due east, with incredible views of Stamullen and the Irish Sea.

A quick trip to Stamullen's Main Street offers a chance to gather some supplies (snacks). From there, we follow the Delvin River out to the Sea.

The R132 crosses the Delvin River at a small concrete bridge. Through a gate, a path leads to the sandy and secluded Delvin Bridge Bay Beach.

Around the low headland, we can see the boats near Skerries Harbour. The exposed stratigraphy is reminiscent of yesterday's' return from The Burren, though on a very different scale.

The seabirds own these pools and sandbars. They evacuate with our approach but soon return and hold their ground.

Ireland – County Clare

We stay overnight in Ballyvaughan (pop 361 in 2022) in County Clare. Ballyvaughan is a tiny village pinched between The Burren and Galway Bay.

The Burren College of Art (est 1994) is just south of the village. As former art teachers, we are curious to see the place. We understand that they've adopted pedagogical elements from Black Mountain College – the art school associated with Josef and Anni Albers (we saw their retrospective in Brussels in the summer of 2024) as well as Ruth Asawa (we saw her retrospective at the Guggenheim Bilbao in May this year) – an interdisciplinary approach, collaborative work, development of individual expression, strong connections to nature, etc.

Their charming, rustic campus is tucked into a valley between striated rock faces and around the round tower of Caisleán an Bhaile Nua (Newtown Castle, 16th century). A small quad near the Castle houses administrative offices, a lecture and performance space (the former carriage house, 19th century), and a lively cafe.

A newer warehouse-like building lies further from the Castle, with a wide exhibition gallery and studios spaces behind – all with a functionally industrial and flexible feel.

Newtown Castle itself is a fun showpiece for them, too, and the space inside the tower may be used for readings, class meetings, shows, etc. The geometry is unusual: a steep pyramidal base intersects the cylindrical tower. The conical tower cap is a recent reconstruction, beautifully and appropriately rendered in timber and slate. The Castle is part of the Burren and Cliffs of Moher Geopark; the sign near the parking area reads:

Newtown Castle was built in the 1500's as a defensive home for a branch of the local O'Brien family. It was lived in for over 300 years. It is unusual because it is a circular building with a square base. The original ceilings with local hazel branches are preserved inside. The stone for the building was taken from the local limestone in the ground beside the castle.

The College is impressive and focused on their mission. The staff is uniformly friendly and engaging. And the campus is compact but also unforgettable – that singular and stunning landscape.

We drive a bit further west and south to Doolin, a popular town for 'trad music'. For lunch, we choose a pub on the Aille River. After lunch, we continue to Doolin Pier to watch the ferries arrive and depart to Aillte an Mhothair (Cliffs of Moher) and the Oileáin Árann (Aran Islands).

The road to the Pier (R459) is packed with daytrippers parking and hiking to the Clfffs. The parking lot of the Pier is blustery and exposed. To the south, we can see O'Brien's Tower (1835) clinging at the peak. The furrowed limestone of The Burren seeps from under the tarmac and slips into Galway Bay.