Day 8 - Galway, Ireland

We checked in to our flight the night before and found that the flight was not leaving at 11:40am but had been moved to 6:45am! WHAT?  A bit of quick math(s) told us that we had to be up at 4:30am and on the road by 5:00am. I think Paul was salivating at the opportunity to take the Bentley out and open her up on some open road. Of course, this is England, and the roads are busy 24 hrs a day but we were able to fly past some cars doing a measley 90mph as if they were standing still.
Luton airport was an absolute zoo. It was like walking into Wembley stadium prior to a major football match. It was packed. I have to say though, the English have got moving masses of people down to a fine art. We weren't standing around for long. We flowed through security like a we'll oiled machine. Dozens of screeners open and some very efficient people pushed us through like chicken livers and onions going through a mincer. There's a reason why I said that.
Our 1 hr Ryan Air flight was short and painless and we arrived in Knock to sideways, lashing rain that was actually quite warm. Apparently, the weather had been great up until this morning. Charming!
So Jemma set foot on Irish soil for the first time in her life. Both my Nan and Grandad on my mums side have Irish descent and of course Joanne, Jenny's mum is a Finner. You can't get much more Irish than that!
Paul and Sally met us at the airport and whisked us away to Galway to hot cups of tea and a mountainous Irish Fry.
We let our bodies recover from the early morning flight and delicious breakfast for a couple of hours then set of in the car again in pursuit of some sunshine. We optimistically pointed out some bluish looking sky in the distance and headed in that direction. After an hour of winding roads we found ourselves not only under some clear sky but back at Kylemore Abbey where Paul took me last time we were here. It was 15Euros to get in but unfortunately, one of the sisters (nuns) had passed away and the funeral was being held at the church, closing part of the grounds, so half price today. I made a slightly insensitive comment about one persons pain is another's gain and we strolled in to the Abbey grounds. More history and more oohs and has and ' I never would gave guessed that's and the sun actually came out!

 Kylemore Abbey

 The Victorian Garden

 Afternoon Tea

 An angel on the gothic church 

Stained glass in the gothic church