Lough Gur

September 19, 2009
Yesterday, after I had posted my blog entry, Martha and I got to witness a special event. We saw a pig being born. It was the last to pop out in a litter of 11, two of which did not survive. It was quite a sight. The two that did not survive died because of something called a veil, I think, which I gathered was some slime or something covering the face so they can’t breath. Joe Rigney was on hand to rescue the one we saw born, otherwise it might have shared the same fate. In the morning, Caroline Rigney had to make a trip to get medicine for one that was sick and who was being bullied by one of its siblings.

This morning we had our first breakfast at the farm. Dad got the pancakes, while the rest of us got the “traditional” Irish breakfast. This was 2 sausages, 2 strips of bacon, a fried egg, a roasted tomato, and something called white pudding, which I understand is made from ground bacon and some other ingredients cooked into a brownie-like square. I think I’ll go with the pancakes tomorrow to keep the cholesterol from getting too out of hand.

We rested up some more after that, and around 2 PM decided to go out and see Lough Gur. This is a series of sites where archaeologists uncovered the ruins of one of the oldest civilizations. It was standing stones and stone circles, and I got plenty of pictures which I will be posting on this site.

I’m getting the knack of driving in Ireland.

This evening we made it to a local pub before the kitchen closed. Martha had a tomato bean soup, and the rest of us had the chicken curry dish, and it was delicious. We’ll have to wait and see whether we have the strength to go back for tonight’s musical entertainment.

This video was taken at Grange Stone Circle, one of the sites at Lough Gur.  It is the largest stone circle in all of Ireland with a 45.7 m internal diameter and a 64 m external diameter. It was built about 2,000 BC during the Bronze Age.