Dublin, March 2005

One morning just before Easter when McBear and Roger went down for breakfast they met Bamse who was busy setting up a party poster.
"I'm going to run for Lord Bear Mayor of Dublin." he told McBear and Roger and continued: "If Royston Brady can, so can I!!!"
Since Bamse moved to Dublin in 2001, he had grown tremendously in self confidence - especially seing how well Roger was doing.
"Wowww," McBear said. "If you become the lord bear mayor, that would mean a huge boost to TARF!"
"That's what I thought too," Bamse said.

Click each photo to enlarge

This Easter McBear, Roger, Olivia, Tom and Kevin the Tourist Bear were going to explore Connemara, a vast beautiful area of Galway in the west of Ireland.
On the way we stopped for coffee in Cong in Mayo as Roger had always wanted to enjoy the luxurious surroundings at Ashford Castle.
But Ashford was a bit of a disappointment. The castle was closed for the day - and even though we paid an entrance fee for the park, the loo was also closed !

Gorumna Island, Connemara, March 2005

Since last years' island explorations, McBear and Roger wanted to explore more islands, and Lettermore and Gorumna Island was on our itenary. Here were are visiting a lake with a crannog on Gorumna Island.

Furnaice Island is the fifth island from the mainland, and in order to reach this island you have to cross 5 bridges on 5 islands! Here were are at the end of the road; far, far from the mainland.

Lettermore Island, Connemara, March 2005

Like on Cape Clear, much of Connemara is An Ghaeltacht, which means that people speak the original Irish language.
Roger wanted to honor the islanders by visiting the local sports club in Leitir Moír (Lettermore).

We also went to Ros Muc to see the cottage of Padraic Pearse, one of the leaders of the 1916 Easter Rising.
"What do you associate with Padraic Pearse when you hear his name?" Roger asked of curiousity.
"That he rebelled against the British."
"Oh, really?" Roger replied. "I see him as a poet ... maybe because I am a great poet myself. In a way you are a political poet - you always write proposals for constitutions ..."

Near the west coast we stopped at a lovely beach at Ballyconneely. Tom was delighted to find yet another destination to set up for Tom Teddy Tours. Tom is very visionary and travelling doesn't calm him down ...

Connemara, March 2005

On the way back east, we followed an old bogroad. It was said to be haunted as two elderly ladies one night killed a poor traveller. In the far distance we could see the outskirts of the famous Twelve Bens mountains.

Next morning we went to see Aughnanure Castle near Ougtherard. Centuries ago it was owned by the O'Flaherties, one of the most powerful clans in the 1500's.

Doo Lough, Mayo, March 2005

Finally we arrived at Doo Lough. The scenery was ideal for a new pc wallpaper. But just as Roger sat down, he stumbled over a huge snail the same instant the camera went off! Roger got on his paws, brushed the grass of his fine gondolier suit and apologized to the snail. He also insisted that the photo be deleted!
"And stop laughing!" he gave out to McBear.

Before we started heading back, we made a visit to Kylemore Abbey, built in the late 1800's by a business man from Liverpool.
"This would be a lovely place to settle down and write my poems and novels," Roger said and continued: "There is Yeats' Country in Sligo, Joyce's Country here in Galway, so this area could be a new Roger's Country!"
"That's a great idea," McBear said. He added: "But some people might rebel against the idea..."

Maumturk mountain range, March 2005

On the way south we travelled through an almost endless valley between mountain ranges; the Twelve Bens to the west and Maumturk Mountains to the east.
"It reminds me of the wild west, when we were in Texas and New Mexico some years ago," Roger recalled.
"Yes," McBear said. "It's great to experience vast mountain ranges and valleys here in Ireland."

On the way back to our Bed & Breakfast in Spiddle, Roger wanted to stop in Casla. He went over to the building of Raidio na Gaeltachta and knocked on the door.
When Roger came back, he was smiling and told us that he was going to do a talkshow about the beauty of Connemara.
"And the radio believes it will be a good idea to advertise that the talkshow is done by a poet, the Great Roger - in Irish: Roger Mor... heh heh!"