Travels in Eire #17

From the Galway exchange Darren headed out following the sign that said Connemara Coast Road. They were on the south side of the peninsula and Cailin could see Galway Bay to their left. They had barely headed out the road when Darren pulled off into a parking lot for the Connemara Coast Hotel. He parked the car and turned to Cailin.

“I want to show you something,” he casually told her.

They exited the car and Cailin followed Darren around the side of the hotel along what appeared to be a well traveled pathway. The day was clear and slightly breezy, but you couldn't ask for more. As they walked the path they approached the rocky Connemara Coast. It was breath-taking. The smell of the water and sound of it lapping up on the huge smooth rocks almost made Cailin dizzy with exhilaration. Darren could see her joy.

“It's amazing, isn't it? It's my favorite place to come when I need to think, or just let go of all the stresses of life. On a day like today you can see across to The Burren. I thought it might be a good idea to stop here before we get to my parents,” he said standing close to her as he pointed out the scene across the bay.

Cailin turned to respond to Darren not realizing how close his face was to hers, “Darren, I can't get over how well you seem to read my feelings. You always seem to be a step ahead of me.” Without question there was definitely a connection between the two of them.

“So is there anything I can do to help you feel better about this situation? Can I answer any questions?” Darren was trying hard to help make things better.

“Darren, I think I'd like to know about your grandparents. I know that might be strange, but it will help me understand your parents better. Telling me about your brother has helped a lot, but knowing about how your parents grew up here in Ireland will help even more.”
Darren explained how his grandfather, who lived with them, had been a farmer with some small farmland and a peat bog out in Connemara. It was where his mother grew up with his grandfather playing the whistle every chance he got. As people learned of his talent he entered competitions and won many of them. When Darren's grandmother became ill, his mother spent hours at the hospital, and came to admire the nurses that cared for his grandmother. It was then that she decided to go into medicine, little knowing that she would end up at the administrative end of medical care helping patients and families deal with the hardships of illness of family members. When his grandmother passed away, his grandfather tried to carry on with the farmland and bog, but after Darren's mother married and moved out his mother was worried about him all alone, so he sold the farm and moved in with Darren's parents bringing his musical talent with him.
On Darren's father's side it was a different story. Darren explained that his grandparents on his father's side are still both alive and living and working in Galway. They like the vibrancy of the city and have a small flat there. Darren's father met his mother while his mom was attending school in Galway. He mostly manages the B&B and does a little handy work around the neighborhood. Darren continued to explain that since his grandfather lives with his parents they often have well known musical visitors stay at the B&B and that keeps his father very busy. And it's great craic.

By this time Darren and Cailin had returned to the car and were heading down the coast road, when Darren slowed and turned up a narrowly barely paved road in the town of Spiddal. After about a mile he turned into an opening in wall along the roadway that was the entry to his parent's house.