I set out with the intention of focusing my day's activities on visiting ritualistic places today. While at Pamela’s, I was intrigued by not only ancient places I read about, such as Stone Circles and Dolems (a.k.a. Portal Tombs), but also ritualistic places that are important to Gaelic or Religious traditions. Fortunately, today, two of these sites are found in proximity to each other on my way north to Horn Head, a scenic, historic lesser-visited point. More on that later. I make my way down the Inishowen Peninsula, through Letterkenny, and head north to the village of Doon.
Today, I’m particularly interested in visiting the Rock of Doon, a ceremonial site where some 25 Chieftains from the O’Donnell Clan were inaugurated. From the description I remember reading, the view atop of the rock is quite spectacular. Plus, I have to admit, I am looking forward to standing in the place where these important ceremonies took place. Chieftains were inaugurated at The Rock of Doon for over 400 years! Think about that for a second. That's twice as long as the United States has been an independent country.
I notice the sign amongst the vegetation, Carriage an duin, translates to Rock of Doon. I follow the path up a steep incline. I have my trekking poles in hand and take my time going up the 300 ft (100 m) climb. My legs are feeling ok, still sore, and I don't want to make them angry. I focus on small intentional steps as I enjoy the solitude up to the top.
Below is a picture from atop of The Rock of Doon. While standing atop the Rock of Doon, it is easy to appreciate why this site was chosen for the inauguration. I feel like I can easily look out over the kingdom. Long gone is the ceremonial stone upon which the Chieftains once stood. All that appears now is a commemorative plaque. They have recently paved the site for public safety, which I don't mind today. I'm glad I came here, and Google tried to tell me it was closed today. What a cool place!
I recommend taking a few minutes to read through the history of The Rock of Doon in the link that follows. The read includes a fantastic virtual panorama that cannot be duplicated via my camera. After reading the account I had a much greater appreciation for the significance of The Rock Of Doon.
Below is the actual Rock of Doon, on top is the ceremonial site. Not my best picture but as good as I was getting today, given the sunshine.
A few hundred yards (200 meters) west of the path leading up to the inauguration site, is the Well of Doon. The well, more of a natural spring, has existed and is prominent in the historical texts for some time. The Well of Doon is considered a Holy site, one of the most popular places in County Donegal. People make regular pilgrimages to the site. Before visiting the site, I take 20-30 minutes to read up on the site's significance and the rituals associated with the site. I highly encourage you to take a moment to read Doon Holly Well Through the Ages. The article covers the history, traditions, and rituals associated with the Well of Doon and shows the site's evolution into its modern form.
I revere and respect for Holy sites and the traditions or rituals associated with them. This is why I wanted to visit the site and feel compelled to inform myself before proceeding to the Well of Doon. I am enjoying the sunshine and educating myself, when two groups of women, four in total, arrive and begin the ritual. They are either much more familiar with the ritual, have prepared better than me, or possibly both. I watch earnestly as they perform the ritual I am reading about. They begin by removing their shoes. The site is sacred, so even before setting foot on the pavers and walking up to the well, tradition says you must be barefoot. They take turns at the Holy Well as they proceed through the ritual. This is the only instance of photographing the Well of Doon I make, respecting the site and the ritual in progress. Notice the rag trees on the left and the well in the center.
About 30 minutes later, I find myself alone with the well. I tell myself, When in Ireland, right? I decide to access my Catholic heritage from my childhood days long ago and visit the site. I had no idea I would be partaking in the ritual at the Well of Doon when the day began. My plan was simple, visit the site, photograph it, then move on. After arriving, I notice a desire to dig deeper into the history and experience the ritual for myself. I feel such a reverence for the site, I chose not to photograph it in detail, as I had planned. I enjoy partaking in the ritual, am humbled by the experience, and feel a deep connection to all the other pilgrims who have previously visited the site. Will splashing some holy water on my knees help? How can it hurt? I'm not even sure how to quantify if it worked? Some things are beyond explanation or, more importantly, need no explanation. Participating in this ritual is something that I will treasure and will be linked to my experience in Ireland. I am truly blessed. I have afforded myself the gift of time, the ability to fully commit to an experience, do things at leisure, and allow the day to reveal itself moment by moment. I leave the site nearly 2 hours after arriving.
I make my way up to the Horn Head. There are a few sites I'd like to see today. First, the Horn Head Bridge, this 12-arch stone bridge (below) dates back to the 1760s, possibly earlier. It is stunning to see in person. I am in awe of the condition of the bridge. The bridge spans a tidal stream that connects New Lake and Sheephaven Bay on the way to Horn Head.
A close-up of the bridge crossing.
I chose Horn Head today because it is one of the less touristy spots with some spectacular views. I arrive at Horn Head lookout around 630 pm. As I arrive a small family heads out toward the castle. The man is the most appropriately dressed for the occasion. He wears a stocking cap, puffy jacket, pants, and boots. His wife, on the other hand, is not. She is wearing a dress that ends at the knees. She is fighting hard to keep it from flipping up. She also has a puffy jacket and stocking cap. The two younglings are generally underdressed as well. The wind is fierce at the moment. A steady 40+ mph (64 kph), it is overcast and generally unpleasant. The wind tests the limits of my windproof jacket, Kuiu pants, and my ability to stand upright. Every once in a while, I can feel the biting wind squeeze through a seam of my 800-fill-weight puffy jacket, and although it is not getting through my pants, I can feel the wind's chill as my pants wrapped around my legs. The view, however, is stunning and magnificent. From the top of the lookout, the highest point around, I can see the family of four below me to the right. They are approaching the grey cliffs (pictured below) on the right. They are about 1/3rd of the way to the castle in about the same time it took me to walk up a short little climb. They halt their progress there and reverse course to the parking lot. I don't blame them. I don't have it in me to hike the 0.5 to 0.75 miles to get to the castle today, either. You can see the Horn Head Castle and scenic cliff on a beautiful day here
The view to the south is stunning as well, though it hardly looks like Ireland today, it almost looks mythical.
After a short stint on top of the lookout at Horn Head, I make my way through the small town of Falcarragh. I decided to book an Airbnb tonight, my tent can handle either rain or wind but not both, especially a strong wind like is predicted tonight. My Airbnb tonight is south of Falcarragh in the countryside below the Seven Sisters. To get here I have to navigate this tiny country road and slalom through their rural buildings. I hope there isn't
another car coming.
This is the view from the Airbnb. Two of the Seven Sister Mountains are pictured below. Mount Muckish on the left. The Seven Sisters represented by Muckish, Crocknalaragagh, Aghla Beg, Ardloughnabrackbaddy, Aghla More, Mackoght, and Errigal are 7 mountains that run southwest to northeast. They are appropriately named since the 7 mountains dominate the horizon when looking south from Falcarragh.
I head into Falcarragh for dinner at The Strand Bar, a local pub, around 8 pm. The waiter that shows me at my table alternates spending time between Detroit and Ireland. He has a subtle Irish accent or perhaps an American accent that isn't quite right. I'm not sure. Nevertheless, we chat about hiking. He tells me about a hike up Mount Ruckish worth the detour. Perhaps another trip I tell him. I'm nursing bum knees. I do, however look up the Miner's Path hike for future reference. Definitely a hike I'd like do. The hike passes up through an old silica mine on Mount Ruckish that dates back to the mid-1700s. The mine was active till 1954. Silica was mined near the top of Mount Ruckish for making glass. Apparently, high-quality silica can be found there.
I ask the waitress for her recommendations on the menu, and she points out one item from each section of the menu. Then she gets to the salads, "The superfoods salad, with kale, sweet potatoes, quinoa, beets, and prawns, is absolutely SAVAGE," she says. I look at her, confused. "It's really, really good," she says. She is absolutely right, it is SAVAGE!
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