From City to Country: Galway and Roscommon, Ireland

We returned to the Irish mainland via ferry from Inish Mor and made a quick two-night stopover in Galway so Cathy could find a few new clothes. It is about time—she has been wearing the same two pair of pants and three shirts for over four months now. She has got to be the most unstylish traveler in the world! (Well, except for the fact that she does wear that luscious lace alpaca shawl as a scarf every day.) But even after perusing five or six “charity shops” (that is what they call thrift shops here), she only bought some new tights and underwear. I swear, she is so picky!

Nicholas looks on with interest as Camille knits in some rows.
Maybe he is a future knitter. 

But we did meet up with a sweet couple, Camille and Nicholas, in the hostel in Galway. They are from Quebec and very delightful. Camille added a few rows of 2x2 rib stitch to me while they chatted. I am certainly becoming the international favorite of the ladies. Now if we could just find a few men who knit. I know they are out there!

On January 12, we boarded a train to Roscommon. Cathy had met Caitlin and Gerry Browne on the Camino de Santiago (Remember that?? when she left me to wither in her bag that was stored for TWO MONTHS in Santiago?? Well I don’t forget, believe me!) Anyway, all was much better now that we had our own little cottage behind the Browne’s house to spend almost two weeks. Cathy had lots of space to spread out all her knitting and fiber and explore using it to make hats and bookmarks. She had time to finish some projects and start new ones. And you know what? There are LOTS of knitters in THIS part of Ireland.

Gerry and Caitlin’s daughter, Katie, knows how to knit and while her children visited Grandma, Katy added some of that fancy sparkly yarn that Catherine Henry donated way back when we were in the Shetland Islands. 

Katie's sparkle addition--I think a little "bling looks good on me!"

Caitlin took us to visit the amazing weaver and fiber artist Frances Crowe at her studio. She is working on a commissioned tapestry commemorating the Irish Potato Famine. Her studio is so colorful—with fiber everywhere! She also knits and added some rows while visiting with Caitlin and Cathy over tea. We will be seeing her again in May. (More about that later.) 

Frances's Studio....look at all that luscious yarn!

Later in the week, we got to meet the many knitters and crocheters who are a part of the neighboring Knockcroghery Knitters. We got a warm welcome and many wanted to get their hands on me. Ahhhh….

Eliona really liked me!

Brigid added some red moss stitch; Breda added some garter stitch; and Eliona (a stain-glass artist) knitted in some turquoise yarn. And then Mary, who crochets, worked on the other end, with V-stitch crochet in blue.

A crochet addition. I don't have too many crochet stitches, so it is a
treat to sport a different look. 

It was a large group and everyone was so hospitable! We hoped to get back the next week, but just did not make it. We ended up being very busy in Roscommon, as you will see in the next post.

Here are my latest set of contributors:

A Clear Day in January: Inishmore, Aran Islands, Ireland

The weather has been shivery cold here on Inishmore in early January, but we are intrepid travelers and made our way to this westerly Irish outpost right after the new year. The ferry ride from Galway was a bit bumpy—and for good reason: we got here just in time for a fierce winter storm. Ninety-mile-per-hour winds hit the islands on our first night. But in the evening Cathy took me next door to Kilronen Hostel where there is a wee pub. Inside was a fireplace still decorated for Christmas and radiating warmth and good cheer. “Cozy” is an understatement!

Cathy found out that Bairbre, the bartender, is a knitter and since it was a slow night, she consented to add a few rows of traditional Aran patterns to me: Diamond, Tree of Life, and Moss stitches. 

After that, it took a couple days for Cathy to locate some Aran yarn so she could start knitting a cap. Equally elusive seemed to be the knitters. She asked everyone she met if they knitted, and no one seemed to know how. Even in the local sweater stores, the clerks were not knitters. It was a bit of a disappointment. We were told that at Kilmurvey—about 4½  miles away—there are craft shops where the women demonstrate knitting. But on our second day here the storm was still howling and the shops were closed. So we did not get a chance to walk to Kilmurvey until Sunday—five days after we arrived...but, then we hit the jackpot!

The first store we walked into held a treat. When Cathy introduced me to Bridie in the Teak Péat Pháidí shop to see if she would like to add a few rows, Bridie surprised us with the store’s own scarf to which traveling knitters could add rows! We were so amazed and excited. It must be my long-lost cousin that I did not even know existed! So Bridie added some lavender knit-and-purl rows to me and Cathy added rows of lace to my sweet cousin!

People from all over the world had contributed to that scarf: Finland, South Africa, New York, Tasmania, Dublin, New Jersey, Montreal, Brazil, Argyle (Scotland), Michigan, Embrun (Canada), Japan, Conemara (Ireland), and many, more. Each little tag attached to the scarf represents a different knitter.

Cathy perused the nice selection of Irish yarn the store had for sale alongside locally made sweaters and other apparel. She had planned to purchase only one skein, due to space constraints in her bag. (I do have to say it is getting pretty cramped in there.) But she succumbed to temptation and bought three skeins instead. This was on top of the large hank of natural Aran yarn she had purchased a few days earlier. Back at the hostel (and pub) she has been knitting furiously, but it all still takes up space. She and Bridie chatted a bit and then we said goodbye and Cathy made her way up to visit the nearby Dun Aonghasa (an ancient fort) before returning to Kilronen hostel. 

Near the fort’s museum, were a couple more sweater shops, and inside Dun Angusa Knitwear, Sarah sat at the counter knitting away. So, she too added some rows of Aran stitches to me while they chatted.  

Contributions from Inishmore

Family photo: Me and my New-found Cousin!

While walking around the fort site, Cathy realized that she had neglected to pay for the yarn she purchased from Bridie! Mortified, she scooted back down the road, but the shop had closed. She left a note on the door and promised to call in her payment the next day. She hopes she does not have to walk the 4½ miles back to the shop!

We arrived back at Kilronen Hostel just after dark. The sun had shone all day and the wind had kept itself abated, so it was good winter walking weather. But by the time we got back, the cold had set in, and another half-pint of Guiness at the wee pub sounded like a good idea. 

And it was there that Cathy completed her own Aran cap.