Wednesday, May 7, 2008
GALWAY— Our second day in Ireland began with a full Irish breakfast that included fried egg over easy, bacon (more like country ham), link sausage, seasoned potatoes, toast, various cereals and such. We then boarded our motorcoaches for what would be an incredibly educational day with some amazing sights.
Our buses first headed for Moycullen (about 7 miles to the north-northeast of Galway) for visits to the Connemara Celtic Crystal Ltd. and Connemara Marble Industries Ltd., with one bus visiting each location at a time. At both locations, we had the opportunity to see some amazing Irish craftsmanship at work.
Celtic Crystal, established in 1972 by Mary B. Munnelly, is located on the site of a former railway station. The company prides itself on creating exquisite crystal pieces, taking the art of glass making to new heights. Mrs. Munnelly herself greeted us upon entering the showroom and proceeded to tell us about the creating of the fine crystal made there, ranging from religious pieces to specially designed wedding chalices and goblets. The firm prides itself on recreating the culture and history of Ireland in its crystal designs, most of which incorporate Celtic designs and Gaelic motifs. Many of the pieces we viewed in the showroom, which included some ornate vases weighing as much as 109 pounds and standing more than 3 and ½ feet tall, boasted such designs as the Celtic cross, the Claddagh ring (a symbol of fidelity that includes two hands holding a heart with a crown on top), the Irish Rose, the shamrock and various other traditional designs inspired by the Book of Kells.
The crystal pieces themselves are made of the highest quality glass, which is blown at the Celtic Crystal facility and contains a 34 percent lead content. The heavier lead content, Mrs. Munnelly says, results in a heavier glass that is of much higher quality that can withstand the multiple cuttings necessary to create some of the ornate designs. The glass cutters working at Celtic Crystal must undergo rigorous training, Mrs. Munnelly says. Those seeking an apprenticeship in glass cutting – which lasts 5 years – must first earn a certificate in mechanical drawing and art before undergoing training. Upon completion of the apprenticeship period, the glass cutter can begin work. To earn the right to cut the more ornate colored crystal pieces, an additional apprenticeship of 2 years is required. The designation of master glass cutter is then awarded.
Because of the impact working on colored crystal pieces can have on a glass cutter’s eyesight, the cutter is allowed to only produce three pieces of any specific color each year. The most common colors produced are red, cobalt blue and green, though some purple pieces were also seen in the Celtic Crystal showroom. In producing the colored glass, certain elements are added during the glass-blowing process – gold for red glass, cobalt for blue glass and nickel for green glass.
In producing the ornate crystal pieces, the design is cut into the glass up to three times depending on the size of the individual piece. The first cut “roughs” the design into the glass, while the second and third cuts refine and smooth the designs. The glass is in dipped briefly into a low-grade acid to complete the smoothing process and add a polish to the crystal.
After Ms. Munnelly finished her overview, we then had the opportunity to view master cutter Sean Tierney at work as he etched the designs of an Irish rose and a Celtic band on a bowl. The process of etching the design in the initial cutting took Mr. Tierney less than three minutes. Several of us then purchase jewelry and other items from the showroom. Since Celtic Crystal operates exclusively as an export company, no taxes were charged on the purchases.
Our visit to Connemara Marble also proved quite interesting. There, Ambrose Joyce, one of the members of the family that owns the firm, provided an overview of the types of marble found in Ireland and used in the creations crafted at Connemara Marble. The Connemara region of Ireland located along the western coastal region north of Galway is famous for its green marble, which is found nowhere else in the world.
Believed to have been formed between 500 million and 600 million years ago during the pre-Cambrian times, the green color in the marble resulted from the presence of copper oxide in the soil. Other types of marble were formed more than 300 million years ago. Wetting down the marble, Mr. Joyce said, helps bring out the color. The marble used in designing the jewelry and variety of other items is mined from a quarry several kilometers north of Moycullen. Several of us purchased jewelry, Celtic crosses, shamrocks and “worry stones” made of the green marble while at Connemara Marble.
From Moycullen, we continued north into what could be described as fairly remote country en route to the Connemara National Park. Thebreathtakingly beautiful terrain grew increasingly mountainous as we passed into the Inagh Valley, which was situated between mountains with a huge lake in the midst. Homes were located along the roadway and dotted the mountainsides and sheep aplenty could be found grazing in the grassier areas, some even making their way frequently into the shoulder of the road. We passed through the small hamlet of Kylemore and then the town of Letterfrack, where the main entrance to Connemara National Park is located. We would return to Kylemore shortly after our visit to the park.
Connemara National Park covers some 2,000 hectares (4,942 acres) of scenic mountains, bogs, heaths, grasslands and woodlands and incorporates some of the famous Twelve Bens mountains, including Benbaun, Bencullagh, Benbrack and Muckanaght. The park was established and first opened in 1980 and is one of six national parks operated by the Office of Public Works in Ireland. The focus of the park is on the Connemara region’s landscape, with specific attention given to land use and the flora and fauna of the area. The park includes numerous nature trails offering a variety of scenery and settings – some of which literally go up the side of a couple of mountains and back down again.
From Connemara National Park, we headed back toward Kylemore for our lunch break and visit to Kylemore Abbey, a castle built at the foot of a mountain in 1868 with a sizable lake in front of it. Standing as an example of one of Ireland’s great neo-gothic castles. Now owned by Benedictine nuns, the castle houses a school for girls, some of whom we encountered briefly during our visit. The property also includes a sizable church. The gift shop at Kylemore Abbey offered a variety of items handmade by the Benedictine nuns, including soaps with such scents as lemongrass, peppermint and lavender. The soaps were a popular purchase by many of us.
Returning from Kylemore Abbey to Galway, we had a short break before dressing for our first concert of the trip, but we first enjoyed a dinner of a chicken dish or smoked salmon with new potatoes, carrot souffle’, steamed cauliflower and brussel sprouts, followed by individual dessert samplers that included chocolate profiterole, a lime cake and what we believe was a strawberry mousse pie.
Following dinner, we headed to the heart of Galway for the Wind Ensemble’s first performance at the Town Hall Centre Theatre, located just a stone’s throw from the River Comb. The Wind Ensemble was preceded by local artists Margaret Duggan, who sang the Irish classics “Danny Boy” and “Galway Bay”; Eamon Shevlin, who treated us to “Ole Man River” from the Broadway musical “Show Boat” and “If I Were A Rich Man” from “Fiddler on the Roof”; and the Peter Galligan Trio, which performed three traditional Irish jigs on banjo, guitar, violin and panflute.
The Wind Ensemble, conducted at various times by Elva Kaye Lance, Clifton Taylor and Craig Aarhus, performed for a small, but enthusiastic audience of between 35 and 40 people, not including the chaperones sitting in the theater. Several of the audience members commented on how excellent the performance was and how they wished their friends could have attended the performance. One woman who attended with her son and daughter, upon learning that the Wind Ensemble was to perform at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Dublin on Friday night, said she would be calling all her friends and relatives in the Irish capital to tell them “they’d be fools to miss the concert at St. Patrick’s.”
Another busy day, but a satisfying one. On to Dublin!
GALWAY— Our second day in Ireland began with a full Irish breakfast that included fried egg over easy, bacon (more like country ham), link sausage, seasoned potatoes, toast, various cereals and such. We then boarded our motorcoaches for what would be an incredibly educational day with some amazing sights.
Our buses first headed for Moycullen (about 7 miles to the north-northeast of Galway) for visits to the Connemara Celtic Crystal Ltd. and Connemara Marble Industries Ltd., with one bus visiting each location at a time. At both locations, we had the opportunity to see some amazing Irish craftsmanship at work.
Celtic Crystal, established in 1972 by Mary B. Munnelly, is located on the site of a former railway station. The company prides itself on creating exquisite crystal pieces, taking the art of glass making to new heights. Mrs. Munnelly herself greeted us upon entering the showroom and proceeded to tell us about the creating of the fine crystal made there, ranging from religious pieces to specially designed wedding chalices and goblets. The firm prides itself on recreating the culture and history of Ireland in its crystal designs, most of which incorporate Celtic designs and Gaelic motifs. Many of the pieces we viewed in the showroom, which included some ornate vases weighing as much as 109 pounds and standing more than 3 and ½ feet tall, boasted such designs as the Celtic cross, the Claddagh ring (a symbol of fidelity that includes two hands holding a heart with a crown on top), the Irish Rose, the shamrock and various other traditional designs inspired by the Book of Kells.
The crystal pieces themselves are made of the highest quality glass, which is blown at the Celtic Crystal facility and contains a 34 percent lead content. The heavier lead content, Mrs. Munnelly says, results in a heavier glass that is of much higher quality that can withstand the multiple cuttings necessary to create some of the ornate designs. The glass cutters working at Celtic Crystal must undergo rigorous training, Mrs. Munnelly says. Those seeking an apprenticeship in glass cutting – which lasts 5 years – must first earn a certificate in mechanical drawing and art before undergoing training. Upon completion of the apprenticeship period, the glass cutter can begin work. To earn the right to cut the more ornate colored crystal pieces, an additional apprenticeship of 2 years is required. The designation of master glass cutter is then awarded.
Because of the impact working on colored crystal pieces can have on a glass cutter’s eyesight, the cutter is allowed to only produce three pieces of any specific color each year. The most common colors produced are red, cobalt blue and green, though some purple pieces were also seen in the Celtic Crystal showroom. In producing the colored glass, certain elements are added during the glass-blowing process – gold for red glass, cobalt for blue glass and nickel for green glass.
In producing the ornate crystal pieces, the design is cut into the glass up to three times depending on the size of the individual piece. The first cut “roughs” the design into the glass, while the second and third cuts refine and smooth the designs. The glass is in dipped briefly into a low-grade acid to complete the smoothing process and add a polish to the crystal.
After Ms. Munnelly finished her overview, we then had the opportunity to view master cutter Sean Tierney at work as he etched the designs of an Irish rose and a Celtic band on a bowl. The process of etching the design in the initial cutting took Mr. Tierney less than three minutes. Several of us then purchase jewelry and other items from the showroom. Since Celtic Crystal operates exclusively as an export company, no taxes were charged on the purchases.
Our visit to Connemara Marble also proved quite interesting. There, Ambrose Joyce, one of the members of the family that owns the firm, provided an overview of the types of marble found in Ireland and used in the creations crafted at Connemara Marble. The Connemara region of Ireland located along the western coastal region north of Galway is famous for its green marble, which is found nowhere else in the world.
Believed to have been formed between 500 million and 600 million years ago during the pre-Cambrian times, the green color in the marble resulted from the presence of copper oxide in the soil. Other types of marble were formed more than 300 million years ago. Wetting down the marble, Mr. Joyce said, helps bring out the color. The marble used in designing the jewelry and variety of other items is mined from a quarry several kilometers north of Moycullen. Several of us purchased jewelry, Celtic crosses, shamrocks and “worry stones” made of the green marble while at Connemara Marble.
From Moycullen, we continued north into what could be described as fairly remote country en route to the Connemara National Park. Thebreathtakingly beautiful terrain grew increasingly mountainous as we passed into the Inagh Valley, which was situated between mountains with a huge lake in the midst. Homes were located along the roadway and dotted the mountainsides and sheep aplenty could be found grazing in the grassier areas, some even making their way frequently into the shoulder of the road. We passed through the small hamlet of Kylemore and then the town of Letterfrack, where the main entrance to Connemara National Park is located. We would return to Kylemore shortly after our visit to the park.
Connemara National Park covers some 2,000 hectares (4,942 acres) of scenic mountains, bogs, heaths, grasslands and woodlands and incorporates some of the famous Twelve Bens mountains, including Benbaun, Bencullagh, Benbrack and Muckanaght. The park was established and first opened in 1980 and is one of six national parks operated by the Office of Public Works in Ireland. The focus of the park is on the Connemara region’s landscape, with specific attention given to land use and the flora and fauna of the area. The park includes numerous nature trails offering a variety of scenery and settings – some of which literally go up the side of a couple of mountains and back down again.
From Connemara National Park, we headed back toward Kylemore for our lunch break and visit to Kylemore Abbey, a castle built at the foot of a mountain in 1868 with a sizable lake in front of it. Standing as an example of one of Ireland’s great neo-gothic castles. Now owned by Benedictine nuns, the castle houses a school for girls, some of whom we encountered briefly during our visit. The property also includes a sizable church. The gift shop at Kylemore Abbey offered a variety of items handmade by the Benedictine nuns, including soaps with such scents as lemongrass, peppermint and lavender. The soaps were a popular purchase by many of us.
Returning from Kylemore Abbey to Galway, we had a short break before dressing for our first concert of the trip, but we first enjoyed a dinner of a chicken dish or smoked salmon with new potatoes, carrot souffle’, steamed cauliflower and brussel sprouts, followed by individual dessert samplers that included chocolate profiterole, a lime cake and what we believe was a strawberry mousse pie.
Following dinner, we headed to the heart of Galway for the Wind Ensemble’s first performance at the Town Hall Centre Theatre, located just a stone’s throw from the River Comb. The Wind Ensemble was preceded by local artists Margaret Duggan, who sang the Irish classics “Danny Boy” and “Galway Bay”; Eamon Shevlin, who treated us to “Ole Man River” from the Broadway musical “Show Boat” and “If I Were A Rich Man” from “Fiddler on the Roof”; and the Peter Galligan Trio, which performed three traditional Irish jigs on banjo, guitar, violin and panflute.
The Wind Ensemble, conducted at various times by Elva Kaye Lance, Clifton Taylor and Craig Aarhus, performed for a small, but enthusiastic audience of between 35 and 40 people, not including the chaperones sitting in the theater. Several of the audience members commented on how excellent the performance was and how they wished their friends could have attended the performance. One woman who attended with her son and daughter, upon learning that the Wind Ensemble was to perform at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Dublin on Friday night, said she would be calling all her friends and relatives in the Irish capital to tell them “they’d be fools to miss the concert at St. Patrick’s.”
Another busy day, but a satisfying one. On to Dublin!
0 comments:
Post a Comment