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Ireland - Day Six

This morning after breakfast, we checked out of the lovely Armada Hotel and departed Spanish Point to journey into Westport to visit Westport House.

An 18th century mansion with magnificent views of Clew Bay which leads to the Atlantic Ocean, the house is the focal point of a 400 acrre estate. Built in 1730 by the Browne family, the house lies on ruins of a castle dating back to the 1500's which was home to Grace O'Malley, the infamous Pirate Queen.  Colonel John Browne came to Westport in in the mid-1600s and married Grace O'Malley's great-great granddaughter, Maud Bourke.  It was their grandson, John Browne, 1st Earl of Altamont who build the first phase of the house in 1730.  All that remains of Grace O'Malley's original castle are the dungeons.

We were given a wonderful account of the history of Westport House and the Browne family by our tour guide, John, and then were free to explore the remainder of the house on our own, including the dungeon, the wine cellar, the servant's kitchen and the upstairs bedrooms. 

After departing Westport House, we headed to the pilgrimage town of Knock to visit Knock Shrine, where the Virgin Mary, along with St.


Joseph and St. John the Baptist, appeared on August 21, 1879. Unlike other Apparitions, the Eucharistic Lamb also appeared in front of a Cross on an altar surrounded by angels.  Fifteen members of this small village community witnessed the Apparition on that dark, wet August evening.  The witnesses watched and prayed for over 2 hours and though they were wet, they noticed that no rain fell on upon the Apparition or on the gable.

The Shrine consists of a chapel at the site of the Apparition, a museum and the Basilica of Our Lady, Queen of Ireland. After departing Knock, we made our way to the country town of Ballyfarnon for a one-night stay at the Kilronan Castle Estate and Spa, Built in the 18th century, Kilronan Castle Estate is full of history that was lovingly transformed from the ancestral home of a royal family into a luxurious Irish castle hotel with a spa. After a fabulous group dinner, complete with the celebration of a birthday and an anniversary, we made our way to our rooms for the night to rest up for our trip into Dublin tomorrow.




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