Sunday, May 17th, 2026

This morning we are checking out of our hotel in Derry, Northern Ireland and working our way to Mohill in the Republic of Ireland.

We made a quick stop at St. Eugene’s Cathedral in Derry. It was built in the 19th century and opened in May, 1873. A Roman Catholic cathedral couldn’t be built until the passage of the Roman Catholic Relief Act in 1829 where the United Kingdom’s parliament removed the legal requirement to swear faith to a specific religion or sect that barred the Roman Catholics in the UK and Ireland from building a cathedral.

St. Eugene’s Cathedral opened without a bell tower, spire, or stained glass windows due to a lack of funds. In the late 1890s stained glass windows were installed and the spire and bell tower were added by 1903. We stepped in quietly because a mass was occurring.

After visiting St. Eugene’s Cathedral we visited a cashel, the Grianán of Aileach. A cashel in early Irish history refers to a circular ringfort. It is located on the summit of Greenan Mountain. On a clear day you can see quite a distance, across Lough (lake) Swilly, Lough Foyle and the countryside. This morning it was drizzling and foggy so our views weren’t that spectacular.

The Grianán of Aileach was originally constructed before 800 AD. It was built by Áed Oirdnide, king of Cenél nÉogain which was a small kingdom located by the Inishowen peninsula. Building the fort here the king could view both his Inishowen and see his newly won territories. Grianán of Aileach was considered the king’s stronghold.

It was reconstructed in the 19th century. Its walls are 15 feet thick and 16 feet high. Inside are three terraces which are linked by steps and two long passages within it. We did not climb the steps due to the wet, uneven stones.

Benbulben’s tabletop is part of the Dartry Mountain range. It is said that fairies live here!

We passed by the Classiebawn Castle located on the west coast of Ireland and the Harbour at Mullaghmore along the Wild Atlantic Way which is a 1600 miles coastal driving route along Ireland’s western coast.

It was the holiday home of Louis Mountbatten who was a member of the British Royal family who was assassinated close by in 1979. It is currently privately owned.

Nearby the castle was the Mullaghmore Cliffs Viewpoint along the Wild Atlantic Way. There were breathtaking views of the rugged Atlantic coastline. The waves were really big but our pictures don’t illustrate just how big.

We made a stop at Mullaghmore Beach. It’s a white sand beach that spans almost 2 miles and is also located along the Wild Atlantic Way. It is known for its dramatic coastal views and world-class surfing. When we stopped by the tide was out!

We visited St. Columba’s Church in Drumcliff. It was built in 1809 and stands where a medieval monastery once stood.

We stepped inside the church and the congregation was enjoying Fellowship after the service. The church walls have memorials and one belonged to Pastor John Yeats who was Rector at Drumcliffe long before his famous great-grandson visited.

These memorial doors were donated in 1989 by the W.B. Yeats Society of Western Australia to commemorate the famous W.B. Yeats.

The famous poet/writer W.B. Yeats was born here and is buried in the church graveyard. He was reinterred here in 1948 almost a decade after his death in France in 1939 in accordance with his last wishes.

The picture below was the sculpture was unveiled in 2003 and was inspired by the poem “He wishes for the Cloths of Heaven” by W.B. Yeats.

The sculpture has four elements. The first was the Figure and it is crouched over the blanket. The second was the Blanket which represents the dreams and aspirations of the Cloths of Heaven. The third was the Light Tower which was similar to the Plain Cross Shaft. The fourth was the Stone Seating which invites viewers to rest and dream their own “Cloths of Heaven”.

We ended our day at the Lough Rynn Castle Hotel where we would be spending the night.

It is located between the lakes of Lough Rynn and Lough Eril. The castle was built on the land that has the remains of the Mc Raghnall’s Castle from 1474 AD.

Below are some photos from the interior of the castle.

Our rooms were located in the Eastern Range which was formerly the residence and stables of the Estate Manager who was responsible for looking after Lord Leitrim’s gardens, grounds, and guests.

We walked the Walled gardens on the estate. The first tier was the working garden where fruits, vegetables, and herbs are grown and then used in the hotel restaurant. The gardens were just beginning to bloom but it was still beautiful to wander through the tiers that ended at the River Rynn.

The native Irish Honeybees have a history at Lough Rynn Castle. The honey that is collected from the hives is featured in the breakfast menu at the Estate’s restaurant. Reverend Joseph Digges became the private chaplain to the Earls of Leitrim on the estate. Many consider him to be the Father of Irish beekeeping. He chaired the Irish Beekeepers’ Association from 1910-1921.

After our delicious meal in the restaurant on the estate we went for a walk around the grounds and gardens.