Friday, June 27, 2008

Ireland

We took a trip to Ireland, to visit the birthplace of the McDermott Family.



We flew into Dublin, then drove across Ireland to Roscommon and Sligo Counties. Here is Joseph in Carrick-on-Shannon, a bright little town on the Shannon River.






Mandy and Grandpa visited Boyle Abbey. This abbey was built on land donated by the MacDermot Family in the 1100's.



MacDermot Castle sits on an island in Lough Key. The MacDermot Clan ruled the Kingdom of Moylurg from this location, from the 12th Century through the early 1600s.



The kids enjoyed playing in Lough Key Forest Park.



Here is a view of MacDermot Castle from the other side of the Lough.



Here is Emily outside of the bed and breakfast where we stayed. The gates behind lead to Lough Key Forest Park. Prior to the 1950s, they were the gates to Rockingham Demesne.




King House in Boyle, built about 1730 and recently restored. The King family was given 30,000 acres of land around Boyle in the 1600's that was seized from the MacDermot Clan.



Richard and Joseph in Boyle, near a bridge over the Boyle River.



Joseph and his grandpa in Sligo.







The guys visited Sligo Abbey, while the ladies took a nap.



We headed to Dublin, where we visited the cathedral.



The crypt under the cathedral was cool and dark.



It was raining as we left the cathedral, but with rain comes rainbows.

Monday, June 2, 2008

Lion King

For Jenny's birthday, the family went to Lion King in London.


As driving in London is difficult, we took the tube from Epping.



After the show, we wandered London, checking out the eclectic shops. Emily especially liked the butterflies for sale at a booth at Covent Garden.



At Covent Garden we saw street performers. This guy juggled knives while he told jokes and balanced on a box on top of a tube.



This performer juggled at the top of a ladder and made jokes in a funny French accent.



Before heading home, we went to Trafalgar Square.



Happy Birthday Jenny!

Joseph and Jenny McDermott Family