Go West
June 2026
Even in foreign countries I find myself going west.
During a trip to Dublin, Ireland, I took a day tour with my Mom to the west coast to view the Cliffs of Moher. I had seen them in movies and other shows, but this was my chance to see them in person. Of course I knew it was risky since they are known to get socked in with fog, but this was the best opportunity to try. It would be a dream come true to actually experience the gusts of wind in my hair at the edge of these 330 million year old geological wonders.
The drive across Ireland is much shorter than across the United States. It’s quicker than driving across the state of New Mexico! The route was about 3 hours from Dublin to the cliffs. Driving away from the major city the green landscape rolled out like the widest plush carpet in a variety of green hues. Property lines were delineated with low grey stone walls and trees. Fluffy white sheep and round black-covered hay bales were popping up within the walls. The tour bus squeezed through the narrow roads, small colorful towns, and took tight turns that seemed impossible. The tour guide, with her microphone, told us about the country’s history and the invasions of the British, Vikings, and religion.
We were now a town away from our destination. Coastal life was becoming evident. We saw shop doors wide open, softer color choices of house paint, and we passed golf courses. I could feel the anticipation building inside me and I wanted to jump off the bus to run across the fields into the winds. The shortest bit up the last stretch of road felt like eternity, but we arrived and the bus parked in its special lot with the other tour buses.
Walking along the rock walls, felt like a dream. Had I really completed the treks to the infamous cliffs—to the “Cliffs of Insanity?” I had to pinch myself. There they were massive and rugged. The strata from millions of years eroded by wind and water left the jagged walls. The horizontal layers and bumpy edges look like ancient braille for a geologist.
Along the path one could hear seagulls squawking and traditional Irish music. Musicians, or buskers, have posts, or pitches, along the extra wide sidewalk and steps. Musicians have been busking here for generations to help with tourism, share local music, and the connection of music to the land.
We had a 2-hour time limit to explore the site, visitor center, and shops. This seemed like another near impossible goal. I did my best to soak up the views and feel the massive cliff’s sagas of natural cycles. My presence was not even the length of a piece of sand slipping through the hourglass compared to the length of time it took to create. I am still reviewing and absorbing my photos trying to wrap my brain around this colossal geological sculpted coastline. And what bewilders me further is that this coastline it still being shaped by Mother Nature and her elements.