Keep Calm and Pedal On

Riding Stats (Link to Tom’s Strava)

Accommodations (daily mileage, elevation, etc.)

Route Tracker (track our northbound ride on a Google Map)

At the route rap last night before the “catch and release” with the big lads at The Reel Inn, Tom and I had our usual talk about the following day’s route, weather and possible side trips for the day.

When he locked in on today’s ride he discovered we would be rolling over 14 climbs. 👀 Well then!

To be honest, the hills were mostly just rollers and our legs are feeling strong so it wasn’t as daunting as it looked last night.

I saw this quote in one of the pubs we visited and it’s so true.

In Ireland, the inevitable never happens but the unexpected always occurs.☘️

When coming to Ireland we certainly didn’t plan on so many inside stays but given the unexpected above average rainfall on the west coast in September we changed our plans and opted out of tent camping.

Cycling in rain and then going to bed wet, sleeping in a damp tent and taking it down in the rain, carrying a wet tent around and then having to dry it out at some point isn’t fun anymore. Was it ever fun? 🤷🏼‍♀️🤣 We’re happy to pivot to inside stays and the vacation mileage ain’t too shabby either. 😉

A bonus on this bike tour was changing from traditional bikepacking seat bags to Tailfins. They’re easy on, easy off when taking gear inside which we unexpectedly have done a lot of. There are two pins to pull out and the Tailfin comes right off the bike.

They’re stable, lightweight, expandable, waterproof and hold the clothing, sandals and minimal toiletries we need. The Tailfins are the rectangular bags on the back of our bikes.

Sweet rolls on the front still hold sleeping pads, bags, rain gear and electronics. And of course, Tom carries the tent on top of the sweet roll. No kitchen on this tour.

The white frame bags in the middle hold snacks, first aid kit, bike tools and spare tubes (just in case our tubeless tire setup gets a puncture that won’t seal).

Using the Tailfins instead of the Revelate seat bags makes it easy to grab our backpacks out of our sweet roll bags on the handlebars and load them up with only our electronics bag, rain coats (always take the raincoat in) and snacks if needed. Everything else stays on the bike.

The hardest part of our bike tour is remembering what town we stayed in the night before when asked, as people inevitably do, and for me, figuring out how to work the dang showers.

Near the end of our ride today, guess who pulled up beside us. One of the big lads from The Reel Inn riding his BMW and he’d come to say “Ow are ye?” Such a friendly guy.

We’re acknowledging The Bridge Inn as our Pub of the Day for convenience. This gastropub on the Dungloe River is located right beside our tiny apartment for the night. Their food is 💯 and their Guinness, as usual is 👍🏻.

We’ve had two sunny days in a row without rain but we’re in for a wet one tomorrow to Creeslough. 😬 With only eight climbs and another inside stay tomorrow night, we’ve got this. 💪🏻

Towns we cycled through today: Mountcharles and Andara

Click on the image below to view today’s video:

Riding Stats (Link to Tom’s Strava)

Accommodations (daily mileage, elevation, etc.)

Route Tracker (track our northbound ride on a Google Map)

On our way out of town we stopped to watch just a bit of the Junior European Surfing Competition in Bundoran. I had no idea surfing was a thing in Ireland but it makes sense. I mean we’re surrounded by water and one side butts up to the Atlantic Ocean.

Once in Donegal we did a quick visit to Donegal Castle, a little gem tucked along the River Eske. Built in the 15th century, it was once home to the mighty O’Donnell clan, one of Ireland’s most powerful Gaelic families, who lived in it for about 130 years.

In about 1697 the O’Donnells and others left, destroying much of it before leaving so as not to allow it to fall into British hands.

Guess they didn’t wreak enough damage to the beautiful structure because subsequent to the “Flight of the Earls” English captain Sir Basil Brooke took it over, did some renos and then added an entire mansion on the left. You can see Basil’s addition above.

The Jacobean mansion was three stories and although none of the flooring remained it was easy to see where the floors would have been based on the window, joist holes and fireplace locations.

This was our first visit to the inside of a castle and we were awed with its massiveness and history.

Besides “castling” the short riding day also allowed some down time (nap for Deb) and time to sketch out the remaining four days of riding (Tom).

Armed with rest and route planning, we ventured out for food and pints. On our way out the door of our B&B, we saw that The Reel Inn offered nightly live Traditional music. And just like that, we knew we had to see what it was all about.

After a tasty meal at The Olde Castle Bar (and yes you could see Donegal Castle in the window) we ambled over to The Reel Inn for some traditional music and a potential candidate for our Pub of the Day.

The trad music sesh was enjoyable but turns out, not all that traditional. However when what looked like senior recruits for the all-island Irish Rugby Team walked in, the fun began.

They were six or so big lads, stood right by our table, and took up nearly the entire pub with their large physiques.

We got to talking to them and turns out they tour on motorcycles and were shocked when they heard about our bike ride. From Derry, Donegal and Muff, they told us to be sure to visit The Squealing Pig should our bike ride take us through Muff.

Cold Guinness and uber friendly Irishmen glad to share a pint with a fellow two wheeled traveler earned The Reel Inn our Pub of the Day. We came as visitors but left feeling like regulars. Slainte!🍻

Towns we cycled through today included: Ballyshannon, Creevy and Laghy

Click on the image below to view today’s vid:

Riding Stats (Link to Tom’s Strava)

Accommodations (daily mileage, elevation, etc.)

Route Tracker (track our northbound ride on a Google Map)

I’m going to be dramatic.

The wind today was absolutely insane! This wasn’t just a breezy day in Ireland; we experienced a proper Irish blow with gale-force winds reaching Force 8 on the Beaufort Scale.

That translates to sustained winds of approximately 39–46 mph. Good thing is, it was mostly sustained wind coming from the same direction and not multi directional gusts which make it so much harder to keep the bikes upright.

Even the cows and sheep were laying low.🤣

There were times I was looking ahead at Tom fighting the wind blowing. He was leaning hard to the right trying to stay upright while the wind was trying to drive him left into the ditch.

And you wouldn’t even know it given the lovely pic below. It looks calm and sunny.

We stopped in Grange to get a sammich and get out of the wind but couldn’t find any shelter. While I was in the grocery, a nice lady offered to shuttle us to Bundoran in her van. Tom declined. Guess he thought it would have to get worse for that to happen. Well I guess it did start raining a little after lunch.

All in all, on a day I was very anxious about, we arrived safely, praise God. And it always helps to know there’s hot shower and warm bed waiting for us.

Digs for the night were at The Bank House where the rooms are located above the pub. Maggie had the taps flowing and our room wasn’t ready yet soooo…

After unpacking, showering and getting the bikes situated we walked into town to Madden’s Bridge Bar and Restaurant. This pub offers excellent food and a wide selection of taps.

When we walked in, there was hardly anyone there. Fifteen minutes later it looked like this.

Apparently Bundoran is hosting the European Junior Surfing Championships tomorrow with events taking place all week and there are more than 20 countries represented.

All the youngsters were gathering at Madden’s to chat it up. After meeting one of them, I guess we’ll be watching some surfers tomorrow since we have just a short ride to Donegal. Today we’re raising our glass to the surfers! 🍻

Towns we cycle through today included Drumcliff, Grange and Tullaghan.

Click on the image below to view today’s vid:

Riding Stats (Link to Tom’s Strava)

Accommodations (daily mileage, elevation, etc.)

Route Tracker (track our northbound ride on a Google Map)

Today’s ride felt like fall. The air was cooler, crisper and there was a tinge of color in the green trees. 🍁 Also on this rural ride in County Sligo we saw:

• More trees – both deciduous and coniferous🌲

• Stone fencing replaced with wood posts and wires 🪵

• More sheep on the streets than cars 🐏

• More wind turbines 💨
• Fewer Marian grottoes 💙
• Most signs don’t include Irish words 🪧
• There wasn’t a drop of rain 😉

Biggest “smilestone” today however was hitting the 1,000 mile mark for our bike tour.

This won’t be our longest bike tour or our shortest, but I’ve come to an obvious conclusion: Ireland and our home state of Indiana are about the same geographical size.

In pedaling around Ireland, she sure packs a big bang for our buck in terms of natural beauty, history, culture and of course there’s the Guinness, in which Indiana can’t compare.

Did you know there’s an unofficial SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) for serving a pint of Guinness? The bartender places the glass with its iconic harp logo facing the person about to enjoy it.

Here’s an interesting twist: the Guinness harp is also based on Ireland’s national symbol, but the harp on the Guinness logo faces the opposite direction.

And this brings me to our Pint Size Review of our Pub of the Day and our bartender, Frank, at Tom Connelly’s Pub.

The pub itself is Sligo’s oldest pub dating back to 1780 and you can feel it as you enter Tom Connelley’s. This place breathes history with cozy snugs, dark wood and a stone floor.

Our bartender, Frank, born and raised in Sligo was a lot of fun to talk to. Besides sharing about what Tom Connolly’s looked like back in the day, (one side was a proper pub and the other a grocery), we discovered he’s a huge fan of live music, particularly American musicians and has been to the following live performances: Tina Turner, Prince, Bruce Springsteen, Michael Jackson, Garth Brooks and wait for it… Neil Diamond, FIVE times.

Unfortunately I didn’t get a lot of pics of Tom Connelley’s because we were too busy chatting it up with Frank but today, for Frank, we raise our glass to him and Tom Connelley’s.

Towns we pedaled through today were: Coolaney and Ballisodare

Click on the image below to view today’s vid:

Riding Stats (Link to Tom’s Strava)

Accommodations (daily mileage, elevation, etc.)

Route Tracker (track our northbound ride on a Google Map)

Oh My-O, Oh Mayo how great it was to meet you! County Sligo you have a lot to live up to. ☘️

From the conservatory of our stay at Stella Maris we could see Downpatrick Head and the giant land form just off its coast. We knew we had to have a look for ourselves. And indeed, that was our first stop of the day.

Dun Briste (Broken Fort) is a huge 150 foot sea stack rising from the Atlantic Ocean near Downpatrick Head. It’s covered with lush green grass, surrounded by crashing waves and was actually once connected to the mainland.

Long ago, people lived and farmed on the tip of Downpatrick Head until a violent storm in 1393 severed it from the mainland, leaving its inhabitants stranded on the newly formed sea stack. To be honest, I can’t imagine what was going through their heads when that happened.

They were reportedly rescued using ropes from ships, but still. All they had was lost on the sea stack.

That story was confirmed when researchers later discovered remains of stone buildings, field walls, and evidence of cultivation, confirming that this seemingly impossible place was once home to a small community.

We reached Dun Briste right after the rain and the bluebird skies made the ocean seem even bluer and more dramatic.

We cycled a “V” today (looking at you Victoria👀) and on some nice rural bike trails.

Hard to believe soon our northbound journey will come to an end in Derry.

We popped into Gilroy’s for our Pub of the Day Pint Size Review. The pub itself was no McDonnell’s but the view was 💯.

So if you’re lucky enough to enjoy a pint while looking at Killala Bay with a Guinness in hand you’re lucky enough. ☘️ Slainte!

Towns we cycled trough today included Ballina and Killala.

Click on the image below to view more pics and videos:

Riding Stats (Link to Tom’s Strava)

Accommodations (daily mileage, elevation, etc.)

Route Tracker (track our northbound ride on a Google Map)

Today’s ride took us through what looked somewhat like an Irish version of the prairie—miles of open, grassy coastal plain stretching toward the Atlantic. And yes, it was also very windy with gorgeous cloud formations. Distant mountains, land void of trees, occasional ocean cliffs and sunshine brought some of the most gorgeous riding yet. Not sure if there is a word for Irish prairie but that’s what we cycled through today.

Ceide Fields was the last stop on our route today before calling it a day. It’s a hidden farming community buried under several feet of bogs that thrived nearly 6,000 years ago. To put it in perspective, that’s before the pyramids were even built. It was discovered by a local school teacher who was cutting turf in the 1940’s. Stone fences, cooking artifacts and farming implements are just some of what’s been uncovered there.

Ceide Field overlooks this dramatic coastline. Not a bad place to live.

Finally in what might be one of our favorite stays of the trip, we landed in Stella Maris, a structure with a unique and varied history.

Overlooking Bunatrahir Bay just outside of Ballycastle, Stella Maris was built around 1853 as a British Coast Guard headquarters.

Around 1915 the Sisters of Mercy took it over and named it “Star of the Sea.” The sisters lived at Stella Maris and traveled nearly two miles into the village each day by horse-drawn cart to teach children.

Eventually the sisters moved their convent into town to be closer to the parish school and Stella Maris became a country house hotel.

Our host Rolf, (now owner of Stella Maris) took excellent care of us and I promise he will do the same for you should you ever find yourself in need of a night’s lodging or tasty meal in County Mayo.

Towns we cycled through today: Inver and Belderg

Click on the image below to view today’s video:

Riding Stats (Link to Tom’s Strava)

Accommodations (daily mileage, elevation, etc.)

Route Tracker (track our northbound ride on a Google Map)

The sun came back to County Mayo today and with it brought shadows.

Three weeks of cycling around Ireland’s west coast and nine more to go. It’s been unforgettable.

I’ll get to today’s ride but first, let’s get to a Pint Size Review of our Pub of the Day that I’ve been just “dying” to share with you: McConnell’s Bar & Undertakers

Pictured above is Padraig Conroy, owner, undertaker and politician who welcomes people into McDonnell’s with a handshake and a pint.

His grandparents, Michael and Elizabeth McDonnell, established the family pub in 1942 and Padraig inherited it in 2002. It’s known locally as “The Lobster Pot” because once you get in, it’s difficult to get out. We can vouch for that. 🤣

In talking to Padraig, he has a fierce pride in Belmullet and the surrounding area. And he was quick to ask if we flew to Ireland on Aer Lingus because McDonnell’s was featured in the documentary series called A Proper Pint, that was offered on the plane.

We’re not the only ones to raise a pint in recognizing McDonnell’s as something special. It was also named among Ireland’s top 10 pubs in the Sunday Times’ 2025 list, and in 2026 Padraig Conroy won Pub of the Year for Mayo at the Irish Restaurant Awards.

All this and he took the time to personally greet us and make us feel right at home here in Belmullet.

As far as cycling we’ve had no steep climbs to contend with for the past week and today was no different. We enjoyed breezy country riding on roads as smooth as Irish butter sliding over a hot skillet.

Also wanted to comment on the many Marian grottoes in Ireland. I think we’ve pedaled past at least one every day and again, today was no different.💙

Today we cycled through Bangor and Bunnahowen.

Click on the link below to view today’s video:

Riding Stats (Link to Tom’s Strava)

Accommodations (daily mileage, elevation, etc.)

Route Tracker (track our northbound ride on a Google Map)

Dolly Parton said, “The way I see it, if you want the rainbow ya gotta put up with the rain.”

True dat. Ireland is so beautiful because she has so much rain and today she gave us buckets of it.🌈

Below is the County Mayo welcome sign. They forgot to add: “Come for the scenery. Stay because your rain gear is already on.”🤣

It was actually a decent ride with 22 miles on the fantastic Great Western Greenway with a nice riding surface and no traffic.

We passed a well known bronze statue on the Greenway which portrays a father and two young barefoot sons waving goodbye to their mum who was off to work in the potato fields in Scotland.

It was a steady, heads down, 47 miler (Garmin forgot to record some of our ride) without any breaks. We didn’t want to stop and rest for fear of chilling.

At one point I turned to Tom and said “I could use one of those turf log fires right about now.” 😂

When we got to Mulranny it began raining even harder and we didn’t know exactly where our hotel was. Going back and forth down the main drive with Google doing what Google does sometimes in the rain (get confused) I can happily say no harsh words or eye rolls were exchanged. 🤣

We celebrated Mother Nature giving County Mayo what she needed today with a pint at our Pub of the Day and a tasty dinner at McLoughlin’s.

As with most pubs there’s a variety of taps that include at least a pilsner, a lager, a cider and most definitely stouts. McLoughlin’s offered all three popular Irish stouts on tap: Guinness, Beemish and Murphy’s. They also had a Guinness 0.0 on tap for our teetotalling friends.👍🏻

What’s a bit comical in the pubs we’ve visited is the prevalence of Coors and Heineken. And we haven’t seen fountain sodas, only canned or bottled soda is offered.

So today we toast to McLoughlin’s for offering so many stout choices. What a wonderful Irish world in which to be cycling!

And gratefully I finally found my warm in McLoughlin’s.

Towns we cycled through included Westport and Newport.

Click on the link below to see the hot mess of a day: 😂

Riding Stats (Link to Tom’s Strava)

Accommodations (daily mileage, elevation, etc.)

Route Tracker (track our northbound ride on a Google Map)

Today we had one of the best rides…

But first we had to get off the island to catch a sunrise ferry from Inishmore to mainland Ireland (which is also an island).😂

We said goodbye to yet another glamping pod grateful for a good and dry night of sleep.

The overcast, misty day was an ideal setting as we pedaled through miles of bogs on either side of the desolate, one lane road. We had sheep to keep us company and occasionally witnessed a local harvesting turf.

At first when we saw the white trash bags, we thought about the unfortunate idea someone had to collect discarded litter. However then we rode past several piles of black rectangular shaped pieces and realized there were what appeared to be geometric shavings from land in the bogs and that someone was harvesting something for someone.

It really is the most fun trying to figure out what we are seeing while riding by without being told. The convos on the bike can be the best part of the ride.

Later we learned that the piles of dark blocks were turf—peat cut from the bog and dried to be used as fuel. Traditionally, the sod is cut with a special shovel called a sleán, stacked to dry, and eventually burned in fireplaces and stoves for heat and cooking.

And of course the white bags scattered around the bogs are used to collect and transport the dried turf. All of this is an Irish tradition that’s still very much a part of life in the west.

By the way, since we arrived in Ireland on September 1st we’ve seen not one policeman, not one hint of sketchiness, crime, violence or homelessness. We did have a B & B stay next door to two Guarda (Police) Stations so we know there are police here.

Slainte to our Pub of the Day, Lowry’s in Clifden!🍻 Lowry’s has been in the Lowry family since 1949, when Patrick Lowry, a former Garda (police) sergeant, bought the pub and renamed it after himself.

The atmosphere is cozy with lit candles on every table, an extensive selection of shelved whiskey and my favorite… glass front cabinets of medicines, candy jars, food stuffs and other miscellaneous items an old timey store might offer. Plus they claim to offer live music daily but Tom and never stay long enough or late enough to enjoy.😬

And they must be doing something right, it’s been awarded “Best Traditional Bar in Ireland” three times.

Light another candle for Lowry’s! ☘️🇮🇪💚🕯️

Click on the link below to view today’s vid: