In a letter from Karl to the Truro news, he reported: “I arrived in Limerick not a moment too soon, as a heavy fall of rain set in. I heard before landing in Ireland that it was a great place for rain, so I asked an Irishman about it. I said: “Mr. Flynn, I hear you have nine days of wet weather out of every ten, is that a fact?” He said, “It is! Indeed, it’s a fact and a true fact. Sure it often rains twelve days out of every ten”.

Ireland’s climate is notorious for being wet! As a consequence of the influence of the Atlantic Ocean, there are unpredictable weather patterns that move swiftly from rain to sunshine to clouds and back to rain. There is a minimum of 151 days a year where there is at least 1 mm of rain, and some years, it can be up to 225 days. This means that for a 2-week vacation at a minimum, it is likely to be raining for at least 4 days.

Fortunately, though, I can say that I stayed relatively dry for my time in Ireland, which allowed me to be outdoors more than indoors and prompted me to divert from Karl’s route and sidetrack to the spectacular Cliffs of Moher.

It’s my opinion that at least every first trip to Ireland should include a mandatory visit to the Cliffs of Moher - the rugged cliffs with views across the Atlantic Ocean to the Aran Islands. The size and breadth of the shale and sandstone cliffs is impressive. At their highest point, they rise to 200 meters (700 feet) and extend for 8 km along the Atlantic Ocean. Weathered over time by the waves, the cliffs erode, resulting in unique formations and sea caves.

Today, the Cliffs Of Moher draw about one million visitors each year, but this isn’t a new phenomenon. In 1835, Cornelius O’Brien, a local politician, built a tower as an observation post that enticed hundreds of tourists to visit the cliffs. Consequently, I’m a little surprised that Karl didn’t venture to the cliffs as they were gaining popularity when he rode his bike through the county all those years ago. Perhaps his plans were thwarted by a downpour? But, given Karl’s preference for landscapes and scenery, I think he would have enjoyed the Cliffs of Moher, and I’m glad that I was able to get sidetracked here.