Museums

We did a lot of museums while on holiday.

• Folk (village life)
• Railway - we expected steam but it turned out to be a "bus" driven by a diesel engine on a narrow gauge along the rocky coast and over the upper bog lands of Donegal.
• Carpet making (actually the most interesting - hand knotted wool carpets that have been in palaces, luxury oceans liner, embassy and posh hotels in the 1920s to 1980s.)
• Fishing - not a big thing but the volunteer was a scream and gave us the low down on the various deep sea fishing boats in the current harbour.
• Workhouse, and next door, the rather beautifully appointed doctors house.
• We went to a castle but ignored the baronial house and spent ages in the beautiful Victorian "walking" gardens and the walled veg garden. I would love one of those!

It is strange when you see bits of your life in a museum.  This was like my Dad's bike in the 1950/60s. He never learned to drive and cycled everywhere.

We also spent time talking to local makers and artisans.  A lovely old chap gave us a personal demo on his traditional weaving machine showing us a complex tweed design. Another chap showed us his complex modern enormous knitting machine where he designed his own knitted jumpers using locally sourced wool. We succumbed and brought a hard wearing traditional style donegal jumper each. We will not be treating them with reverence and keeping them in a drawer, they are designed to be worn and we will be using them in the cold weather.  Because after that purchase we can't afford to turn the heating on!

We visited a craft village near Donegal Town and although the art gallery and glass makers were nice we spent ages in the print shop with  a lovely lady who had an 150 year old printing machine that she uses everyday.  It was a fabulous machine. Real Victorian engineering.  Great work; it was simple and clear and lovely calligraphy style.  Trades as thepearinpaper.

Succumbed again - to a couple of cards!

We are home again now and real life is catching up with us plus its nearly half term and those grandchildren are being brought here (again).