I'm a Hitchhiking Fool

The Burren


Let’s face it. All I am in this world is a poor college kid trying to get through life with a few laughs and some cool experiences. I want to travel around Ireland and see everything this island has to offer but it can be hard without transportation. Initially I thought about buying a moped but I quickly discovered they are way beyond my price range. Then I thought about buying a bike. Bikes too are expensive and too slow so I decided not to get one. I thought about travelling everywhere by bus but fares add up quickly and there are restrictions on where they go, especially during the off season like now. I knew thee had to be a better way of getting around and this weekend I found it. I hitchhiked all around western Ireland on Sunday and I loved it.



I woke up early before my friends and set off out of Doolin not knowing what lay ahead of me. I heard hitchhiking was okay to do in Ireland but really I had no clue what I was doing. Setting off down the road I was able to take in the beautiful coastline while passing through Co. Clare. Things started slow because few Irish people do anything before nine in the morning but I was content with walking. After a while cars started appearing and my first few attempts were busts. I admit I was a little shy at first not knowing exactly what to do. After a few attempts I bucked up and really tried catching a ride. I turned around proudly displaying my thumb with a big smile on my face trying to look as non-threatening as possible. Sure enough, I was quickly picked up and was on my way to the town of Lehinch.
After one more pick-up I arrived at Lehinch where the legendary golf course is located in the beach town. I wanted to see the course and get a feel for the town. The course was like none I have seen before with huge mounds and tall grass everywhere. I hope to play it while I’m here. Lehinch is also known for the surfing and I walked up and down the beach watching the waves come in.
Heading out of Lehinch towards Miltown Malbay, the town where my great great great great grandfather’s tomb resides, I had the coolest hitchhiking experience yet. I was picked up by a wonderful lady who was half mad but completely generous. Her name was Ullah and she talked to me constantly. She told me she was headed to see a dolphin that the locals of Miltown Malbay swim with everyday. She invited me along to see it and I figured to delay my plans and go with her. There we watched as 20 locals swam with the dolphin and she shared coffee and sandwiches with me and introduced me to locals. It was an awesome experience I won’t soon forget.
From Miltown Malbay I walked to the rugged Spanish point where some ships from the Armada were wrecked and ate lunch and had a beer. Next I walked a mile to the cemetery to say hi to my pops. I found the weathered tomb in the last row of the cemetery and said hi. It was time to go home.
I hitched all the way back to the Cliffs of Moher where I found a tour bus headed back to Galway that I could get a cheap ride from. The bus took the long rout through an area known as the Burren along the coast. The Burren is a beautiful wasteland of limestone and moss. Cows graze on whatever they can find along the way but besides that there is little to see besides the sea and mountains of rock. It was a nice ride though.
Along the way the tour guide told stupid tales and pointed out mundane things along the road, nothing of much interest. I laughed as I looked around the bus. All over were tourists sleeping. I guess they had a rough day being herded on and off the bus. After all, they had pictures to prove they made it to the cliffs. I think I had more fun than them. I can’t wait to hitch again.



Moroney: Second row, middle word. This is gramps.

The rest of the secluded cemetery.