Ennistymon, Ireland, is home to good food, friends and family

Kimberly Burk
| The Oklahoman

ENNISTYMON, IRELAND – He looks like a farmer from County Clare, and indeed he lives on a hilltop plot where the donkeys come running when he shows the feed bucket.

But Willie Daly is first and foremost a matchmaker, like his fathers before him, and it’s an art that isn’t as lost as you might think.

Daly shows off much of its magic in September, when the month-long matchmaking festival takes over the nearby town of Lisdoonvarna. As many as 20,000 of the unrivaled people from around the world turn up every year for the festival, which is characterized by drinking, dancing and a general good time known in Ireland as craic. Many go home without a fiancé, but rarely with a sense of failure, Daly says, with all the craziness spilling out onto the streets.

And there’s always next year.

The Falls Hotel in Ennistymon, which started life as a castle, hosts matchmaking festival goers and also welcomes clan reunions, bridge tournaments and tourists seeking the breathtaking scenery of Ireland’s west coast.

But just as importantly, the 140-room hotel and spa are owned by the townspeople.

“I passionately believe that The Falls Hotel is the lifeblood of Ennistymon,” says Sandra McCormack, owner of fashion store Off the Rails.

The McCarthy family, she says, “has created a beautiful place where locals and visitors alike can enjoy a nice walk, have a coffee, dine, dance, the whole works.”

If you’re a traveler looking to connect with the kind of easy-going people your ancestors descended from (and let’s face it: if you’re visiting Ireland, you’re probably Irish), you’ll find them at the hotel.

If you walk into the Cascade Restaurant with panoramic views over the River Inagh, perhaps in the nicest thing your suitcase can yield, you will probably notice that people are slightly better dressed. These are the locals, ready for an evening of dining and yes, dancing. There’s live music most nights, with bands offering everything from Irish classics to British pop and American country.

Nancy Sherwood, who lives in Erie, Pennsylvania, is among Marrinan’s descendants who call the Falls Hotel home once every four years during their clan reunion. She learned about the gatherings while researching her roots online.

Sherwood’s grandfather was 12 when he and three of his siblings emigrated to Pennsylvania in 1896, leaving behind their parents and their sister Catherine, who eventually inherited the farm where he was born. Last August, in the final days of her second trip to County Clare, she met the right people who knew the right people, which led her to several of the descendants of Great Aunt Catherine’s fifteen children. And they still lived on the property.

“The first time I went to Ireland, I took a picture of that farm on a hill, not knowing my grandfather lived there,” she said.

There were cousins everywhere when she arrived for afternoon tea. Gifts and family stories were given. A stone from the farm’s iconic stone fence now lies on her grandfather’s grave. A St. Bridget’s Cross that she admired was promptly removed from the wall. Particularly valuable was a jar of baby food containing a burn ointment used to nurse an ancestor back to health after falling into a fire as a child. Her cousin John Curtin still makes the ointment, and the family recipe is known only to him.

Andrea Aven, a genealogist and historian from Edmond, says about 10 percent of Americans claim Irish ancestry.

“The Irish diaspora is the largest in America because of all the immigrants who came and wanted a better way of life,” Aven said.

The urge Irish-Americans feel to learn their family history is “almost like a tribute to our ancestors, to say thank you,” Aven said.

“They gave up a lot for us. They came from poor backgrounds and had limited education.”

Her second great-grandparents came to the United States in 1850 after surviving the potato famine, and Aven walked where they walked twice. A pastor helped her find family burial sites.

“I’m so grateful that I was able to see where they lived, and what house they lived in,” Aven said. “I found distant cousins there. It was amazing.”

But genealogy isn’t the only appeal, Aven said, because Ireland is “just a charming, charming country.” Pubs are of course part of that charm. They are often family businesses. Most are beautifully decorated and spotlessly clean. The music usually starts at 9:30 PM

Sherwood and her traveling companion were ushered into a first-class seat when they showed up for a jam session at the Marrinan Bar, owned, of course, by people from her family tree, on Monday. About a dozen musicians strolled in with violins, squeeze boxes, tin whistles, a guitar, a banjo and various percussion instruments. Around the tables at the front, they took turns guiding traditional jigs and reels.

After a few instrumentals, Sherwood’s cousin Michael Marrinan stood up to sing some of his original songs, including the crowd favorite “Sweet Ennistymon.”

“I am connected to this city and these people,” Sherwood said. “I am considering applying for dual citizenship.”

With grandchildren to love, a move to Ireland is unlikely, although Sherwood laughingly says she would happily sleep in the barn if invited to live on the ancestral farm. Ennistymon is at the heart of the Wild Atlantic Way, a coastal route that takes in the ocean and its bays, the Aran Islands, beautiful countryside and welcoming villages. With approximately 1,200 inhabitants, the city offers inviting restaurants, shops and galleries. It’s a good starting point for a visit to Doolin, a coastal town known for its traditional music; Lahinch with its popular golf club and beautiful beach; and the moonlike Burren Geopark. Also nearby are the breathtaking Cliffs of Moher, Ireland’s most popular tourist attraction.

Before leaving Ennistymon, please inquire at reception or a taxi company about visiting Willie Daly’s farm. When you find him at home, he invites you for a cuppa tae, shows you his leather-bound matchmaking diary and strums the guitar while he sings you an Irish ballad. Or maybe an Elvis Presley song.

Further north along the coast, the full-service Salthill Hotel takes advantage of beautiful Galway Bay and Salthill Promenade, where a daily stroll really isn’t enough. Galway is the hub of the Wild Atlantic Way and a bustling city that started out as the fishing village of Claddagh. Numerous shops offer the famous Claddagh ring.

Coach tours offer guided trips to favorites such as the mountainous region of Connemara, Kylemore Abbey and the village of Cong, a bucket list trip for fans of ‘The Quiet Man’, the 1952 film starring John Wayne and Dublin native Maureen O’Hara.

If you go to Ireland

How to get around: If you are brave enough to drive on the ‘wrong’ side of the road, a rental car is useful to drive from one Irish village to another. We chose a combination of trains, taxi and ride share companies, and a guided bus tour. We enjoyed having our questions answered by the taxi drivers, who usually live in the city all their lives.
Money: You’d like to have a few dollars and euros in your pocket, but credit cards are accepted everywhere.
Tips: Tips are not expected, but not refused if you feel compelled to do so.
Souvenirs: Handmade knitwear from the Aran Islands can be found everywhere. Donegal tweed, often used to make the Irish wool flat cap, is another tempting souvenir. Gift shops offer silver jewelry designed around shamrocks, the Celtic trinity knot or Claddagh symbols, and of course Waterford crystal.
What to eat: If bringing food home in your suitcase doesn’t seem like a good idea, treat yourself while you can. A warm scone topped with Irish butter and raspberry preserves is food for the gods.

If you go to Ireland

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