Wow, what a day this was, exploring one of the most beautiful places I have ever been. The photos hardly do it justice, and there are a LOT of them, so I’m dividing this post in two.
First, a wonderful and sad and hopeful cemetery next to the bay. Kildavnet Cemetery is still being used, but many of the gravestones are so old that they are mere stones with lichen marking the resting places. There is a ruined chapel, and a holy well down by the water. Most of the newer gravesites are on the other side of the road.
An old custom was that the men at a wake and a funeral procession to the graveyard would smoke pipes and then when they reached the burial place they would break the pipes and leave them. These were in a secret spot and replaced once we were shown them.
Inside the ruins
The holy well
The guys skipped stones across the water here. I chose a flat heart shaped stone to take with me. They had a touch of sparkle (mica?) and our guide said that they were called fairy stones.
A gravestone across the road
Kathleen Kilbane is said to be considered for sainthood. People leave offerings and prayers for their sick children to be healed here.
I realize this was probably done out of poverty, but I prefer these hand chiseled stones so much more than the new ones with stamped lettering on shiny black stone.
slowly she turned 
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