Today we went to Glenveagh National Park, which contained a castle. Glenveagh National Park lies in the heart of the Derryveagh Mountains in the north-west of Co. Donegal. It is a remote and hauntingly beautiful wilderness of rugged mountains and pristine lakes. The Park, over 39,000 acres in extent consists of three areas. The largest of these is the former Glenveagh Estate, including most of the Derryveagh Mountains. The castle was built in the medieval stone style, but the inside was very much Victorian. The castle had 3 owners, one of which was a Harvard Professor. Outside, there were sprawling gardens. I walked around the castle and up one of the towers. The whole trip was stunning.

When I came home from the castle I went to dinner and met Gay McIntyre, one of the most didactic jazz players in the world. He was once offered a job by Nat “King” Cole to move to America and play with him. It was amazing meeting the local people. I asked one, what it was like before the peace; I don’t know if I was prepared for what I heard. Catholics couldn’t get jobs, they were ostracized and many homeless. There was the violent side as well, the Irish Republican Army set off car bombs killing many people. The history here, however, has made the people a strong culture. The peace is slow coming, as I was told, but they seem to welcome change.

Another welcomed change would be an upswing in the economy. Many businesses are closed, and it is difficult to find work. Derry is a hard place to live in, but I have thoroughly enjoyed meeting the locals.
Tomorrow we are off to Belfast 🙂