The Sloans Online

The countryside in Ireland is greener than green. Typical scenes are villages set in the hills, grazing sheep and cows separated by hedge or stone fences. Ireland is surrounded by bodies of water and coastal towns are misty in the morning. Natural flowers on the hillsides were yellow or white. Flowers planted in parks and gardens included many other colors.
Roads are narrow: Motorways (new 4 lane divided highways); Dual Carriageways (Old 4 lane sometimes divided, sometimes with a shoulder); Primary Highways (2 lane, very narrow and no shoulder); and then major highways...well, they are not what we would consider major in Canada, more like goat trails.
Our tour took us from Dublin to Kilkenny, Waterford, Cork, Blarney, Limerick, Galway, and Lisborn. From Lisborn we travelled to see the Giant's Causeway and explore the area where the Sloans lived in the early 1800's. They came from the Mourne Mountain area and the farmland stretched down the valley to Carlingford Lough.

We travelled in the cities and towns of Belfast, Dublin, Kilkenny, Waterford, Cork, Limerick, Galway, Newry, Warren's Point, Rostrevor and Kilkeel. Each is colorful and unique.

We travelled in the cities and towns of Belfast, Dublin, Kilkenny, Waterford, Cork, Limerick, Galway, Newry, Warren's Point, Rostrevor and Kilkeel. Each is colorful and unique. We also visited Blarney Castle where I kissed the Blarney Stone, and have the certificate and photo as evidence! Somehow I'm not convinced that I now have the Gift of Eloquence. But nor did I "catch" anything, finding out later that this is the number 1 germiest place!

When we arrived in Galway, the racing ships had also arrived. The world’s biggest sailing event, the 10th Volvo Ocean Race arrived in Galway for the first time on the 23rd of May 2009. Following the transatlantic leg, racing from Boston, it stayed in Galway for a two week stopover before leaving on the next leg to Göteborg in Sweden. The Volvo Ocean race, also known as the Round the World Race, is run every four years and covers 39,000 miles. It begin in Alicante, Spain and visited around eleven ports including the Middle East, Southeast Asia, China, India and Boston.

Galway's Docks, which is usually occupied by small fishing trawlers, pleasure yachts and the Irish Navy and Coastguard vessels, underwent major transformation in order to host such a large event.
Spectators were able to view the fastest sailing boats of the world up close, while these are moored in Galway. Among them is Ireland's own Green Dragon, constructed and built in China and financed by Irish and Chinese investors. The weekend from May 30 to June 1 sees a three day in port sailing competition, offering the competitors a chance to gather more points. Spectators can follow the races from the long prom in Salthill, which provides the ideal vantage point as it stretches for about 1.5 miles along Galway Bay and is situated within walking distance from the Race Village.

The 2009 Toews Family Reunion was held July 10-12, 2009 on the CC Toews homestead called Evergreen Farm. CC and Anna Toews emigrated from Southern Russia in 1924 and settled near Linden, Alberta. Most of their descendents still live in Southern Alberta and maintain the family farm as a meeting place, community event centre, and home of the Acme Linden Growing Project for the Canadian Foodgrains Bank.
Photos were taken by Marg Caspell, Jason Caspell, Eric Toews, Rita Haugh, Ed Toews and Eunice Sloan.
No Toews reunion would be complete without watermelon and ice cream cones, not to mention a roast beef dinner, pancake breakfast, barbecued burgers and hot dogs, and much more! Friday evening included singing around the campfire. On Saturday night, before the traditional "grudge match" (north vs. south baseball game), everyone enjoyed the Toews' jeopardy game. And, the winners are smiling!! A worship service was held Sunday morning.