The World Through Our Lens
Ireland is an island in the North Atlantic to the west of Great Britain, from which it is separated by the North Channel, the Irish Sea, and St Georges Channel, and after which it is the largest island of the British Isles archipelago.
After finishing our picnic lunch at Newgrange, there was time to make one last stop in County Meath to round out our 2-week stay in Ireland. Near Skryne, the ancient ceremonial and burial site called The Hill of Tara was worthy of exploration. Read more
A must-see for Bob and me while traveling in Ireland was Newgrange, an important passage grave west of Drogheda in County Meath. This megalithic structure is considered one of the most important in Europe and the great national monument of Ireland. Read more
When Bob and I set off from Killarney to drive the famed Ring of Kerry route, technically, we had already seen a section of it the previous afternoon when we arrived there in Killarney National Park. Thankfully, glorious sunshine had provided us with spectacular views of the Killarney Lakes. Read more
The Irish National Heritage Park near Ferrycarig, County Wexford, Ireland, is an open-air museum that explores the world of Ireland’s cultural history in a beautiful natural setting. Read more
After waking up to a damp and foggy morning, Bob and I postponed our plans to drive directly to the Giant’s Causeway, in Northern Ireland. On one headland of that inspirational coastline, we discovered the dramatic ruins of Dunluce Castle. Read more
Bob and I arrived in Northern Ireland a day earlier under rainy skies that persisted into the following morning and dampened our hopes for a clear day to visit the Giant’s Causeway. In light of the inclement weather, we chose to tour the Bushmill’s Distillery en route as a means of killing a couple of hours, and lo and behold, by the time we drove a little further east to the UNESCO World Heritage Site, the rain had stopped. Read more
Bob and I had spent the early part of one morning touring the ancient fort, Dun Aonghasa, and photographing the wide variety of wildflowers at that location, so by the time we returned to our accommodations at Kilmurvey House, our rental bikes were ready and waiting for us. A quick stop at the nearby cafe afforded us some sandwiches and apples that were tucked into our backpacks before setting off on our bike ride on Inishmore Island. Read more
Our first morning on Inishmore Island, Bob and I set off on foot to explore the hills and wildflowers surrounding Kilmurvey House, our bed and breakfast accommodations, and made first for the historic fort, Dun Aonghasa. What a pleasant surprise to find a good variety of wildflowers growing amongst the karst limestone, many of them in bloom such as this Bloody Cranesbill Geranium (Geranium sanguineum). Read more
Dun Aonghasa Fort was our first destination of the day when we awoke on Inishmore Island, one of the islands in the chain known as the Aran Islands in County Galway, Ireland. This prehistoric fort is the most famous of those found on the Aran Islands, and it is perched at the brink of a 100-metre (328 ft) precipice buffeted by the north Atlantic Ocean. Its location is spectacular. Read more
Before departing Kylemore Abbey, Bob discovered that we were in need of some cash and videotapes for his camera. Our route was chosen for us. We had to drive along the coast towards Letterfrack and Clifden in search of a banking machine and some shops that might sell camera gear. Supplies in hand, all that was left to do was get to Rossaveal and hop on the ferry to the Aran Islands where we would spend the next couple of days. En route, a serendipitous decision by Bob had us veering off into the lonesome countryside towards several of the Twelve Bens Mountains. Read more
