An Overview of Ireland in Photos

I am at Richard Bonomo's house, blogging on Aquinas's stunt double, because that's where my photos of Ireland are. Last night Cashmere moved into our new condo, and at first she was really freaked out, but this morning she seemed very happy, hopping all around our screened-in porch. (We keep her separated from Rodney and Callie when we are not there.) Also, my poppy has four blossoms on it, and I took pictures, but who knows how they will turn out? Anyway, I took so many photos of Ireland that in this post I'm just going to give an overview of the places we traveled.

In Dublin, we saw the stone that supposedly covered the well where St. Patrick (who was neither Irish nor named Patrick) baptized the newly converted:

The next photo was taken in Dublin as well but references Athlone, which I got no photos of because my camera had died by then.

 

At Kilmainham Gaol in Dublin, we saw this painting in a cell:

We visited Russborough House in the foothills of the Wicklow Mountains:

We visited the Waterford Crystal factory:

We went to Mass at this church in Cork, called St. Patrick's:

We kissed the stone at Blarney Castle:

The village of Kenmare is noted for its colorful buildings:

 

In the Ring of Kerry, we watched a sheep-shearing demonstration. Here the guy is marking the sheep after it is sheared. We also watched border collies herd the sheep.

The Ring of Kerry is very beautiful - check out this island that looks kind of like a cloverleaf:

In Killarney we saw Ross Castle on an island, and check out our hotel's lobby:

The gorgeous Dingle Peninsula looks like what I'd always dreamed Ireland would look like:

Here is the inside of a very old pub called Durty Nellie's:

 

Photos can't quite capture the majesty of the justly famous Cliffs of Moher:

 

We found lots of stranded jellyfish in Galway Bay:

 

I just loved this miniature Gothic cathedral at Kylemore Abbey:

 

Here are some samples of the woven pottery they make at Belleek Pottery Factory:

 

The old walls in Derry still go all the way around the old section of the town:

The Giant's Causeway is too cool for words:

Here are photos of our room in Cabra Castle and the outside of the castle:

This is said to be the finest example of a High Cross in Ireland:

Here are the 5000-year-old tombs at Bru Na Boinne, and a close-up of the carvings on the rocks around the edges:

Finally, here I am, jamming with the Irish musicians:

  

I hope this gives you some idea. Soon I will post photos of funny signs, other cool stuff, and the few I got of Scotland.

Famous Hat