Ireland

Our trip began in Dublin, Republic of Ireland.
An important feature of Dublin, the River Liffey.



Behind Temple Bar in Dublin. How many pubs can one alleyway hold?

Our first look at the Monastery at Glendlough (Two Lakes) in County Wicklow.

Round Tower at Glendalough.
The Main Monastery’s Grounds have long been and continue to be used as a graveyard. The local consensus is that if you are buried on the grounds, you go straight up to Heaven. No questions asked. The old gravestones mix with the new, all facing East.

The banks of the Lower Lake.

The Upper Lake, near St. Kevin's Cave.

City Hall in the center of Belfast, Northern Ireland.

Belfast City Street.

Murals are a shocking and interesting characteristic of the most political neighborhoods in Belfast. This particular mural is found on the end of a housing block in a very loyalist neighborhood.

Celtic cross at the Milltown Cemetery, where most Republican and IRA martyrs are buried.

The vacation resort at Newcastle. Rather quiet in January, but obviously geared to welcome tourists.
It was a beautiful clear day, perfect for picture-taking.









A view of Newcastle from the other side of the harbor.

A day's excursion took us to the highly political city of Derry/
Londonderry. Looking down toward the city wall.

On the bridge that sepparates Catholic Derry from Protestant Londonderry. One city, two names.

Our Bus Tour along the coast to Giant's Causeway was an opportunity to really see the famous beauty of the Irish countryside.

Introduced by the bus driver as "One of our local beauty spots."



Perhaps one bay over.

Dunluce Castle was abandoned by its owners when it was struck by lightning during a feast and the kitchen slid into the ocean.

Later that day we had a chance to visit Dunluce and "play on the castle."

The coast line directly adjoining Giant's Causeway.

Giant's Causeway from the Shepherd's Path.

According to legend the giant Fionn mac Cumhaill built the Causeway as a bridge to Scotland.

With Global Warming it is estimated that Giant's Causeway could be covered within my lifetime. Already there are rock formations that used to be exposed at low tide, and are now always hidden beneath the waves.

A rare break in the clouds.