A Trip Report in Pictures - Ireland, E to W, S to N
 

I'm trying something new...posting pictures with captions of my trip from June 2014. I'll to try to post them in individual albums on Shutterfly with the main events listed as an outline. I haven't done this before so please bear with me if it doesn't work as intended at first and please let me know if you can't access the pictures.

Here's the written report if anyone wants to refer to it for more information:

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...h-to-north.cfm

In brief, we went west from Dublin to Doolin where we visited the Cliffs of Moher both by walking along the upper trails and by boat, and Inisheer, the smallest of the Aran Islands. From there, Bunratty Castle, the Burren, Dunguaire Castle, and Galway. Next we travelled south to Adare and Killarney, our base for 3 days. We went on the Gap of Dunloe tour by boat and jaunting cart, then I took a boat to Skellig Michael and climbed the 600 steps to the secluded monastery, we drove the Connor Pass to Dingle, and toured Killarney National Park seeing Ross Castle, Torc Waterfall and Ladies View. Next east to Dungarvin and Waterford, then back north to Kilkenny Castle and St. Candice's Round Tower, and up to central Ireland and the National Stud and Japanese Gardens. For the last weekend, we entered Northern Ireland (UK) to visit the Carrick-A-Rede Rope Bridge, Giant's Causeway, Bushmills Distillery, Dunluce Castle and finally did our own version of a Game of Thrones tour. I will post the highlights from each here.

I hope this is successful and that you enjoy!


Day 1:

https://ireland2014ks.shutterfly.com/pictures/8

Toronto Airport (just because it was so unusual)
Kilfenora - High Cross
Cliffs of Moher walk, west coast, south of Galway

Very Nice.
Been there at the Toronto Airport and High Cross and Cliffs of Moher.

Hope you made it to Galway Bay !
Iwill be follwing for more.
Thanks for posting.

I loved the pics, and they brought back wonderful memories. We stayed in Doolin for one night, I think. When we got there, in the afternoon, we wanted to see the cliffs, but it was pouring. We put on our ponchos and went. The cliffs were shrouded in fog, and everything was soaked (us included), but we loved the rainy, windy look.
Next day, we woke up to beautiful, blue skies, so we decided to go back to the cliffs. Totally different place, bright, happy, beautiful again. Shows you that Ireland is beautiful, no matter the weather.

You saw puffins...where? I'll go read the report, hopefully you mention it there. Keep posting the pics, please.

Thanks Percy! I wasn't sure this was going to work so I appreciate you posting.
I'm trying to weed out the pictures - I have a lot!

xyz - we were in Doolin one night too at the Roadford House B&B. I weeded out the pix of the B&B's but kept a few pictures of the best food!

I saw the puffins - thousands of them - on Skellig Michael. I could walk within a few feet of them. So cute!

The cliffs were deserted when you were there, how nice. Love the puffins.

The cliffs were deserted when you were there, how nice. Love the puffins.

It took me 1 1/2 hours to climb to the top of Skellig Michael because I stopped so many times to take pictures of the puffins (not to mention the time it took to climb the 600 steps!)

Our B&B owner in Doolin recommended going to the cliffs after dinner before it got dark (which was at 10:30 pm in June). Even though the visitor center and shops were closed at that time, parking was free and there were no crowds. It was wonderful.

DAY 2:

https://ireland2014ks.shutterfly.com/pictures/34

Doolin
Inisheer, smallest of the Aran Islands
Cliffs of Moher by boat
The birds of Branaunmore sea stack
Bunratty Castle's Traditional Irish night

DAY 3:

https://ireland2014ks.shutterfly.com/pictures/113

The Burren
Burren Perfumery
Dunguaire Castle
Galway
Adare

Very nice pix! Thanks for sharing.

nice pictures! Can't wait to see it all for myself in Sept!

Great pictures! So far the horse on Inisheere is my favorite. I'm looking forward to more.

You did great with your pictures. I loved seeing those puffins.

Thanks all!

I agree about the horse! And the best of the puffins are yet to come!

Back from New York so will get the next batch organized.

Great pictures! They bring back a lot of memories as we had done a similar trip. Thank you for sharing!

DAY 4

https://ireland2014ks.shutterfly.com/pictures/164

Gap of Dunloe Tour by boat and jaunting cart

Great pics! How did you like Inisheer? I have been to Inishmore a number of times and always mean to see the other two. I heard not as touristy?

DAY 5

If you like PUFFINS, this is the set of pictures for you!
This was also (IMHO) the best excursion of our trip!

https://cmd.shutterfly.com/commands/...316&albumPath=

This time it's a slide show so give it a minute to load. (Feel free to let me know if you prefer this format or the other which just shows all the pictures.)


Instead of captions, here is the summary:


Leaving Portmagee on the Ring of Kerry by boat for...

LITTLE SKELLIG (the white island) - home to 30,000 pairs of nesting birds
...then
SKELLIG MICHAEL (the green island) and the 600 step amazing climb to the monastery
(you will feel like you are there so I hope you aren't afraid of heights!)
...and
lots of adorable puffins!!!!

Whale and dolphins on the way back to the harbor.

Enjoy the trip!

the slide show was great!