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!

love, maureen and labattlover - thanks! I'm so glad you are enjoying the pictures/slideshow. It's fun to relive the vacation a month later, especially my favorite day! I actually feel a bit dizzy when I see my first pictures going back down the steps of Skellig Michael - exactly how I felt that day. It was mush easier for me to go up than down.

maureen - we really liked Inisheer. It was small enough that we felt that we saw enough in a few hours. We saw the lonely roads, the beach, the dolphin, one cemetery, one castle, one cafe, one shop (which was tiny and closed), one airstrip, one pub, one hotel, one ice cream cart by the docks (I'm sure there must have been others of most of these but we just didn't see them) - it definitely was not touristy! I can't compare it to Inishmore though since we didn't go there.

Thanks for your latest batch of pictures! Loved all the puffins, the dolphins, the gulls. Sorry, but I had to laugh at the backback with its bird decoration.

There were no shops on Skellig Michael, but I managed to come back with a souvenir anyway! :))

I finally sat down at my computer (my iPad would not open the slide show) to view your latest set of photos. Oh my! Absolutely gorgeous! Thank you so much for posting these. We leave September 8th for Scotland and Ireland. Your photos are making me eager to get going!

kansas - thank so much! I have trouble with iPads accessing certain things too, but I have the original iPad. Upgrading this Xmas so I hope I have less trouble with things.

Where are you going over there and for how long? I already wish I was going back!

DAY 5 continued

https://ireland2014ks.shutterfly.com/pictures/388

A quick photo visit of:

Dingle Peninsula
Connor Pass
Town of Dingle

DAY 6

https://ireland2014ks.shutterfly.com/pictures/523

Ross Castle
Torc Waterfall and view
Ladies View
Kenmare
Shell Cottage, Dungarvin

Kwren, we will be traveling with 2 other couples. For this trip, we are using Ireland Chauffeur Travel. We will be spending 3 days (solo) in Edinburgh, then 10 days with the tour company. I really do miss the trip planning. I have always thought the research was half the fun of any trip. To make up for this, I am secretly planning my 2015 trip to France. I have not let DH in on this yet!

We will start our Ireland trip in Dublin, and make a southern loop and end up back in Dublin 10 days later. I am keeping notes from your wonderful TR that you have shared. Thank you so much.

I am now going to go and view your Day 6 photos!

Enjoyed your next two sets of photos. The chimneys of Muckross House was my favorite in that batch and in the batch before I really liked the Blennerville windmill with the blue hills behind it.

Thanks for the memories!

kansas - I agree that the planning is as much fun as the trip, but especially love your secret plan to France! Mum's the word!

irishface - imagine how surprised I was to see a beautiful windmill in Ireland. I love windmills! Thanks for telling me its name. Glad you liked the chimneys too. I took a picture in Paris once of the roofs and chimneys. One of my favorite pictures.

DAY 7

https://ireland2014ks.shutterfly.com/pictures/410

Waterford Crystal Tour
Kilkenny Castle
St. Canice's Round Tower, Kilkenny
Moone High Cross

DAY 8

A short batch:

https://ireland2014ks.shutterfly.com/pictures/573#573

National Stud and Japanese Gardens
Northern Ireland's Coastal Causeway at sunset

I just viewed day 7 and 8. I do not think you missed one staircase or mountain to climb on your trip! Skellig Michael was high on my list after looking at your photos. However, after going back and reading your report, I think I will have to skip it! The 6 of us are either 70 years old, or too darn close. We are in good shape, but no sense flirting with trouble!

One of my favorite food bloggers (Chez Bonne Femme) just returned from Ireland. She reported that she gained 5 pounds while there, but never gains weight when traveling in France. I am certain that you could not have gained an ounce!

I am thoroughly enjoying your photos. Thanks again.

Kansas - I'm so glad you're enjoying my pictures. It's comments like yours that make me want to continue. Thanks to you And everyone else for letting me know that you're looking.

I love your comment about Chez Bonne Femme and I can report the opposite problem...when I go to France, I literally gain 3 pounds a week. I don't think you'll be surprised to hear that I didnt gain anything in Ireland! I was constantly on the move!

Only 2 days to go, but be forewarned. .. day 9 was a very busy day!

kwren: I LOVED your photos. Ireland is on our radar as we try to decide where to go next. Seeing your photos has moved it up the ladder!

Thanks dai! Glad I could help.

Northern Ireland is next and that was a GREAT (and very busy) day!

Looking forward to the rest of the pictures! Thanks for sharing.

DAY 9 ... Will be done in a few parts because it was such an awesome day!


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Carrick-A-Rede Rope Bridge

Well done, I'm enjoying it! I envy you - I want to go back to Ireland :)

Two of my most prized possessions: a Waterford punch bowl and a Fishermans sweater.

We saw the bowl made at the factory in Cork, and had it engraved with our names and date by the craftsman who made it.

I chose the wool, pattern and buttons from a shop in Dingle and the finished product was shipped to me a month later.

Thanks for the memories