We left the US on Saturday, September 17 and returned a week later on September 24. After landing at Heathrow Airport, we boarded an Air Lingus flight to Shannon, Ireland.We then were transported to our first hotel in Galway City, in the South West of Ireland. There we strolled through the town, went into several Pubs and did some shopping. All in all we spent two days in Galway, taking side trips to the country side through an area called Connemara.
These are just a few of the two hundred and fifty five pictures that we took, to see them all go to the Flickr Site at the top of the page.
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| Air Lingus flight to Shannon from Heathrow |
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| Galway Harbor, tide is out and the sailboat rests on the Hard. |
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| Fran in front of the Connemara Marble Co. |
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| This town is know for it's green marble, found only in this town. |
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| Connemara country side |
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| Pub where Fran and I watched a unique sporting event called Gaelic Football. This was the day of the Irish Championship. |
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In this store Fran bought a hand knitted sweater for her Grandson
The picture is of the owner, her shop had the privilege of making all the costumes for the film Quiet Man, 60 years before |
Our next stop was Blarney, but not until we toured along the coast then stopping at a beautiful town called Kilarney. While at Kilarney, we took a horse and carriage ride through a 14,000 acre park, the views were spectacular and the weather was cooperating. This was also the day we stopped to see the beautiful and scenic Cliffs of Moher..
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| The Cliffs of Moher |
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| Looking South |
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| The Cliffs are 700' in most areas |
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| "The Stack" |
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| Looking North |
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| We had a beautiful day but windy |
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| Waves lapping at the Cliffs |
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A tower built to look for Napoleon's troops
He never invaded Ireland |
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Staging area for the Buggy Rides in Kilarney
That's Sean, our guide |
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| Jaunting, as it is called in Ireland |
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| Downtown Kilarney |
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| Kilarney |
Next stop, Blarney, where the famous Blarney Castle is located, home to the ever popular Blarney Stone. Kissing the Blarney Stone is supposed to endow you with the "Gift of Gab"; personally lying on one's back, bending over backwards and kissing a dirty stone that has more germs than a Grand Central Station bathroom, was not very appealing. "Did I do it", you ask, most certainly, it turned out to be funny and I could always use more ability to BS. We stayed in Blarney that night but not until we gorged ourselves on a great Irish dinner of Lamb, potatoes, veggies and Guinness.
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| Approaching Blarney Castle |
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| Blarney Castle |
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| Nice view of the Castle |
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| Rest area |
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| Tower adjacent to the Castle |
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| Here goes! |
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Fran and me at the castle
The town of Blarney in the background |
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| Visitors to the Castle waiting to make out with a rock |
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| View from a window |
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| The Blarney Stone from below |
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| The leaves have already started to change in Ireland |
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| Blarney woollen Mills |
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| Dinner at The Blarney Woollen Mills Hotel |
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| Yup! That's Guinness |
Our next stop was Cork City in the County of Cork, there we went to the ever popular English Market, a great spot for fresh produce, meats and Seafood. It was in the English Market that we had our first traditional Shepard's Pie, mmmm good.
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| English Market in City Cork |
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| The freshest meats, veggies and seafood you could ever wish for |
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| Case after case of fine fare |
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| Fresh veggies |
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| Ah yes, those are Oysters! |
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| Seafood galore |
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| Smoked and pickled |
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| I love these markets, we seek them out wherever we go |
Dublin was our last destination, we stayed there three days, taking in all the sights, St. Patrick's Cathedral, Trinity College, the Famous Gardens and we even managed to go to an Irish Cabaret one evening. The twenty second of Sept. was Arthur Guiness' birthday and as an ingenious marketing strategy, all the Pubs served only Guinness. That day Fran and I had lunch at the Brazen Head Pub, the oldest Pub in Ireland, had to have a Pint I might add.
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| Dinner at The Irish Cabaret, Taylor's |
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| St Patrick's Cathederal |
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| Inside St. Patrick's |
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| Recommended on the tour |
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| Two fisted Fran |
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| One of several bars in the Brazen Head |
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| Walls are lined with American dollars, why, because they are worthless |
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| Big day in the world of Pub's |
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| Happy traveler |
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| The sign says it all |
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| Trinity College, Dublin |
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| Trinity Courtyard |
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| Fran and Molly |
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| Street performer |
We left Ireland on Saturday the twenty fourth, Air Lingus to Heathrow, then home on a huge Boeing 777. A great flight but a little long, never the less, it is always nice to get home again.
