FC: Ireland Summer 2008
1: The long trip over the "pond" | The long wait for a hotel room!
2: Our first night in Dublin | We learned about Hen parties!
3: Caislean Chill Chainnigh Kilkenny Castle
4: Kilkenny Castle, County Kildare
5: The Waterford Factory | 3 copies are made of each trophy - 1 for the event, 1 backup and 1 for Waterford history!
6: Onto County Cork...to the Cobh Heritage Center
7: Over 6 million adults and children emigrated from Ireland from 1848 - 1950, many departing from Cobh. This exodus was due to poverty, crop failures and lack of opportunity. | Annie Moore and her brothers monument at Cobh Heritage Center. Cobh is also known for the last port of the Titanic and Lusitania.
8: On our way to Blarney Castle - Scenic shots taken from the bus.
10: Blarney Castle We "missed" the Blarney Stone!
11: Traveling over the scenic Cork and Kerry Mountains to Killarney.
12: St. Mary's Cathedral in Killarney on a rainy day!
13: A stop to meander through an old cemetery... then get ready to enjoy the beautiful coastline of the Ring of Kerry and the Dingle Peninsula...
19: Wow! We traveled beyond Slea Head and saw the Blasket Islands, the last outpost of Europe. That evening we enjoyed a medieval castle banquet at Knappogue Castle.
21: A quick miracle at the healing waters of St. Bridget's Well, then onto the beautiful Cliffs of Moher
22: We believe there is nothing more magnificent as the Cliffs of Moher.
23: It is hard to stop taking pictures...the Cliffs of Moher...
24: The Rathburn Farm for scones & tea
25: A long driving day from Galway, through Counties Mayo and Sligo
26: Spent the day at Glenveagh Castle and Gardens - 40,000 acres of mountains, lakes, glens and woods.
28: A stop at the Colmcille Heritage Center to learn of the days of St. Colmcille (521-591), who introduced Christianity from the end of the Roman Empire to the early Medieval pagan period. Then to Letterkenny via Horn Head (Atlantic Coast)
29: A fascinating tour of the historic city of Derry with the medieval city walls.!
30: The haunting murals of Derry retelling the history of the infamous "Troubles"
32: Travel via Limavady to Portrush on the Atlantic. Visit the Giant's Causeway and its volcanic columns which were formed over 60 million years ago.
34: In Belfast - we visited the dry dock of the Titanic, which sailed 04/03/12 and then needed some Guinness!
35: A long drive back to Dublin and an evening with the Merry Ploughboys (Gina was a star!)
36: Our final day in Dublin we visited the historic Kilmainham Jail - a historic and tragic part of Irish history.
38: And ended our magnificent trip to Ireland with a visit to the Guinness factory!
BC: Thank you Mom Thank You Grandma Love, Mary Ellen , Anthony & Gina
