I'm starting my holiday posts with this image of my Miss as she is the reason we went on our trip to the UK. The trip had its ups and downs with my illness and some additional ones while away (trust me) and that of people back home so I am glad to be home (with my dogs) and am very aware of what a privilege it is to be able to travel.
We were so lucky to spend a week with Miss traveling around Ireland before leaving her at Sheffield for her University Exchange.
This was taken in Galway. A party atmosphere, with lights, colour, flags, beer and animated buskers in the narrow, cobblestone streets. I called her name and she turned towards me and I said "stayyyy" and I snapped this. Several times I was asked to take photos of her with her phone but apparently I am the worst photo taker ever. I never got it right! But I love this one.
I wish I could play you my dear friend Paul's version of Galway Girl-its brilliant but I will leave you with Steve Earls to enjoy.
youtu.be/_Lcnvd8BNFE?si=mUuIZc5du5dgptoc
Tags: Galway Ireland Girl portrait
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Alot of the images I took on my holiday were what I would term snapshots. Often quickly taken next to the car or by the side of the road, even out the car window. A few had alittle more thought. I actually ended up taking many with my phone as well. So you will have to indulge me when I play with the images when I want to create a mood or how I felt about a landscape or a place or have some fun.
This is Clonmacnoise, a ruined Monastery we visited on the way from Dublin to Galway. The first of these extremely old ruins that I have ever visited. It was founded in the 6th Century and has 700 early Christian graveslabs. It is hard to comprehend the fragments and remnants of time held in these places. Especially for someone that lives in a country where 100 years is very old architecture.
Tags: Ireland Clonmachnoise Monastery Athlone ancient graves
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The Sky Road on Ireland's west coast is described as a 20 km jaw-dropping scenic loop near Cliftden and is part of the stunning Wild Atlantic Way. We were fortunate to have beautiful weather so we could see across the turquoise waters out to the many small islands to the west. We had a wonderful day driving north from Galway, up through Connemara National Park where we visited Kylemore Abby and on up to Aasleagh Falls. Breathtaking scenary.
Tags: Wild Atlantic Way Ireland The Sky Road Travels Landscape
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Connemara is a state of light. Of fluent sky, flayed rock and flowering bog. Of storied lake and inlet and deep song. Of wind and wild.” Michael Cody
After travelling the Sky Road, we visited Connemara National Park, Galway County. The Park covers some 2,000 hectares of scenic mountains, expanses of bogs, heaths, grasslands and woodlands. We only got a tiny taste by going on the short Forest Wood Trail. We did get to experience walking amongst the luscious forest, smothered in lichens and moss and bathed in shards of light that escaped through the tree canopy.
I admit it took me quite some time on this holiday to stop lamenting what I could not do and celebrate the things I could do, even at a snails pace.
Tags: Ireland Galway County Forest Connemara National Park Trees moss lichens green
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Next on a tour north of Galway was Kyelmore Abbey. Built as a castle in 1868 by Mitchell Henry for his wife Margaret. So many of these amazing castles(apart from the fortes) had their foundations as gifts of love to wives. I kept asking the Sherpa where mine was. The castle had some other colourful occupants before being being home to the Benedict nuns who ran a school from 1923 to 2010.
Sadly, as is all too common, there have been allegations of abuse which tends to tarnish the beauty of the Abbey.
There is a lovely walled garden and some Connemara ponies which were high on our list to see.
Tags: Kyelmore Abbey Ireland Connemara Galway County Abbey Benedict nuns
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