Galway clouds

There was this fantastic short film made in the 1980's that has stuck with me since I saw it, it was called 'All in a summer day' it was a sci-fi that was set on planet Venus where none of the kids have ever seen a fine day, but every seven years there is 15 minutes of Sun, one girl that moved there from Earth remembers the sun, she gets bullied and locked in a closet on the day the sun appears, all the other kids go outside and run and prance about in the sun forgetting the little girl, she sadly lets the crack of light that makes its way into the closet play across her hand. When it starts to rain and they go back inside they remember her and feel guilty, one throws one of the rare flowers that blooms in the 15 minutes. On days like today with the rainy Irish weather we get, I am reminded of this film and just wait like this shot for the 15 minutes of sun.

Surreal Cloonshecahill morning

The weather here is a bit stormy and messed up, but just look at the sky this morning!

Galway bay sunset

'Not time nor tide nor water wide could wean my heart away But straight and true 'twill fly to you my own dear Galway Bay' Francis A. Fahy These pictures were taken between Galway city and Oranmore, the hills in the background are in Clare are the in the burren and there are shots taken from the other side looking back at Galway here and here

Kiltullagh Sunrise, County Galway

This is a Turlough, its like a seasonal flood

Kiltullagh Killimordaly, Sunset

This is the old forge in Kiltullagh where the last blacksmith named Murphy worked his trade it was done up a few years ago under a government scheme, the one below it was taken just down the road. The last one is the Faerie tree in Cloonshecahill.

Outskirts Galway City

This is an old unused lane way on the edge of the city. It does not lead to anywhere and now there seems no point to it. this is characteristic of Galway, the stone walls and small fields. towards the east of the city.

Kilrickle Co. Galway

This ruin of a old big house is on the Kilrickle to Bullaun road, I do not know the history, I just liked the mood of it against the sun.

Hill of Tara, Co Meath

This was the ancient seat of power in Ireland, where the high Kings sat. There are a number of things to see on the hill (I hadn't the time :( ) such as the Stone of Destiny which was the coronation stone of the Kings of Ireland. It is also a place where the ancient Gods of Ireland are said to have dwelt. In the Early 20th century Israelites went there searching for the Arc of the Covenant and new theories published claim it was the capital of the lost nation of Atlantis! More information can be gotten here.

Daybreak near Tara, Co Meath

Snow, Co Meath

These are not near as fantastic as those posted by someone else, but this is snow in Ireland, it rarely ever lasts and even more seldom stays on the ground. But it got me out of work and I was able to crash in hotel to witness Obama's inauguration This was the little snowman that a workmate made for me we tried it on the mirror, before it was placed on the bonnet.

Trees in the Sun, Co Meath

If you saw the last post with the blue sky with different shades of blues and pinks, here there is a difference when the sun popped out for a moment , the weather is very changeable today after storms at the weekend.

Tower of Llyod, Kells, Co. Meath

I have posted this tower before here where you can see the history. but with the stormy weather the sky was more interesting.

Lockes Distillary, Kilbeggan, Co Westmeath.

This is the last remaining example of a still pot distillery in Ireland, it ran for 200yrs 1757 to 1957, it was restored in 1982 by the locals as a museum. read the history here.

Free Ireland Poster for 100th post thank you

To whomever reads this, thanks for stopping by since October, this was set up as a little project for personal reasons and was hoping that one or two might look at it Thanks to the 1734 hits (as of posting ) Thanks to the people who comment especially Leisha and Findabair Thanks to my first follower (and only one) Here is a freebie to all that want a Irish mosaic print, It is made up of about 700 pictures that I have taken. It is sized for A3, but I am sure that it could be printed of larger as I have maxed the pixels. Even if you don't print click on it to open and look thro the pics.

Tyrellspass Castle, Co. Westmeath

This is the last Castle of the Tyrell family friends of the O'neill Clan, who in the nine year war defeated the English, for their troubles when Cromwell came over to Ireland most of the family were executed, the castle was in disrepair for many years until it was restored in the 1970's. It is not open to the public but there is a nice restaurant on the ground floor.

Sunset faerie tree Cloonshecahill

Third post today and I know that I have posted this faerie tree before but as I have commented before, you can look at the same object every day and still see something new looking from a different angle, I have waited for a long time to get the Sun setting just right behind the tree and now I got it twice in 2 months

King Johns Castle Athenry, Co Galway

This Castle is built beside a little river that was a ford between 3 kingdoms, which is how the town got its name, Athenry is one of the few remaining walled towns in Ireland that still has the existing walls running around the town complete with towers. The castle was built by Meiller De Bermingham and was built around 1250. I am embarrassed to say I do not know more and will have to find out more as I pass this every day.

Bunratty Castle, Co Clare

This is Bunratty Castle one of the west of Ireland's biggest landmarks as it runs close to the National route between Shannon Airport and Kerry. Bunratty translated from the Irish language is bottom of the Ratty, which is the river that runs beside it. the area was first settled by the Vikings around the year 1000, the castle was built in 1270 and was later came into the De Clare family, Richard De Clare was defeated in 1318in the Bruce wars by the O'Briens and was sacked and burned. It was restored for the king of England in 1332 and was once again attacked and razed by Irish Chieftain's under the control of the O'Briens and McNamara's. It was rebuilt again in 1353 and the Irish attacked it again but this time did not burn it down and it remained in the O'Briens control until 1646 when the owner Barnaby O'Brien fled to England for his protection. The house eventually fell into disrepair until Lord Gort brought and restored it and it became a leading attraction with a folk village showing how people lived in older times.

Bevy of Mute Swans Brackloon-Cloonshecahill

I posted earlier on a Swan, that swam all alone along the Dunkellin river after his* mate died, while this is not a great pic taken with my new phone (which has a 5 megapixal camera but a crap zoom for closeups), he has got buddies YAY. *While I was never sure if it was male or female I joked with a friend that he had to be male, because like a lot of men who have lost a loved one he hung around all day drinking. So in my head he was always a Cob.

Moonlight Aughrim, Co. Galway

This was taken just after 5 this evening and is not the greatest shot.

Fairy tree Cloonshecahill

I know I have posted this a few times but I have been at deaths door (read Man Flu) and this is the only shot I have taken in the past week.