Pictures of Ireland

Donegal and Derry Border

2012-05-08T22:30:00.001+01:00

Looking towards Barnsmore Gap.

The opposite direction

This little stream is the border between Derry(Left) and Donegal(right) which is the Border between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland

further down the road the border is the River that runs along the road

Two shots taken from the Derry side taken looking across towards Donegal

Craggaunaun, Co Clare

2012-04-23T23:04:00.002+01:00

Craggaunaun Castle built by the McNamaras dates back to the 1500's and went to ruin in the 1700's until its restoration in the 1900's. The work was completed by John Hunt who's work did not finish with the restoration of the Castle, once it was finished he made reconstructions of early Irish Life on the site. This is open to the public as a walk and a museum. There are examples of Souterrains and Fullacht Fia(for real one click here) standing stones alone the wooded walk.

The Castle from across the Lake with the Cranogs to the left.

View from the back of the building.

One of the Halls inside the castle, there was some painting etc so this was the only shot inside.

Looking down from the top at the Crannogs

The Castle lake from above.

Lake from the base of the castle.

A Crannog was an artificial island built on layers of rock timber and earth that was fortified and was accessed only by dugout canoe or drawbridge. This type of construction dates back to the bronze age and and were in use up till the 17th century.

One of the dwellings with clay and wattle walls.

Inside the building looking at the roof construction.

An example of a lake Currach

View from the back of the Crannog.

Click on picture to enlarge

Another view of the island

There is also an example of a ringfort

Click on picture to enlarge

one of the fort dwellings

A hand Lathe

Example of Oghram standing stone

for real Ogram stone click here

Example of a Dolmen

to see a real dolmen click here

Glanmore Lake

2012-04-12T22:59:00.000+01:00

Two pictures taken of Glanmore Lake on the Healy Pass on the Beara Peninsula on the Kerry side of the pass.

panorama shot click to enlarge

In HDR

Beara Peninsula

2012-04-12T22:54:00.000+01:00

Two shots taken on the Beara Peninsula today, hadnt time to take more

The Hill of Tara, home of the high Kings and Gaelic Gods

2012-04-01T23:59:00.001+01:00

Dating back to 3400BC this hill is many things, A dwelling place of the ancient Irish Gods, a passage way to the otherworld, seat of the High Kings, possible capitol of Atlantis, a place where Israelis went seeking the Arc of the Covenant and sitting on the top is the Stone of Destiny, so this makes this place one of Irelands most important historical and mythological places of interest.
(I know shame on me for not getting pictures sooner)

Artists impression of what it would have looked like at the top of the hill

The Lia Fail(lia fall), The Stone of Destiny or the Coronation Stone
Looking across at Cormacs House

The Stone of Destiny is one of the most important historical monuments on the site and according to mythology was brought to Ireland by the God like warriors the Tuatha De Danann (tu-ha de don-on). It was the coronation stone for the King Of Ireland, at the coronation if a rightful King placed his feet upon it, the stone would scream with joy so that the whole island of Ireland could hear. It also had magical powers to rejuvenate a King and help a just and fair ruler have a long reign.

This shot is taken from the Rath of Kings, ie the ringfort that surrounded the hill

On the opposite side another tourist goes to see if they are the true King of Ireland.

From this hill on a clear day it is said that half the counties in Ireland can be seen. The shot below is taken looking south

Surrounding the Stone of Destiny and Cormacs house and the Mound of the Hostages is the remains of the Rath of Kings that enclosed the site (Rath is the Irish for Rignfort)

On the Rath looking west

There is a custom of tieing prayers wishes to the faeries(sidhe) this one is on the Rath

To get an idea that ditch line starting on the middle right is the remains of the Rath

This is looking towards the Stone of Destiny and the mound of Hostages from the Rath of Synods

The mound of Hostages is a passage grave similar in construction to Newgrange but only 15metres in diameter and it is aligned so that it gets direct Sunlight only on two days in the year on old Gaelic festivals Samhain(Sa-win) ie Halloween and Imbolc ie start of Spring. It dates back to 3000 BC and its estimated from cremated remains that 250+ people buried here.

It gets its name from the custom of the Kings of Tara keeping hostages from rival kingdoms to make sure that they kept in line. One of the greatest Kings was Niall of the Nine Hostages from the 4th or 5th Centuries, due to the fact that he held nine hostages. He held 5 hostages from the Kingdoms of Ireland, 1 from Scotland, 1 Saxon, 1 the Britons and 1 from the Franks(Germanic).

It is currently been excavated.

This is known as the Bangueting Hall and is about 200 metres in lenght and 20 metres in width.

A view of from the edge of the site towards the west

To the east of the site across the valley is Skryne hill.

I could not get a decent shot of it so me and my colleague decided to wave.

Google map of the site to give a better idea of the scale.

View Larger Map

Skryne Church, Co Meath

2012-03-30T00:05:00.002+01:00

On top Skryne hill overlooking Tara with its tower that can be see for miles is the remains of this Church that today dates back to the 15th Century, though there are parts of the building dating back to the 14th Century.
The shrine and relics of Saint Colmcille (aka St. Columba) were moved to this site in 875 for safe keeping, this is how the place gots its name derived from the Iris Scran Choluim Chille. Though this was not too successfull as the site was raideed several times in the 10th and 12th Centuries(They later managed to recover the shrine).

Inside the gate is the weathered 16th Century tombstone of the Marward family the barons of Skryne.

Close up of the coat of arms on the tombstone.

Carving of a 14th century bishop over one of the doors.

View through a window on stairway.

Doorway to stairway

Stone babtismal font and carved tomb slab to the right of it inside the tower.

Carved medieval stone cross in the graveyard.

Some of the old tombs in the graveyard

2012-03-28T22:13:00.000+01:00

Newgrange in the distance across the Boyne for more pictures that I tool before and the history click here

Another passage grave on the banks of the Boyne with Newgrange in the distance

Bective Abbey Co Meath

2012-03-27T21:21:00.001+01:00

Bective Abbey was built in the 1100's by the King of Meath and it was rebuilt again in the 1200's. It does not get many visitors as it does not have the history of other sites in the Meath area ie Newgrange, Knowth, Dowth, Tara (pics coming soon), Trim, the list goes on and on.

Cloisters, in the second one you can see the all that remains of the carving detail in the Cloisters.

Postbox Dunderry Co Meath

2012-03-27T20:38:00.000+01:00

Another postbox on a pillar non a cross roads, this one in Dunderry Co Meath. for more click here

Moon Sculpture at Sunsrise

2012-03-26T21:50:00.000+01:00

This Roadside sculpture west of Kinnegad depicts the phases of the moon. I had meant to get a picture of it at night with a full moon, but the conditions were never right. But I think this works

Barnsmore Gap Donegal

2012-03-25T20:10:00.000+01:00

Just had time for two quick shots of the gap, sorry that the second one has electrical wires

Lake Isle of Innisfree, Mass Rocks and the last of Leitrim

2012-03-21T19:31:00.000Z

It is not easy to see the island from this picture, I must try and get a better picture. But it was here on Lough Gill where Yeats visited as a child that he imagined his utopia.

"And I shall have some peace there, for peace comes dropping slow,

Dropping from the veils of the morning to where the cricket sings"

Lake Isle of Innisfree, WB Yeats

Parks Castle on Lough Gill facing the Lake Isle of Innisfree, it was an overcast day and hard to see Yeats utopia and too miserable to get a decent shot.

A random shot of Leitrim, a lot of the area is wilderness and bad farming land, it was unusual to see the green in the foreground.

In the little valley in the foreground is a place where Catholics used to gather for Mass's during the 1700's. During the Reign of Cromwell it was illegal for Catholics to gather for Mass and the British authorities hired priest hunters to find priests that were holding services. Catholics used to take a stone from a church and put it in an isolated area and hold services at random times and days, notice was given by word of mouth among locals.

Happy St Patricks day

2012-03-17T05:00:00.001Z

Today wishing you all the best when half the world becomes a little Irish.

Postbox Edenderry

2012-03-16T20:10:00.000Z

Another postbox in a random area (for more click here), this is another one in use and I have proof.

This one is another dating back to British rule, this from King Georges rule.

This still has the original key that offers the reward for the sum of 2 Shillins and 6 Pence if handed into the Police.

And from the Freestate the same reward when handed into the Gárda (Irish for police)

And the Postman opens it!

'Lovely' Leitrim

2012-03-13T19:13:00.000Z

Leitim is Irelands least populated area, during the winter and spring its quite a desolate area with little colour and abandoned houses.

Behind one of the abandoned houses was one of the few bits of green, with some gold for good measure.

Killorglan Kerry

2012-02-22T22:14:00.000Z

Shots taken near Killorglan county Kerry using the HDR effect on my android

One tree hill, Westmeath

2012-02-15T22:11:00.000Z

Bray Head, Sunrise

2012-01-27T10:11:00.000Z

This what I was greeted to as I had breakfast this morning.

Same scene over 6 months

2012-01-08T19:35:00.000Z

I started this to highlight that its often luck capturing a good picture as the scene changes from hour to hour and day to day depending on the weather.

Enjoy, for high definition click here

My 2011

2011-12-31T00:43:00.000Z

A selection of some of my photos taken this year, wishing you all best for 2012

Postboxes and Milestone Tipperary

2011-12-21T21:59:00.000Z

I have put up pictures before about the scattered postboxes around the countryside here is one in Tipperary, with painted windowboxes.

Heres the house.

Reached a Milestone today, pity that it was the day after my birthday which wasn't a milestone

An early Xmas present for me (from me)

2011-12-12T23:47:00.000Z

There is this fantastic carpenter who lives near me and I got him to make this wonderful frame 3' X 1' for one of the shots I liked most this year. I wanted it as rustic as the picture and I think the effect is beautiful and wanted to share it, see more of his stuff here http://www.willowwoodworks.com/index.html

I know I have been quiet of late, sorry, been busy and the weather is lousy

The Chieftan, Boyle Co Roscommon

2011-11-07T09:51:00.000Z

Sitting on a hill on the side of the road overlooking the road from Sligo to Dublin stands this impressive sculpture. It commemorates a battle in 1599 when an English force was ambushed by Irish Rebels.

Behind it is a little picnic area overlooking Lough Key

Waiting on Shore, Sculpture Rosses Point, Sligo

2011-11-06T21:50:00.000Z

This statue is dedicated to those lost at sea taken against the midday Sun

Carlingford Lough

2011-10-27T21:16:00.001+01:00

Taken from Carlingford looking across the Lough where I stopped today, both were taken on my phone.

First on taken using HDR effect.

Taken using camera