Ireland - A New Meaning to the Color Green and The Spirit of Community

With five fellow women friends, we ventured to the Emerald Isle for two weeks. We hiked, soaked in the music and explored the beauty of the island.
Our 3-5 day stops were on the Dingle Peninsula, Connemara area and Doolin including the Aran Islands.

In looking over my photos, I have decided not to focus on each of the three areas but rather arrange my photos by category.

Scenes from our various hiking terrains

Biking the tiny roads on the Aran Island of Inis Oirr


Look way up to the top to see the people on the Cliffs of Moher, the finish to our hike up to the top Burren National Park near Doolin

Historical Sites - Obviously this was not the main focus of our trip!

Beehive hut (clochan) 8-12th century ancient dwelling place

Remains of a druid dwelling with underground tunnels for protection

Irish architecture and Pub Culture

Gaelic was printed with English on all the road and street signs. Gaelic is the primary language taught in the public schools.

This pub boasts a hardware store on one side of the room and the other side is the pub

Many white houses with paint trim around the windows and the door.

Even Ben and Jerry's couldn't compete with these classic names for ice cream

This was an early morning drop off of beer and hard cider for the coming night!


Pubs, I learned are short for Public Houses. Originally it was someone's front room opened up for music and a brew.

Today many of the pubs are first floors of an older structure, little spaces with walls removed. If you want a drink, go to the bar. Making money is not the primary goal. Patrons are frequently striking up a conversation in their witty and warm style. Very refreshing!


This is what 235 days of rain a year can do!

Kylemore Abby


Our gorgeous VRBO looking down on Doolin and the Aran Islands

The only downside was having our 9 passenger van on the tiny two way, but one car width, roads in these scenic places. Top it off driving on the "wrong" side of the road and it was stressful!

Lifestyle Expressions and Experiences

Can't buy alcohol on Sunday or St. Patrick's Day before noon!

Our farmer guide , Pat Sweeney, led the way up the Cliffs of Moher. He was battling the government to increase the price of the beef the farmers were raising to 4 Euro per Kilo. It has dropped to 3.25. The farmers had shut down the processing plants and made it clear they were going no where until the government acted. To make the point, Pat had erected a Christmas tree with lights in front of the county city hall to emphasize that the farmers were here to protest for the long haul!

A few expressions:

"You're all sorted" meaning you're done i.e. paying your bill.
Streaky bacon different from the other option, thin piece of ham.
Sale agreed means contract made i.e. on a piece of property.

LOVELY. Everything and everybody is lovely!


A twist on the home of the original fisherman's sweaters with the Irish love of a good pot of tea

Farmers used a little color to mark their flocks of sheep

County Keri flag that is displayed everywhere particularly as the Irish football finals pitted Dublin against Keri. Irish football is different from Canadian or US football. Check out the difference.

School group on a field trio to the Aran Island. These boys carry hurling sticks as we might carry lacrosse sticks.

Cultivating peat moss in the bogs. Very typical heating source for Irish homes. Below, back breaking work loading the rectangle blocks of peat moss on the truck.

Landscapes to savor

Yellow plants covering the rocky hillsides

Aran Island with these unique stonewalls everywhere. See the extent of these stone walls in photo below. They are mostly used not to keep livestock in but to prevent erosion from the sea. Seaweed is carted up from the ocean to add to the soil.