Diadaethir! Greetings!

It has been a very long time indeed since I last posted anything on this blog.  I had originally intended to take you all along with me on my journeys around the world, but then I graduated from high school and college stole all of my spare time.  I do apologize for the long absence, and hope you will forgive me.

Now, however, I fully intend to catch you up on all of the travels I have been on over the last couple of years.  I will start with the oldest and work my way to the present, posting my pictures as often as I can.

Thank you for enjoying the sights of the world with me!  Feel free to comment or ask anything about the photographs or places or anything, and I will do my best to answer.

Daethernach! Farewell!

Danur Glendalough Monastery Rua

The monastic tower of Glendalough Abbey

The remains of the ancient main gates of the originally massive wall that enclosed much of Glendalough Valley

An ancient Celtic Cross style tombstone

The small chapel, one of the only buildings left standing in Glendalough after the English invasion

The hills surrounding Glendalough Valley

The woods that cover the valley floor reminded me of a mystical Elven vale

A small waterfall

Glendalough Vale

The cascades at the far end of the largest lake in the Glendalough Valley

A ancient cross, one of the oldest in this part of Ireland

Another view of the ancient cross

A picture of the brook that winds down through the valley with the tower and the chapel in the background

Elda Ruéntanï Bruaïn (Ancient Monastic Ruins)

An old back-alley behind one of the Cathedrals in Kilkenny

A cathedral tower in the city of Kilkenny

Old Celtic crosses in a cemetery

The inner courtyard of an old ruined abbey

Another view of this courtyard

Another old Celtic cross

The ruins of an ancient cathedral, burned down by Oliver Cromwell

A reconstruction of ancient "beehive" style huts popular amongst the early Irish hermits

Ándra ï Vráelidan (Into the Countryside)

Hook Head Lighthouse

Another shot of the Hook Head Light

The Dunbrody Famine Ship

One of the many scenic views to be found along the Ring of Kerry

Ladies View Overlook along the Ring of Kerry

A little countryside "kirk"

A magnificent view from the Ring of Kerry

The rocky Highlands and the lowland Moors along the Ring of Kerry

The Southwestern Coast of Ireland

One of the many ancient stone "henges" that dot the Irish countryside

A small Irish township at the foot of the MacGillycuddy's Reeks

The great MacGillucuddy's Reeks

Along the shore of the Kerry Peninsula

St. Brendan the Navigator's holy well, where he baptized a group of Irish pagans before sailing off to discover America nearly 400 years before Leifr Eriksson and 800 years before Christopher Columbus

Crossing from Valentia Island to the Kerry Peninsula on a two-car ferry in the middle of a terrible gale.  Stupid?  Of course.  Dangerous?  Without a doubt.  Fun?  HECK YEAH!!!

The Gap of Dunloe, the highest point in Ireland accessible by road

An old Irish Cottage.  Looks like it could feature in a Thomas Kinkade painting, no?

An Irish Clover Bud

The Irish countryside south of Dublin

I love the lighting and the focus in this shot

This bridge looks like it could be something from some fairytale or something!

The Sky above Corcaigh (Cork)

This is how narrow most (if not all) of the roads are in the Irish Countryside (yes, it is a two-lane road).  No wonder European vehicles are so ridiculously small!  On top of that, there are twelve-foot stone walls about a foot from the road on each side.  Good luck if you meet anyone coming the other direction!

Sugarloaf Mountain

Danur Dublin Eire Rua (The Road Through Dublin, Ireland)

Amazing, is it not?  The flight is actually on time!

The skies outside Dulles Airport

Getting there is half the fun!

My first look at Ireland.

The Radisson Hotel, where we stayed while in Dublin.

The Streets of Dublin.

The street sign advertising the Stag's Head Pub.

The Stag's Head Pub; a very nice place to grab lunch.

This is what most of the streets look like in Dublin; and yes, this is a two way street.

One of the many Cathedrals in Dublin.

The Guinness Brewery.

The entrance to the Guinness Storehouse.

A view of Dublin City with the Glendalough Mountains in the distance; taken from the Guinness Tower.

The sprawling Guinness Brewery.

The Brazen Head Pub; oldest pub still in existance in all of Ireland.

The courtyard of the Brazen Head.

Another Cathedral in Dublin.

A row of tenement houses in Dublin. I loved the lighting in this shot.

St. Patrick's Cathedral in Dublin.

The tiling on the floor inside Trinity Cathedral.

A stained glass window inside Trinity Cathedral.

More stained glass windows.

Flags from Ireland's various militaries.  Some date back to the 1400's.

A statue of James Connelly.

Trinity College, Dublin.

On of the little "slips," or alleyways, that riddle Dublin City.

Gogarty's Pub, Dublin.  Famous for their Guinness and Beef Stews.

Live Irish "Trad" music in Gogarty's.

One of the seven famous bridges that cross the River Liffey in Dublin.

The River Liffey in the gloaming.

One of the elaborately painted doors of Dublin.  Each door on each house in the city is painted differently.

An interesting piece of architecture.

Me wearing a crusader's "Great Helm" in the Dublinia Museum.

New Mini, meet the original Mini.