Tag Archives: Republic of Ireland

Destination, Photography, Travel

MULLAGHMORE HEAD – COUNTY DONEGAL/SLIGO – REPBULIC OF IRELAND ‪#‎discoverireland

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County Donegal

A short 6 minutes or so from Donegal town we found Seven-Arch Bridge over the Laghey River in the village of Laghey on our way to Mullaghmore Head.  There are many stone arch bridges in Ireland; this is a fine example of what you will encounter.

This impressive seven arch bridge is one of the more important bridges in the south County Donegal area. It survives in good condition despite some modern works and the infilling of the arch to the south end, and its survival is testament to the quality of the original construction during the eighteenth century. The slightly humpbacked form of this bridge creates an interesting profile, and is indicative of its relatively early date. This utilitarian structure is enhanced by the dressed stone voussoirs and slender ashlar cutwaters. This bridge was apparently built in 1768 and carried the former main Dublin/Sligo to Derry mail coach road, and it is indicated on the Taylor and Skinner Maps of the Roads of Ireland (1777 – 1783) map of the area.

Seven-Arch Bridge

Laghey Village bridge iPhone Ireland 2016-3020

County Sligo

Mullaghmore Head

Another 30 minutes down the road we arrived at Mullaghmore Head.  The views here are impressive.  It was rather calm when we were there, but your imagination didn’t have to run wild to see how the surf batters the coastline.  The layered rock formations along the Wild Atlantic Way are a sight to see.

Ireland D700-3054

Jutting out of Sligo’s northern edge, close to the county’s border with Donegal, the small peninsula of Mullaghmore sits dramatically out into the North Atlantic.

The waters here are not simply photogenic. They have become known for some of the most sought-after waves in surfing. Mullahgmore is notably championed for one big break in particular which Surfing magazine has dubbed “a mutant Irish left”. Surfing is in the blood here. The famous Irish pro-surfer and local Sligo legend, Easkey Britton, was even named after a beach called Easkey, just an hour’s drive further south of Mullaghmore. – wikipedia

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Classiebawn Castle on Mullaghmore Pennisula

Mullaghmore Head “Tow in Surf Session”

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Destination, Photography, Travel

SLIEVE LEAGUE – COULTY DONEGAL – REPUBLIC OF IRELAND #‎discoverireland

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2016-04-28 iPhone Ireland 2016-3003Slieve League

From Donegal Town we traveled to Carrick and on through Teelin to the sixth highest sea cliffs in all of Europe known as Slieve League.  This was an amazing stop during our travels of the 2016-04-28 iPhone Ireland 2016-3019Republic of Ireland.  The River Glen flowing through Carrick was quite picturesque.  Closer to Teelin the river widens as it flows towards the coast; fishing boats rest at low tide along the river banks.

Slieve League is a mountain on the Atlantic coast of County Donegal, Ireland. At 601 metres (1,972 ft), it has some of the highest sea cliffs on the island of Ireland. Although less famous than the Cliffs of Moher in County Clare, Slieve League’s cliffs reach almost three times higher.

The Belfast naturalist Robert Lloyd Praeger wrote in 1939:

A tall mountain of nearly 2000 feet, precipitous on its northern side, has been devoured by the sea till the southern face forms a precipice likewise, descending on this side right into the Atlantic from the long knife-edge which forms the summit. The traverse of this ridge, the “One Man’s Path”, is one of the most remarkable walks to be found in Ireland – not actually dangerous, but needing a good head and careful progress on a stormy day….The northern precipice, which drops 1500 feet into the coomb surrounding the Little Lough Agh, harbours the majority of the alpine plants of Slieve League, the most varied group of alpines to be found anywhere in Donegal.

Map_Slieve LeagueYou can explore Slieve League from two different start points by car.  There is a parking lot just West of Arduns where there is a gate (green dot).  You can walk from here or open the gate and drive in further West to Carrickmacafferty (red dot).

gate_slieve league
Gate @ green dot

I would recommend saving your energy by driving to far parking lot.  There is plenty of trail to explore from there; the views are absolutely magnificent.  It is hard to realize the scale of these cliffs through these photos.  These cliffs are truly massive and quite impressive; a must see if you are in the Donegal area.  If you wish to hike to the summit and back, plan a whole day here as the journey will likely take you 6 hours round trip.

Slieve League Cliffs – Drone footage.

Slieve League Walk

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DONEGAL TOWN – COUNTY DONEGAL – REPUBLIC OF IRELAND ‪#‎discoverireland‬

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Donegal

Donegal gave its name to County Donegal, although Lifford is now the county town. Until the early 17th century, Donegal was the ‘capital’ of Tír Chonaill, a Gaelic kingdom controlled by the O’Donnell Clan of the Cenél Conaill. Donegal sits at the mouth of the River Eske and Donegal Bay, which is overshadowed by the Bluestack Mountains (‘the Croaghs’). The centre of the town, known as The Diamond, is a hub for music, poetic and cultural gatherings in the area.

Donegal Town itself is famous for being the former centre of government of the O’Donnell Clan, the great Gaelic royal family who ruled Tír Chonaill in west Ulster for centuries and who played a pivotal rôle in Irish history. Their original homeland lay further to the north in the area of Kilmacrenan. From the 15th to the 17th century, they were an important part of the opposition to the colonisation of Ireland by England. The town itself contains Donegal Castle, on the banks of the River Eske, and the remains of Donegal Abbey a Franciscan abbey which dates back to the 15th century on the Southern shore of the Bay. – wikipedia

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Ardlenagh View B&B Breakfast

Donegal Town is a quaint coastal town in the Northern part of the Republic of Ireland – population 2600 (2011).  We ended our 3rd day in Ireland here and began our 4th.  We stayed at Ardlenagh View B&B a short distance from town South on R267.  A nice cozy and comfortable B&B.  We met a couple from Montana while eating breakfast.  They had a bit of trouble the day before.  While on their way back to the B&B the night before they hit a large rock on the side of the road and bent the wheel on their rental car.  Post breakfast activity – head to Donegal Town and seek repairs.  That would be no fun; thankfully we didn’t have any issue like that.  Our post breakfast activities consisted of touring Donegal Castle and walking around the town visiting many shops.  Being dachshund fans, we were delighted to encounter a shop with wiener dog items.  We are always on the look-out when we travel for something unique.  Cyndie now has a wiener dog wallet.

Donegal Town

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Donegal Town side street
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Dachshund Wallet & Bag @ Magee’s

Donegal Castle is situated in the centre of Donegal town, County Donegal in the northwest of Ireland. For most of the last two centuries, the majority of the buildings lay in ruins but the castle was almost fully restored in the late 1990s.

The castle consists of a 15th-century rectangular keep with a later Jacobean style wing. The complex is sited on a bend in the River Eske, near the mouth of Donegal Bay, and is surrounded by a 17th-century boundary wall. There is a small gatehouse at its entrance mirroring the design of the keep. Most of the stonework was constructed from locally sourced limestone with some sandstone. The castle was the stronghold of the O’Donnell clan, Lords of Tír Conaill and one of the most powerful Gaelic families in Ireland from the 5th to the 16th centuries.

Donegal Castle

Donegal Castle – street view
Donegal Castle – courtyard
Castle Map
Castle Window
God save the Queen
Ornate Chair
Castle Ceiling

Old Castle Bar & Red Hugh’s Restaurant

Old Castle Bar & Red Hugh’s Restaurant was a fine choice for dinner.  Their fish and chips was some of the best I had over our twelve day trip.

Seated inside
Two Pints
Fantastic Fish & Chips

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Destination, Photography, Travel

OLD DUNLEWEY CHURCH – COUNTY DONEGAL – REPUBLIC OF IRELAND ‪#‎discoverireland‬

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This site is what attracted us to Gweedore in County Donegal.  A ruined gem, Dunlewey Church, in the middle of the desolate landscape not far from Glenveagh National Park.

Nestled at the foot of Errigal (the hightest mountain in County Donegal) and overlooking the beautiful Poisoned Glen sits the beautiful ‘Old Church of Dunlewey’.

“Jane Smith Russell had the church built as a memorial to her husband, James Russell, landlord of the Dunlewey Estate, who died on 2nd September 1848.  James Russell was laid to rest in a vault under the church floor.  The church was consecrated on 1st September 1853 as a Chapel of Ease to Tullaghabegley.  Tullaghabegley was the parish consisting of the present day Gweedore and Cloughaneely parishes.

The church is built of white marble and blue quartzite which was quarried locally.  The supply of marble in the nearby quarry has now been depleted.  The red brick in the arches of the windows was produced locally.  Remenants of the brickfield are still visible near Oilean Ghrainne when the level of the lake is lowered.

A two storey rectory was built in the nearby Glebe.  This field, part of the Dunlewey Estate, is now forested.  James Henry Bor was the only full time rector to reside in the rectory.  He was nominated by Jane Russell on the 6th of September 1856 and later was installed as rector of Raymunterdoney in 1872.  The church is at present under the curacy of the combined parish of Gweedore, Templecrone and Carrickfinn.

Buried in a large communal grave is Dr. Frazer Brady (died March 1877), his wife Fanny, who was a daughter of James and Jane Russell (died December 1900) and four of their ten children: Jane Russell died February 1851 aged 3 months; Mary died April 1860 aged 3 months; Valentine Pole Griffiths died April 1868 aged 4 years; and Hugh Woodhams died January 1876 aged 19 years.

Also interred in the surrounding graveyard is Richard Lewis Crankshaw, owner of Dunlewey Estate, who died 29th November 1929.  His wife Nellie who died in 1946 is buried in the graveyard of the local R.C. chapel.  Her grave faces this church and her husbands grave.

With the decline of the Dunlewey Estate the potential congregation diminished and the church was not in regular use.  The expense of the upkeep and the passage of time added to the deterioration of the church.  In 1955 the roof was removed as a safety measure.  It’s furniture and fittings were distributed to other churches within the diocese of Derry and Raphoe.  The bell is now installed in Cashel Church of Ireland near Doe Castle.

In 1987 the local community restored the floor.  In 2005, half a century after the unroofing, with grant aid for the Programme for Peace and Reconciliation work was undertaken to ensure that this beautiful and historic landmark was preserved for future generations.  In co-operation with Udaras na Gaeltachta and Fas the surrounding wall was subject to repair and conservation work.  Considerable funds were raised through the generosity of the local community in the form of sponsored walks.”

http://www.welovedonegal.com/old-church-dunlewey-poisoned-glen.html

Old Church Dunlewey

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GLENVEAGH CASTLE & NATIONAL PARK – COUNTY DONEGAL – REPUBLIC OF IRELAND ‪#‎discoverireland‬

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After wrapping up our day 3 itinerary in Northern Ireland we moved on to destinations in the Republic of Ireland in the Northwest.  Our first stop in County Donegal was Glenveagh Castle in Glenveagh National Park.  As you can see from the photos below, the landscape was very drab, desolate and mostly brown.  It was still very beautiful; I image the Summer brings more color.

Glenveagh (from Irish Gleann Bheatha, meaning “glen of the birches”) is the second largest national park in Ireland. The park covers 170 square kilometres of hillside above Glenveagh Castle on the shore of Lough Veagh (Loch Ghleann Bheatha), 20 km from Gweedore in County Donegal.

The park is home to the largest herd of red deer in Ireland and the formerly extinct golden eagle were reintroduced into the park in 2000.

Glenveagh National Park

Lough Veagh
Lough Veagh

 

The site occupied by the Castle and Gardens was wild mountain moorland. In 1869 the first part of the Castle was constructed. However it was not until the mid 1880’s that the Gardens were started. The two major elements of the Garden, the Pleasure Gardens and the Walled Garden were constructed in the late 1880’s. The original Victorian Garden layout remains intact. It was for Mrs. Cornelia Adair that the gardens were constructed. Mrs. Adair employed a Kew trained gardener to lay out the gardens. Some of the planting in the Pleasure Grounds such as the purple maples and the Scots pine trees were planted at this time. – wikipedia

Glenveagh Castle

http://www.glenveaghnationalpark.ie/
Park Map http://www.glenveaghnationalpark.ie/

Glenveagh Castle and Gardens is very nice place – an oasis seemingly in the middle of nowhere.  We finally met a good number of people out seeing the sites.  It still wasn’t crowded at all.  It was amazing to see different varieties of flora here.  If your travels takes you in this direction plan of spending a few hours here.  There are several walking paths to explore in addition to the gardens.  There is a shuttle from the main parking area to the castle – we elected to take advantage of that as it looked as though it could downpour at any moment.

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Irish Nuances – An American Perspecitive

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My wife Cyndie and I recently returned from a trip to Ireland (both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland).  It was twelve days of wondrous discovery and eye-gripping scenery.  Aside from all the wonder, there were a few observations I feel worth sharing.  Here they are in no particular order:

  • I found no car window scrubber at any filling station to clean the car windows.
  • Bathrooms = Toilets.  At filling stations they are typically located outside; around back or along the side of the building.
  • A large coffee is equivalent to a small in the USA.

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    Large coffee :-/
  • I would recommend bringing a travel mug or small thermos for coffee.  You never know when you will run into the next filling station or coffee shop.  A “large” coffee doesn’t go far.
  • Coffee in Ireland is fantastic – at filling stations too.  Coffee at the B&B’s is phenomenal.  You may want to fill that mug/thermos at the B&B before you leave.
  • Water – we stopped at the first filling station we saw and bought a case of water.  Repeat as needed.   There are many sites where you will likely need to hike.  Always have water on hand.
  • Most filling stations sell alcohol.  Pick up some hard cider for an evening cocktail back at the B&B.
  • If you rent an automatic diesel car, when you apply the brake and stop, the engine will turn off.  Do not be alarmed, when you take your foot off the brake, the engine will start again.
  • I highly recommend renting a GPS navigation device.
  • Look for a flag when entering an address on the GPS device to indicate which county you wish to navigate in – Republic of Ireland or Northern Ireland.

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    Huge time-saver
  • A portable WiFi device can be very useful.  Be aware, though, that if rent it in the Republic of Ireland, it will not work in Northern Ireland.  I would imagine the inverse would be true as well.  WiFi access is nice when traveling from town to town to locate sites you wish to visit or what restaurants are available.  Be sure to read the reviews.
    Image result for hertz portable wifi
  • Round-a-bouts (GPS refers to them as rotary) are not that hard to navigate; the key is to enter them in the correct lane and signal appropriately to exit.  Learn this quickly as you will encounter many of them.
  • If someone recommends visiting the chemists, they are referring to the drug store/pharmacy.
  • When dinning out, ask for your check as they do not automatically drop it by your table.  In most instances you do not pay your waiter/waitress; you pay at the bar/bartender.
  • When stopping at a filling station, presumably in smaller towns, always check to make sure their credit card machine is operational (or carry adequate cash).
  • Recognize the difference between the color of pump handle that corresponds to the correct fuel for your car.  Green handle is diesel in USA, but in Ireland it is petrol (Unleaded).  Black is typically diesel in Ireland.

    diesel vs. regular
    Diesel is the BLACK handle!
  • Attractions and some ferries are cash only.
  • Make sure your credit and debit cards are chip.  If you need a PIN for your credit card be sure to request it well in advance of your trip (typically 10 days to get).  No PIN needed for purchases – just for cash.
  • The B&B network is extensive and a great way to travel.  I would recommend making reservations for the latest possible arrival time as each B&B allows.  That gives you some wiggle room as you travel from town to town.
  • We didn’t not purchase a phone to use while in Ireland.  We kept our iPhones in “Airplane Mode” the entire time and connected to WiFi (both portable or at location where we stayed/ate).  This was only an issue once when we were running behind schedule getting to our B&B.  I sent them an email earlier in the day requesting a later arrival time, but they didn’t see it.  There are pay phone in most town centers, but not at every filling station.
  • If you are going for an extended amount of time and wish to minimize luggage, use a laundry service.  Be advised that you typically need to drop off in the a.m. and pick up the following a.m. so plan accordingly.
  • POWER – we purchased a BESTEK 200W Travel Voltage Converter with 6A 4 USB Charging Ports.  The USB ports were handy for charging our iPhones and portable WiFi device.  The 110 outlets worked great for charging camera batteries and laptop.  This is only for electronics.
  • We also purchased Ceptics Grounded Universal Plug Adapter for UK (Type G) – 3 Pack for my CPAP machine and Cyndie’s curling iron.   If your curling iron dies, go see the chemists for a new one.  Approx 30 Euro.
  • Take full advantage of the traditional Irish breakfast.  It is typically large and very tasty.  It usually starts with cold cereal/yogurt & granola,  juice, bread and fruit; then the hot stuff – eggs, bacon, sausage, tomato, black/white pudding, toast and coffee.  This will carry you through the day well.  Have a snack in the afternoon and a pint and you are set until dinner.

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    Traditional Irish Breakfast @ Kilmail Country Chalet
  • Fresh seafood and fish is available on every coast.  We didn’t find a bad Fish & Chips anywhere.  A good variety of fish to – Sea Bass, Hake, Cod, Monk Fish, Haddock, etc.

    Filet of Sea Bass
    Filet of Sea Bass
  • I was surprised that I only found Bangers & Mash and Corn Beef & Cabbage at one restaurant each.  Perhaps these dishes are more readily available in pubs.  Not all pubs serve food though.  If you are looking to eat specific things you may want to research what is available where you will be traveling.  If you are interested in eating lamb you are in luck.  That was served in some form everywhere we stayed.
  • If you desire Almonds while on your trip, pack them, as they were not readily available anywhere.  Dry roasted peanuts were however plentiful and a satisfactory substitute.
  • The travel neck pillow you purchased at the airport makes and excellent cradle for you DSLR camera while driving around the Irish countrysides.  You’ll likely be stopping often and packing it away each time in your camera bag just isn’t practical.
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  • I don’t believe tipping is customary in Ireland, but it is greatly appreciated.  I’ve never been waiting on more quickly and cheerfully every place we had a pint and/or had dinner.
  • And finally, enjoy plenty of Guinness & Bulmers on your travels.  No where will it taste fresher than from the motherland itself.
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Destination, Gear, iPhoneography, Photography, Travel

iPhone 6S for travel photography

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iPhone 6S Camera App
iPhone 6S Camera App

My wife and I recently visited Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.  We traveled around the entire island.  As you can imagine, the scenery and sites where quite picturesque.

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Image from petapixel.com

Just before leaving on our trip we upgraded our iPhone from 5S to 6S.  I was and continue to be very impressed with this rendition.  The camera stills and 4k video are outstanding.  We opted for the 64GB model thinking we didn’t want to run out of space due to large amount of photos and videos.  We didn’t even come close; a 32GB model would have suffice, but that is no longer an option.  In total, I alone shot 77 panoramas, 35 Selfies, 22 Videos and hundreds of other photos.

The panorama feature is by far my favorite.  As a photographer that has shot, stitched and edit numerous panorama’s from a DSLRs files – using an iPhone for this purpose is almost effortless.

12 day photo map
Map Module in LR

Another wonderful feature is the geo tagging of every photo.  The GPS data is nice to have when you import all of your photos into Lightroom.  The Map Module quickly and easily displays all of the location your used your iPhone.  I do have a GPS device for our Nikon DLS.  The Nikon GP-1A GPS Unit seemingly takes a while to lock in its position.  I don’t want to spend my time waiting on a green light to take a photo.  I leave it home more frequently now that I shoot with both my DSLR and iPhone.

Image from digital-photography-school.com
Image from digital-photography-school.com

Our Nikon D700 and iPhone 6S each have a 12MP sensor.  Hard to believe.  The sensors are very different though.  The D700 sensor measures 36x24mm and the iPhone just 4.8×3.6mm.  I am amazed at the quality that something so tiny can produce; however, It does have many limitation.  It doesn’t even begin to perform as well as the larger one.  Low light, action and overall quality are very different.  But when you consider ease of use, size, and the complete package the iPhone places in your finger tips; in my opinion it is hard not to consider it a serious camera for traveling and a complete replacement for a point and shoot camera altogether.  With the addition of a third party camera app like ProCamera, you have most manual setting at your fingertips.  I like ProCamera as it also allows you to insert your copyright info into the EXIF data of every image.

A new feature on the recent iPhone release is Live Photo.  It is an interesting and entertaining feature.  The result is both an image file and movie file; when you import the photo into Lightroom, the .jpg is hidden.  Your options and solution to this issue can be found [here].

Stay tuned for deluge of photos I captured while on holiday in Ireland.  I’ve reviewed and processed all the photos from my iPhone thus far and have a few thousand to work through from other cameras I shot with.

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