Happy St. Patrick's Day

Happy St. Patrick's Day everyone. I hope you have a wonderful day and get a chance to participate in some Irish tradition, even if it's just a pint of the black stuff. I've long been enchanted with Ireland and several trips to the Emerald Isle have only reinforced this. The small country has a lot to offer and the landscape there was surprisingly diverse, changing constantly as we drove up and down and around. Below is a collection of photos that embody this diversity and offer a look into Ireland's breathtaking geology, landscape, history, and ambience.

Grazing sheep near Charleville Castle

 

Craggy coast in County Clare

The enchanting Giant's Causeway (volcanic Basalt rock formations) on the north coast of County Antrim. Legend has it that the Causeway (or bridge) was built by the mythological hero Finn MacCool in order to battle with the Scottish giant Benandonner. Finn's wife disguises him as a baby in a crib. When Benandonner sees the how large the "baby" is he reckons that Finn is a giant among giants and high tails it back to Scotland ripping up the Causeway behind him as he goes. There is an identical rock formation in Scotland, though perhaps Scotland has a different spin on the tale.

View of Little Skellig from Skellig Michael, home to 6-7th century monastic settlement - one of the most unique experiences Ireland has to offer. The 45 minute choppy boat ride to get there and the hundreds of ancient steps to the isolated top are well worth the visit. 

 

Lake near Killarney, County Kerry