Ten Magic Days in Ireland
June/08/2011 Ireland Journal
Last month I traveled to Ireland for business and for pleasure—this time without Jim—and for the first time driving on the left side of the road all by myself. You can see the tiny blue car they gave me in this photo of Beechfield House, the lovely bed and breakfast where I stayed in the charming village of Castleconnell in County Limerick, which fortunately was an easy drive from the Shannon Airport. I had no time to blog in Ireland, and from the moment I got back I’ve been on the move. So I’m catching up now, as I don’t want to forget anything about this wonderfully memorable visit during what turned out to be fabulous fun for me and some historic days for Ireland.
I came to Castleconnell to study panorama photography with Peter O’Donnell, who I had the pleasure of meeting and hearing lecture at the Irish Professional Photographers Association conference last fall. I was so taken by his stunning landscapes, that Jim and I stopped by Peter’s Castleconnell gallery before we left for home. Here are some photos of Peter and the gallery that I took during our brief visit.
Peter generously agreed to two-days of training, and I’ve been excited about the prospect ever since. You can view his fantastic work at this link: www.TheWiderEye.com as well as learn about Peter’s classes and educational resources at this link. I wisely decided to spend one day getting acclimated to the five-hour time zone difference by visiting the village and the area around it.
I stopped in at the gallery, and Peter was kind enough to take me on a tour of some of the beautiful settings that surround the village. We visited an incredible grove of trees where Peter said we would come the next day to photograph a simple panorama after reviewing the equipment we would be using at, all of which was new to me.
Castleconnell is a wonderful place for a photographer to live, as it is surrounded by so much beautiful scenery, including the Shannon River that forms one of its boundaries. Not surprisingly, Castleconnell is known for its fishing and rowing activities as well as for its many 19th-century buildings. I’m hoping that Jim will want to do some fishing here when we come for our annual September-October visit. That way I can get out and photograph some more of the great scenery, which should be spectacular in the colors of autumn.
During the afternoon I walked through the village and through another nearby town, where I saw firsthand the empty buildings that are the aftermath of the property bubble, which partially caused the meltdown of the Irish economy.
After dinner, just as the storm clouds were gathering, I met Peter and his wife, Michelle, at a wonderful pub in the village, which is filled with fishing memorabilia.
When Peter and Michelle asked if I was up to visiting another pub where traditional music was playing, I was thrilled. They didn’t know how much I love to listen to live music, and this was a particular treat, as the pub sponsored weekly music sessions for local music lovers to drop in with their instruments. Over a dozen musicians participated; it was totally informal, and the music was great! I would have stayed until the pub closed, but Peter and I had work to do the next morning.
I came to Castleconnell to study panorama photography with Peter O’Donnell, who I had the pleasure of meeting and hearing lecture at the Irish Professional Photographers Association conference last fall. I was so taken by his stunning landscapes, that Jim and I stopped by Peter’s Castleconnell gallery before we left for home. Here are some photos of Peter and the gallery that I took during our brief visit.
I stopped in at the gallery, and Peter was kind enough to take me on a tour of some of the beautiful settings that surround the village. We visited an incredible grove of trees where Peter said we would come the next day to photograph a simple panorama after reviewing the equipment we would be using at, all of which was new to me.
Castleconnell is a wonderful place for a photographer to live, as it is surrounded by so much beautiful scenery, including the Shannon River that forms one of its boundaries. Not surprisingly, Castleconnell is known for its fishing and rowing activities as well as for its many 19th-century buildings. I’m hoping that Jim will want to do some fishing here when we come for our annual September-October visit. That way I can get out and photograph some more of the great scenery, which should be spectacular in the colors of autumn.
During the afternoon I walked through the village and through another nearby town, where I saw firsthand the empty buildings that are the aftermath of the property bubble, which partially caused the meltdown of the Irish economy.
After dinner, just as the storm clouds were gathering, I met Peter and his wife, Michelle, at a wonderful pub in the village, which is filled with fishing memorabilia.
When Peter and Michelle asked if I was up to visiting another pub where traditional music was playing, I was thrilled. They didn’t know how much I love to listen to live music, and this was a particular treat, as the pub sponsored weekly music sessions for local music lovers to drop in with their instruments. Over a dozen musicians participated; it was totally informal, and the music was great! I would have stayed until the pub closed, but Peter and I had work to do the next morning.