Ireland – The Travels of Eric and Eva

The view of Dublin from our cabin on the ship. Note the Samuel Becket Bridge over the river in the shape of a harp.

Malahide Castle (docked in Dublin)

Malahide Castle, dating from the 12th century, lies 9 miles north of Dublin and is surrounded by 260 acres of parkland. The gardens there are quite nice.

This greenhouse houses a butterfly garden.

One of many butterflies in the greenhouse.

One of many old lighthouses in the area around Ireland

Wicklow County area (docked in Dublin)

The remains of Glendalough Cathedral and Roundtower where parts date back to the 10th century.

This is known as a round tower. Their typical original purpose was to gain refuge from the Viking invaders and were later used as bell towers.

The same round tower from the start of a casual hike we did in the area. The weather was just perfect and the woods we walked through were magical.

Not a bad place to live when the weather is nice.

The hike took us to a place called Upper Lake.

Birds of the area. What else did you expect?

We stopped at a town called Enniskerry and had lunch at a pub there. They served us lamb stew with appetizers and dessert along with a local singer. Nobody wanted to leave.

I wouldn’t do well in Ireland I guess as I just can’t get used to the taste of Guiness.

This guy was so good !!!!! He kept playing until we had to leave. Many of us tipped him.

Powerscourt Estate

Powerscourt Estate, located in Enniskerry, County Wicklow, Ireland, is a large country estate which is noted for its house and landscaped gardens, today occupying 19 hectares. The original owner of the 13th-century castle was an Anglo-Norman nobleman with the surname of La Poer which was eventually anglicised to “Power” and later owned by the Powerscourt family. The house was extensively altered during the 18th century by German architect Richard Cassels, starting in 1731 and finishing in 1741.

This place was very estate-like but given other places we had been, was not that special for us. However, the golf course at the nearby Powerscourt Hotel here looks spectacular. Just a few photos from here.

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Tours from Portrush, Northern Ireland

Dunluce Castle

Dunluce Castle was built on the edge of this headland between the 15th and 17th centuries. During this time, it was one of the finest castles in the region and served to protect a key waterway. The castle is used in the filming of the “Game of Thrones”.

We saw some beautiful country and seaside scenery on the way.

The view as you walk towards the remains of the castle. A lot of history in these waters from the wars over the years.

Giant’s Causeway

The Giant’s Causeway lies at the foot of the basalt cliffs along the sea coast in Northern Ireland. The dramatic sight has inspired legends of giants striding over the sea to Scotland. It is made up of some 40,000 massive black basalt columns sticking out of the sea. Geological studies of these formations over the last 300 years show that this striking landscape was caused by volcanic activity some 50–60 million years ago.