Castles and Stout | Ireland Travel Photography

Traveling around Ireland and chasing rainbows is something that should be on everyone’s bucket list!  After we finished up photographing Tony & Kristen’s dream wedding in Adare, we set off on a 4 day adventure to see the country.  We didn’t have hotels booked except for the last 2 nights in Dublin at the end of the trip.  We had a car and a credit card – so we just decided to wing it.   Tony’s mom had raved about their stay at Ashford Castle when they first got to Ireland at the beginning of the week.  The thought of staying in a real castle is just about every girls fantasy (even if they won’t admit it!) Who doesn’t want to feel like royalty – even if its just for a night?   Luckily when we called Friday morning, Ashford Castle had one room available for one night… so we took it! It was meant to be.  We left the wedding party that morning and headed to the Cliffs of Moher.  Just like on our adventurous drive to Adare, the Irish country roads are narrow and bumpy with lots of twists and turns. So much fun! As we got closer to the  cliffs, our GPS failed us and we ended up on someone’s farm. I think it was really meant to be…  I told Brent my dream would be to own that farm. The farm is situated on the beautiful western coast with a great view of the cliffs. It also had a heard of fat, fluffy cows to take care of. I’d love to end up there! We managed to finagle our way off the farm and find the cliffs. The weather was sunny and bright..the view unbelievable. AND just like that – it starts to rain! Luckily, I put on the rain jacket to help block some of the wind but we still ended up with damp hair.  The weather in Ireland is crazy! You just have to be prepared for everything – all at one time. Pack layers and always keep an umbrella nearby! After a quick walk around the cliffs – we were Ashford Castle bound….

We arrived at Ashford Castle around Blue Hour on Friday Night. It was all lit up and it was magnificent! Worn out from the drive, jetlag and 3 days of non-stop photography coverage,  we grabbed dinner at  The Dungeon, the casual pub property, followed by a night cap in the Prince of Wales Bar.  We awoke the next morning feeling refreshed and ready to explore the property.  During our traditional Irish Breakfast in the George V Dining Room, we planned our day!  First, we would take a little boat cruise on Lough Corrib.  It was windy and foggy but we were on a boat – so who cares! Totally worth it. Great views of the castle from the water.   Following our morning boat ride, we strolled the property and it’s lovely gardens. We finished our brief stay with high tea at 2…. scones, finger sandwiches and a delicious assortment of teas were just what the drizzly, fall day ordered! Hands down  – it was my favorite experience of the trip! Sipping tea from fine china in a formal sitting room in a real castle – if only every day was as regal!   Post tea, our castle party came to an end and we said goodbye to the luxurious Ashford Castle. It was back on the road as our adventure continued eastward… next stop Athlone.

We pulled into Athlone Saturday night just in-time for dinner and drinks at the Oldest Pub in Europe – Sean’s Bar. The crossing point and the pub date back to the year 900AD. Later, a settlement was established around the Crossing Point and King Turlough O’ Connor built the first wooden castle here in 1129. Trust me it looked old… but it was quaint. We enjoyed a few round with locals before turning in.  The stretch between Athlone and Dublin isn’t that long but we needed an early start to get to complete our stops.  Continuing eastward, we made our way to Trim Castle in County Meath.  Most of you might recognize it from the move Braveheart. It was great to get out and stretch our legs… of course, I encouraged Brent to run down the hill yelling FREEDOM.  I’m sure the onlookers thought we were crazy Americans…but the secret video I shot was soooo worth it!! (Brent would die if I posted it so that you will have to come over to watch!)    After our castle break, we continued on to catch the last tour of the day at Newgrange.   Dating back to 3200 B.C the passage tomb at Newgrange is older than the pyramids in Egypt and is officially a UNESCO World Heritage site. Newgrange is a large passage mound, spread over an acre and surrounded by 97 uniquely carved kerbstones. The cremated remains of the dead were buried in large stone basins under the mound in a chamber accessible by a narrow passage. This was not a visit for anyone remotely claustrophobic. We could barely fit through the entrance and there wasn’t really room on the inside for Brent to stand up. They took a group of 10 of us in at a time and it was tight!! Totally worth it to check it out even if you don’t go inside. The view of the countryside is spectacular and full of livestock!  After our visit which took about 3 hours total, we headed to Dublin for the last leg of Ireland adventure….

Dublin is relatively small compared to other European Cities. The total population of Ireland is 4.8m with roughly 1.3 of them living in the Greater Dublin Area. Compared to Atlanta- Dublin is tiny!  We returned our rental car to the airport upon arrival Sunday night and checked into the Morrison by Doubletree. The Morrison is located on the river and is in a great location for walking about Dublin. (plus we used points!)  Dublin is an awesome city and there is tons to see/do.  We only had a day to explore so we started with the second item on Brent’s must-do list: The Guinness Storehouse.  The self-guided tour was very, well done.  The Guinness family and history of Irish Stout is routed deep into the history of Ireland. I loved how the tour lead you through all of it in detail.   After we grabbed lunch at the Storehouse, we headed off on a hop off hop on bus tour.  Cliche or not, I love the hop on/off buses in big cities. I think they give you a great overview of the layout and history of the city. Especially if you don’t have a lot of time to see the sites.  After dinner, we considered calling it a night but we got a second wind and booked a ticket on the Dublin Ghost Bus.  Old cities have lots of dirty secrets and the Ghost Bus takes you around and tells you all about them.  Nothing like spending your last night in Ireland in a graveyard talking about body-snatchers!  The tour guide was lively and interactive… such a fun way to find out about the dark-side of Dublin!

All-in-all, our Ireland adventure was a dream trip!  Even if I had to spend half the trip working – I would rather spend my life photographing amazing couples in majestic lands then spend a day in front of a desk.  Ireland is a must see place – the food, the people, the scenery… nothing disappoints! We can’t wait to go back soon.

“Your feet will bring you to where your heart is…”  – Irish Proverb