Bonny Shores of Ireland

All my life, I have wanted to go to the bonny shores of Ireland.  One may ask why? Mr. H repeatedly asks why? An Irish Catholic girl growing up in Boston, with an Irish surname starting with 'O' who then marries and has four children named Patrick, Christine, Claire and Connor, might give a clue.

My father only had one demand request when I started dating. He must be Irish Catholic.  When I dated a boy with the last name O'Grady, I was the golden child.  When I eventually came home to say that I was marrying a boy who had all those good Irish qualities (like him) and even looked Irish (like him) he knew I was up to something. There really was only one small minor detail ...his surname was Portuguese. Lucky for me there were five other siblings behind me to pin his hopes on.

So..history aside, I still feel like it is something I just have to do. We are the closest we have ever been to Ireland...it is a hop, skip and a jump from England compared to when we were living in New Zealand. My children want to go, I want to go and we just need to get Mr. H to want to go.  This is going to problematic. He has already been. His answer to my insistence is 'Think New Zealand, think England and that is Ireland'.  I don't know about you, but that does not quite do it for me.

I am moving on to Plan B.

My plan is to clarify what it is that I hope to accomplish by this trip.  I am going to start with photos of Ireland and all the things that appeal to me. I am hoping over time I will be able to identify what it is I am yearning to get from this trip. 

First port of call: National Geographic

Misty morning in Dublin County..

of course...

for the B-Weller in me..

Can one ever get enough of rocks?  I can't....

So tempting...or maybe not, but still captivating..

Second port of call: One of my favourite books,  Ireland by Frank Delaney

"One evening in 1951, an itinerant storyteller, the last of fabled breed, arrives unannounced at a house in the Irish countryside. By the winter fireside he begins to tell the story of this extraordinary land. One of his listeners, a nine year old boy, grows so entranced that when the old man leaves he devotes his life to finding him again. 

Ireland travels through the centuries by way of story after story, from the savage grip of the Ice Age to the green and troubled land of tourist brochures and news headlines. Along the way, we meet foolish kings and innocent monks, god-heroes and great works of art, shrewd Norman raiders and strong tribal leaders, poets, politicans and lovers. A novel of huge ambition, beautifully told, Ireland is the unstoppably readable story of a remarkable nation. From the epic sweep of its telling to the precision of its characters, it rings with the truth of a writer passionate about his own country."

Third port of call: You

I am hoping that you have been or have suggestions as to what I should consider in my quest. 

I will continue to work on this and hope to one day present a plan. If you are considering a trip yourself, just hold on, I may have a few ideas for you:)

My last request for vacation apartment rentals in Paris is coming together nicely. I hope to post on the results soon.....I just have to get the brain to move from Ireland back to France!

Image 1: 

 O'Brien's Tower on the Cliffs of Moher in County Claire. 

(Photographer-Ryan Donnell)

Image 2: 

Killiney Beach in Dublin County 

(Photographer-James OGorman)

Image 3: 

A Dublin Pub

(Photographer- Fantuz Olimpio/SIME-4Corners)

Image 4: 

Pastoral countryside 

(Photographer-Jim Richardson)

Image 5:

 County Claire's Poulnabrone 

(Photograper-Ripani Massimo/SIME-4corners)

Image 6: 

Cliffs of Moher

(Photographer-Jim Richardson)

Image 

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