The Mother of the groom has a hat!

Jesus College, Oxford

Ice Cream at Harrods



Tower Bridge

Having Fun

Louise is living in Oxfordshire where she now works. We began my visit to her with a trip to London. We had great fun wandering around the city soaking in the atmosphere, saw the West End production of Blood Brothers and stayed over with Rhona Gaynor in her home near Tower Bridge.

Avoca, Co Wicklow

Meeting of the Waters - the confluence of the rivers Avonmore and Avonbeg thereafter called the Avoca River.

Cottage by the Lake

Posing by the Waterfall !

Wicklow Goats

Glendalough Co. Wicklow

Glendalough (valley of two lakes) is one of the most important sites of monastic ruins in Ireland. The scenery and views from the many walks in the area are beautiful all year round. Today the Spring blossoms and strong yellow gorse
were spectacular.

Brittas Bay Beach

There are so many beautiful beaches around the Irish coast but this one between Wicklow and Arklow on the east coast is one of my favourites.

I have so many happy memories of Sundays spent on this beach: swimming, playing hide n seek in the sand dunes and cooking a hot lunch on my father's primus stove.... I can still smell the (Kearns) sausages cooking.

Roundwood, Co. Wicklow

On th 5th August 1919 my grandparents Thomas and Kathleen (Coleman) Hall travelled from Dublin city to the village of Roundwood, Co. Wicklow for a week long honeymoon. They certainly would have attended Mass in this church while staying there.

An unusal sight!

Dublin Airport is now open having been shut for a week due to the potential danger of a cloud of Volcanic Ash covering Europe.

There are so many stories of peoples' efforts to return home from holidays and business trips by train, bus, taxi and of course boat into Dublin Port.

Howth

Howth is a beautiful fishing village to the north of Dublin Bay. The Bailey Lighthouse is a great landmark for people arriving by boat into Dublin Port. Today the passing ferries were filled to capacity as people who had been trapped in Europe and the UK due to Volcanic Ash (produced by an Icelandic Volcano) travelled to Ireland by sea.

Yachts in Howth Harbour

Lobster Fishing Boat laying out nets

Ireland's Eye Island


Bailey Lighthouse

The Phoenix Park is one of the largest enclosed recreational spaces within any European city. It was established in 1662 but it's present landscape dates from 1860. It covers an area of 1750 acres. The official residences of the President of Ireland and the American Ambassador to Ireland are both located in the park. As is the Dublin Zoo.

A herd of fallow deer roam freely.

There are many athletic and sports grounds (gaelic football, hurling, soccer, camogie, cricket and polo) in the park.

My home is close by the entrance and I have always thought of it as my garden.

The All Ireland Polo Club grounds (founded 1873)and Phoenix Cricket Club Pavilion(1830).

Ashtown Gate

Aras an Uachtarain (official home of the President of Ireland)

Swans have been nesting here since I was a child, I guess this is a new generation of swans!!

Fallow Deer

The Papal cross marks the place where Pope John Paul II celebrated Mass during his visit to Ireland in 1979.

Park Gate

Many people still chose to live in this traditional style of Thatched Cottage.

New home in Co Galway

Happily there are signs of people settling into new homes and communities expanding in many of the more remote areas of the west of Ireland.

Many old stone cottages in the West of Ireland were abandoned when their tenants moved or emigrated.

Connemara, Co Galway