10 Irish Inspirations

My second visit to Ireland in the summer of 2019 inspired me in many ways. I took these photos on my Blackberry Keyone. It’s the only phone with a physical keyboard that allows me to write novel-length chapters as I travel. Hope you enjoy the photos.

1. Tone and mood evoked by landscape

Antrim’s coastline in Northern Ireland

2. The Republic of Ireland is bilingual!

The Republic of Ireland, like Canada, has signage in two languages.

The Irish language continues to be used by the residents in Inis Oirr, Aran Islands, County Galway.

3. Colourful Sheep

Sheep that graze on shared pastures are coloured to identify their owners.

A dog rounds up the sheep at Kissane Sheep Farm in County Kerry

4. Discovering Gaelic Football and other sports I’d never heard of

County Kerry vs Tyrone in the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Semi-Final. Players can kick, carry, bounce, pass or punch the ball.

Our Royal Irish Tour (RIT) guide pulled over to show us how Hurling, another popular outdoor Irish sport, was played.

5. Canadian Writers In Ireland

Some of the books by Canadian authors we found in used bookstores.

Found one of my favourite novels in a public library in Adare, County Limerick

Happy to see more contemporary Canadian titles in bookstores throughout Ireland

6. Korean BBQ in Dublin!

Drunken Fish, a busy Korean BBQ in Dublin, was filled with Korean tourists.

7. Searching for shells

Inishowen in County Donegal. We drove the scenic route that runs 100 kms along the Atlantic Ocean.

Malin Head is the most northerly point of Ireland.

Scenes from Star Wars: The Last Jedi were filmed at Malin Head.

8. Live music and dancing

Could listen to the music of Sean O’Connor (“Mo Cairde”), Eamon Casey, and Aidan Moynihan all night long. At Major Colgan’s Pub in Killarney.

9. Discovering family stories

Found old letters and documents dating back to the late 1800s. One of my favourite places to visit is the local cemetery in Drumquin, County Tyrone in Northern Ireland.