Ireland

Ireland was somewhere we had both wanted to see for quite some time. We originally had planned a boat down the river shannon, but lack of planning and extensive cost led us to settle for a fun-filled coach tour with Paddywagon tours.

We met up with Loz, a mate our ours, in Dublin the night before our tour started. Had a great evening as her guests.



A view of Dublin from our hostel upon arrival. Pretty dingy city...



The Shamrock coach that took us around the circumference of Ireland. Most of them were green, but we got a red one.



We stopped at a quaint church. This celtic cross was one of many we saw. They are engraved with biblical stories to teach children long ago.



One of the wall-murals we saw on our cab-tour of Belfast. A very scary neighbourhood.



Our tour group next to the huge wall between Catholic and Prodistant Belfast.



One of the many police/military observation platforms in Belfast. Cameras and parabolic microphones allow easy spying on anyone in the city.



A lonley township called Ballintoy. We stayed in the only hostel on the beachfront. To cold for a swim however...



The island is accessed via a precarious rope bridge. Unoccupied appart from a few birds, it was once the site of a massacre of the local woman and children by the British. The locals had hid their woman and children there in order to fight the british on the mainland but their plan was foiled.



Paul standing to the backdrop of the Giant's Causeway in north-east Ireland.



Dunlace castle on a cliff face. Once occupied by the McDonnell clan



Some of our tour group near the Giant's Causeway



Slieve League: Europes Highest Sea Cliffs. 700 meters down...



Slieve League: Tina and her canadian friends.



The resting place of poet, William Yates.



One of the many ancient sites scattered across this beautiful country. This one is thought to represent the female reproductive system.



We took a carrage ride through Killarny. Bit smelly, but a nice tour through the beautiful parks and gardens of this quaint party city.



Tina and Paul on the carrage.



The Blarney Castle in Cork. The small gap at the top of the tower is the location of the Blarney stone.



Paul Kissing the Blarney stone



Tina kissing the Blarney stone.



Finally, back to Dublin and a quick visit to the Guiness Brewery before flying back to London.



Canadian Rob, Tina and Paul enjoying a brew.



Canadian Rob, Paul, Tina and Ozzie Felicity enjoing a second brew.