Crazy Celtic Ireland
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Lucan Forest
Sometimes, we need breaks for our soul. Breaks from studying, worrying or social stress. Forests are great places to relax because the complex natural forms and natural scents along with the fresh air refresh us. Maybe it's uncommon to find such an untouched forest...
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Maynooth Castle
The medieval Anglo-Norman invasion of Ireland is a topic often enough touched in my blogs. Here is a last sad, but beautiful, example. Maynooth Castle is a 13th-century Norman castle built in the times of Strongbow. With the 1534 rebellion of Silken Thomas, it was...
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Weston Airfield
Whose dream is it not to fly? I sure did dream this a lot as a kid. Sure, not in a plane, just spreading my arms (wings!) and leaping into the wide blue, but still: Seeing the Alps from above for example is pretty awesome, isn't it? We are actually so privileged to be...
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St Catherine's Park
St Catherine's Park is a vast park in Lucan (between Dublin and Maynooth). Like the rest of Ireland, it's very green ... An entrance sign greets you in Gaelic and English and invites you to explore the park and meet the fairies. The straight roads that lead into the...
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Lucan Village Festival
Every year, there is a small festival in Lucan village. Besides dancers, music and food, some animals are shown as you see below. An uncommon encounter: A llama meeting a pig through a fence. A scary experiment (at least for my female friends): A tarantula to walk...
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Lucan Village
Lucan is a small but nice town in the South Dublin region, close to Maynooth. I got this shot of the bridge over the motorway ... look at the symmetry! Sometimes, it's the little things that can amaze you! One day, there was a city festival where many families went...
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St Patrick's Day - Good Craic
St Patrick's Day commemorates the saint who brought Christianity ro Ireland in the 5th century. Parades are held around the world, also in Germany, the UK, the USA and Australia. Some cities colour their rivers or buildings in green to celebrate. I was lucky to...
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1916 Memorial Military Parade
The Irish (generally speaking) seem to be proud of their history. The Celtic origins were followed by Viking raids and the English conquest which brought forth centuries of struggles. Famous examples after the many conflicts in hte 16th and 17th century are the 1798...
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Discovering Dublin City
Dublin is quite a green city: Strolling through the streets, you can see many parks and lawns. This one includes another obelisk as a monument. It's close to the archeological and botanical museum which is well worth a visit! The buildings in the inner city are very...
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Phoenix Park
Escaping the trouble of the inner city is a feeling that maybe everyone of us has experienced every now and then. In Dublin, Phoenix Park is a welcome refuge: Called the "green lung" of the city, it is one of Europe's largest inner-city parks with a size ov over 8...
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St Stephen's Green
Ireland is often called "The Green Island", and so it is no surprise that its capital, Dublin, should also have its green spaces. One of them is St Stephen's Green, a public park often visited by young people (and dog owners). Formerly used for public executions by...
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St Patrick's Cathedral
Walking through the inner city of Dublin, you should see St Patrick's Cathedral; according to legend, the national saint baptised people here in the 5th century, but it only became a stone cathedral in the 13th century. Surprisingly, the bishop has his seat in another...
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Discovering Dublin Castle
If you bear in mind that Dublin has some remaining medieval buildings, Dublin Castle must come to mind. Originally a defensive fortification against the Normans in the 13th century, it was later used as an official residence and hosts a museum today. The entrance gate...
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Discovering Dublin - Trinity College
Strolling through the inner city of Dublin around Grafton Street, you will most likely pass the entrance of Trinity College. This university with 17,000 students is one of the best in Ireland and has its place among the good universities in Europe, with a focus on arts...
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The Green Midlands
Ireland's green midlands are a famous place for hiking in the wilderness. Between tiny, cozy towns and vast meadows you can encounter magical moments such as this rainbow! With a group of international students, we headed out into the wild and soon found ourselves in a...
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Ireland's West Coast
One day, we took a bus to the western coast of Ireland: Cork and Cobh were our destinations. Near the Atlantic Ocean, the weather was often really harsh (windy and rainy) ... but we had sites to see, so off we went! Walking up steep streets, we saw the fishermen's...