As a business owner, your vote for president is always important. This is especially true in 2008, given the current uncertainty about the economy brought on by the collapse of confidence in the worldwide banking system. So I thought it would be interesting to know how photographers plan to vote next Tuesday. I hope you will take a moment to respond to this anonymous one-vote-per-computer survey. I'd like to get as many votes from photographers as possible, so please feel free to pass this link on to photographers you know and ask them to vote as well. Unlike some members of the traditional media, I'll wait to report the final result of this humble survey until after the polls have closed :-).

Jim and I are now back home from Ireland, and we had to wait to get here to post the rest of the blog articles I wrote while we were in the western part of the country, as well as proof everything which is hard for me to do on a laptop. At some of our stops, I couldn't find an Internet Cafe, and even cell phone service was spotty. But that wasn't a bad thing: no email to answer and no calls to return. Now that's a real vacation!

It was a spectacular trip, and I'm so thankful to all the photographers, B&B hosts, and pub friends who made us feel so welcome.

Now about the sheep: Somewhere along our journey, I became addicted to photographing sheep. I'm not totally sure when it happened, but I have to admit I'm hooked.

Maybe it occurred when I was out there in the rain with all those perpetually wet sheep in Donegal. I really admire the way they never seemed to fret about the rain.


Perhaps it had something to do with seeing how loyal they are to their friends from other species.


Maybe I was impressed with how giving sheep are because of all that wool I saw at the Leenane Sheep Museum . . .


. . . or how patient they were at the Ram Fair.


Or perhaps it was just a matter of learning that some sheep really like to pose for the camera. Honestly they do. Granted that most sheep will run off when you approach them.


And some who are munching away on grass may not move, but they won't look into the camera even if you set off a firecracker to get their attention.


But some sheep REALLY like to pose.


Some, in fact, look positively blissful when they pose.


Some like to look directly into the lens . . .


. . . while others prefer to show off their distinguished profiles.


Many are most comfortable while posing in their natural environment.




And in case you are wondering about the different colors sprayed on the sheep . . . this is a branding technique. When it come times to round up the sheep, their ownership can be sorted out by their colors. Some sheep are sprayed with a single color, others with two, and some truly border on the psychedelic.


Whatever their colors, some sheep like to pose all by themselves . . .


. . . while others prefer group portraits.


But occasionally, one is so shy that he will do anything to avoid the camera.


Posers usually have a way of making themselves known; just look for the one sheep in the group who pays attention to what you are doing. I find they like to hear you talk to them.


Some will be so happy to have human companionship that they'll come right to you . . . and bring their friends with them.


So as you can see, I've become pretty invested in this sheep thing, and I'm really looking forward to hitting the road again next year in Ireland in search of posing sheep. Of course I couldn't have found so many without Jim's expert driving ability and willingness to sit by the side of the road while I was sheep hunting. From the photo below, I'm not certain whether he's laughing at me or at the sheep. Either way, I'm grateful for his help.


I'm also grateful to everyone who has written to me about enjoying my blog posts on this year's adventures in Ireland. I'll be taking some time off from the blog to get caught up on the vacation backlog. But I'll be baaaa . . .ck!

If you want to do some serious landscape photography, it can't get much better than the Connemara, which comprises the entire area northwest of Galway city, Lough Corrib and Lough Mask. Nothing could have prepared me for the dramatic beauty of the hypnotic environment that we traveled through as we drove from Westport along the Atlantic coast through Louisburgh to Leenane. I'm not much of a landscape photographer; I typically prefer to photograph outdoor environments that include people, animals or architecture, but I was thrilled with a chance to do even a little photography of the unspoiled Connemara. I had heard that it takes at least a week to visit all the most scenic areas of the region, and that is definitely true. But even in the small area where I was photographing, the terrain is so diverse—ranging from lush to austere—with the ever-changing light adding to the drama. I shot over 3,000 images, so it will take a while to sort them out, but here are just a few that show the range of scenery I found in the Delphi Valley area, starting in southwest County Mayo between the Mweelrea Mountains, the Sheffrey Hills and Ben Gorm Mountain, and our Leenane, County Galway, destination. Along the way we passed two lakes: Finlough (Bright Lake) and Doolough (Dark Lake), with Bundorragh River connecting the two before entering the sea at Killary. The village of Leenane lies nestled between the Mwelrea, Devil's Mother and Maamturk Mountains and overlooks Killary Harbor, Ireland's only fjord.











May and June are the months that have the least amount of rain in the Connemara, but to be there in October, when there were virtually no tourists, was an unmatched experience. Stretches of time as long as ten minutes would go by when there were absolutely NO cars on the road except ours. All you could hear were sounds of nature—mainly the rush of streams, the whistle of wind, and the occasional bleating of sheep.



As we drew closer to the village of Leenane, the landscape became more lush . . .


. . . there were more sheep . . .


. . . and an occasional sheepdog on duty.


We also passed some kayakers navigating the rapids on Bundorragha River. Adventure sports facilities are now bringing more tourism to the area, which has to be a help to the local economy.



Jim figures that fishing the Bundorragha will be a day well spent, and he is already making plans.


So if you love nature—participating in it or photographing it—then put Connemara on your list. Here are two websites that will help you start making plans: www.connemara.ie has an excellent video on its home page, and www.goconnemara.com provides directions for navigating "The Connemara Loop," with information about all of the villages along the way. We're already planning our return to the area next year, and I'm determined to visit each of these villages and the land in between. Connemara has truly cast its spell on me.

Given my attraction to photographing sheep in Ireland—Jim says I won't be satisfied until I've photographed EVERY sheep in Ireland—it was pretty amusing to learn that the annual Blackface Ram Fair would be hosted right in the road in front of our B&B, starting at 5:00 A.M. today. The purpose of the fair is to allow farmers to purchase rams from different blood lines to keep their herds from becoming inbred. In addition to the commerce that takes place, the event is a huge social occasion, and I had a ball photographing the action and learning about Blackface Rams.












This gentleman asked me to photograph his rams and to put it on the Internet and tell everyone that these are fine examples of Blackface Rams. So I did. i hope he had a great day at the Fair. I certainly did!

The last stop on our journey was the small fishing harbor of Leenane, which would be our base for three days of exploring the Connemara. I immediately fell in love with Leenane, in spite of a day-and-a half of the worst weather I've experienced in Ireland. But even that was interesting; I've never been awakened by a sea-blown gale with 80 mph gusts that rattled the windows. We were quite cosy at Portfinn Lodge (shown below), our B&B accommodation that overlooks the harbor and hosts one of the best restaurants in the Connemara. I truly enjoyed a day of editing images and watching the waves. Leenane has an excellent website where you can learn more about this picturesque community.


Once the wind finally died down, we ventured out to Leenane's fascinating Sheep & Wool Museum, Cafe and Gift Shop.


No . . . the Gift Shop was not the main attraction, although it was great; we found a wealth of information about the rich history of sheep commerce in the Connemara . . .


. . . the many and varied breeds of sheep (who knew?) . . .


. . . and the traditional means of spinning the wool . . .


. . . and weaving different kinds of cloth.


From there, we moved on to nearby Kylemore Abbey, which is one of those not-to-miss places in the Connemara. Kylemore Castle was built in 1867-1871 by Mitchell Henry, a wealthy surgeon, as the centerpiece of his 13,000 acre estate. As a landloard, Mitchell was well thought of by the local farmers. Upon the untimely death of his wife in 1874, he built a neo-Gothic Church in her memory. In 1920 the castle and 10,000 acres were purchased by the Benedictine Nuns for 45,000 pounds. Today Kylemore Abbey is the monastic home of the nuns and includes their international school for girls, with about 70 boarders and 100 local students. The nuns run a small farm, but most of the lands have been deeded to the tenants of the estate.

Photographers seem to be obsessed with photographing Kylemore, and I can see why. There are many vantages from which to view the castle, and the scene changes dramatically as the light moves in and out of the clouds. Here are my two favorites from today.



Here's the view from the front of Kylemore Abbey . . .


. . . and here's Jim enjoying the view. Looks like he owns the places doesn't he?


Photography is permitted inside the public rooms of the Abbey, so here's a look at some of the fabulous interiors of this magnificent building.





Both of us just loved the dining room, and Jim has come to the conclusion that the Benedictine Nuns are excellent investors and business managers. I wouldn't be surprised, because their Craft & Retail Shop and Restaurant at the Visitor Centre is the best I've seen. And they were having a 20% off sale today. Even Jim couldn't resist that! We had to buy an extra suitcase to get home. It is truly worth a trip to Ireland just to visit Kylemore Abbey.

I a so grateful to Eamonn McCarthy for suggesting the trip to Achill Island, and the route he sent us on was perfect. It took us through the lovely town of Newport, which we'll certainly want to explore more thoroughly on another visit.



Along the way, we stopped to photograph some interesting "animal buddies" . . .



. . . and we even encountered some sheep who were standing watch over their home.


Then we came to the town of Mulranny, where a bridge connects the mainland with Achill, Ireland's largest island.



Almost immediately the landscape became more rugged, starting with the windswept beaches.





I was not surprised that all day we experienced typical coastal weather: rainy one minute and sunny the next. Unless it is blowing sideways, the rain isn't a problem when you are photographing in Ireland; you just need to be dressed appropriately. Luckily, by the time we reached land's end at Keem Beach, the sun was out, so we spent some time soaking in the magnificent environment, deciding that this would be the perfect place to come for a picnic.


I really love Ireland in October, because you miss the usual crowds. We were almost alone at the beach . . .


. . . except for a few surf fishermen . . .


. . . and a young couple enjoying each other's company.


Finally we were ready to tackle the narrow mountain road that brought us down to the beach. Fortunately the trip up the mountain is much more comfortable, since your car is against the mountain, not hanging out over the cliffs, as you are going down because of the left-hand driving arrangement in Ireland.


As we headed back to Westport, the clouds began to gather, but they made a wonderful picture out over the Atlantic.

One of my only disappointments about this trip was that our timing was off in visiting Westport, as we would be unable to meet Alan Hastings in his home town. We have known Alan for many years, having first met when he was working for a New York photographer who sent him to a class that we taught in our Annville studio. Alan and his wife Caroline eventually returned to Ireland to raise their family, settling in Westport where Alan opened his own studio. We renewed our acquaintance last year at the Athlone IPPA meeting, and Alan also attended my class in Galway last Monday. But we knew we were going to miss each other in Westport, because Alan was shooting an out-of-town job on Friday, and he and Caroline, whom we have never met, had a wedding on Saturday. Here I am with Alan at last year's IPPA meeting:


So what about that "Small World" issue? I had slowed down our progress to Achill Island by spending more time that I expected at Croagh Patrich, and Jim just rolled his eyes when I said I wanted to photograph the Famine Memorial and the border collies. Well . . . just as I was getting in the car to leave for Achill, I heard horns honking and a line of cars pulling into the beach right next to us. I said to Jim: "I bet it's a wedding. Wouldn't it be a riot if it turned out to be Alan's wedding?" Another eye roll from Jim. But I persuaded him to follow the wedding party, and—you guessed it—it was Alan and Caroline and the wedding party. We waited until the photography was underway, then we introduced ourselves to the limo driver to tell him what was up.


For the next 15 minutes or so, we watched as Alan and Caroline, selected and tidied up locations . . .


. . . gave directions for group pictures . . .


. . . and did a highly professional job with the photography.




We didn't want to interrupt Alan, but eventually he spotted us, the Caroline came over and introduced herself. What an unexpected treat!


Now that we were busted, I followed Alan, Caroline, and the happy couple for a few images. Nothing like old Celtic ruins for a spectacular portrait setting!





Finally, I got this quick photo of Alan, Caroline, and the bride and groom. We wished them a happy life together, and we were off to Achill Island. So our visit to Westport was now a complete success. A small world indeed!

All roads, it seems, lead to Westport. This County Mayo town is located on the west coast at the south-east corner of beautiful Clew Bay, an inlet of the Atlantic Ocean. One of the few planned towns in the country, it was designed by James Wyatt in 1780. Among its picturesque features are its tree-lined and flower-decorated promenande and several stone bridges over the river Carrow Beg.


Westport is designated as a "Heritage Town" and recently won the prestigious National Tidy Towns title. We could see why yesterday when we took a walking tour of the town, where we were attracted to its delightfully decorated squares, shops and cafes.





Westport's visual charisma, breathtaking landscapes and continental flavor have made it one of the country's most popular holiday destinations, and it has a great selection of hotels, restaurants and pubs. Speaking of pubs . . . we got quite a surprise when we dropped in at one of the older pubs in town: The surprise was named Rebel, and he's a full-grown old English sheep dog, who is a frequent visitor with his owner, a transplanted American from Atlanta. Dogs are allowed in Irish pubs if no food is served.


Another delightful surprise was an impromptu visit with talented landscape photographer Eamonn McCarthy. During our visit to Cong, I had purchased a set of notecards featuring Eamonn's wonderful photography, so I wanted to look him up while we were in Westport. Turns out his gallery was only a few doors down from our hotel, so we stopped in to purchase an original. Happily, Eamonn was there, not out shooting the vast County Mayo landscape. I was very impressed with how much Eamonn has accomplished with his business, which, like many of us, began as a hobby. I'm certain you will enjoy seeing Eamonn's outstanding work when you visit his website. Eamonn also teaches classes on digital photography, and I know I certainly could benefit from studying with him. Maybe next time!



One of the reasons we had come to Westport was that it is the perfect gateway for the beautiful Connemara region of Ireland. I wanted to spend some time photographing there, and Eamonn was kind enough to make some suggestions about where to visit. He told us not to miss Achill Island, so we decided to set out for Achill the next day.


Today, before heading for Achill Island, we decided to stop at one of Westport's most beloved attractions, Croagh Patrich, known as Ireland's pilgrimage mountain, along the south shore of Clew Bay. According to Christian tradition, St. Patrick went up the sacred mountain at festival time in 441 AD. After fasting at the summit for 40 days, he banished all the snakes and demons from Ireland. Each year as many as one million pilgrims and visitors make the trek to the top of the 2,510 foot tall mountain to pray at the stations of the cross, participate in Mass, or just enjoy the spectacular view. I made it only as far as the statue of St. Patrick, but I was rewarded by a lovely view of the Clew Bay.



I wanted to get one more photograph before we left for Achill: Just across the road is the national Famine Ship Memorial, a magnificently haunting sculpture along Clew Baby. The country's largest bronze sculpture, it recalls the horror of the Great Hunger that decimated Ireland in the 1840s. Metal skeletons are intertwined to form the ship, which overlooks the bay from which thousands sailed for America, Australia and Canada.


We were about to leave when I spotted these fellows who were waiting for their master to return from the beach where he was harvesting mussels. Their "crate" was attached to the back end of a tractor and could be raised and lowered. I suspect they were either coming from or going to sheep-herding duty. It's a good thing that I got sidetracked with making the photo of the dogs, as we were about to experience another "Ireland is a Small World" moment. Read on . . .

On our last day in Sligo, we toured one of the most compelling stately homes I have ever visited: Lissadell House and Gardens, which only recently was saved from ruin by two lawyers from Dublin who are restoring it from the ground up, including purchasing many of the fabulous furnishings that had been sold off when the house was in decline. It is now the family home of Edward Walsh and his wife Constance Cassidy and their seven children. What they have accomplished in three year's time is remarkable. Although you can tour the public rooms of the mansion, photographs are not permitted because it is a private home. However, you can see excellent photographs of the marvelous restoration on the very interesting Lissadell website.


Lissadell was built in 1833 by Sir Robert Gore Booth, and it served as the Gore-Booth family home until 2003. The house fronts the Atlantic Ocean and is set among the Knocknarea mountains and majestic Ben Belben. Designed by Francis Goodwin, it is a magnificent country house built in the Greek revival style. Lissadell is famous as the childhood home of Constance Markievicz, her sister Eva Gore Booth, and her brother Josslyn Gore Booth. Constance was one of the leaders of the 1916 Rising, and eventually became the first woman to be elected to the Dail Eirean, the Irish legislature, and to the House of Commons in Westminster, where she declined to take her seat in protest against British policies toward Ireland. Eva was a poet of distinction and an active suffragist. Josslyn created at Lissadell one of the premiere horticultural estates in Europe, and that enterprise is now being recreated by the new owners. The home also served as an inspirational retreat for poet William Butler Yeats, who stayed at Lissadell in 1893 and 1894, and who immortalized Lissadell and the Gore Booth sisters in his poetry.


After our tour of the home, we headed for the newly restored Coach House, which is now home to the Heritage and Garden Shop.


We were met in the courtyard by "Honey," the family's Irish wolf hound.


Honey, quite clearly, is NOT a watch dog!


The Gift Shop not only features very appealing merchandise, it also is a wonderful resource for fresh vegetables grown in the restored gardens of the estate. We did our part in stimulating the local economy at this wonderful gift shop!


The adjacent Tea Rooms have seating for 80, including comfortable tables and banquettes that are cleverly fitted into Coach House box stalls.


In the Heritage Center's Markievecz Exhibition Hall, you can view a celebration of the fascinating life of Constance Gore Booth (Countess Markievecz), who was once sentenced to death for her part in the 1916 Easter Rising, but who went on to become the first women member of a legislature in a European democracy. I'm in the midst of reading the biography of this fascinating woman, and I am convinced that the story of her life and times would make a great Hollywood production.


Like her sister, Eva, Constance was an accomplished artist, and many of her paintings and drawings are on display at the Heritage Center. Other family artworks and those of local artists, including the outstanding work of Jack Yeats, brother of W.B. and that of their father, are lovingly preserved in the restored basement rooms of Lissadell House.


The house is surrounded by over 400 acres of land including picnic areas, a beach, and woodlands. As we were leaving the estate, we spied these two miniature horses, who came over to be petted. I suspect they must be part of the petting zoo that is being planned for children.



I expect to return to Lissadell House and Gardens again, as it was too rainy to visit the restored Alpine Garden and Kitchen Gardens. It will be a pleasure to see how much more the Walsh-Cassidy family have accomplished in their quest to restore this magnificent gem of history, architecture, horticulture and art. I enjoy every place I visit in Ireland, but there is something very special about Lissadell House and Yates Country. They are not to be missed!

This is Yeats Lodge, the B&B establishment that we booked for our stay in Sligo. We have found Irish B&Bs to be wonderful accommodations, and this one was no exception. The public rooms were spacious, and our bedroom with ensuite bath was extremely comfortable. Our host, Geraldine, is a fisherman, so she filled Jim in on the trout and salmon fishing options in the area, as he is seriously considering a fishing trip next year. And her breakfasts were outstanding! Irish breakfasts start the day out right, and most of the time you don't need to eat again until supper time . . . perhaps just a scone at tea time to hold you over. Part of the fun of a trip to Ireland is searching the Internet for B&Bs to see what the area has to offer.

I gravitate toward establishments with personality, many of which are slightly off the beaten path. In this case, however, I was delighted that Yeats Lodge was just off the main north-south motorway, because Yeats's grave was just a mile a way. In addition the sea coast, my attraction to this part of Sligo was its fame as "Yeats Country," as the poet is closely identified with the area around Drumcliff.


As an English major in college, William Butler Yates became one of my three favorite poets, and I completed many papers on his poetry. He wrote with such precision, and his poetic illusions have always painted word pictures for me. So I knew that seeing at least some of the places from which he gained inspiration would be a special treat.

We began our trip through Yates Country at the nearby church where he is buried: Drumcliff Church. (St. Columba's Parish Church, Church of Ireland), where his great-grandfather had served as Rector. Yates spent much of his childhood with his mother's family in Sligo, where he explored the land and learned folk tales. The Celtic cross, shown below, greets you at the churchyard. It was part of the original monastery and is presumed to be from the 11th century.


The country church and graveyard is lovely and tranquil, surrounded by the visually stunning mountains that Yeats so often reference in his work. It was a beautiful Indian summer day, so we lingered for a time just soaking up the beauty of this quiet setting.







Back at the Yates Lodge we stayed in the "Ben Bulben Room," aptly named because it had a view of the massive "Table Mountain," one of Ireland's most beautiful mountains. Its distinctive outline results from different responses to erosion of the limestone and shale of which the mountain is formed.


Ben Bulben simply dominates the landscape from all directions, and it is fascinating to watch the mountain face change as the light comes and goes with the movement of cloud formations.


You can even see Ben Bulben in the mist of this image that we took as we explored the coastal area around Drumcliff.



Next, we turned inland to head east where we could explore the road that lies at the base of Ben Bulben. There we saw picturesque cottages . . .



. . . and grand country homes.


All along the way, we saw beautiful vistas that helped to explain how this rich visual environment informed the imagery of Yeats's poetry.





Finally we arrived at Glencar Lake, one of Yates's favorite locales.


As we were driving along the edge of the lake, I caught sight of a swan.


Fortunately I had some crackers, so I quickly attracted him and eventually his mate.


As we were heading back to the lodge, a rain shower blew in. But it did not spoil our day. In fact, it just made it better, as you can see below.


I never felt so lucky to be a photographer after this unforgettably perfect day in Yates County.

From Galway, we headed to County Sligo, where we would stay at The Yates Lodge in the town of Drumcliff, where the famed poet William Butler Yates once lived and where he is buried. More about Yates Country later. But first, I must recall Mary McCollough's prediction that I would have more than one "Ireland is a Small World" experience during our trip. The second one came when I mentioned to Frances Muldoon, a member of the "Irish Six," that I hoped her home would be close enough so that we could have a visit when Jim and I got to Sligo. Turns out her town of Rosses Point is just a few minutes drive from Yates Lodge. A small world indeed!

Frances took us an wonderful sunset tour of her unforgettably beautiful village, which lies hard against Sligo Bay. Every picture I made in Rosses Point speaks to the beauty of the sea and the town's connection with it, but nothing is more poignant than the exquisite sculpture of a woman with her arms outstretched to the sea. It commemorates the loved ones of seafarers who watched and waited for them to return safely to their home ports.






From there, Frances took us to her favorite restaurant and pub, The Waterfront, and I can see why it is. The seafood was as good as it gets!


The evening was especially enjoyable because we had the pleasure of dining with the darling Muldoon twins, Rosisin and Joyce. Dad Sean, whom we met at the Kilkenny IPPA meeting, was at soccer practice with older brother Jordan.


After dinner we took a quick trip to the Muldoon's lovely home where Frances has her studio. I was delighted to get a firsthand look Sean's fine carpentry and Frances's beautifully designed wedding albums . . .


. . . and to meet handsome Jordan—quite a footballer I hear—who was back from practice with Dad . . .


. . . who took over bedtime duty with his girls.


Jim and I hope to return to Rosses Point on a future trip . . . to catch up with the Muldoons and to spend some more time exploring Rosses Point and Sligo Bay.

Before we left, I took one final photo of a beautiful harvest moon on the headland of Rosses Point.

You would probably say I was exaggerating if I said that Jim stopped going to movies after John Wayne died. Well, he did actually go to two, but he slept through one and fidgeted through the other, so that was the end of my asking him to go with me. To say the very least, Jim is still a John Wayne fan thanks to endless TV reruns. We both agree that The Quiet Man was one of his best, so we decided to stay at Cong, where much of the movie's location scenes were shot.

It doesn't take long to see the village, just a short walk and you can take in some wonderful scenery, ranging from the trout-stocked river that flows next to the ruins of Cong Abbey, built in the 12th century by Augustinian monks . . .





. . . to charming country cottages . . .





. . . colorful village businesses . . .



. . . and the famous Market Cross.


Everywhere there are reminders of The Quiet Man, which has helped to support town enterprises since its filming in 1951, but fortunately for visitors and townspeople alike, tourism hasn't spoiled the village's magical atmosphere.



At the Quiet Man Heritage Center we viewed some of the props used in the film and recreations of several key set designs.



Then we took an enjoyable walking tour with an extremely knowledgeable guide who had members of our tour group act out several key scenes from the movie to demonstrate how the action unfolded. She chose Jim to play the part of "the dying man," who rose from his deathbed and runs down the street when he heard that the fight was on between Sean (John Wayne) and antagonist Red Will Danaher. That's the fastest I've seen Jim move in many years :-).



Next, she chose a couple from Califonia to reenact the famous "kiss scene" between Mary Kate (Maureen O'Hara) and Sean by the gate to Ashford Church.


I think they turned in the most enthusiastic performance of the day!


I'd recommend the tour to anyone who loves the film. Buy the DVD before you come, because you'll want to see it again to review the settings where you've walked in the steps of The Quiet Man cast.

We'll come back to Cong again, to visit some of the other film locations in Counties Galway and Mayo, and we'll spend several nights at the simply astonishing Ashford Castle, the gates of which literally back up to the village and where some of The Quiet Man scenes were filmed. As you enter the gates, you are flanked on each side by forest lands that darken your passage . . .


. . . until you emerge onto the rolling hills that now constitute the golf course that fronts the spectacular castle with a 700-year history that in 1985 was transformed by a group of Irish-American investors into one of the "Top 50 Resort Properties in Europe. You can see why, when you walk the grounds of this magnificent property, which is set on the northern shores of Lough Corrib.






Back in 1951, many of the The Quiet Man stars stayed at Ashford Castle, which had become an hotel operation in 1935. So . . . today you can live even more luxuriously than the stars by staying at Ashford Castle. Check out the wesite by clicking here.

I was absolutely delighted when I was invited to teach a day-long program to members of the Irish PPA through an affiliation with a government-sponsored Skillsnet program, which is designed to advance professional training opportunities.


I recognized quite a few photographers whom I met last year at the Athlone conference, but there were many few new faces in the group of 45, which I am told is a good turnout for the Skillsnet programs. What I know for sure is that I got great questions from the obviously serious group, which was especially interested in management issues because of the "new economy" that photographers everywhere are facing because of the worldwide banking crisis.


The official photographer for the event was Dublin photographer Robert Allen, who did a wonderful job capturing Jim.


And I was also amazed when he sent a series of of photos of me on the job. Talk about talking with your hands . . .


Here I am with Robert after our official duties we done for the day. Thanks to him for sharing these great images, and thanks also to the members of the Irish PPA for their continued interest and friendship, and to Mary O'Driscoll and Padraic Deasy for helping me with arrangements.

On each of our visits to Ireland, we have run out of time to visit Galway, the capital of the West of Ireland. It is a thriving modern city that dates back to the 13th century, when the medieval city grew up inside a great encircling wall. Since we only had a day to see the city, we decided to take a leisurely walking tour, beginning on Kirwin's Lane, which is full of shops and pubs. We were assured that this is where the action is on Sunday.


Action indeed! With no automotive traffic allowed, the lane was filled with people enjoying the mild fall weather . . .


. . . visiting the quaint shops . . .


. . . and enjoying entertainment for all ages . . .




. . . and just hanging out together.


Our next stop was the Spanish Arch area. The arch, built in 1519 at the south section of the town hall, was named for the frequent visits from Spanish ships that traded with Galway.


We spent the rest of the afternoon exploring the Long Walk, from which we could see the famed Galway Bay, as well as photographing in other nearby streets and alleyways in the oldest section of the city.





The bay was a magnet to young people enjoying a day off . . .


. . . and I even caught a cat napping in the warm Sunday sun.


Finally, we stopped a while at the Fish Market, where women once peddled fish to the townspeople of Galway. Today it is a gathering place for those who want to enjoy the sights and sounds of a bustling city. Here's one of the most interesting encounters we spotted: dog vs. man on springing stilts. Both managed to survive.


Late in the day we had a special treat courtesy of Galway photographer Neil Warner, whom I met last year at the Athlone Irish PPA Convention, where he presented an excellent program on marketing. Neil and his wife, Mary, had kindly offered to take Jim and me on a walking trip, then treat us to a pint at one of the city's oldest pubs. Recently Neil was elected president of the European Federation of Professional Photography, and he holds a boatload of titles and awards, including European Commercial Photographer of the year in 2006 and Fellowships in the British Institute of Professional Photography, the Irish PPA, and the British Master Photographers Association. So we enjoyed discussing association issues, but mostly we loved hearing fascinating stories about Galway and enjoying Neil's witty observations.

Here are Mary, Neil and Jim walking along the Corrib River, where Neil explained how power was generated for the city's early linen mills through the ingenious use of a series of canals that were dug along side the river.


Through a system of locks on the canals, the water could be raised and lowered and made to increase the current of the river to drive power to the plants.