Connemara, Aillwee cave and Westport

Pictures taken at Connemara, Aillwee cave, Westport and Dunguaire on our Summer holiday in Ireland 2015.
Black Head Burren, limestone as far as eye can see : Black Head, Ireland, Irlanti, kesäloma, maisema, matka, scenery, summer holiday, travel Foggy Connemara A view from the entrance level of Aillwee cave. : 2015, Connemara, Ireland, Irlanti, Nokia 808, fog, kesäloma, maisema, scenery, summer holiday, sumu Aillwee cave Entrance to the cave and shop : Aillwee, Ireland, Irlanti, cave, historia, history, kesäloma, luola, matka, summer holiday, travel Cave bear A bear guarding the entrance to Aillwee cave. : Aillwee, Ireland, Irlanti, cave, historia, history, kesäloma, luola, matka, summer holiday, travel
Bear bones Bear bones inside Aillwee cave : Aillwee, Ireland, Irlanti, cave, historia, history, kesäloma, luola, matka, summer holiday, travel Aillwee cave The cave system consists of over a kilometre of passages leading into the heart of the mountain. Its features include an underground river and a waterfall as well as some large stalactites and stalagmites. The remains of bears can also be seen inside the caves and allusions have been made to it being the last bear den in Ireland. Roughly 300 metres of cave passage is open to the public, one third of the total length of the cave. The tours end at a point called the Highway and exit the cave via a 250-metre man-made tunnel. It was discovered in 1944, when a farmer named Jack McGann followed his dog who was chasing a rabbit. The farmer did not explore very far into the caves, and did not tell anyone of the find for nearly 30 years. He told cavers of the cave in 1973 and that summer the cave was explored as far as a boulder choke. : Aillwee, Ireland, Irlanti, cave, historia, history, kesäloma, luola, matka, summer holiday, travel Aillwee cave The cave system consists of over a kilometre of passages leading into the heart of the mountain. Its features include an underground river and a waterfall as well as some large stalactites and stalagmites. The remains of bears can also be seen inside the caves and allusions have been made to it being the last bear den in Ireland. Roughly 300 metres of cave passage is open to the public, one third of the total length of the cave. The tours end at a point called the Highway and exit the cave via a 250-metre man-made tunnel. It was discovered in 1944, when a farmer named Jack McGann followed his dog who was chasing a rabbit. The farmer did not explore very far into the caves, and did not tell anyone of the find for nearly 30 years. He told cavers of the cave in 1973 and that summer the cave was explored as far as a boulder choke. : Aillwee, Ireland, Irlanti, cave, historia, history, kesäloma, luola, matka, summer holiday, travel Aillwee cave The cave system consists of over a kilometre of passages leading into the heart of the mountain. Its features include an underground river and a waterfall as well as some large stalactites and stalagmites. The remains of bears can also be seen inside the caves and allusions have been made to it being the last bear den in Ireland. Roughly 300 metres of cave passage is open to the public, one third of the total length of the cave. The tours end at a point called the Highway and exit the cave via a 250-metre man-made tunnel. It was discovered in 1944, when a farmer named Jack McGann followed his dog who was chasing a rabbit. The farmer did not explore very far into the caves, and did not tell anyone of the find for nearly 30 years. He told cavers of the cave in 1973 and that summer the cave was explored as far as a boulder choke. : Aillwee, Ireland, Irlanti, cave, historia, history, kesäloma, luola, matka, summer holiday, travel
Aillwee cave The cave system consists of over a kilometre of passages leading into the heart of the mountain. Its features include an underground river and a waterfall as well as some large stalactites and stalagmites. The remains of bears can also be seen inside the caves and allusions have been made to it being the last bear den in Ireland. Roughly 300 metres of cave passage is open to the public, one third of the total length of the cave. The tours end at a point called the Highway and exit the cave via a 250-metre man-made tunnel. It was discovered in 1944, when a farmer named Jack McGann followed his dog who was chasing a rabbit. The farmer did not explore very far into the caves, and did not tell anyone of the find for nearly 30 years. He told cavers of the cave in 1973 and that summer the cave was explored as far as a boulder choke. : Aillwee, Ireland, Irlanti, cave, historia, history, kesäloma, luola, matka, summer holiday, travel Aillwee cave The cave system consists of over a kilometre of passages leading into the heart of the mountain. Its features include an underground river and a waterfall as well as some large stalactites and stalagmites. The remains of bears can also be seen inside the caves and allusions have been made to it being the last bear den in Ireland. Roughly 300 metres of cave passage is open to the public, one third of the total length of the cave. The tours end at a point called the Highway and exit the cave via a 250-metre man-made tunnel. It was discovered in 1944, when a farmer named Jack McGann followed his dog who was chasing a rabbit. The farmer did not explore very far into the caves, and did not tell anyone of the find for nearly 30 years. He told cavers of the cave in 1973 and that summer the cave was explored as far as a boulder choke. : Aillwee, Ireland, Irlanti, cave, historia, history, kesäloma, luola, matka, summer holiday, travel Aillwee cave The cave system consists of over a kilometre of passages leading into the heart of the mountain. Its features include an underground river and a waterfall as well as some large stalactites and stalagmites. The remains of bears can also be seen inside the caves and allusions have been made to it being the last bear den in Ireland. Roughly 300 metres of cave passage is open to the public, one third of the total length of the cave. The tours end at a point called the Highway and exit the cave via a 250-metre man-made tunnel. It was discovered in 1944, when a farmer named Jack McGann followed his dog who was chasing a rabbit. The farmer did not explore very far into the caves, and did not tell anyone of the find for nearly 30 years. He told cavers of the cave in 1973 and that summer the cave was explored as far as a boulder choke. : Aillwee, Ireland, Irlanti, cave, historia, history, kesäloma, luola, matka, summer holiday, travel Aillwee cave The cave system consists of over a kilometre of passages leading into the heart of the mountain. Its features include an underground river and a waterfall as well as some large stalactites and stalagmites. The remains of bears can also be seen inside the caves and allusions have been made to it being the last bear den in Ireland. Roughly 300 metres of cave passage is open to the public, one third of the total length of the cave. The tours end at a point called the Highway and exit the cave via a 250-metre man-made tunnel. It was discovered in 1944, when a farmer named Jack McGann followed his dog who was chasing a rabbit. The farmer did not explore very far into the caves, and did not tell anyone of the find for nearly 30 years. He told cavers of the cave in 1973 and that summer the cave was explored as far as a boulder choke. : Aillwee, Ireland, Irlanti, cave, historia, history, kesäloma, luola, matka, summer holiday, travel
Aillwee cave The cave system consists of over a kilometre of passages leading into the heart of the mountain. Its features include an underground river and a waterfall as well as some large stalactites and stalagmites. The remains of bears can also be seen inside the caves and allusions have been made to it being the last bear den in Ireland. Roughly 300 metres of cave passage is open to the public, one third of the total length of the cave. The tours end at a point called the Highway and exit the cave via a 250-metre man-made tunnel. It was discovered in 1944, when a farmer named Jack McGann followed his dog who was chasing a rabbit. The farmer did not explore very far into the caves, and did not tell anyone of the find for nearly 30 years. He told cavers of the cave in 1973 and that summer the cave was explored as far as a boulder choke. : Aillwee, Ireland, Irlanti, cave, historia, history, kesäloma, luola, matka, summer holiday, travel Aillwee cave The cave system consists of over a kilometre of passages leading into the heart of the mountain. Its features include an underground river and a waterfall as well as some large stalactites and stalagmites. The remains of bears can also be seen inside the caves and allusions have been made to it being the last bear den in Ireland. Roughly 300 metres of cave passage is open to the public, one third of the total length of the cave. The tours end at a point called the Highway and exit the cave via a 250-metre man-made tunnel. It was discovered in 1944, when a farmer named Jack McGann followed his dog who was chasing a rabbit. The farmer did not explore very far into the caves, and did not tell anyone of the find for nearly 30 years. He told cavers of the cave in 1973 and that summer the cave was explored as far as a boulder choke. : Aillwee, Ireland, Irlanti, cave, historia, history, kesäloma, luola, matka, summer holiday, travel Aillwee cave The cave system consists of over a kilometre of passages leading into the heart of the mountain. Its features include an underground river and a waterfall as well as some large stalactites and stalagmites. The remains of bears can also be seen inside the caves and allusions have been made to it being the last bear den in Ireland. Roughly 300 metres of cave passage is open to the public, one third of the total length of the cave. The tours end at a point called the Highway and exit the cave via a 250-metre man-made tunnel. It was discovered in 1944, when a farmer named Jack McGann followed his dog who was chasing a rabbit. The farmer did not explore very far into the caves, and did not tell anyone of the find for nearly 30 years. He told cavers of the cave in 1973 and that summer the cave was explored as far as a boulder choke. : Aillwee, Ireland, Irlanti, cave, historia, history, kesäloma, luola, matka, summer holiday, travel Aillwee cave The cave system consists of over a kilometre of passages leading into the heart of the mountain. Its features include an underground river and a waterfall as well as some large stalactites and stalagmites. The remains of bears can also be seen inside the caves and allusions have been made to it being the last bear den in Ireland. Roughly 300 metres of cave passage is open to the public, one third of the total length of the cave. The tours end at a point called the Highway and exit the cave via a 250-metre man-made tunnel. It was discovered in 1944, when a farmer named Jack McGann followed his dog who was chasing a rabbit. The farmer did not explore very far into the caves, and did not tell anyone of the find for nearly 30 years. He told cavers of the cave in 1973 and that summer the cave was explored as far as a boulder choke. : Aillwee, Ireland, Irlanti, cave, historia, history, kesäloma, luola, matka, summer holiday, travel
Donald Duck A colourful van for rent. Dunguaire castle Dunguaire Castle (Irish: Dún Guaire) is a 16th-century tower house on the southeastern shore of Galway Bay in County Galway, Ireland, near Kinvarra (also spelled Kinvara). The name derives from the Dun of King Guaire, the legendary king of Connacht. The castle's 23-metre tower and its defensive wall have been restored, and the grounds are open to tourists during the summer. : Dunguaire, Ireland, Irlanti, castle, historia, history, kesäloma, linna, matka, summer holiday, travel Dunguaire castle Dunguaire Castle (Irish: Dún Guaire) is a 16th-century tower house on the southeastern shore of Galway Bay in County Galway, Ireland, near Kinvarra (also spelled Kinvara). The name derives from the Dun of King Guaire, the legendary king of Connacht. The castle's 23-metre tower and its defensive wall have been restored, and the grounds are open to tourists during the summer. : Dunguaire, Ireland, Irlanti, castle, historia, history, kesäloma, linna, matka, summer holiday, travel Connemara view Connemara moor and hills : Connemara, Ireland, Irlanti, kesäloma, matka, summer holiday, travel
Peat Peat digged out and left to dry. It's used as a source of warmth. : Connemara, Ireland, Irlanti, kesäloma, matka, summer holiday, travel Connemara national park Connemara National Park covers some 2,957 hectares of scenic mountains, expanses of bogs, heaths, grasslands and woodlands. Connemara National Park was established and opened to the public in 1980. A nice pointed hill in the background with a small river in the front. : Connemara, Ireland, Irlanti, kesäloma, matka, summer holiday, travel Kylemore Abbey Kylemore Castle was built as a private home for the family of Mitchell Henry, a wealthy doctor from London whose family was involved in textile manufacturing in Manchester, England. He moved to Ireland when he and his wife Margaret purchased the land around the Abbey. He became a politician, becoming an MP for County Galway from 1871 to 1885. The castle was designed by James Franklin Fuller, aided by Ussher Roberts. Construction first began in 1867, and took one hundred men four years to complete. The castle covered approximately 3,700 m2 and had over seventy rooms with a principal wall that was two to three feet thick. The facade measures 43 m in width and is made of granite brought from Dalkey by sea to Letterfrack and from limestone brought from Ballinasloe. There were 33 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, 4 sitting rooms, a ballroom, billiard room, library, study, school room, smoking room, gun room and various offices and domestic staff residences for the butler, cook, housekeeper and other servants. Other buildings include a Gothic cathedral and family mausoleum containing the bodies of Margaret Henry, Mitchell Henry and a great grand-nephew. In 1920 the Irish Benedictine Nuns purchased the Abbey castle and lands after they were forced to flee Ypres, Belgium during World War I. The nuns, who had been based in Ypres for several hundred years, had been bombed out of their Abbey during World War I. : Connemara, Ireland, Irlanti, kesäloma, matka, summer holiday, travel Kylemore Abbey and lake Kylemore Castle was built as a private home for the family of Mitchell Henry, a wealthy doctor from London whose family was involved in textile manufacturing in Manchester, England. He moved to Ireland when he and his wife Margaret purchased the land around the Abbey. He became a politician, becoming an MP for County Galway from 1871 to 1885. The castle was designed by James Franklin Fuller, aided by Ussher Roberts. Construction first began in 1867, and took one hundred men four years to complete. The castle covered approximately 3,700 m2 and had over seventy rooms with a principal wall that was two to three feet thick. The facade measures 43 m in width and is made of granite brought from Dalkey by sea to Letterfrack and from limestone brought from Ballinasloe. There were 33 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, 4 sitting rooms, a ballroom, billiard room, library, study, school room, smoking room, gun room and various offices and domestic staff residences for the butler, cook, housekeeper and other servants. Other buildings include a Gothic cathedral and family mausoleum containing the bodies of Margaret Henry, Mitchell Henry and a great grand-nephew. In 1920 the Irish Benedictine Nuns purchased the Abbey castle and lands after they were forced to flee Ypres, Belgium during World War I. The nuns, who had been based in Ypres for several hundred years, had been bombed out of their Abbey during World War I. : 2015, Connemara, Ireland, Irlanti, Kylemore Abbey, Nokia 808, building, kesäloma, maisema, rakennus, scenery, summer holiday
Decorated tree Tree filled with soft toys and all kind of cloths. : Ireland, Irlanti, Mayo, kesäloma, maisema, matka, scenery, summer holiday, travel Find the sheep There's a sheep hiding in this picture. : Ireland, Irlanti, Mayo, kesäloma, maisema, matka, scenery, summer holiday, travel Barren land Streams running down the rugged landscape. : Ireland, Irlanti, Mayo, kesäloma, maisema, matka, scenery, summer holiday, travel Westport Market House A market house erected to a design attributed to William Leeson (d. 1805) of Galway and Tipperary. Terraced four-bay two-storey market house with attic, designed 1767[?]; extant 1815, on a T-shaped plan with single-bay (single-bay deep) full-height central return (west). Closed, 1922[?]. Now disused. : Ireland, Irlanti, Mayo, Westport, kaupunki, kesäloma, matka, summer holiday, town, travel
Signs Not the most useful pile of signs : 2015, Ireland, Irlanti, Mayo, Nokia 808, Westport, kaupunki, kesäloma, matka, opaskyltti, sign, summer holiday, town, travel St Patrick's statue The Monument on the Octagon in Westport was erected in the memory of George Clendining in 1843. George was born in Westport in 1770, son of the Church of Ireland Vicar of Westport. He went to school in Westport and continued his studies in Trinity College. During the Civil War, Irish Free State Troops were housed in the town hall. The statue was used for target practice and the head was shot off. In 1943 the Union District Council removed the statue, crests and inscription from the monument. 1990 Clendining was replaced by a statue of St Patrick, made of Portland stone by the sculptor Ken Thompson. Matching panels were inserted depicting scenes from the saint's life. : 2015, Ireland, Irlanti, Mayo, Nokia 808, Westport, kaupunki, kesäloma, matka, summer holiday, town, travel Westport bicycle A bicycle at Octagon : 2015, Ireland, Irlanti, Mayo, Nokia 808, Westport, kaupunki, kesäloma, matka, summer holiday, town, travel Loooooong lamb A very long lamb with some more conventional ones acting as shop window decoration : 2015, Ireland, Irlanti, Mayo, Nokia 808, Westport, kaupunki, kesäloma, matka, summer holiday, town, travel
Clock tower Also known as The four faced liar. It seemed that all faces gave the same time now though. It was erected erected in 1947 on the site of a former fountain. : 2015, Ireland, Irlanti, Mayo, Nokia 808, Westport, kaupunki, kesäloma, matka, summer holiday, town, travel Harvest Breeze A colourful bicycle serving as a shop sign. : 2015, Ireland, Irlanti, Mayo, Nokia 808, Westport, kaupunki, kesäloma, matka, summer holiday, town, travel Mayo Bear A devoted fan bear sitting on a bar window. : 2015, Ireland, Irlanti, Mayo, Nokia 808, Westport, kaupunki, kesäloma, matka, summer holiday, town, travel Bright colours Two colourful houses on Bridge street : 2015, Ireland, Irlanti, Mayo, Nokia 808, Westport, kaupunki, kesäloma, matka, summer holiday, town, travel
Carrowbeg river Carrowbeg river and an old stone bridge across it : 2015, Ireland, Irlanti, Mayo, Nokia 808, Westport, kaupunki, kesäloma, matka, summer holiday, town, travel Carrowbeg river Carrowbeg river and an old stone bridge across it : 2015, Ireland, Irlanti, Mayo, Nokia 808, Westport, kaupunki, kesäloma, matka, summer holiday, town, travel James street Nice row of smallish houses along James street : 2015, Ireland, Irlanti, Mayo, Nokia 808, Westport, kaupunki, kesäloma, matka, summer holiday, town, travel