Ugly Hedgehog - Photography Forum
Home Active Topics Newest Pictures Search Login Register
Main Photography Discussion
opportunity to visit Ireland
Page 1 of 4 next> last>>
Mar 22, 2018 14:51:29   #
tevans
 
Fellow Hoggers
With an opportunity to go to Ireland as an
amateur photographer I need advice.
Which months have most sunny days (if any)? Are there tours for photography
enthusiasts? Are there tours you can suggest (recommend) to shoot sheep in
rock fence pastures, ocean and/or harbor
scenes, etc, that will, when framed, appeal
to many? Tours you have taken that
emphasize these features? Tour companies
you highly recommend?
Whatever other advice you may wish to
offer for travelers to Ireland ? My wife and
I have traveled to places all over the US,
Canadian Rockies and Alaska but never
outside North America. Your advice is
needed and welcome. Many Thanks!

Reply
Mar 22, 2018 14:59:31   #
GoofyNewfie Loc: Kansas City
 
Welcome tevans!

Our favorite place on our honeymoon was the Dingle peninsula, on the West coast.
Link to Google image search HERE.
Watch it though-
Live music in pubs is sometimes Country & Western.

Reply
Mar 22, 2018 15:18:22   #
Adicus Loc: New Zealand
 
Fabulous place. Just be aware of the hedge rows on the narrow roads if you are driving a car you dont always see the views beyond but great views are everywhere and the people are legendary. Enjoy .

Reply
 
 
Mar 22, 2018 15:32:38   #
DanielB Loc: San Diego, Ca
 
I'm taking my wife next spring for our 30th. I have a friend that suggested an AARP trip through Collette Tours (http://www.gocollette.com/en/landing-pages/centennial?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIx9TYt9WA2gIVzVx-Ch2yGgUYEAAYASAAEgJj9PD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds). We have friends there so we will probably not do the tour thing but I will certainly be taking photographs - lots and lots of photographs.

Reply
Mar 22, 2018 18:07:46   #
TheDman Loc: USA
 
tevans wrote:
Fellow Hoggers
With an opportunity to go to Ireland as an
amateur photographer I need advice.
Which months have most sunny days (if any)?


I've always had good luck with the last two weeks of May.


tevans wrote:
Whatever other advice you may wish to
offer for travelers to Ireland ?


Do not skip the north! For 90% of tourists from the U.S. it's the Cliffs of Moher, Dingle Peninsula, Blarney Stone, Dublin, fly home. To me this is like touring the U.S. and staying east of the Mississippi the whole time. You miss the best scenery!

The north is wilder, more rugged, and less populated. If it's rugged coasts and lighthouses you're after the north has gems like Malin Head, Fanad Head, and the Giant's Causeway that won't disappoint.

The North
The North...
(Download)

Reply
Mar 22, 2018 18:08:50   #
GoofyNewfie Loc: Kansas City
 
TheDman wrote:
Do not skip the north! For 90% of tourists from the U.S. it's the Cliffs of Moher, Dingle Peninsula, Blarney Stone, Dublin, fly home. To me this is like touring the U.S. and staying east of the Mississippi the whole time. You miss the best scenery!

The north is wilder, more rugged, and less populated. If it's rugged coasts and lighthouses you're after the north has gems like Malin Head, Fanad Head, and the Giant's Causeway that won't disappoint.


Very nice! Next time...

Reply
Mar 22, 2018 22:24:59   #
rgrenaderphoto Loc: Hollywood, CA
 
tevans wrote:
Fellow Hoggers
With an opportunity to go to Ireland as an
amateur photographer I need advice.
Which months have most sunny days (if any)? Are there tours for photography
enthusiasts?


Go to: http://www.sederquist.com/workshops/essence-of-ireland/ Betty does an amazing job.

As far as sunny days, there aren't a lot, but get ready for rain.

Reply
 
 
Mar 22, 2018 23:58:37   #
repleo Loc: Boston
 
tevans wrote:
Fellow Hoggers
With an opportunity to go to Ireland as an
amateur photographer I need advice.
Which months have most sunny days (if any)? Are there tours for photography
enthusiasts? Are there tours you can suggest (recommend) to shoot sheep in
rock fence pastures, ocean and/or harbor
scenes, etc, that will, when framed, appeal
to many? Tours you have taken that
emphasize these features? Tour companies
you highly recommend?
Whatever other advice you may wish to
offer for travelers to Ireland ? My wife and
I have traveled to places all over the US,
Canadian Rockies and Alaska but never
outside North America. Your advice is
needed and welcome. Many Thanks!
Fellow Hoggers br With an opportunity to go to Ire... (show quote)


I lived in Ireland for twenty five years and return at least once a year. We have never been prevented by the weather from doing the things we wanted to do. Variable weather is very much part of the character of Ireland and you should be prepared to work with whatever it brings. Summer showers bring rainbows, gloomy skies make for great long exposures, partial clouds bring great sunsets. Clear blue skies are a relative rarity. It is not unusual to have two or three different layers of clouds moving at different speeds in different directions. Anecdotally, most of my acquaintances seem to recall doing their 'Leaving Certificate' school exams during the best weeks of the Summer. The exams are held in the first two weeks of June. There is usually a nice 'Indian Summer' late September / early October. The Summer months bring long evenings which can be bright until nearly 11:00 pm.

For sheep, stone walls, fishing harbors etc you want the 'Wild Atlantic Way'. Google it. My favorite is the western tip of the Dingle Penninsula. Connemara in Co. Galway would be another spot. Achill Island in Co. Mayo has some very dramatic coastline and hasn't been overdone. As mentioned above, the Antrim Coast in Northern Ireland - 'The Causeway Route' is spectacular and not to be missed.'

B&B are the best places to stay if you want to get a flavor of Ireland. Hotels go out of their way to present an 'International' business personality. Best way to see Ireland is by self drive. Ireland drives on the left and automatic transmission cars are very expensive. There are very few places more than 3 or 4 hour drive from Dublin. Can't help on the tours. CIEtours is the big tour operator, but I don't think you will get much opportunity for photographs beyond the quick stop. . If you want a dedicated photo tour check with your local camera clubs.

I have posted several 'Mini Themes' from my travels to Ireland here on UHH. Click on my avatar and check my topics to get some idea of what you might find. Feel free to PM me if you have any questions.
Post your pics when you get back.

Reply
Mar 23, 2018 05:24:03   #
LoneRangeFinder Loc: Left field
 
TheDman wrote:
Do not skip the north! For 90% of tourists from the U.S. it's the Cliffs of Moher, Dingle Peninsula, Blarney Stone, Dublin, fly home. To me this is like touring the U.S. and staying east of the Mississippi the whole time. You miss the best scenery!

The north is wilder, more rugged, and less populated. If it's rugged coasts and lighthouses you're after the north has gems like Malin Head, Fanad Head, and the Giant's Causeway that won't disappoint.


Very Nice, DMan.

Reply
Mar 23, 2018 06:39:01   #
pecohen Loc: Central Maine
 
tevans wrote:
Fellow Hoggers
With an opportunity to go to Ireland as an
amateur photographer I need advice.
Which months have most sunny days (if any)? Are there tours for photography
enthusiasts? Are there tours you can suggest (recommend) to shoot sheep in
rock fence pastures, ocean and/or harbor
scenes, etc, that will, when framed, appeal
to many? Tours you have taken that
emphasize these features? Tour companies
you highly recommend?
Whatever other advice you may wish to
offer for travelers to Ireland ? My wife and
I have traveled to places all over the US,
Canadian Rockies and Alaska but never
outside North America. Your advice is
needed and welcome. Many Thanks!
Fellow Hoggers br With an opportunity to go to Ire... (show quote)

I'm afraid I have no advice on tours, but I did spend a few days touring on my own in Ireland. On the Dingle peninsula you will see a lot of sheep and beautiful landscapes. By the way, most sheep in Ireland are painted. They apparently use a splash of paint to identify the owner.

But a place I particularly enjoyed were the Aran Islands and particularly the smallest of the islands, Inisheer. They are in county Galway but actually more accessible by boat from County Clare near the town of Doolin. Particularly the smallest island, Inisheer, (and perhaps Inishman where tourists were not allowed) are like stepping back into the 19th century. On the islands there are more cattle than sheep, but there are great ruins and coastline to photograph and you will be right near the striking Cliffs of Moher.

Reply
Mar 23, 2018 07:01:10   #
maninablackhat Loc: Louisiana
 
Peter Cox does a nice Tour, usually in September. He is an excellent photographer and guide. I greatly enjoyed his Shoot. His site is Peter Cox Photography. All of the above are good suggestions. I ended up in his studio in Killarney while on a CIE tour of Scotland/Ireland, took his card, looked his site up and had a great time and lots of wonderful photos. We did see a lot of sheep in various settings. Yanks love shee was one of his observations.

Reply
 
 
Mar 23, 2018 07:01:55   #
maninablackhat Loc: Louisiana
 
Should be Yanks love sheep

Reply
Mar 23, 2018 07:23:11   #
erickter Loc: Dallas,TX
 
TheDman wrote:
Do not skip the north! For 90% of tourists from the U.S. it's the Cliffs of Moher, Dingle Peninsula, Blarney Stone, Dublin, fly home. To me this is like touring the U.S. and staying east of the Mississippi the whole time. You miss the best scenery!

The north is wilder, more rugged, and less populated. If it's rugged coasts and lighthouses you're after the north has gems like Malin Head, Fanad Head, and the Giant's Causeway that won't disappoint.


Sounds like good advice. Avoiding the typical tourist traps is appealing.
Realy like the photos you took of Northern Ireland.

Reply
Mar 23, 2018 07:51:14   #
steve49 Loc: massachusetts
 
colorful country.
last time i was there was in May of 2016.
weather was beautiful for 10 days.

take a shot, you never know.
i thk best to rent a car if that is possible.
self tour..
not that hard and everyone speaks a kind of English even.

where depends on how long you will be there and what month you will be there.
I thk its pretty crowded in July and August in Kerry and Dingle...

Reply
Mar 23, 2018 08:01:43   #
spraguead Loc: Boston, MA
 
Dman...great work, and useful advise. Thanks for sharing both.

Reply
Page 1 of 4 next> last>>
If you want to reply, then register here. Registration is free and your account is created instantly, so you can post right away.
Main Photography Discussion
UglyHedgehog.com - Forum
Copyright 2011-2024 Ugly Hedgehog, Inc.