A to Z - Ireland

Nearly a year ago, I went to Ireland with a friend. One of my favorite places was the little town of Cong. This is where they filmed the movie The Quiet Man, and there's even a little museum there.

I took lots of fun pictures because a future book is going to be situated here. It made it an interesting experience, as I wandered around, trying to imagine different things for my book.

Following are some pictures. Did I mention I loved this place?

Cong Abbey

Time for lunch--and the food was SO yummy!

I had to take a picture of this. Like some people have a place on their trucks for rifles? This guy has a fishing pole.

Have you ever had a chance to visit the Emerald Isle? If so, what was your favorite place? If you haven't been so lucky, where have you had a chance to visit?

And the winner is . . .

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 Melanie Jacobson 

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ilima

Since tomorrow is St. Patrick's Day, the day when anyone in the U.S. can pretend to be Irish (I am, and my two older children are even more so, since they get it from both sides of the family), I thought I'd post a couple of pictures from my trip to Ireland last April. 

This is at the Poulnabrone Dolmen--a portal tomb in County Clare. It's older than Stone Henge.

The Cliffs of Moher

Even their asphalt is green. lol This is in Connemara where they have world famous marble.

Kylemore Abbey - they have beautiful gardens there but we got there a few minutes too late.

The is from the town of Cong, where they filmed a bunch of stuff for The Quiet Man. There're also amazing ruins of an abbey there. They have a gorgeous recreation area where we took a hike.

Cong Abbey

This is the Ross Errilly Friary--they abandoned this place in the 1600s. For an American, where something is old when it's 150-200 years old, this is mind boggling.

We also made it to Dublin and visited St. Patrick's Cathedral and Christ Church, toured Dublinia and tons of other stuff and generally had too much fun.

Now that I've bored you with my travelogue, I have to say that I loved my visit. I SO have to go back. Really. And I have a great excuse. One of my future books is going to take place there, so I'll need to refresh my memory. Right?

Have any of you visited a real location for research for a book?