Friday, March 16, 2012

And the winner is . . .


The winner
of
by
is
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? 

19 comments:

  1. Congratulations to ilima!
    Dig your pictures. Such a beautiful country.
    Happy St. Patrick's day, Donna!

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  2. I've never been to Ireland - What absolutely gorgeous countryside in your photos!

    My book settings are actual places, or inspired by places from my life that I know well. I like having that familiarity with the sense of place when I write.

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  3. So pretty! I'd love to go to Ireland :)

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  4. Great pictures! Aww, man, I'm getting all sentimental for Ireland. Connemara is unbelievably beautiful . . . and the Burren . . . the Cliffs of Moher . . .

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  5. Congratulation to Ilima.

    LOVED your pictures of Ireland. I've been there a few times and it's so beautiful. My current WIP takes place in Wales, and I've also been there a few times. I feel like to really get the feel for a setting, I have to have been there. All my stories take place in locations I have visited or lived.

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  6. Congrats, Ilima!

    Those pics are beautiful, Donna. I live somewhere green practically year round, but I'd still love to see Ireland someday.

    Have a Happy St. Patrick's Day!

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  7. Oh my goodness. Those pictures are AMAZING!! I would so love to go there! I've never been "on location" for my current book setting. :( That's the problem with writing about a place that doesn't exist.

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  8. Thanks so much for the photos! I would love to see those places. Portal Tomb sounds so eerie and delicious. The abandoned castle is amazing as is the abby with the garden.

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  9. Wow, it looks really cold in that first picture!

    This is awesome. I'm going to the UK next week! Though not Ireland this time. I can't wait to see some of the old abbeys and cathedrals. That Kylemore Abbey is gorgeous. Thanks for sharing these.

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  10. Congratulations, Ilima!

    Wow. Gorgeous photos, Donna! :) Have a great weekend!

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  11. Congratulations to ilima!

    Hey, I recognize those cliffs; I have them as my blog background. :)

    Great pictures!

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  12. congrats to the winner! And gorgeous pics! I'm Irish too!

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  13. I went to Ireland in June! It was awesome! LOVED it!

    And I love seeing the pics of you guys where I had been. Such a great country.

    And a book in Ireland??? Awesome!

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  14. Beautiful pics. Wish I could visit the homeland!

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  15. Congrats to llima, boo that it wasn't me.

    Love the pics of Ireland, a place I would love to see.

    Personally,trying to get to Greece (Isles in particular) to research a book. Wish me luck.

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  16. Beautiful photographs, Donna! Ireland is a lovely country. I like that portal tomb ... but then, you know I like graves!

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  17. Beautiful pictures but you look absolutely freezing in that first one!

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  18. I was out of town this weekend and come home to this. Yipee! Thanks for the contest, can't wait to read it. And those picks are GORGEOUS!

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