Janann Sherman celebrates her Mom's 91st birthday in Ireland

Dr Janann Sherman, Professor and Chair, Department of History, took her Mom to Ireland for her 91st birthday over the spring break. She reports that it was off-season and a bit blustery, rainy and cold, but that they had a marvelous time. And they celebrated her Mom's birthday every day that week.

Here are some of the photographs that she took during the trip:

This photo was taken along Galway Bay near the village of Doolin. Lots
of these stone monuments are scattered around Ireland, most of them, like this
one, without a name or story attached.

I took many photos of Celtic crosses, but this one, taken in the
graveyard at a 12th century Franciscan abbey, was the best one.

This is my favorite of my Ireland pictures. It has all the elements so
lovely in the Irish countryside: rolling hills, intensely green fields, spring
flowers, stone structures, cattle.

We played hide-and-seek with the sun nearly every day. After
the shower moved on, we often saw lovely rainbows. Most of them lasted too
briefly to capture on film. This is the upper of the three Killarney lakes.

I never expected to see snow-capped mountains in Ireland, much
less drive over them, but we did. This is the McGillicuddy Reeks, overlooking
the Killarney lakes.

This is a stone circle near Rosscarberry. These were allegedly
constructed by the Druids for unknown religious reasons.

On Mom's actual birthday, we had lunch in this lovely hotel in
Bantry.

This is my graduate school friend, Van Gosse, who teaches at
Franklin and Marshall in Pennsylvania. He was on a Fulbright in Cork--and my
excuse to visit Ireland this year. With him is his daughter, Johanna. She was
born the day we started graduate school together.

We attended a "medieval banquet" at Bunratty Castle. Held in
the great hall of a 13th century castle, the food was good (although we were
denied utensils), the mead was unlimited, and the music delightful.

Along the ring of Kerry on a beautiful afternoon.

We made some new friends eager to toast Mom on her birthday. This was
taken in the Grand Pub in Killarney.

This is at the tip of the Kerry peninsula overlooking Ballinskellig
Bay.