Beginner Photography in Ireland 2024

Begin your Irish adventure in Dublin, a city that seamlessly blends history, culture, and modern charm. Check into your hotel room and shake off the jet lag. Charge your batteries and clean your lenses. Your flight will probably arrive in the morning so you’ll be able to tour some Dublin sites on your own if you wish (I’ll provide suggestions that our tour won’t cover). We will meet for an early welcome dinner and tour orientation. And if you still have energy, we will wander through the cobblestone streets of Temple Bar, known for its lively pubs, traditional music, and vibrant atmosphere.
HOTEL: DUBLIN (2 nights) …if you choose to arrive in Dublin even earlier, I can provide hotel info for discounted rates.

In the morning, we start with an early photo walk in the streets of Dublin. Our guide (who grew up in Dublin) will tell us about Ireland’s stone age roots, Celtic warriors and Viking conquests, the Medieval era of saints and scholars. We will photograph the site of the 1916 Easter Rising which led to an Irish Republic independent of the Britain Empire. And we’ll shoot some other photogenic sites like Dublin Castle, Christ Church, The River Liffey, Temple Bar, Trinity College, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, and some musical landmarks.
After lunch, we get out of the city and into the country to what has been nicknamed “Ireland’s prettiest village.” Adare features a town center of thatched cottages, built in the 19th century. The quaint streets are quite the contrast from busy Dublin just hours earlier. Other famous attractions we may visit include Desmond Castle, the Franciscan Friary and the Trinitarian & Augustinian Priories. We will have dinner in the Limerick area tonight as we prepare to arrive on the Wild Atlantic West tomorrow.
HOTEL: ADARE

We head to the coast where we may visit the ruins of a church and its stones carved in the 6th century. Welcome to the small fishing village of Dingle! It’s a Gaeltacht town so the Irish language is still spoken here. Dingle has long been a beacon for artists, musicians, craftspeople and other creative characters. We will walk around the harbor, settling into a simple life by the sea… then a short photo walk through the town to capture its charm. You’ll have some time in the afternoon and evening to explore the shops, restaurants and pubs on your own (or you can join me!) …suggestions will be provided.
HOTEL: DINGLE (2 nights)

After breakfast, we’ll drop in on Aedán Houlihan’s farm for a sheepdog demonstration and maybe even bottle-feed his baby lambs. We’ll see ancient stone round houses, also known as “beehive huts.” If you’re a Star Wars fan, you may have seen Luke Skywalker living in them in “The Last Jedi.” But his Jedi huts were actually real homes for monks in the 6th century.
After lunch at “the most westerly pub in Ireland” with the Blasket Islands and Skellig Michael in the background, we will drive the coastline which consists of striking cliffs, broken by sandy beaches. Our photography instructor George grew up in the area and has been capturing its beauty since the 90s. We will photograph Dunmore Head, Coumeenoole Beach, Dunquin Pier, Clogher Head, and the old schoolhouse from the old John Wayne film “Ryan’s Daughter.” We’ll pause for dinner in the tiny village of Ballyferriter before we loop back to set up for the perfect sunset shot along the Wild Atlantic ocean.
HOTEL: DINGLE

Today we visit Killarney to photograph traditional Irish working farms, just as they looked 90 years ago – still without electricity! We’ll also explore the ruins of a 14th century Franciscan abbey that may have you fooled into thinking you’ve been transported to Tolkien’s Middle Earth.
After lunch, we will head to Cobh on Ireland’s southern coast. This was the last port of call for the ill-fated Titanic in 1912 . This is also our photography instructor Trish’s backyard to show us the most scenic views around the waterfront promenade. And of course as the sun sets, Trish will help you frame St. Colman’s Cathedral and the colorful row of houses known as “the deck of cards.” Maybe we’ll get lucky with our timing: sometimes the mammoth cruise ships in port will shoot off fireworks as they depart!
HOTEL: BLARNEY

We start our morning at Blarney Castle. The unusually large castle was built in the 15th century and its walls are 18 feet thick. You’ll learn the dark history of the the castle’s “murder hole.” The color of the castle’s flower gardens should be amazing this time of year. We will also photograph the “poison garden” and “carnivorous courtyard.” We’ll say hi to the horses and wrap up our morning exploring the woods where legends tell us the witches and fairies live.
After lunch (and our chance to shop for authentic Irish goods), we will move on to photograph our second castle: The Rock Of Cashel. Cashel is reputed to be the site of the conversion of the King of Munster by Saint Patrick in the 5th century. Set up on a hill, the castle possesses the most impressive cluster of medieval buildings in Ireland, including a round tower, a chapel, an abbey, a tower house and a Gothic cathedral… surviving a thousand years and waiting for your camera! We will shoot the castle from several angles before heading inside for a tour.
Then we check into our hotel and you’ll have the evening to grab dinner and explore Cashel on your own (or join me). It’s our last night to soak in Ireland. If the conditions are favorable, there may be an optional visit back to the castle for a sunset shoot.
HOTEL: CASHEL

Bid farewell to Ireland as our luxury coach takes us back to Dublin Airport in the morning for an afternoon flight home. (Or our minibus will take you back to central Dublin if you’re extending your stay.)