My friend Ronnie Peterson's great grandfather Patrick Shannon grew up on a farm about a mile east of the town of Ennistymon in County Clare, in the hamlet of Killeinagh on the southwestern fringe of the Burren.  She says of the place that it "comprises 47 acres, pop. 16, all Shannons.  Patrick emigrated in 1850, age 20."   My own great grandfather Patrick McMackin emigrated from a bit farther north (Derry) and a bit earlier (1848) and at twice that age, but the parallels are still close enough for comment!

These photos were taken on the afternoon of Saturday, August 21st, 2010, while Diane and I were on a wonderful day's drive through Limerick, up the coast of Clare, through the southern stretches of the Burren, and back on "home" to Birr.  Our time in Killeinagh and its near environs in the backcountry Burren, off anybody's beaten track, will be remembered fondly for a long, long time.  Thanks are due to Ronnie for providing the motivation for a meander we otherwise never would have taken.

Much larger, more detailed image files are available on request.

Click on the first small image below to be taken to a slideshow of larger images; then click the right arrow above each image to be taken to the next one.  Alternately, just click on one of the images below to be taken to a larger one.