11Jul-Photo Release – In February 2007, My company, Amerimade Technologies, sent me to Ireland to backstop the crew that traveled there a month before me. It was my turn. After one week in Galway, I wanted to move there, as di my honey. In her words, “I’m not the least bit afraid to walk alone to the store at midnight. It was just that kind of place and we were staying right down town.
I worked 5 days a week, 8 hours a day. That’s all they allowed. So we had all kinds of time to be tourists for the three weeks she stayed with me. We also had Saint Patrick’s Day holiday. We toured the Burren and The Cliffs of Moher. We drove ourselves to Connemara and Kylemore Abbey.
11Jul-Photo Release – There are rocks everywhere. During the famine, the English paid the Irish a potato a day to build walls. The walls don’t always designate property lines – but don’t test it. The Burren I thought was made of more rock than earth, so there was plenty of building materials just laying about. I can’t even imagine how we would fare under those conditions. God forbid! Then there’s the Cairn and the balanced rock. Every tour bus rider was outside the bus reminding all the deaf idiots to NOT lean on or touch or go near the formations.
Now, about this shooting. It was absolutely abhorrent. In fact as I recall, I swore off photography forever I was so disappointed. I was using a “new fangled” point & shoot Panasonic. I thought I could operate it out of “A” mode, but as it turned out, I was wicked wrong. I had trouble focusing let alone exposing or color control. And this thing only shot in JPG. I think the max size was 1 MB. I remember having to unload the memory five times while we were there. Anyway, out of a thousand photos I cherry-picked 50 and whittled that down to 25. It wasn’t really hard – I didn’t want to publish any. But I spent a few hours on them. Here we go.
Read more about he Cliffs of Moher below.
11Jul-Photo Release
Ireland – the first trip – February/March 2007
The Cliffs of Moher – 11Jul-Photo Release
Rising dramatically from the Atlantic Ocean on the west coast of County Clare, the Cliffs of Moher are one of Ireland’s most spectacular and visited natural landmarks. They stretch for roughly 9 miles (14 kilometers) along the Wild Atlantic Way and embody the rugged, untamed beauty of the Irish coastline.
Geology & Landscape
The cliffs are part of the Burren and Cliffs of Moher UNESCO Global Geopark. Formed over 320 million years ago during the Carboniferous period, they are composed of dark layers of Namurian shale, siltstone, and sandstone. This striking vertical face was created by an ancient river delta that deposited sand and mud, which compacted over millennia into the sheer walls visible today.
At their southern end at Hag’s Head, the cliffs rise a formidable 390 feet (120 meters) above the ocean, but they reach their staggering maximum height of 702 feet (214 meters) just north of O’Brien’s Tower near the midpoint. On a clear day, the sweeping panoramic views from the top extend across Galway Bay to the Aran Islands, and as far north as the Twelve Pins mountain range in Connemara.
Wildlife and Bird Activity
For wildlife enthusiasts, the cliffs serve as a massive, bustling sanctuary. Designated as a Special Protection Area (SPA) for birds, the sheer rock faces and isolated sea stacks host the largest mainland seabird colony in Ireland.
During the peak breeding season (typically between April and July), more than 30,000 pairs of birds nest along the rock ledges. The cliffs become alive with activity, making it an extraordinary site for observation:
- Atlantic Puffins: These crowd favorites arrive in late March/early April to nest in large colonies, particularly on the grassy slopes of Goat Island just off the South Platform.
- Other Notable Species: The cliffs are home to large populations of Razorbills, Guillemots, Kittiwakes, Fulmars, and the elusive Peregrine Falcon. You might also spot the rare Chough, a member of the crow family distinguished by its bright red bill and legs.
- Marine Life: Looking down into the churning Atlantic waters, visitors frequently spot grey seals, dolphins, porpoises, and occasionally basking sharks or minke whales breaking the surface.
History, Legend, & Culture
The area’s human history dates back centuries. The name “Moher” comes from an old Gaelic word (Mothar), meaning “the ruin of a fort,” referencing a 1st-century BC promontory fort that once stood at Hag’s Head.
Near the highest point stands O’Brien’s Tower, a round stone viewing tower built in 1835 by Sir Cornelius O’Brien, a local landowner and visionary. He built the tower and neighboring pathways specifically to cater to early Victorian tourists, believing that developing tourism would boost the local economy and help lift the community out of poverty.
The cliffs are deeply woven into Irish mythology. Hag’s Head is said to resemble the profile of a sea witch named Mal, who fell in love with the mythical hero Cú Chulainn. Legend says that as she chased him across the sea stacks of Clare, she lost her footing and fell from the cliffs, naming the waters below (Malbay) in her memory.
A Cinematic Backdrop – 11Jul-Photo Release
The sheer scale and dramatic atmosphere of the cliffs have captured the imaginations of filmmakers for decades. They famously doubled as the treacherous “Cliffs of Insanity” in the 1987 classic The Princess Bride, and served as the ominous coastal hideaway where Harry Potter and Professor Dumbledore hunt for a horcrux in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.
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