Strabo Photo Tour Collection

In the light of Ireland - Cultural Tour and Photo Workshop

led by Ron Rosenstock and workshop assistance of Ken Harvey

Western Ireland affords us a unique opportunity in that there are so many wonderful hidden places to explore. Even if you have traveled to this area in the past, your guides will seek out new places to visit and photograph. On this spring tour Ron Rosenstock is joined by Ken Harvey, who will provide evening photo sessions on how to improve your photographs in the digital world. Critique sessions in the evening will help determine what was successful and what wasn't. These sessions are an invaluable tool in improving your photos as they show you exactly what you did wrong (and right!), allowing you to learn from your mistakes.
Tour Leaders:
Join accomplished photographer and guide Ron Rosenstock through Western Ireland. Ron started leading photo tours in 1967. In those years he has led more than 200 tours to many destinations worldwide. Ron retired from Clark University after teaching photography there for thirty years. His published books include his exquisite black and white photographs: The Light of Ireland, Chiostro (Cloister), and Hymn to the Earth. Ron’s work has been featured in over one hundred exhibitions, both in the U.S. and abroad, and his photographs are to be found in the permanent collections of the Fogg Art Museum at Harvard University, the Worcester Art Museum in Worcester, Mass., The Polaroid Collection in Cambridge, Mass., and the International Center of Photography in New York City. Ron’s striking, one-of-a-kind photographs can be seen at www.ronrosenstock.com.

Ken Harvey’s formal exposure to art stems from studying architecture in the early 1960’s at Pratt Institute in New York City. Courses included color theory, composition, and other training that was directly transferable to photography. This gave him a great appreciation for the art world in general, helping him to take his photography to a different level. Just as architecture is a wonderful blend of art and engineering, Ken has found that photography has proven to be a similar form.

Ken’s extensive travel experience (thirty three countries) has provided plenty of opportunity for blending photography with the discovery of new and exciting places. Combining this experience with formal education, computer literacy, and expertise in Photoshop, he is able to share his knowledge with participants. He has several years of experience teaching and mentoring in formal and informal settings. You can view Ken’s work at www.kenharveyphoto.com. He looks forward to sharing his knowledge and passion for photography with tour participants.

Itinerary

March 25: U.S. – Shannon

Your journey to Ireland begins with an overnight flight from the U.S. to Shannon, Ireland.

March 26: Shannon – Hillcrest House, Westport

We will be met at Ireland’s Shannon International Airport and driven north to Westport, on the shores of Clew Bay. Your itinerary is set in the unspoiled villages, rugged ancient abbeys, broad peat lowlands, and the dramatic coastline of Western Ireland. The soft pastel shades of the mountains and clouds appeal to the artist and photographer. These natural landscapes, along with the people render this Isle a place of inspirational beauty. We will visit places you could never locate on your own — tiny villages, hidden beaches, castles, and ancient abbeys.

Your home away from home, Hillcrest House, was renovated for the sole purpose of accommodating photography groups. Its homelike quality adds to the relaxed atmosphere of the trip. You will enjoy traditional Irish breakfasts and dinners during your stay. Lunch will be at various restaurants and pubs, or we can stop in town and have a picnic lunch wrapped for our daily excursions in the field. Transportation is provided in a roomy tour van, which is large enough for both the group and our equipment. (D)

March 27 - April 2: Western Ireland

Each day we will visit some of these typical areas from our home base at Hillcrest House. There is no possible way to visit all of them, so our tour leader and guide will plan each day considering the interests of the group.

We often start each trip with a visit to Ballintubber Abbey, or Baile Tobair Padraig, in Irish. It is one of the oldest Abbeys in Ireland dating back to the twelfth century, named for the natural spring nearby, where St. Patrick baptized his first Irish converts. After working for a few hours in and around the Abbey we will photograph the ruins of Moore Hall, a Georgian mansion destroyed during the war of independence. Later in the afternoon, we will photograph Castle Bourke, on the shores of Lough Carra.

Hillcrest House lays half way between the City of Westport and the Village of Newport. Both capture the flavor of true Irish towns with their tree-lined canals and colorful shops. After a stop in Westport, we will drive to Murrisk Abbey, at the foot of Ireland's Holy Mountain, Croagh Patrick. Later in the day we will be at the ocean on the west coast of Mayo at a remote rocky shore called Barnabawn Point. Our last stop of the day will be at Tully House, a private residence at the end of a quarter mile tree-lined avenue. There is an old mill along the Bunowen River, a short walk from the house.

Another day we will spend the morning photographing in and around the town of Cong. Photo locations include Ashford Castle, Cong Abbey, the forest and river, as well as the town itself. After lunch we will have the opportunity to photograph an area of rolling hill, sheep, and a myriad of stonewall, on a hillside flowing down to Lough Corrib. The picturesque village of Cong was the setting for John Wayne and Maureen O’Hara’s film The Quiet Man. The King of Connacht founded the abbey ruins in the twelfth century. In 1198 the last High King of Ireland died in the abbey.

Driving north today, our first stop will be along the ocean on the Atlantic drive in Mulranny. After lunch on Achill Island, we will continue photographing along the ocean, and wind up at the deserted famine village at Keel. Achill Island, wrought by wind and water, is an arrangement of rock, cloud, and cliffs falling off to the sea.

Today we visit one of the few remaining round towers in Ireland, Turlough, standing amid a field of ancient carved gravestones. Nearby is the new Museum of Country Life, one of Ireland’s National Museums, well worth the stop. Later in the afternoon we will photograph the glacial erratic boulders at Lough Cullin.

We photograph this morning along the shores of Doo Lough, visiting two locations. After lunch in the town of Louisburgh, we will spend the afternoon photographing in the Sheeffrey Hills, a place where we must be careful not to disturb the leprechauns who inhabit the forest.

Burrishoole Abbey is a great place to start one of our days. Nearby is Carrigahowley Castle, one of the many strongholds of Grace O’Malley, the adventurous sixteenth century Pirate Queen. Later in the afternoon we visit Letterkeen Forest. (B,D)

April 3: Westport – Ennis

We will leave Hillcrest House early this morning, and drive to the Burren, a remote region near the town of Ennis. There are over seventy megalithic tombs in the region, the most well known being Poulnabrone.

Our last full day of exploring and photographing the wild landscapes of Ireland will be spent in this beautiful area. Tonight we will stay at the Temple Gate Hotel (or similar) and enjoy dinner on our own. (B)

April 4: Shannon - U.S.

After breakfast this morning, we will say good bye to our new friends in hopes of seeing them again some day, perhaps even at Hillcrest House. We board our afternoon flights for home. (B)

Accommodations

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Guides

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Food & Drink

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Pricing Info

Tour land cost: $3,195 US Dollars based upon minimum of 5 paying participants. All our program prices are based on double occupancy unless noted in exceptions.

Single room supplement: $345; single rooms are subject to availability and are not guaranteed. We try to accommodate travelers who request single accommodations, as well as travelers who are looking for a roommate. If a single room is requested, or if we are unable to find a suitable roommate, you will be required to pay the supplement.

Note: The land costs on international tours is based upon current exchange rates. Although the rate has been relatively stable, should it change, there may need to be an adjustment in the land cost.

General Tour Info (includes, excludes and other details)