Ireland

There is a place that is held dear to many Bostonian's hearts, as well as my own, where fields of lush blowing grass can appear in forty shades of green. You can also find winding back country roads where rock walls dot the landscape that have clearly stood the test of time which offer picture postcard images no matter which way you turn. The place I am writing about is Ireland and if you have been lucky enough to visit there, you will understand when I say that the warmth of this beautiful country will forever touch your heart and soul.














I have had the opportunity to travel to Ireland twice with Chronicle, once being last year when the Ryder Cup was hosted there and again this past summer. Both trips allowed me to shoot in different areas of the country with each one having its own unique setting. What didn't change from place to place was the graceful respect shown to us from the people who live there.

Dublin was our first stop along this twelve-day trip. This is an incredible city to shoot in as it offers both historic and present day architecture. If you're looking for great restaurants and cutting edge hotels, you won't have to search very far. You also notice very quickly that the city is full of energy as well as young people, which makes sense considering the average age in Ireland is in the mid thirties. Having said that, a common thread that brings people of all ages together are the pubs and in Dublin, there are no shortages. Not only does the Guinness flow freely there but also the music. Fiddles, guitars, singing and dancing all make up the nightlife as it is deeply rooted within the people that were born there and shared by the tourists. The music is part of the Irish lifestyle and life is what is truly being celebrated which is why this country is so amazing. As a televison crew, shooting a place like Dublin in a few short days is an impossible task because there is so much to see and do. Our goal is really to capture a moment in time through visuals and stories and share them with our Chronicle viewers, which hopefully we were successful at doing. After a long hard day, we boarded our flight to Galway, which is our next location. Dublin at this point becomes a fond memory.

If the traditional pastures and green landscapes of Ireland is what you are looking for, they are waiting for you just minutes outside of Galway. Rolling hills that are accented by castles, farms and pure beauty is what you will find, which is a videographer's dream. As you drive along some of these well worn narrow roads, it feels like your in another place and time. Much of this land has gone unspoiled which proudly offers ruins left from centuries ago. In the air you will find the sweet smell of peat and wood burning as homes are being heated under this cool summer day. It's all part of what makes Ireland a true treasure.


Although there are many different castles located throughout Ireland, we only had time to visit one and that was the famous Ashford Castle. To be looking up at a stone building that was literally built back in the 13th century is quite unbelievable. The inside was obsolutely spectacular and just outside the window running through the property, you can see one of the best salmon rivers in country. Of course there was no time for this fly fisherman to cast a line but it was still nice to at least capture it with my camera.

One of the primary reasons that make Ireland so green is the amount of rain it receives as well as its cooler tempertures. Trying to work around rain drops and the sun going in an out can be frustrating at times when the goal is to capture those beautiful calendar shots. Ideally, I would want to wait for the perfect lighting conditions but the problem is that when we arrive on location, there are schedules and deadlines to meet and taking the time to wait for the sun to come out is generally not part of the plan. Ireland is however one of those places that still looks great no matter what the weather is offering. Having said that, when the sun appears, magic happens before your eyes because it is like looking through an emerald lens. The colors are absolutely stunning and it is at that point when you realize why Ireland is known for it's forty shades of green.

Posted at 8:29 PM by Bob