Hill of Slane, Ireland

 Sometimes delightful moments of a trip are chance encounters.  While driving back to our castle-hotel in Ireland, my husband and I saw the ruins of an old stone house near the road, so we stopped to take some photos.  Through the window of the old farmhouse, we noticed an old church in the distance, and we drove up to check it out, as you will see below.

 It turns out that we had, by chance, discovered the Hill of Slane, with the ruins of an old Friary that was abandoned in 1723.   The hill rises 158 meters (518 feet) above the village of Slane and was visited by St. Patrick in 433 A.D.

The cemetery presented countless photo opportunities in the late afternoon sun, including this sun star peeking through the hole of a Celtic cross.

 The gothic window created shadows in the interior of the ruins of the tower.

 When I take more time taking photos that Dave, he turns his camera towards me sometimes.

Another of Dave's photos of me taking photos.   We stayed until sunset because we could not stop taking photos, even though it meant we got back too late for dinner in the castle-hotel restaurant.  It was worth it.