Rainbows are beautiful symbols of Ireland, made famous by the lure of leprechaun gold, stored in little black pots at rainbow’s end. Irish rainbows feature prominently in fairytales of old, yet to this day they frequently appear in the cloudy skies of my homeland.
Today I thought it would be nice to share some photos of Irish rainbows, as I reminisce. Thank you so much to all the wonderful photographers who captured these beautiful skies, and graciously made their work available for sharing through Flickr.com.
Rainbows are something I miss living here in America. That may sound foolish considering rainbows are not an exclusively Irish phenomenon and are known to illuminate America’s beautiful, bright skies. But rainbows are rare in Kentucky compared to the frequency of their glorious appearance in the skies of the Emerald Isle.
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Walking the winding lanes or boreens of Ireland, rainbows seem to appear on the horizon, out of nowhere. There is something spiritual about seeing a rainbow. Before its appearance the weight of the world may be laying heavily upon the mind. One glimpse of heavenly rainbow colors makes everything right with the world.
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County Kerry rainbows feature frequently in this post. Kerry is home to all the perfect ingredients for rainbow magic. Majestic mountains, Atlantic ocean spray and plenty of clouds and rain create magnificent rainbow lit panoramas.
Another Kerry rainbow illuminates some grazing cows. They must have eaten the pot of gold. This rainbow appears to end amongst the cows. Legend has it a wily leprechaun guards his loot diligently. If his treasure is in danger of discovery, he will trick the unwitting human to retain control of his booty.
There is an old story of an Irishman who discovered a bush where the treasure was buried. He needed to return home for his shovel so he tied a red ribbon to one of the branches, making the leprechaun promise never to touch the ribbon. Upon his return he discovered every tree and bush covered in red ribbons. There is no tricking a leprechaun!
A double rainbow adorns this stormy sky in County Cork.
Whenever I see a rainbow I think of Noah’s story from the Bible. A rainbow is God’s sign reminding us when times get tough, it is best to appreciate the little things in life. No matter how dreary life may seem, despite the clouds and rain, we should always look for sunshine and rainbows.
Clarity of color and incredible width are often breath-taking features of Irish rainbows.
The pot of gold at the end of this Kerry rainbow is hidden somewhere on the sandy beach on the Dingle peninsula.
A windblown tree seems to bow down reverentially to this majestically clear rainbow. What a beautiful photo, capturing the full arc of this rainbow.
A double rainbow captured in Co. Donegal. In these days of doom and gloom in Ireland, I hope the sight of rainbows will renew hope in a better future.
Since Americans associate pots of gold at rainbow’s end with St. Patrick’s Day, I think this photo is very appropriate. In this fabulous picture, Ireland’s favorite saint appears to bless that ever illusive leprechaun stash.
And finally ….
My favorite Irish rainbow picture:
The reflection of the rainbow in the still gray waters of the lake is picture perfect. What an amazing shot!
Thanks for taking this rainbow tour of Ireland today. If you have any shots of rainbows from around the world and would like to share them online just let me know. I would love to feature them in future posts.
Slán agus beannacht,
(Goodbye and blessings)
Irish American Mom
Cindy Thomson says
February 28, 2012 at 5:42 pmInspiring. Thanks for sharing. I was photographing rainbows in Ireland the hour my father passed away in Ohio, so this was very special to me.
Irish American Mom says
February 29, 2012 at 12:11 amCindy – It is never easy to be away from home at such a difficult time. You may not have been able to hold your father’s hand in his last hours, but at least now you know every time you see a rainbow, your father is smiling down on you.
Mairead
Cheryl Barker says
February 28, 2012 at 7:41 pmI agree with you — the last shot is my favorite, too. Beautiful!!
Irish American Mom says
February 29, 2012 at 12:04 amCapturing the rainbow’s reflection in the lake makes the last shot stand out. The village is framed by a rainbow.
Grammy says
February 28, 2012 at 9:24 pmLove them all! We get nice rainbows here also, never fails to make me smile…
Irish American Mom says
February 29, 2012 at 12:03 amGrammy – There’s something about a rainbow that just makes the heart sing…
Imen says
March 16, 2012 at 5:08 pmThis is just such a stunning post Mairead! I love Irish rainbows and cloudbows……they never cease to amaze me and there is rarely anything like it where I grew up in the USA either. Thanks for sharing and Happy St. Patrick’s Day! xx
Irish American Mom says
March 16, 2012 at 10:43 pmHappy St. Patrick’s Day to you too Imen.
Aideen says
April 25, 2012 at 8:26 amMairead
check our A Shine of Rainbows filmed on location Inishowen Co. Donegal in 2008 wiht Aidan Quinn and Connie Neilson http://www.ashineofrainbows.com
best
Aideen
Irish American Mom says
April 25, 2012 at 10:51 pmAideen – I watched this movie a few months ago with my husband and we both loved it. The scenery is spectacular, the rainbows are breathtaking and the little boy and the seals made me teary eyed. Thanks for sharing this link.