40 Beautiful Images of Ireland in 1895

They say that when the Celts became Christians, their old gods and goddesses changed themselves into fairies and went into hiding in the green hills that dot the Irish landscape.

Steeped in folklore, so green is Ireland—forty shades of green according to country singer Johnny Cash—that it is called the “Emerald Isle”, the first mention of which was in a poem by William Drennan (1754 – 1820).

When Erin first rose from the dark swelling flood,
God bless’d the green island and saw it was good;
The em’rald of Europe, it sparkled and shone,
In the ring of the world the most precious stone.
In her sun, in her soil, in her station thrice blest,
With her back towards Britain, her face to the West,
Erin stands proudly insular, on her steep shore,
And strikes her high harp ‘mid the ocean’s deep roar.
William Drennan

Shaped by the rain, the wind, and the lashing of the ocean, the spectacular landscape of Ireland is celebrated the world over in song and story.

One day in the 1720s, Irish writer and clergyman Jonathan Swift was out boating on Lough Ennell, when he turned to look back at the shore where Lilliput House stood. He noticed how small people appeared at that great distance and was inspired to write his most famous work—Gulliver’s Travels.

With sweeping vistas, rugged mountains, striking coastline, tranquil lakes and rivers, and quaint country villages, these images of the Emerald Isle and its people will transport you to a magical time and place.

Eccles Hotel, Glengariff. County Cork, Ireland
Eccles Hotel, Glengariff. County Cork, Ireland
Cliffs at Moher. County Clare, Ireland
Cliffs at Moher. County Clare, Ireland
Blarney Castle. County Cork, Ireland
Blarney Castle. County Cork, Ireland
Killary Bay, Connemara. County Galway, Ireland
Killary Bay, Connemara. County Galway, Ireland
Giant's Causeway, County Antrim, Ireland
Giant’s Causeway, County Antrim, Ireland
Lover's Leap, Dargle. County Wicklow, Ireland
Lover’s Leap, Dargle. County Wicklow, Ireland
Click to continue with more beautiful images of Ireland in 1895…
Serpent Lake, Gap of Dunloe, Killarney. County Kerry, Ireland
Serpent Lake, Gap of Dunloe, Killarney. County Kerry, Ireland
Rope Bridge, Carrick-a-Rede. County Antrim, Ireland
Rope Bridge, Carrick-a-Rede. County Antrim, Ireland
Quays Waterford, Ireland
Quays Waterford, Ireland
Tunnel near Glengariff. County Cork, Ireland
Tunnel near Glengariff. County Cork, Ireland
Achill Head. County Mayo, Ireland
Achill Head. County Mayo, Ireland
Glenoe Village. County Antrim, Ireland
Glenoe Village. County Antrim, Ireland
Innisfallen, Killarney. County Kerry, Ireland
Innisfallen, Killarney. County Kerry, Ireland
Glenariff, County Antrim, Ireland
Glenariff, County Antrim, Ireland
Rustic Bridge in Glenariff. County Antrim, Ireland
Rustic Bridge in Glenariff. County Antrim, Ireland
Garron Tower Hotel. County Antrim, Ireland
Garron Tower Hotel. County Antrim, Ireland
Bray, County Wicklow, Ireland
Bray, County Wicklow, Ireland
Sugar Loaf Mountain, from Powerscourt. County Wicklow, Ireland
Sugar Loaf Mountain, from Powerscourt. County Wicklow, Ireland
Dunmore, III. County Waterford, Ireland
Dunmore, III. County Waterford, Ireland
Waterford. County Waterford, Ireland
Waterford. County Waterford, Ireland
Old Weir Bridge. Killarney. County Kerry, Ireland
Old Weir Bridge. Killarney. County Kerry, Ireland
Garinish Island, Parknasilla. County Kerry, Ireland
Garinish Island, Parknasilla. County Kerry, Ireland
The Macgillicuddy Reeks, Killarney. County Kerry, Ireland
The Macgillicuddy Reeks, Killarney. County Kerry, Ireland
Ross Castle, II, Killarney. County Kerry, Ireland
Ross Castle, II, Killarney. County Kerry, Ireland
Irish spinner and spinning wheel. County Galway, Ireland
Irish spinner and spinning wheel. County Galway, Ireland
The Harbor, Kingstown. County Dublin, Ireland
The Harbor, Kingstown. County Dublin, Ireland
The Harbor, Kingstown. County Dublin, Ireland
The Harbor, Kingstown. County Dublin, Ireland
Phoenix Park, Dublin. County Dublin, Ireland
Phoenix Park, Dublin. County Dublin, Ireland
St. Stephen's Green Park, Dublin. County Dublin, Ireland
St. Stephen’s Green Park, Dublin. County Dublin, Ireland
Sackville Street and O'Connell Bridge, Dublin. County Dublin, Ireland
Sackville Street and O’Connell Bridge, Dublin. County Dublin, Ireland
Bundoran. County Donegal, Ireland
Bundoran. County Donegal, Ireland
Killybegs. County Donegal, Ireland
Killybegs. County Donegal, Ireland
Donegal Castle. County Donegal, Ireland
Donegal Castle. County Donegal, Ireland
St. Finbar's Cathedral. County Cork, Ireland
St. Finbar’s Cathedral. County Cork, Ireland
From Roches Royal Hotel, Glengariff Harbor. County Cork, Ireland
From Roches Royal Hotel, Glengariff Harbor. County Cork, Ireland
Glengariff Harbor. County Cork, Ireland
Glengariff Harbor. County Cork, Ireland
Blackrock Castle. County Cork, Ireland
Blackrock Castle. County Cork, Ireland
St. Patrick Street, Cork. County Cork, Ireland
St. Patrick Street, Cork. County Cork, Ireland
Bantry Bay. County Cork, Ireland
Bantry Bay. County Cork, Ireland
At Glengariff. County Cork, Ireland
At Glengariff. County Cork, Ireland