Knocking on Heaven's Door

-
Ireland was my first exposure to a foreign culture. The only other time I'd traveled beyond the U.S. border was into Canada. Coming from Wisconsin, a fishing trip in Canada wasn't exactly a diverse experience. So I had no idea how different life could be, Ireland would open my eyes to an entirely new way of living.

There are vast differences between Ireland and the United States and perhaps I'll do a full write up of my time there soon. For now let's focus on the story behind "Knocking on Heaven's Door". I don't believe this photo would have been possible had the friary been located in the States. I chalk it up to either a different degree of respect for the general populous or an overall lack of trust.

"Knocking on Heaven's Door" was captured in Muckross Abbey, part of Killarney National Park. The abbey was built in the 15th century and the burial ground surrounding it is still in use. The structure has been kept in good condition, only a few areas of the second story have noticeably fallen to the sands of time. The friary is a maze of corridors and alcoves all made of stone and visitors are free to explore, unsupervised, to their heart's content.

That's the difference between Ireland and the United States. If Muckross Abbey were built on American soil there would either be a gift shop and a tour guide or it would be fenced off for preservation purposes. Not in Ireland. Only a few areas were gated off, I assume due to weakening stability. We were on our own to explore every crevice. It was like being in an episode of Scooby Doo. Someone would disappear behind you and come stumbling out of a doorway ahead of you.

I found the hallway "Knocking on Heaven's Door" was captured in an area of the abbey I thought we'd already seen. I followed Sarah and our friends through a doorway thinking we were on our way out. Suddenly I found myself standing in a corridor so dark I couldn't see the ground under my feet. I set the camera up to see what was concealed in the darkness, needing almost a two second exposure to pick up the detail you see in "Knocking on Heaven's Door".

Muckross Abbey was one of my favorite experiences in Ireland. I love having the ability to explore new territory. Whether it be meandering off a trail or wandering through an abandoned friary I am always looking for that freedom. We had a number of adventures that were caused by happenstance during our stay. We had no intention of seeing Muckross Abbey. All we knew was there was a national park close by and we had some time to kill.

I wish our culture had the respect for this land and our heritage like I witnessed in Ireland. "Knocking on Heaven's Door" is motivation to get beyond the border again and see what kind of experiences occur when the shackles come off. Muckross Abbey dates back to the 15th century and there wasn't a single security guard on the premise. Killarney National Park placed their trust in the guests of the park to treat the area with respect. That's not something you come across often in the United States.
Location: Killarney National Park, Carrigafreaghane, Co. Kerry, Ireland

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Behind the Title - "Into the Mystic"

-
Image
"Into the Mystic" by Van Morrison Peaceful is the best word to describe these mornings. The sun won't rise for another hour but its light has begun to illuminate the sleeping waters of Lake Abamasagi. The soft gray-blue sky reflects a few shades darker off the still, metallic lake. A windless dawn means silence in the trees. All that stirs on this brisk new day is a distant loon song echoing through the channel. The first run of a motor breaks the glass-like reflection much like a footprint disturbs the freshly settled sand of a rising tide. Once the motor is killed, the call of the loon is paired with metronomic lapping against the cold aluminum hull. Tucked in a pine-lined bay, I cast my line to the edge of the pencil reeds to see if the world below the surface is awake yet. The ripples from the lure make the thin stalks in the water bounce and their long reflections bend. The eerie silence is quick to deafen the splash and the only disruption during my r...
Continue Reading »

10 New Molding Designs

-
Image
Last year I expanded my ordering options with a line of hand crafted wood frames. After months of planning and designing I created two molding styles and framed one of my pieces using each. Those frames appeared in every 2018 festival I attended. People enjoyed the frames but the response was even better when they found out they were handmade. One of my goals for 2019 is to come up with at least two more options to add to the line. I’ve had some designs bouncing around in my head but really wanted to push my creativity so for the final list of 10 I forced myself to come up with 10 new molding designs. While the idea was to design 10 new moldings, the details of each design are loose. You'll notice I left out dimensions and while I tried to exhibit the general colors I had in mind, I didn't specify the types of wood that would be used. I plan on experimenting with different techniques and wood species throughout the year which will hopefully lead to at least two new opti...
Continue Reading »

The Land of Silence: Part 1

-
Image
Think you know what silence is? Maybe you think of a hike in the woods or a cabin by a lake. How about the relief of putting the kids down for a nap or when a tree falls with no one around? Have you ever experienced total silence, the complete absence of sound, so quiet your ears fight to find noise? If not, then you've never been to Death Valley National Park. When you picture Death Valley you might imagine an arid desert, sand as far as the eye can see, or the classic cracked earth and an animal skull. Honestly that isn't far off, you just need to throw in God’s personal collection of unique desert landforms. There are fields of sand but they've piled up into dunes. The cracks in the earth can be dried out mud or a crystallized salt flat. Dry, yes, but water still drains down from the surrounding snow capped mountains. A landscape that endures the hottest temperatures in the country while also dipping below freezing at night. Wherever you go in t...
Continue Reading »