Forty Shades of Green: Ireland Photo Diary

You can’t visit Ireland without admiring its green hues or putting together an extended photo diary dedicated to these forty shades of green, the Emerald Isle is famous for.

^{Last updated: January 9, 2023}

4 Days in Dublin and Ireland - Roads and Destinations — *Green Shades of Ireland: Wicklow*

Green Shades of Ireland Photo Diary

“I’m going to Ireland. No, not just Dublin. I’m going to explore a little bit of countryside and see all of the famous forty shades of green of Ireland.” This decision didn’t come to me easily. Ireland, just like Scotland, was on top of my bucket list, but still low enough at the bottom of it to let me choose other places to travel to first.

This time I had to fly to Europe again, the third time within a few months. On top of that, I had to travel solo, the fist time in a decade.

Postponing this trip as long as I could was my initial tactic. When no more excuses were left, and there was no other way around, I decided to make the most of this trip. Finally, Ireland with its forty shades of green received its green light.

Ireland

Ireland is an island in the North Atlantic famous for its green landscapes and unpredictable weather. It rains a lot here. Winds outside big cities are pitiless, especially in fall and winder. Fog doesn’t clear until late morning or even noon, making driving difficult. Locals hate the Ireland’s weather. Tourists complain that they need to pack a lot of layers before visiting this country. But all these inconveniences come together to create those famous forty shades of green.

One phrase particularly stuck with me. It made me realize how deep was the connection between these unfavorable weather conditions and beauty of the island. I was sitting on a bus that was driving to the Cliffs of Moher, when a local driver said, “We have forty shades of green. But it takes all fifty shades of grey to make these forty shades of green.”

It was one of those aha moments for me. I never complained about the Irish weather after that. Truth be told, I didn’t see it that dreadful even before. I embraced all the assets and flaws of this dreamy island.

I must admit, though, the more I explored Ireland, the more I was impressed with its remarkable green shades (although, to me, it looked more than forty of them). Without further ado, let me show you the famous Irish forty hues of green.