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A few days ago I left a very warm Florida bound for the Emerald Isle. After a short overnight flight, I was jostled awake by the flight attendant bringing my breakfast. Raising my window and letting the dawning sun shine in, I was treated to a magnificent view of Western Ireland and its forty shades green. As always, it reminds me of a patchwork quilt, done up in endless shades of green, a concept which is inconceivable without the actual experience.

Landing in Dublin, there was a welcomed climate change from that I experienced in Florida, just a short six hours before. The ninety-degree “spring” heat in Florida, was replaced with perfect blue skies and temperatures in the mid-fifties. Ireland is known for its moderate climate, the thermometer rarely dips below freezing or above the mid-sixties. The trade-off, however, is lots of rain, and sometimes blustery weather.

Stephens' Green - Dublin


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This climate is ideal for creating those “forty shades of green” we so often hear about. It is not just a cliché, those forty shades of green, often dotted with little white puffs of sheep, are a true attraction of Ireland. The image is best appreciated from the air, so be sure to look out your window when flying over Ireland. You can also catch a glimpse of this effect from mountaintops, hills, and the seaside. Be on the watch when visiting County Kerry, Wicklow, or the Connemara area.

Sláinte!