Date
Shannon & Limerick
CountryIreland
- Reading
- 13 min
- Words
- 2,929
- Images
- 37
“Well… I made it!”
Thirty-two years later, sitting here in 2026, I still get chills reading those four simple words I thought the morning I landed in Ireland.
One year earlier I had woken up in a pool of my own blood on my bed in my room in The Dome, convinced my story was over. Now I was standing in Ireland, with no ticket home, no real plan, just a massive backpack, my camera and a whole lot of nervous excitement.
A scared, excited, 22-year-old kid with nothing but a camera and a prayer stepped off the plane and whispered to himself:
“Well, I made it… now let’s go exploring!”
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I hitched a ride on this airplane Get this as a printFor the flight over the Atlantic Ocean. This was the beginning of everything.
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First sighting of Ireland! Get this as a printThe moment I finally saw land after hours over the ocean. Pure excitement!
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The Irish Coastline Get this as a printMy first real look at the country that would change my life.
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Looking Down on Ireland Get this as a printThe green fields stretched out below as we came in for landing.
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The Green Fields of Ireland Get this as a printThe famous emerald fields stretching out below as we descended — even more beautiful than I had imagined.
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Coming in for our Landing Get this as a printThe shadow of our plane raced across the green fields below as we descended. I had no idea when I bought my one-way Air Hitch ticket that I’d even get a window seat — let alone views this incredible. What a magical moment!
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Final approach into Shannon Airport Get this as a printMy adventure became more real by the moment!
The Shannon, Ireland, Airport, where I landed on September 7, 1994, and began my backpacking adventure!
My Map of Ireland
This was my actual map of Ireland — the one I carried folded up in my pocket every day. I love that you can still see the crease marks from all those miles.
My Photographs from today in Limerick, Ireland
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A Wild Irish Rose Get this as a printThis is the very first frame I shot in Europe.
I couldn’t believe it. My adventure literally started with a wild Irish rose, just like the classic 1899 Irish-American love song about a free-spirited, vibrant Irish beauty that captures your heart. It felt like the universe was winking at me.
I was a young photographer exploring and documenting this brand-new world, camera hanging from my neck, heart pounding with excitement as I walked the streets and began taking pictures. That single rose was the perfect opening shot — a beautiful, living symbol that my journey had officially begun.
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Tait's Clock Tower, Limerick Get this as a printOne of the first landmarks that stopped me in my tracks on my very first afternoon in Europe. This is Tait’s Clock Tower, built in 1866 in Pery Square to honor Sir Peter Tait, a prominent Limerick businessman and former mayor.
Standing there looking up at it, time suddenly felt completely different — like it had no control over me. I had nowhere to be and no time to be there. I was simply wandering, exploring, and completely free in a way I’d never experienced before.
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A Solitary Woman in Limerick Get this as a printI spotted this woman walking alone down an empty street, a car parked just within reach, yet she seemed miles away from any such luxury. In that quiet moment I felt the strange beauty of my own new reality — completely untethered, with no car of my own, walking with nowhere to be and no one expecting anything from me. It was the first time I truly understood the quiet power of being anonymous in a foreign land.
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O'Connell Street Get this as a printThis was my first real taste of how completely different everything was going to be. The excitement, the wonder, the slight disorientation from the new signs, smells, traffic patterns, the new noise of European car horns coming from their strange small boxy cars, combined with my lingering jet lag — it was all here in one single frame.
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Elderly Couple Window Shopping Get this as a printI spotted this elderly couple quietly looking in the jewelry store window, lost in their own little moment. The sign in the window read “Deposits taken now for Christmas,” and the tenderness between them, the soft glow of the display, the simple act of dreaming together — it filled me with a warm feeling that I had to capture with my camera.
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Old Construction Techniques at Work Get this as a printI was drawn to this very old style of construction — the kind of building you simply didn’t see back in Nebraska. At the exact moment I clicked the shutter, one of the workers looked straight out the window and right at me. It felt like the city itself had noticed me standing there, camera in hand, taking it all in.
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Two Old Friends Watching Their World Go By Get this as a printI was on my way to the tourism office when I spotted these two old friends sitting together, quietly watching the cars pass. Although cars were speeding past, they didn’t seem to be in any rush at all — just two friends enjoying time together the way people have done for generations.
In that simple, unhurried moment I felt the gentle rhythm of everyday life in Limerick.
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King John’s Castle, Limerick Get this as a printKing John’s Castle (also known as Limerick Castle) is a magnificent 13th-century castle located on King’s Island next to the River Shannon. The site itself dates back to 922 when the Vikings settled there, but the castle was built on the orders of King John of England around 1200.
After learning at the Tourism Office that this town showpiece was within walking distance, I headed that way. The moment I spotted it for the first time, my breath caught in my throat. It was magnificent. It was glorious. It was beyond my wildest expectations, it was almost 900 years OLDER than the UNITED STATES founding in 1776!
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The Stone Sentinel of Limerick Get this as a printThe stone castle itself was constructed around 1200 on the orders of King John of England to secure Norman control over the region. It has witnessed sieges, battles, and centuries of Irish history.
This second view, from a different angle, gave me an even greater sense of its scale and power. Standing there, camera in hand, I felt the full weight of stepping into a place with nearly a thousand years of stories embedded in its walls.
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Stone Bridge over the River Shannon Get this as a printAs I continued my walk, I followed the Shannon River back towards town. This quiet little stone bridge caught my eye — simple, sturdy, and perfectly in harmony with the river flowing beneath it. It was one of those small, unassuming moments that made me stop and appreciate the beauty of where I was.
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Cars Passing a Limerick Cemetery Get this as a printDuring my journey in Europe — still carrying the weight of my recent near-death experience — I was naturally drawn to cemeteries. This one caught my eye as cars drove past on a normal afternoon. The contrast between everyday life rushing by and the quiet final resting place felt profound and almost a little sad to me at the time.
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Tree Growing Against the Stone Wall Get this as a printI was drawn to this quiet scene — a living tree pressing itself right up against an ancient stone wall. It felt symbolic even then. Life finding a way. Growing strong in spite of — or maybe because of — the hard, unyielding stone beside it.
This was only my first afternoon in Europe, and already the metaphors were everywhere.
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Cemetery Gates in Limerick Get this as a printOne of the first cemeteries I was drawn to on the trip. After everything I had been through, these quiet resting places sparked a deep curiosity in me about heaven, God, souls, and the idea of redemption. They felt like sacred ground for second chances.
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Final Resting Place of the Clancy Family Get this as a printI found myself lingering at the Clancy family headstones, reading their names and dates. I wondered what their lives were like, what stories they carried, and what they might have asked of Jesus’ sweet mercy. These quiet markers stirred something deep in me — a growing fascination with the soul’s journey and the possibility of redemption.
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Graves Along the Path Get this as a printWalking past these graves on this afternoon felt strangely peaceful. They awakened a quiet curiosity in me about heaven, the afterlife, and the mercy of second chances. In their silence, I felt the first stirrings of hope that my own story could still be redeemed.
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A Quiet Corner of the Cemetery Get this as a printThis peaceful corner stopped me cold. It invited me to reflect on God, on souls, on what redemption really means, and on the beauty of second chances. These sacred spaces were becoming unexpected teachers on my journey.
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Cars Parked Where They Shouldn’t Be Get this as a printI couldn’t help but smile at this scene — cars parked wherever the hell they wanted, completely ignoring the rules. There was something wonderfully rebellious and Irish about it. It felt like the city itself was saying, “We do things our own way here.”
That rebellious energy spoke to me. After everything I’d been through, I was starting to embrace a little rule-breaking of my own.
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Business Row Get this as a printThis row of signs felt completely and literally foreign to anything I would see back in Kearney. The fonts, the names, the colors, the very rhythm of the street — everything was new. It was a small but powerful reminder that I had truly stepped into a different world.
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Schoolgirls Walking Home Beneath the Spire of St. John’s Cathedral Get this as a printBy this time in the afternoon, school had let out. I spotted these schoolgirls walking home in their uniforms under the tall spire of St. John’s Cathedral.
What struck me most was the contrast — they were heading home from school, following their daily routine and rules, while I had escaped school entirely. I was free to walk wherever I wanted, with no schedule, no bells, no uniforms, and no one telling me where to be. That feeling of pure freedom filled me with indescribable joy in that moment.
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Nigel plays the bongos at the Grand Mariner Pub Get this as a printThis was the last photo I took on my very first full day in Europe. It was dark inside the pub, I didn’t have my flash with me, and the light was terrible for film. I’m honestly sad I didn’t take more pictures that night, but I’m absolutely thrilled this one turned out.
It perfectly captures the warm, magical feeling of the evening — singing with new friends, the glow of the lights, the laughter, and that incredible sense of being fully alive in Ireland for the first time. A perfect ending to Day 1.
1994From my journal
Day 1 9-7-94
Shannon and Limerick Ireland
M.O. Mahony
5 Crescent Villas
O Connell Avenue
Limerick, Ireland
Above is the address of Mick, the bloke who bought all my beers at the Grand Mariner pub (in his own handwriting). A very nice guy, but pissed off his gourd. I was at the pub to take in an acoustic jam session, and it was surprisingly easy to make friends, but I should give most of the credit to my accent and camera.
In addition to the above Mick, I met another guy named Mick who rides Harleys (Harley-Davidson motorcycles). He met Adam Clayton (the bass player for the Irish rock and roll band U2 - my all-time favorite band!) and Larry Mullen (the drummer for U2) in Dublin at a Harley convention where they had been invited to judge a wet T-shirt contest. I met Mick’s wife Mary, who met Bono (the lead singer for U2) in a tattoo parlor in Dublin in 1988. Bono wanted to see a girl getting a tattoo, and they ended up talking for quite a while. I also met Nigel, the bongo man in the band. But I'm way ahead of myself. Let's go back to the beginning.
I arrived in Shannon around 10:00 am. The flight was uneventful save for a three hour delay in Boston to fix a faulty fire extinguisher. Customs was a breeze, and I strapped on my pack, took a deep breath, and stepped out of the airport and into my new life.
After about 300 or 400 yards my pack became unbearable. As I sat on the ground catching my breath the realization of what I was doing hit me like a bullet. I was 100%, completely and totally on my own. I could not call anyone to come pick me up. I could not hail a taxi because I had no local currency (I didn’t want to get screwed out of my few precious dollars at the airport exchange). I didn't know where I was, or worse, where I was going. My lighthearted joke of the last few months was now a stark reality.
I continued on into the town of Shannon, a few miles up the road. I stumbled onto the town shopping center (I would guess Shannon has less than 1,000 people) and de-packed. I found the bank, and exchanged $24.00 US for £14 and change. Now that I had money, I found the supermarket and bought a candy bar. Next, I found the travel shop and got a bus schedule, and I proceeded a block over to the bus stop.
I met a woman who called herself Mother Teresa and she blessed me. I sure could use it. We boarded the bus and rode the 15 miles into Limerick. I'm glad I didn't try to walk it. Once in town, I headed for the USIT office to purchase a travel save stamp for £7. It will give me half price fares all around Ireland on trains and buses. They told me where the hostel was, and I walked the four blocks to it.
It didn't open until 5:00, and it was only 2:00, so I was just going to sit for the wait when the manager opened it up so I could at least put my bags inside. The fee was £6, and after paying she gave me a map of Limerick and I set out. I went to an art museum, down to the edge of the Shannon river, over to a castle, to the train station to check on times to Dublin, by a take-out place for a burger and back to the hostel at 5:00.
Utterly exhausted, I crawled up onto my bunk, into my sleeping bag and was immediately asleep.
I awoke around 9:00, showered, changed, and headed over to Catherine Street to find a pub. I met Mick upon entering and spent the rest of the evening getting free Guinness beer, and singing with Nigel and his friends. I made it back to the hostel at 5 till 12:00, and once again, was asleep as soon as I hit the bed.
JournalMy handwritten journal pages · 5 pages
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King John’s Castle
2026My thoughts about this photograph looking back from 2026.
King John’s Castle, Limerick
This is one of the very first photos I took on the entire trip.
In 1999, while studying Commercial Photography at the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale, I scanned this negative on a brand-new, $12,000 state-of-the-art scanner. I then sat down at one of the first Macintosh computers in their lab, opened up a brand-new software program called Adobe Photoshop, and spent hours carefully adding color and enhancing the image.
That single photograph became one of the centerpiece images in my senior portfolio. I graduated with Honors and was awarded “Best Portfolio” in my class.
To this day, this picture of King John’s Castle holds a very special place in my heart. It was the first real moment I realized I was actually there — no longer just dreaming about Europe, but living it.
This is the actual luggage tag that was on my backpack when I landed in Shannon, Ireland on September 7, 1994.
It was still attached to the backpack thirty years later when I pulled it out of my parents’ basement. The cool, dark, dry conditions had preserved it perfectly.
2026A closing reflection from 2026
Thirty-two years later, as I sit here listening to “Bad” by U2 blasting in my headphones, the emotions flood back so strongly I can almost smell the beer in the air, feel the wild energy of that freedom and taste that first night in Limerick all over again.
It started with a Wild Irish Rose — untamed, defiant and beautifully alive. A spark. A dare. A living symbol of the wild energy I had come to Europe to find — and to set loose inside myself.
That scared but determined 22-year-old kid — fresh off the plane, no ticket home, leaving his past behind and running toward an unknown future — had no idea that this single day would become one of the most important adventures of his life.
I saw a castle. I saw a church. I saw a cemetery. I watched old friends smoking pipes. I made my own friends in the pub, singing and drinking deep into the night.
Was this really real? No… I’m sure it was only a dream, right?
No.
It was real. And I have the photos to prove it!
I was already making magic. I was already free. I was already becoming someone new.
And now, all these years later, I get to share that magic with you.
This is my 1994 Time Machine.
And you’re riding in it with me.
We’re only on Day 1.