Ireland

Inis Tuaisceart (Inishtooskert) is the northernmost of the Blasket Islands off the tip of the Dingle peninsula in Kerry. From the shore, it looks like a giant lying on its back, hence its popular name of 'The Sleeping Giant'. In Irish, it's known as 'An Fear Marbh', which translates as 'The Dead Man'.

It's rarely photographed from the water, and early in 2020 I ventured out to do just that. Its northern tip has some of the most dramatic island scenery anywhere in Ireland, and I was delighted to work with it under brooding overcast skies - perfectly matching the moody menace of the cliffs.

The moon sets behind the Skelligs on a calm spring morning

Rarely seen, the hermitage clings to the narrow South Peak of Skellig Michael with a 700 foot drop on either side. The main monastery can be seen on the North Peak in the middle distance, and the Small Skellig and the Kerry coast lie beyond.

Being mainly famous for its 6th century monastery, the dramatic island of Skellig Michael also boasts two lighthouses built in 1830. This image was made of the lower lighthouse from the road to the upper (which was discontinued and abandoned in 1870).
Made shortly after moonrise, the image shows the light in its new guise. Just a couple of weeks before this image was made, the old fresnel lantern was decommissioned and a modern LED lantern mounted on the balcony. In a large print, this new light can be seen illuminated. It has great advantages in cost of operation, but unfortunately means that the rest of the lighthouse complex is surplus to requirements and will be closed up. The end of an era, but on this trip I was fortunate enough to enjoy the hospitality of the lighthouse for possibly the last time ever.
This is one of my favourite images of recent times. I love the line of the road leading down to the light, and even more the evidence of nature's relentless assault in the cracked and damaged walls, and the overgrown road itself.

Slea Head is by far the most iconic of Dingle locations. On the very fringes of our island, it's an incredibly rugged and wild place. Even the roads have difficulty here - a section of the nearby Slea Head drive slipped into the sea some years ago. The new section is a little further inland now!
This image was made shortly after sunset on a stormy December day. The clouds, which had been stubbornly persistent on the horizon, cleared for a few seconds to give a glimpse of the glorious colours behind them, before closing again just as quickly.
From left to right, the islands visible are, Inishvickallaun, Inishnabro and the Great Blasket.

A sheep greets the sunset at Ireland's most westerly point with the Blasket Islands in the distance.

Cromwell Point is the location of the lighthouse on Valentia Island. it guards the channel between Valentia and Beginish Island. It was built on the site of a 16th century fortification, the outline of which is still apparent.

The three rocks off the tip of Dursey Island at the end of the Beara Peninsula line up just after sunrise on a clear summer's day. The Bull is the largest and sports its lighthouse and massive gannet colony. The smallest rock is the Calf which can be seen near the horizon to the right of the frame. The bump on it is the stump of a lighthosue that was broken in half by the sea in the late 1800s.