Kerry

The sun rises over the Cromwell Point Lighthouse on Valentia Island.

Seen through a haze of rain from the slopes of Mangerton Mountain.

This view of Skellig from an aircraft overhead reveals the entire island like a map. The eastern side is on the left. The boat landing can be made out as a pale area just above the eastern point, and you can follow the whole path from there to the monastery on the left peak.

An aerial view of the Owenroe River flowing towards the Macgillycuddy's Reeks and the Bridia Valley.

An aerial view of the hermitage clinging to the south peak of Skellig Michael.

Jagged rocks just off the western end of Inis Tiaracht, these rocks mark the westernmost extremity of Ireland. There's nothing between here and the east coast of North America except thousands of miles of open ocean.

Lemon Rock is the third island in the trio including its much more famous sisters, the Great and Small Skelligs. The three form a straight line leading into the Atlantic from the Iveragh peninsula.

Standing 20 metres above the water, when viewed close-to it is dramatic. I photographed it at sunrise on a fine spring morning.

The Milky Way rises above the Gap of Dunloe on a fine spring evening.

In the wee hours of July 14th, 2020, Comet NEOWISE streaks through the skies over the Gap of Dunloe in Kerry, Ireland.

The Macgillycuddy's Reeks are Irelands tallest mountains and form a jagged horseshoe ridge about the Hag's Glen. Seen here from the shore of Lough Callee, the eastern section of the Reeks is crowned by a rainbow at sunset.
The leftmost peak is Cruach Mhór, followed by Knocknapeasta, Maolán Buí and Cnoc an Chuillinn on the right hand side.
This was one of the best evenings I've seen in the Hag's Glen and to see a rainbow at sunset was a real treat.

An Tiaracht, otherwise known as Inishtearaght, or Tearaght Island is the most westerly of the Blasket group in Kerry and that makes it the most westerly point of Ireland and also Europe.
I attempted a visit here in December 2009, but the helicopter couldn't land due to unfavourable winds. On this occasion we were able to land, and the visibility was better, to boot.
This image was made as we were leaving the island and shows the major features very well. Inishtearaght is really two islands connected by a natural arch - the lower peak is 106 meters high and has the lighthouse built on it. The lantern is at about 84 meters above high water. The higher peak is just about 200 meters high and thwarted my attempts to climb it - for more detail see my account on the blog.
This island is an inhospitable place. There was never any permanent habitation there that we know of before the lighthouse was completed in 1870, but I did hear recently that there's some evidence to suggest that the Skellig monks may have attempted to build something here. I have nothing to substantiate this, however - if anyone knows differently please contact me and let me know.
Also visible in this photograph is the inclined railway which was used to haul supplies up from the derrick landing lower on the slope to the lighthouse itself. When the light was made automatic in 1988, the railway was decommissioned, but until that point it was the westernmost railway in Europe.
On the horizon above the island is visible Inis Tuaisceart, the northernmost of the Blasket group. Part of the Great Blasket is visible to the right of frame.

The Skellig monastery shelters beneath the jagged precipice of the North Peak at sunrise.

Inisfallen Island in Lough Leane, one of the Lakes of Killarney, houses an ancient monastic settlement.

The ridge of the north peak sweeps through the frame with the monastery sheltering in its lee at sunrise.