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Looking over the Spit from the narrow and precipitous South Peak across to the monastery on Skellig Michael, with the Small Skellig in the distance. The triangular shadow of the peak itself is visible on the water as well.
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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.
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The Colleen Bawn Rock is one of the scenic highlights of the Killarney National Park. This image, with Torc Mountain on the left, was made at sunrise on a late spring morning. It was an unpromising start at 4.30am when I woke up, but the clouds broke up to give the dramatic sky you see in the photograph.
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This part of the Kerry coast is one the keeps drawing me back. For my first book, The Irish Light, it took me ve years to capture the cover image, which was photographed here. This aerial view shows the headland in context with the dramatic Blasket Islands. This is the westernmost part of the mainland of Ireland. The island to the right of the setting sun is Inis Tuasiceart, the Northern Island. It’s also known locally as An Fear Marbh, the Dead Man. Or, less morbidly, the Sleeping Giant.
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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.
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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.
Detailed size information is shown in the preview images as you make selections below.
This was one of the finest sunrises I've ever experienced. The combination of clear skies in the northeast and low cloud and fog on the mountain allowed this dramatic composition including the sun, filtered through layers of mist.
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The Black Valley is one of the most isolated places in Ireland. Surrounded on all sides by Ireland's tallest mountains, it's a place of serene beauty - and never more so than after a snowfall.
This image of Cummeenduff Lough looks west to the peak of Broaghnabinne (Bruach na Binne), an outlier of the MacGillycuddy's Reeks.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Muckross House is one of Killarney's most popular visitor attractions. Completed in 1843 by the Herbert family, it saw extensive works leading up to the 1861 visit of Queen Victoria. In fact, it's believed that the family's later financial insolvency was caused by the massive outlay required to prepare for her visit.
It's now owned by the state and forms a principal feature of the Killarney National park. Photographed here on a fine Summer's evening, the architecture of the house can be appreciated against its manicured surroundings.
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Geokaun Mountain is the highest point on Valentia Island. In this classic view looking east, Fort Point and the Valentia lighthouse are visible in the bottom right. Beginish Island and Doulus Head also make an appearance.
I was even able to bribe some sheep to wander into the frame at left for the authentic rural Irish experience!
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The Ballaghbeama Gap (Bealach Béime) is a mountain pass in Kerry to the south-west of the Macgillycuddy's Reeks (Na Cruacha Dubha). It runs through the gap between Mullaghanattin (Mullach an Aitinn) to the south and Knockaunanattin (Cnocán an Aitinn) to the north. This view is looking east.
It's a fairly isolated place, forming the southern entrance to Glencar. Just around the corner from the Gap is the Bridia Valley.
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The Bridia Valley lies to the south of the famed Macgillycuddy's Reeks, the tallest mountain range in Ireland.
The Reeks themselves are hidden by cloud to the left of the frame here, and the prominent mountain to the right of center is Broaghnabinnia (Bruach na Binne). The hill to the left of it is Curraghmore (An Curragh Mór). The popular Kerry Way walking route emerges over the saddle between these two mountains from the Black Valley beyond.
This is one of my favourite views in all of Ireland - a dramatic scene made more so here by the threatening cloud, the use of an infra-red camera and a high-contrast treatment.
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The wonderful thing about being a landscape photographer is the continual discoveries you make, sometimes in areas where you think you’ve already seen everything.
This little inlet on the north shore of Ballinskelligs Bay is one such discovery. I enjoyed the shape of the small cliffs at the western end, contrasting with the pastoral elds beyond. There’s even a blowhole ringed by a stone wall in one of the elds just behind the cliffs.
The snow-covered peaks of the Macgillycuddy’s Reeks can be seen at the top right of the image. It’s rare enough for snow to fall on the coast, but the peaks always have a dusting in the wintertime.
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Made in the Dark Sky Reserve in southwest Kerry, this shows the lunar eclipse of 2015 near totality. The blue glow in the water is bioluminescent plankton.