A panoramic view of the Eagles' Rock from the air.

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.

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.

The lighthouses on Slyne Head seen from the air after heavy storms.

Just after sunrise the eastern face of the Bull Rock is lit by the morning light. In this image the lighthouse and associated buildings can be seen, including the steps down to the landing, and the helipad. The unique gasworks building which was constructed right against the eastern cliff can also be made out, just above the natural tunnel that bores through the island.

This wonderful sea arch is flooded with morning light as the sun rises.

Looking east from the main view at Bunglas, this tower is dramatically situated.

One of several small islets off the coast of Slackport in Connemara, the lighthouses of Slyne Head can be seen in the distance at sunset.

A dramatic sunset bathes the sea stack with golden light.

The Dooey Peninsula by Meenlaragh, with Tory Island in the distance.

A stream winds its way to the stream over this beach in Co. Sligo.

The Black Fort near sunset with a rainbow in the distance.

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.

While slightly inland, Eagles Rock is very visible from the coast and drew me in like a magnet the first time I saw it. It’s Ireland’s tallest free-standing tower with a summit at 330 metres above sea level. The first recorded ascent was made in 1971 by an English team; there are no records of it being climbed again for 41 years. In 2012 another team became the first Irish people to make the summit.
The rock is in County Leitrim, which boasts the shortest stretch of coastline of any Irish county at just 2.5 kilometres.