Bantry Bay

Bantry Bay from the N71, Ireland

This image was captured just before sunset on the N71 to Cork. The location is between Glenngariff and Bantry on a mountain road....Had to climb over a fence and teeter on the cliff to make this image - well not quite as bad as it sounds but every picture needs a story, don't it....

Dunguaire Castle

Dungaire Castle, Kinvara, West Galway, Ireland

Located on Galway Bay just outside the town of Kinvara (or Kinvarra), West County Galway, Ireland.

Lough Auna

Lough Auna - Clifden, Ireland

This Lough is very near Kylemore Abbey which is located in the Clifden area of Ireland. Caught the perfect quiet time of day just prior to sunset....High resolution capture converted to black and white in CS5 using a LAB technique.

Fonthill

Fonthill, 26 image stitch, iPhone 4

Got back from Ireland last Saturday and on Sunday drove down to meet a few buddies at Fonthill, th ehome of Henry Mercer,  near Doylestown, Pennsylvania.
 
Here are a few images from that trip.....both images are 26 images stitched together in the iPhone 4.

Fonthill, 26 image stitch, iPhone 4

More Ireland still in the works. 

Baltimore, County Cork

Baltimore is a town in County Cork in farthest southwest Ireland. Turns out two friends are building a house in Balitmore and plan on relocating at some point.

I learned from Wikipedia that Baltimore was the location of Ireland's most ancient dynasty and folklore has Napoleon obtaining his famous white mare from the area.

It was quite gray with rain when I finally negotiated the one-car-lane roads into Baltimore. Turns out my GPS seems to want me to see the most remote locations in Ireland without missing one. At any rate I pulled the car into what I thought was a parking lot but appeared more like an old retired train station platform. I saw the sign and the bench and immediately knew I had stumbled onto my image - funny how that seems to happen more then not.

Today I sent that image off to the states and soon after learned that this was the old Baltimore Train Station - the end of this particular line. They stopped running trains in the early 60's and it is now occupied by a French sailing company.

Click here for information about the the Cork Railway...

I was also told to 'pull the handbrake and spend a few days'......... I really like this expression....feels very Ireland....

The top image is a straight up image aand the bottom image is me messing about with my iPhone applications.

Birthday

Adare Manor, Adare,

Today is my birthday.  Had some friends fly in from Glasgow and they went along for the photo outing ....Spent most of the day along the southern most coast before heading back to Cork. First day in a week that the sun appeared and weather cooperated - great clouds also.

Chruch of Ireland, Adare

I am fairly speechless about Ireland, specifically the southwest part of the country. Places like Killarney, Adare, Kinsale, Old Head and Baltimore come to my mind - all places I have been through over the past two days - the people are simply amazing and friendly, the shades of green and gold are everywhere. Reflective lakes, black rock formations and old stone structures everywhere.....an absolute photographers playground at every turn.

Rower, Dublin

Tomorrow it is off to Waterford for two days before Dublin on Friday.

Stream, near Ladies View,

Ireland Day 3

Dunguaire Castle, Kinvara, Ireland, IP4

Was really tired last night upon arrival in Adare, Ireland post.

Left Galway early on Saturday and dropped down into the town of Kinvara where I captured the image above - Dunguaire Castle..From there it was small roads that hugged the Atlantic Ocean down to the Cliffs of Moher. And when I say small roads they were small roads. Captured many images - only posting the ones I can get done before passing out...

From The Cliffs of Moher we drove through Ennis and then a stop in Quin where we visited the Quin Friary where the image below was captured....It was now getting dark so it was off to Limerick before dropping down into Adare for two nights.

Quin Friary, Ireland, IP4

Today it was west again heading out to Ballybunion on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean. We spotted a sign that said 'Castle View Bed and Breakfast ' just outside of Ballylongford. Knowing the Irish are very literal it was off to find the castle that did not appear on any of our maps. Found the castle out by Carig Island - Carrigafole Castle. Spent about two hours in that area exploring and capturing images on the island and various older structures in and around the castle. I hope to get a high resolution image of the castle posted in the next few days.

Then it was off to Ballybunion and it's splendid beaches to see what else could be found before nightfall. Actually had some good light at the end of the day and, amongst others, was able to capture the image below.

Ballybunion, IP4

 After Ballybunion it was pretty much straight back to Adare and some well needed sleep. Tomorrow it is off to the south - places like Baltimore and Kinsale (all coastal and mountainous) are on the list before ending up in Cork....