Inchydoney Serenity

A close-up of a fence and waves.
A person paddleboarding in the ocean, with waves breaking in the background

Last Sunday, the first Sunday in February, was a glorious one. The sun shone out of an almost cloudless sky. It was cold, but the sun brought the crowds, and there were cars parked all along the coast road, from the hotel to the nearby car park at the other end of the beach.


Apertureƒ/8
CameraILCE-7RM5
Focal length62mm
ISO160
Shutter speed1/500s

Adi Roche in the 2004 St. Patrick’s Day Parade

Adi Roche, the founder and voluntary CEO of Chernobyl Children International, was a prominent figure in Irish media for many years, tirelessly advocating for children affected by the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster. Her passionate commitment to this cause left an indelible mark on countless Irish people, including myself when she visited my school in the early 1990s. Her presence was inspiring, leaving us all in awe of her dedication and humanitarian spirit.

In 2004 I photographed her on a float during the St. Patrick’s Day parade in Cork. She may have been the Marshall that year, perhaps?


Apertureƒ/4.5
CameraCYBERSHOT
Focal length45.2mm
ISO100
Shutter speed1/500s

Cliffside Living in the Canaries

I found myself perched high above Los Gigantes, where the massive volcanic cliffs plunge dramatically into the Atlantic Ocean. The name, which literally means “The Giants,” couldn’t be more appropriate.

We stopped at a roadside vantage point along with several other tourists who were busy snapping selfies and enjoying the sunny afternoon.

The cliffs in the distance are really gigantic. This photo doesn’t do them justice, but I felt the contrast between the empty, abandoned pool in the foreground and the urban sprawl to the sea made this photo worth sharing.


Apertureƒ/8
CameraILCE-7RM5
Focal length24mm
ISO100
Shutter speed1/500s

The Three Sisters at Twilight

From Dooneen Pier on a lovely April day in 2022 I saw the Three Sisters off the distance. The sea was fairly calm, and the evening was warm for that time of the year. I think I spent a good hour wandering up and down the pier taking photos, until darkness descended, and I went back to our B&B.


Apertureƒ/13
CameraILCE-7M3
Focal length72mm
ISO100
Shutter speed1/25s

Beach Art Celebrates St. Brigid’s Day

The weather forecast for today was great, so we visited Inchydoney Beach this afternoon. While it looks like the beach isn’t busy, cars were parked all the way from the hotel down to the public car park at the other end of the beach. It would be easy to think it was the middle of the summer, as there were so many vehicles!

Yesterday was St. Brigid’s Day in Ireland, so it was nice to see St. Brigid’s Cross drawn on the sand, but I’d forgotten about IMBOLC. You can read more about it on Wikipedia.


Apertureƒ/4
CameraILCE-7RM5
Focal length38mm
ISO100
Shutter speed1/1000s

The Irony of Travel Dreams During Lockdown

Halfway through 2021 when lockdowns were still a recent memory, and a sign advertising the island of Gozo was probably not what most people were thinking of. I don’t think I’ve seen this advertising campaign since, either.


Apertureƒ/1.8
CameraSM-G998B
Focal length6.7mm
ISO50
Shutter speed1/500s