It looked like there wouldn’t be any sunset, but I was down at the bottom of Dunquin Pier when I saw an orange glow coming from behind the large rock blocking my view of the sun that had just set.
If you know how steep that path down to the pier is, I hope you’ll have some sympathy for me as I raced up again to capture what turned out to be a momentary break in the thick clouds. I was surprised I saw any colour in the sky!
A series of photos showing men fishing off the pier at Ballycotton, Co Cork a couple of weeks ago. It was a beautiful evening. Lovely time to be there.
This is the narrow bridge that crosses the River Lee near the Ballincollig Royal Gunpowder Mills.
I found out today while doing a little research that the bridge was built in 1805, replacing an older 6 arch bridge. It’s very narrow, but a survey showed that 7,000 cars cross it every day!
It’s sometimes hard to believe there was a gunpowder mill in this area, but look around and you’ll see the ruins everywhere. Here though, I found a winding, worn path running parallel to the neat tarmac of the modern path.
There were 6 or 7 people fishing in Ballycotton. Most were standing on the pier, but these two had climbed up on the pier wall. Judging by the bag of fish they had, it was a good choice of location.
These intimate details from a single fishing boat in Ballycotton harbour tell the story of Ireland’s working coastline better than any wide-angle vista could manage. Every weathered rope, rusty chain, and salt-stained life ring speaks to the daily reality of earning a living from the sea.
Ballycotton’s fishing fleet primarily targets lobster, crab, and various fish species in the rich waters off the East Cork coast. The heavy rope and chain equipment visible in these photographs is essential for handling fishing gear in the often rough conditions of the Celtic Sea. Modern Irish fishing boats like this one typically use a combination of traditional techniques and modern technology, with equipment that must meet strict safety regulations while remaining practical for daily use. The life rings and safety equipment visible are mandatory under Irish maritime law, and the weathered appearance of the boat’s equipment reflects the harsh marine environment that constantly tests both vessels and crew along Ireland’s Atlantic coast.
The RNLI operates one of Ireland’s busiest lifeboat stations at Ballycotton, which launched 57 times in 2023 alone, rescuing 49 people and assisting 67 others. The station operates an all-weather lifeboat capable of handling the most challenging sea conditions off the Cork coast. Ballycotton RNLI has a proud history dating back to 1858, and the station’s crews have been awarded numerous medals for gallantry, including gold medals for particularly heroic rescues. The RNLI is a charity that relies entirely on voluntary donations and is crewed by unpaid volunteers who undergo extensive training to perform rescues in some of the most dangerous maritime conditions around the British and Irish coasts.
The tide was very far out when we visited Ballycotton last week, so I wandered out on the rocks, carefully avoiding the slippery seaweed, and took a few photos.
Aperture
ƒ/8
Camera
ILCE-7RM5
Focal length
24mm
ISO
320
Shutter speed
2.5s
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