I was there too
When the weather is as nice as it is now, there’s nowhere like West Cork. Rolling hills and beautiful countryside, trees heavy with leaves and flowers in bloom, friendly people, and loads of things to do.
One way is Bantry, Ballydehob is the other way. We were headed to Ballydehob when I stopped for a few quick photos.
| Aperture | ƒ/6.3 |
| Camera | ILCE-7RM5 |
| Focal length | 24mm |
| ISO | 100 |
| Shutter speed | 1/400s |
An old van sits in the driveway of a house on Sherkin Island, Co Cork. The barrier blocking the way is apparently used extensively on the islands off the Irish coast and in other rural areas, but I’m more familiar with seeing them in WWII films or war zones!
| Aperture | ƒ/8 |
| Camera | ILCE-7M3 |
| Focal length | 103mm |
| ISO | 320 |
| Shutter speed | 1/125s |
The derelict McCarthy’s Garage as it was in 2021 in Schull, Co Cork. The building today is very different, but it’s still pink! I have a few photos of the old petrol pumps that stood outside the building somewhere on this site, going further back in time.
The slate roof visible on the McCarthy’s building is typical of traditional Irish architecture. Irish slate was quarried extensively in counties like Valentia Island in Kerry and was prized for its durability and weather resistance, often lasting well over 100 years when properly maintained, which explains why so many original slate roofs still grace Irish buildings today.
| Aperture | ƒ/4 |
| Camera | ILCE-7M3 |
| Focal length | 16mm |
| ISO | 160 |
| Shutter speed | 1/500s |
Kitte Kat stares out from the bushes at us as she contemplates making friends, or enemies. She chose the former and walked out after myself and my dog, Diego. She allowed me to rub her head before wandering off into the garden again at Carbery Guest Lodge on Sheep’s Head, Co Cork.
She was raised by the family dog, Sisken, from an early age and thinks she’s a dog, but sometimes they get confused when she doesn’t run from them!
| Aperture | ƒ/8 |
| Camera | ILCE-7RM5 |
| Focal length | 240mm |
| ISO | 1250 |
| Shutter speed | 1/250s |
While enjoying the market in Skibbereen I spotted a march in support of Palestine and got a few photos. It was West Cork for Palestine marching. They were a small group but made up for it in noise and their presence.
| Aperture | ƒ/4 |
| Camera | ILCE-7RM5 |
| Focal length | 24mm |
| ISO | 100 |
| Shutter speed | 1/640s |
An evening walk along the River Lee near the Inniscarra Hydro Station a few years ago and we were rewarded with a lovely sunset shining on the banks of the river.
| Aperture | ƒ/8 |
| Camera | ILCE-7M3 |
| Focal length | 65mm |
| ISO | 125 |
| Shutter speed | 1/80s |
Coumeenoole Beach at the end of the Dingle Peninsula is a favourite spot on a drive around that headland. It’s dangerous to swim there, but it’s such a picturesque area we always end up there every time we visit the area.
Coumeenoole Beach gained international fame after being featured in the 1970 film “Ryan’s Daughter,” directed by David Lean, which showcased its dramatic cliffs and sweeping scenery to audiences around the world
| Aperture | ƒ/8 |
| Camera | ILCE-7M3 |
| Focal length | 24mm |
| ISO | 100 |
| Shutter speed | 1/100s |
Several years ago on Sheep’s Head we went for a walk and discovered a lovely horse nearby!
Did you know? Horses have nearly 360-degree vision due to the placement of their eyes on the sides of their heads, allowing them to spot predators from almost any direction without moving their heads.
| Aperture | ƒ/1.8 |
| Camera | SM-G998B |
| Focal length | 6.7mm |
| ISO | 50 |
| Shutter speed | 1/100s |
A man walks through Jemaa el-Fnaa in Marrakesh with a monkey on a chain, looking for tourists who will have their photo taken with his companion.
We humans don’t treat animals well.
| Aperture | ƒ/5.6 |
| Camera | Canon EOS 40D |
| Focal length | 179mm |
| ISO | 500 |
| Shutter speed | 1/200s |
A few years ago, a small mural was painted on a box on Grand Parade, featuring Frederick Douglass. Google Maps shows it was still there in 2024, but I’m not sure about it now.
Frederick Douglass visited Ireland in 1845 and was warmly received, finding a sense of freedom here that contrasted sharply with his experiences in the United States.
| Aperture | ƒ/6.3 |
| Camera | ILCE-7M3 |
| Focal length | 240mm |
| ISO | 400 |
| Shutter speed | 1/500s |
It’s not every day you get to capture a piece of Cork’s history before it disappears forever. The R&H Hall building is now gone, and even Google Maps have updated their streetview so this same view of Victoria Road is now quite different.
The R&H Hall grain silo towers, built in 1934 and 1954, stood at 33 metres tall and were visible from many parts of Cork, making them one of the city’s most recognisable industrial landmarks for over 80 years. Hopefully, the new developments going up there will be as impactful.
| Aperture | ƒ/1.8 |
| Camera | SM-G998B |
| Focal length | 6.7mm |
| ISO | 50 |
| Shutter speed | 1/1000s |
I love this mural of Frederick Douglass. It’s painted on a wall of the small avenue going up to the Unitarian Church on Princes Street. I think the church has been closed for quite some time, but I’m glad this area is maintained.
The history of the church here is fascinating too.
After a fire in January 2024 destroyed the interior of the chapel, Cork Unitarian Church was left without a home and with little hope of continuing. Some of the church’s lay leadership believed that there was a future if the model for running the church radically changed. The church now operates as a Limited by Guarentee corporation – independent of external ecclesiastic governance (e.g. ordained ministers, synods, etc.). This is more in keeping with the model of most Unitarian Universalist (i.e. UU) church congregations in the EU (see: EUU). The Cork church congregation no longer has a permanent building to maintain. All of the energies of the church go to meeting the needs of the congregation, not preserving historically significant architecture.
While the Cork congregation has moved on to a different way of doing “church”. The congregation still has an affection for its former Princess street home. We also have an interest as Corkonians in seeing that the asset of the building, with all of its historic and architectural significance, is preserved. Cork Unitarian Church supports effort to donate and repurpose the Princes Street building as a publicly held asset – revitalising Cork’s City Centre and providing social and cultural benefits of the entire Cork community.
| Aperture | ƒ/4 |
| Camera | ILCE-7RM5 |
| Focal length | 24mm |
| ISO | 1000 |
| Shutter speed | 1/500s |
