• Qween at the Cork Opera House

    A guitarist with curly dark hair ala Brian May wearing a white shirt made yellow under the red lights and ornate waistcoat playing an electric guitar, with a keyboardist visible in the background at the Cork Opera House during a Qween tribute band performance

    The Queen tribute band, Qween, played in the Cork Opera House on Saturday night to a packed audience and they were so great!

    Check out this video from the gig. Go see them if you can!


    Apertureƒ/3.5
    CameraILCE-7RM5
    Focal length25mm
    ISO2000
    Shutter speed1/500s

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  • Irish Terrier Practises Street Yoga

    Was it yoga, or was there another dog just out of frame and this Irish Terrier wanted to be friends?

    Irish Terriers are one of the oldest terrier breeds and are nicknamed “daredevils” because of their famously spirited and fearless temperament. During World War I, Irish Terriers were used as messenger dogs in the trenches, carrying communications between units under incredibly dangerous conditions. They were so effective and brave that they earned widespread admiration. One officer wrote that they were “extraordinarily intelligent, faithful, and honest, and a man who has one of them as a companion will never lack a true friend.” That stretching behaviour you see in the photo? It’s actually a natural “play bow”. Dogs use it not just to stretch their muscles but also as a social signal to other dogs (and sometimes humans) that they’re feeling playful and want to engage. So this little terrier might just be inviting passersby on Oliver Plunkett Street to join in the fun!


    Apertureƒ/9
    CameraILCE-7RM5
    Focal length160mm
    ISO1000
    Shutter speed1/500s

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  • Where Water Meets Light

    The sun had set behind the distant hills and the exposure times went up when I took this photo, but that’s what I wanted as the sea was rough and I wanted to make it silky smooth and misty at Owenahincha Beach last August.


    Apertureƒ/8
    CameraILCE-7RM5
    Focal length24mm
    ISO50
    Shutter speed8s

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  • When Recycling Gets Serious

    This small garden caught my eye. It would be a nice space if not for the obligatory bins that every household must have. The left wall is a lovely deep blue, matching the colours of the flowers there.


    Apertureƒ/7.1
    CameraILCE-7RM5
    Focal length24mm
    ISO6400
    Shutter speed1/125s

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  • The Summercove Hills

    Parking up by Charles Fort is always easier than trying to get through Summercover near Kinsale. The road is very narrow and steep, both ways, if you’re trying to the to the Bulman Bar.

    Those yellow diamond-shaped road signs are actually part of Ireland’s relatively recent road signage system. Before the 1970s, Ireland used the older British-style circular and triangular signs, but when the country adopted the Vienna Convention on Road Signs and Signals, they switched to these diamond-shaped warning signs, making Ireland one of the few English-speaking countries to use this continental European style. The “10%” gradient warning means the road drops 10 metres for every 100 metres travelled horizontally, which is steep enough that most driving instructors would consider it “character building” for learner drivers!


    Apertureƒ/8
    CameraILCE-7RM5
    Focal length110mm
    ISO2000
    Shutter speed1/250s

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  • Silhouettes Under the Bridge

    A man and a woman look along the shoreline of the Thames in London, probably for old pieces of pipe which are common along there.

    Above us was the modern Blackfriars Railway Bridge, and of course off in the distance is the London skyline.


    Apertureƒ/8
    CameraILCE-7RM5
    Focal length33mm
    ISO100
    Shutter speed1/320s

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  • Juggling Knives in London

    I love that this street entertainer is wearing such bright and distinctive clothes but I wish his knives were brightly coloured. Still, the reaction of (some) people was worth it even if the background is too busy to see the knives properly.

    Knives. He’s juggling knives over the head of a tourist lying on the ground. That could have ended badly, but people who perform in Covent Square are really good.

    Street performers must audition for their spots in Covent Square through a formal licensing system managed by the local authority. Performers are allocated specific time slots and locations, with the most desirable pitches going to those who demonstrate the highest skill levels and ability to manage crowds safely. The system was introduced to maintain quality and safety standards after the area’s transformation from a working market to a major tourist destination in the 1980s.


    Apertureƒ/8
    CameraILCE-7RM5
    Focal length101mm
    ISO1600
    Shutter speed1/500s

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  • Storm Light Over Owenahincha

    Waves broke on the rocks at the edge of Owenahincha Beach a month ago.


    Apertureƒ/7.1
    CameraILCE-7RM5
    Focal length24mm
    ISO100
    Shutter speed1.3s

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  • A Milkcap in the Galtees

    We took ourselves to Kings Yard near the Galtees today, and walked up a nearby trail next to a river. It was lovely there, so quiet except for the sound of the rushing water! There weren’t many mushrooms around yet but we spotted a bunch of them near the end of our walk and I was delighted to get a few photos of them!

    Did you know, false saffron milkcaps are mycorrhizal fungi, meaning they form symbiotic relationships with tree roots, particularly spruces and firs? The mushroom helps trees absorb nutrients from the soil while receiving sugars in return. This partnership is so specific that finding these mushrooms often indicates the presence of healthy coniferous woodland ecosystems, making them useful indicators of forest health.


    Apertureƒ/5.6
    CameraILCE-7RM5
    Focal length90mm
    ISO4000
    Shutter speed1/200s

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  • Showdown The ELO Experience at Cyprus Avenue

    Two musicians from The ELO Experience performing under intense green stage lighting, bassist on left singing into microphone and guitarist on right, both backlit by dramatic concert lighting beams

    The ELO Experience band on stage with spectacular yellow sunburst lighting effect radiating from centre, three guitarists in foreground with Sonor drum kit visible behind, creating dynamic concert atmosphere

    Full band shot of The ELO Experience with multi-coloured stage lighting in purple, blue, yellow and red, showing complete lineup of musicians with guitars, bass, keyboards and drums at Cyprus Avenue venue

    The ELO Experience played in Cyprus Avenue in Cork last night and they were fabulous, playing many deep cuts as well as The Electric Light Orchestra’s greatest hits. The crowd thoroughly enjoyed the night and they announced their next gig there in May next year!


    Apertureƒ/1.8
    CameraILCE-7RM5
    Focal length75mm
    ISO1250
    Shutter speed1/125s

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  • London’s Most Pampered Pooch

    I love this little dog’s pet carrier, but every little dog wants to walk and smell the world around them. When they get tired it’s time for a rest and this dog is spoiled with that pet carrier. As they should be. 🙂


    Apertureƒ/9
    CameraILCE-7M3
    Focal length240mm
    ISO1250
    Shutter speed1/500s

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  • Casting Lines in Cobh

    On a warm August day in 2005, you’d find plenty of lads fishing in Cobh, including this bunch who were brave enough to fish from a crumbling pier.

    Another photo from that evening shows a disturbance in the water at the mouth of Cobh harbour, where I presume sprat are desperately trying to get away from mackerel and other fish. I wonder if that still happens?


    Apertureƒ/5
    CameraCanon EOS 20D
    Focal length180mm
    ISO100
    Shutter speed1/80s

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