I was there too
It was a lovely evening in Ballycotton last Thursday, and a group of teenagers were making the most of it, jumping off the pier into the water and enjoying life.
| Aperture | ƒ/8 |
| Camera | ILCE-7RM5 |
| Focal length | 240mm |
| ISO | 100 |
| Shutter speed | 1/800s |
I was in Ballycotton last night on an outing with Blarney Photography Club. Our summer outings are a highlight of the year and always a nice social event for all involved.
When we got there, it was a nice evening, and I hoped there would be a nice sunset, and there was, but after the sun set, the sky lit up in a spectacular way. Fishermen were nearby, providing a nice silhouette for my photo.
We had hoped to photograph the Moon as it rose beyond the lighthouse there, but a thick band of cloud prevented us from seeing it until it was far off to the side. Maybe another day.
| Aperture | ƒ/8 |
| Camera | ILCE-7RM5 |
| Focal length | 27mm |
| ISO | 100 |
| Shutter speed | 1/10s |
As you may have seen over the last few days I was taking photos of the boats moored in Kinsale Harbour. Until another boat came along and sped past, disturbing the scene and rocking everything about. Still a lovely evening there, and it was about time to move on anyway. 🙂
| Aperture | ƒ/18 |
| Camera | ILCE-7RM5 |
| Focal length | 24mm |
| ISO | 50 |
| Shutter speed | 1/8s |
A flower growing out of the crack between two blocks on the quayside in Kinsale, Co Cork.
There it was, growing in the unlikeliest of places, just doing its thing right in the middle of all the grey.
| Aperture | ƒ/3.5 |
| Camera | ILCE-7RM5 |
| Focal length | 24mm |
| ISO | 100 |
| Shutter speed | 1/320s |
Someone walking past a sail in Kinsale made for a nice slow-motion intentional camera movement photo.
| Aperture | ƒ/5.6 |
| Camera | ILCE-7RM5 |
| Focal length | 49mm |
| ISO | 100 |
| Shutter speed | 1.3s |
I visited Kinsale recently with Blarney Photography Club. Many photos were taken all around the town, but I went down the quay to start with the boats mooored nearby.
| Aperture | ƒ/8 |
| Camera | ILCE-7RM5 |
| Focal length | 46mm |
| ISO | 100 |
| Shutter speed | 2s |
Two hands intertwined, fingers gently clasped together as a couple watches the festivities unfold around them. The simple act of holding hands in public, something many take for granted, becomes a quiet celebration of love and belonging at Cork Pride.
While this year’s event was smaller than last year’s celebration (perhaps due to the absence of Eurovision star Bambie Thug, or simply the rising costs of travel), the energy remained undimmed. The parade began on Grand Parade before winding its way down St. Patrick Street, with dozens of people proudly carrying a massive pride flag that rippled in the hot, humid afternoon air.
After the parade, the community gathered at Kennedy Quay for the traditional after-party, where the real magic happened. Gay men danced together in the summer heat, some bare-chested, others waving colorful fans as they laughed and moved to the music. Same-sex couples like the one in this photograph stood hand in hand, watching the celebration with quiet contentment, expressing their love openly in a space where they felt safe to do so. These moments, the dancing, the hand-holding, the unguarded laughter, show exactly why Pride events are needed now more than ever.
The laughter, the energy, and the community were all so beautifully, defiantly joyful.
More photos from Cork Pride coming tomorrow.
| Aperture | ƒ/8 |
| Camera | ILCE-7RM5 |
| Focal length | 24mm |
| ISO | 500 |
| Shutter speed | 1/500s |
Cows waiting to be milked in a field near the Coachford Greenway. It’s a lovely walk along the River Lee, opposite Farran Woods.
I had an umbrella, and it was a good thing too, as it started raining about ten minutes later.
| Aperture | ƒ/8 |
| Camera | ILCE-7RM5 |
| Focal length | 240mm |
| ISO | 250 |
| Shutter speed | 1/500s |
Copper Point Lighthouse sits at the end of Long Island outside the town of Schull in Co. Cork. If you take the boat from Schull to Cape Clear, you’ll pass by here!
| Aperture | ƒ/8 |
| Camera | ILCE-7RM5 |
| Focal length | 62mm |
| ISO | 100 |
| Shutter speed | 1/320s |
What happens to old cars is one of the harsh realities of island life that doesn’t make it into the tourist brochures.
Getting a dead vehicle off Cape Clear isn’t as simple as calling a scrap dealer as everything has to go by ferry, which makes the economics of removal pretty grim for islanders already dealing with the higher costs of island living. It’s a stark reminder that even in Ireland’s most picturesque corners, people have to deal with the mundane realities of modern life, including what to do with that blue van that’s given up the ghost and will never make another trip to the mainland.
Cape Clear Island, located about 13 kilometres off the coast of West Cork, has a permanent population of around 120 people and faces unique challenges with waste disposal due to its remote location. All waste, including scrap vehicles, must be transported by ferry to the mainland, making disposal expensive and logistically complex. The island’s small size (just 6.5 square kilometers) means that space for storing unusable vehicles is extremely limited, leading to accumulations like the one shown in this photograph. Irish islands have lobbied for government assistance with waste disposal costs, as the expense of transporting bulky items like cars can be prohibitive for island communities with limited resources.
| Aperture | ƒ/8 |
| Camera | ILCE-7RM5 |
| Focal length | 77mm |
| ISO | 1000 |
| Shutter speed | 1/320s |
A trader at the market in Bantry puts his stuff away at the end of the market day. During the day, stalls are set up around the main square (well, rectangle, technically) as well as in a nearby car park.
Yes, he was parked in an accessible parking spot, which made this more interesting, but the car park was full of traders that day, and nobody else was parking there.
| Aperture | ƒ/4 |
| Camera | ILCE-7RM5 |
| Focal length | 24mm |
| ISO | 100 |
| Shutter speed | 1/640s |
I had no idea these beach huts were in Youghal until about a week ago, but I just love the colour and shape of each one.
| Aperture | ƒ/14 |
| Camera | ILCE-7RM5 |
| Focal length | 166mm |
| ISO | 100 |
| Shutter speed | 1/50s |
