Cape Clear’s Car Graveyard

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.


Apertureƒ/8
CameraILCE-7RM5
Focal length77mm
ISO1000
Shutter speed1/320s

A Renault 4 at the Panathenaic Stadium

Cars weren’t going anywhere fast in front of the Panathenaic Stadium in Athens, Greece, the day we visited. A traffic jam extended far off in every direction.

An old Renault 4 caught my eye. An anarchism among all the modern cars around. In a city like Athens, where the ancient past seamlessly coexists with the present, the Renault 4 seemed oddly fitting.


Apertureƒ/8
CameraILCE-7M3
Focal length24mm
ISO320
Shutter speed1/500s

A VW bus at the Arc de Triomphe

We had just come out of the metro with our suitcases from the airport when I saw this VW bus, or as I’ve just found out, a Volkswagen Type 2, pulled over to the side of the road on the busy roundabout at the Arc de Triomphe in Paris.

It was a lovely August day and this vintage vehicle was a perfect foreground to the magnificent monument in the background.

The man in the hat looking out the sunroof had a nice view of everything. I’m glad they stopped there. 🙂


Apertureƒ/2.2
CameraGalaxy S23 Ultra
Focal length2.2mm
ISO50
Shutter speed1/3600s

Red and Blue and a Bike

In the back of a taxi, looking out through a window laden with drops. The warm red and orange lights from street lighting and the rear brakes of a Tesla win against the cold, almost blue headlights of a passing car.
A bike in the background belongs to someone who isn’t home yet.


Apertureƒ/1.7
CameraGalaxy S23 Ultra
Focal length6.3mm
ISO1600
Shutter speed1/17s

Cars dumped in a field

Near the Inniscarra Dam on the River Lee I went walking one afternoon in March 2005. Apart from the gorgeous scenery and the rolling hills and lovely fluffy clouds of a bright day I spotted two cars dumped in a field.

The Ford Escort license plate was “70 NZB” but I couldn’t see the other car’s plate. I presume they’re long gone now.

If they were dumped nowadays they’d probably sell for more second hand than new…


Apertureƒ/3.5
CameraCYBERSHOT
Focal length9.7mm
ISO100
Shutter speed1/125s

A Pink Cadillac in Blarney

Happy St. Patrick’s Day! The owner of this pink Cadillac took part in the Blarney parade in 2016!

No parade this year. The village was very quiet this evening when I went for a walk there.

Aperture ƒ/8
Camera Canon EOS 6D
Focal length 24mm
ISO 160
Shutter speed 1/160s