Cork – In Photos dot Org

Castle Street Reflections

When I was out with Blarney Photography Club during the summer, we headed into town one evening. Love the reflection. Thanks Rodney for the idea!

Castle Street in Cork gets its name from the medieval Cork Castle that once stood nearby, though no trace of the original Norman fortification remains today. The street has been a commercial thoroughfare for centuries and is now part of Cork’s main shopping area. The Mannix name has deep roots in Cork, with the family having been involved in various businesses in the city for generations. Mannix & Culhane closed their doors earlier this year for the last time. I don’t think I ever went into either of their shops.

Aperture	ƒ/8
Camera	ILCE-7RM5
Focal length	24mm
ISO	12800
Shutter speed	1/60s

It’s a bird city

Seagull with open beak standing over a discarded sandwich on asphalt pavement in Cork City

Adult seagull and juvenile gull sharing a dropped sandwich on a city street in Cork, with the younger bird showing mottled brown plumage

Cork City, where birds have become incredibly adept at turning human carelessness into dining opportunities.

Urban-adapted birds like the seagulls and crows photographed here have developed significantly different behaviours compared to their rural counterparts. City-dwelling seagulls often show reduced fear responses to humans and have learned to time their foraging around peak human activity periods, such as lunch hours when dropped food is most available.

Crows, meanwhile, have demonstrated remarkable problem-solving abilities in urban environments and can even learn to associate specific locations with regular food sources. Studies have shown that urban bird populations often have different dietary compositions, stress hormone levels, and even song patterns compared to rural birds, reflecting their adaptation to city life and the constant presence of human activity.

Aperture	ƒ/8
Camera	ILCE-7RM5
Focal length	150mm
ISO	400
Shutter speed	1/320s

Church Bay’s Cosmic Cathedral

The Milky Way as seen from just above Church Bay, at Weaver Point, in Co. Cork. This was last night, a few minutes after the moon had set. Unfortunately, the centre of the galaxy was hidden behind a bank of clouds at the horizon. The forecast said there would be about 30% cloud, but thankfully it mostly didn’t cover most of the galaxy.

The best time to see the centre of the Milky Way again from Ireland will be in March 2026. However, you’ll still be able to shoot the less bright celestial arms once the moon has set for a good few weeks, probably.

I recommend using Sun Surveyor to plan a Milky Way shot. Photopills is good too, but the street view integration in Sun Surveyor is difficult to beat.

Aperture	ƒ/2.8
Camera	ILCE-7RM5
Focal length	24mm
ISO	6400
Shutter speed	20s

Rocks in the Misty Surf of West Cork

The restless Atlantic waves become ghostly veils of white mist caressing the rocks on Owenahincha Beach, Co Cork.

Henry shared a photo of this same rock yesterday. There are lovely swirls of water in his photo.

Aperture	ƒ/8
Camera	ILCE-7RM5
Focal length	24mm
ISO	100
Shutter speed	2s

Driftwood at Owenahincha

Last night Blarney Photography Club travelled to Owenahincha Beach to do some seascapes. We hoped to do some Milky Way photography later in the evening too but cloud cover got thicker and after some socialising in the nearby Celtic Ross Hotel we went home.

Aperture	ƒ/8
Camera	ILCE-7RM5
Focal length	24mm
ISO	100
Shutter speed	2s

Cathedral Candlelight in Cork

A beautiful brass candle stand in St Fin Barre’s Cathedral, Cork. When Helios was on display in the Cathedral, I visited there with Blarney Photography Club and took the opportunity to photograph other parts of the cathedral’s artistic heritage.

The inscription above reads, “Ní mar is toil liomsa, ach mar is toil leatsa”, which roughly translates as, “Not as I will, but as you will”. A reference to the Biblical quote, “Not my will, but thy will be done”.

St Fin Barre’s Cathedral, completed in 1879, is the Church of Ireland cathedral of Cork and is renowned for its French Gothic Revival architecture and exceptional craftsmanship. The cathedral contains numerous examples of fine metalwork, woodcarving, and stained glass, much of it created by Irish artisans.

Aperture	ƒ/8
Camera	ILCE-7RM5
Focal length	23mm
ISO	640
Shutter speed	1/6s

The Global Warning Guy

If you wander down St. Patrick Street in Cork on a Saturday you’re sure to bump into this gentleman who is there in front of Murray’s with his global warning sign. He’s been there most Saturdays since at least 2016.

It turns out he has nothing to do with global warming, the very real danger all of humanity faces. He’s part of an evangelical Christian movement warning about the end times and judgment coming to the Earth.

Aperture	ƒ/2.8
Camera	ILCE-7RM5
Focal length	24mm
ISO	100
Shutter speed	1/500s

Bantry Market’s Most Diverse Stall

Traditional Catholic culture meets modern Irish culture in this stall. A statue of Mary holds a Cork flag, the red and white instantly recognisable by anyone in the County.

There’s something for everyone at this stall.

Aperture	ƒ/4
Camera	ILCE-7RM5
Focal length	24mm
ISO	100
Shutter speed	1/1600s

A Bantry Market Character

People of all ages come to the market in Bantry, Co Cork, looking for bargains.

Aperture	ƒ/4
Camera	ILCE-7RM5
Focal length	24mm
ISO	100
Shutter speed	1/500s

Sunset Fishing at Ballycotton Pier

Four fishermen silhouetted against golden sunset sky while angling from Ballycotton pier with layered clouds and reflected light on water, County Cork

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.

Evening fishing scene showing silhouetted anglers on Ballycotton pier with dramatic storm clouds gathering overhead and village buildings visible in background, County Cork

Sunset fishing at Ballycotton pier with harbour crane silhouetted against dramatic sky, anglers casting lines as sun sets over the water, County Cork

Aperture	ƒ/8
Camera	ILCE-7RM5
Focal length	24mm
ISO	100
Shutter speed	1/320s

Fireworks at the 2025 Cobh People’s Regatta

A few simple edits of fireworks in Cobh on Sunday night. Great fun and a great night out with friends!

Aperture	ƒ/6.3
Camera	ILCE-7RM5
Focal length	169mm
ISO	800
Shutter speed	3s

Inniscarra’s Historic Stone Bridge

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!

Aperture	ƒ/8
Camera	ILCE-7RM5
Focal length	24mm
ISO	100
Shutter speed	1/30s