A boat disturbs the water

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. 🙂


Apertureƒ/18
CameraILCE-7RM5
Focal length24mm
ISO50
Shutter speed1/8s

Petal Power in Kinsale

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.


Apertureƒ/3.5
CameraILCE-7RM5
Focal length24mm
ISO100
Shutter speed1/320s

Sailing Through Time

Someone walking past a sail in Kinsale made for a nice slow-motion intentional camera movement photo.


Apertureƒ/5.6
CameraILCE-7RM5
Focal length49mm
ISO100
Shutter speed1.3s

Masts and Mirrors

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.


Apertureƒ/8
CameraILCE-7RM5
Focal length46mm
ISO100
Shutter speed2s

Holding Hands

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.


Apertureƒ/8
CameraILCE-7RM5
Focal length24mm
ISO500
Shutter speed1/500s

A Storm Brewing

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.


Apertureƒ/8
CameraILCE-7RM5
Focal length240mm
ISO250
Shutter speed1/500s

Copper Point Sentinel

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!


Apertureƒ/8
CameraILCE-7RM5
Focal length62mm
ISO100
Shutter speed1/320s

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

The Red Van Chronicles

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.


Apertureƒ/4
CameraILCE-7RM5
Focal length24mm
ISO100
Shutter speed1/640s

Youghal’s Charming Beach Huts

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.


Apertureƒ/14
CameraILCE-7RM5
Focal length166mm
ISO100
Shutter speed1/50s

Cork Before The Elysian

2005 photograph of Cork City Hall with its distinctive green dome reflected in the River Lee, showing construction cranes and the area before The Elysian development and modernisation, with swans visible on the calm water
2005 photograph of Cork City Hall with its distinctive green dome reflected in the River Lee, showing construction cranes and the area before The Elysian development and modernisation, with swans visible on the calm water (1/3)
2005 photograph of Cork City Hall with its distinctive green dome reflected in the River Lee, showing construction cranes and the area before The Elysian development and modernisation, with swans visible on the calm water (2/3)
2005 photograph of Cork City Hall with its distinctive green dome reflected in the River Lee, showing construction cranes and the area before The Elysian development and modernisation, with swans visible on the calm water (3/3)

Remember Cork before The Elysian was built? It’s almost 20 years old now, so there are many people around who never saw Cork City Hall like this, without the tower block behind it.

Cork City Hall, completed in 1936, was built to replace the previous City Hall that was destroyed during the Burning of Cork by British forces in 1920. The building’s limestone facade and copper dome make it one of Cork’s most recognisable landmarks. This 2005 photograph predates the construction of The Elysian apartment tower, which began in 2006 and became Ireland’s tallest residential building when completed in 2008. The development of The Elysian and surrounding high-rise buildings fundamentally altered the skyline visible from this vantage point, making this image a valuable historical record of Cork’s urban landscape before its dramatic transformation during the Celtic Tiger era.


Apertureƒ/3.5
CameraCanon EOS 20D
Focal length18mm
ISO200
Shutter speed1/320s

Street Life with Man’s Best Friend

I love dogs, so when I see one in town I always try to get a photo.


Apertureƒ/2.2
CameraSM-G998B
Focal length2.2mm
ISO50
Shutter speed1/580s