Tag Archives: County Cork

Heroes of the Sea

The RNLI flag flies in Ballycotton Harbour.

The RNLI operates one of Ireland’s busiest lifeboat stations at Ballycotton, which launched 57 times in 2023 alone, rescuing 49 people and assisting 67 others. The station operates an all-weather lifeboat capable of handling the most challenging sea conditions off the Cork coast. Ballycotton RNLI has a proud history dating back to 1858, and the station’s crews have been awarded numerous medals for gallantry, including gold medals for particularly heroic rescues. The RNLI is a charity that relies entirely on voluntary donations and is crewed by unpaid volunteers who undergo extensive training to perform rescues in some of the most dangerous maritime conditions around the British and Irish coasts.


Apertureƒ/8
CameraILCE-7RM5
Focal length110mm
ISO125
Shutter speed1/250s

The Lighthouse and Tidal Treasures

The tide was very far out when we visited Ballycotton last week, so I wandered out on the rocks, carefully avoiding the slippery seaweed, and took a few photos.


Apertureƒ/8
CameraILCE-7RM5
Focal length24mm
ISO320
Shutter speed2.5s

Ballycotton’s Spectacular Sky

The golden hour at sunset is spectacular but I love the amazing colours you might be lucky to see after the sun has set. Such happened on Thursday night in Ballycotton. This is a panoramic photo of several photos stitched together to make one larger one. The dark, dramatic cloud was too wide for my lens, but even though it was dark, handheld panoramas are possible these days if you’re careful.

The phenomenon captured in this photograph occurs when the sun has set below the observer’s horizon but continues to illuminate high-altitude clouds from below, creating dramatic lighting effects known as “alpenglow” or “afterglow.” This effect is particularly pronounced in coastal areas like Ballycotton, where the unobstructed western horizon allows for clear sunset views, while high clouds moving in from the Atlantic provide the perfect canvas for these spectacular post-sunset displays. The pink and purple colours result from the way the atmosphere scatters different wavelengths of light, with longer wavelengths (reds and pinks) penetrating further through the atmosphere to reach the high clouds even after the sun has disappeared from view.


Apertureƒ/8
CameraILCE-7RM5
Focal length24mm
ISO100
Shutter speed1/13s

Ballycotton’s Famous Beacon at Dusk

Ballycotton Lighthouse as pictured from the end of the pier at the village of the same name last Thursday night. It was a lovely evening. Warm and with just enough clouds to make for a spectacular sunset.

The Moon was due to rise almost behind the island here, but a huge cloud bank covered the horizon, spoiling our chances of capturing that moment.


Apertureƒ/8
CameraILCE-7RM5
Focal length24mm
ISO160
Shutter speed1/60s

Growing Up by the Sea in Cork

Black and white silhouette of teenagers standing on a fishing pier with seagulls perched on equipment and masts against a bright sky in Ballycotton, County Cork.

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.


Apertureƒ/8
CameraILCE-7RM5
Focal length240mm
ISO100
Shutter speed1/800s

Purple Skies Over Ballycotton

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.


Apertureƒ/8
CameraILCE-7RM5
Focal length27mm
ISO100
Shutter speed1/10s

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

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

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

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