A slightly battered boat in Ballycotton, Co Cork.
| Aperture | ƒ/8 |
| Camera | ILCE-7RM5 |
| Focal length | 124mm |
| ISO | 2000 |
| Shutter speed | 1/250s |
Tag Archives: maritime heritage
A Fishing Boat’s Story in Cork
These intimate details from a single fishing boat in Ballycotton harbour tell the story of Ireland’s working coastline better than any wide-angle vista could manage. Every weathered rope, rusty chain, and salt-stained life ring speaks to the daily reality of earning a living from the sea.
Ballycotton’s fishing fleet primarily targets lobster, crab, and various fish species in the rich waters off the East Cork coast. The heavy rope and chain equipment visible in these photographs is essential for handling fishing gear in the often rough conditions of the Celtic Sea. Modern Irish fishing boats like this one typically use a combination of traditional techniques and modern technology, with equipment that must meet strict safety regulations while remaining practical for daily use. The life rings and safety equipment visible are mandatory under Irish maritime law, and the weathered appearance of the boat’s equipment reflects the harsh marine environment that constantly tests both vessels and crew along Ireland’s Atlantic coast.
Videos I think you’ll learn from:
| Aperture | ƒ/8 |
| Camera | ILCE-7RM5 |
| Focal length | 24mm |
| ISO | 320 |
| Shutter speed | 1/60s |
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.
| Aperture | ƒ/8 |
| Camera | ILCE-7RM5 |
| Focal length | 110mm |
| ISO | 125 |
| Shutter speed | 1/250s |
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.
| Aperture | ƒ/8 |
| Camera | ILCE-7RM5 |
| Focal length | 24mm |
| ISO | 160 |
| Shutter speed | 1/60s |
Growing Up by the Sea in 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.
| Aperture | ƒ/8 |
| Camera | ILCE-7RM5 |
| Focal length | 240mm |
| ISO | 100 |
| Shutter speed | 1/800s |
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!
| Aperture | ƒ/8 |
| Camera | ILCE-7RM5 |
| Focal length | 62mm |
| ISO | 100 |
| Shutter speed | 1/320s |
The Sherkin Island Fishing Boat
A fishing boat with the registration code C353P sits moored in the low-tide mud in Sherkin Island. It sits opposite the island library and has been a feature of the island for as long as I remember. However, it was missing during a visit in 2017, and this gallery of Sherkin Island photos shows an empty space where the boat should be! A blog post here from 2016 shows the boat back in place, so maybe someone took the boat out during my visit in 2017?
Now I would like to know more about this boat. Who owns it? Does anyone take it out for a spin any more?
You’ll also find photos of this boat elsewhere, including this article about a Ukrainian family who settled on the island. It’s also featured in a painting created in 2012, but it’s sitting on a dock somewhere, possibly local.
| Aperture | ƒ/8 |
| Camera | ILCE-7RM5 |
| Focal length | 24mm |
| ISO | 100 |
| Shutter speed | 1/250s |