I was there too
The lifeguard tower at the end of the main section of the beach at Youghal. The beach does continue on, but the sand was green with algae and it was obvious it’s not used by humans much.
I love the matching colours in this photo. I spent a good few minutes kneeling in damp sand and dirt trying to get this photo.
| Aperture | ƒ/8 |
| Camera | ILCE-7RM5 |
| Focal length | 24mm |
| ISO | 500 |
| Shutter speed | 1/125s |
Some members of Blarney Photography Club as they worked with their cameras just off the beach in Youghal, Co. Cork last night.
| Aperture | ƒ/8 |
| Camera | ILCE-7RM5 |
| Focal length | 172mm |
| ISO | 100 |
| Shutter speed | 5s |
When you’ve been to the shops, it’s nice to sit down with a friend for a chat.
| Aperture | ƒ/1.8 |
| Camera | SM-G998B |
| Focal length | 6.7mm |
| ISO | 639 |
| Shutter speed | 1/500s |
Walking along Corporation Street, I was watching out for interesting people to photograph when I saw a man watching people walking past. We’d just come out of Grand Central Shopping Centre, the sun was shining, and I quickly walked over to the shaded part of the street. It was too warm for me. Might have been the same for this gentleman.
| Aperture | ƒ/6.3 |
| Camera | ILCE-7M3 |
| Focal length | 16mm |
| ISO | 320 |
| Shutter speed | 1/500s |
The Long Valley Bar is always busy, and I love seeing interesting characters sitting at the tables outside.
The Long Valley Bar has been serving Cork since 1842 and is famous for its traditional “combination” sandwiches – hence the “Plain Comb” on the menu board. These legendary sandwiches typically contain a hearty mix of meats, cheese, and pickles, and have remained virtually unchanged in recipe for over a century. The pub’s sandwiches have achieved almost mythical status among Cork locals and visitors alike, with many considering them the best pub grub in Ireland. The establishment has retained its original Victorian fittings and atmosphere, making it not just a place to eat, but a living piece of Cork’s social history.
| Aperture | ƒ/3.5 |
| Camera | ILCE-7M3 |
| Focal length | 24mm |
| ISO | 400 |
| Shutter speed | 1/500s |
Shandon Bells as seen from the top of Patrick’s Hill, from the wall surrounding Bells Field.
The eight bells of Shandon Bells were cast in Gloucester, England, in 1750 and shipped to Cork. They’re tuned to play in the key of D major, and each bell has inscriptions including biblical verses and the names of local dignitaries from the time. Read More.
| Aperture | ƒ/8 |
| Camera | ILCE-7M3 |
| Focal length | 113mm |
| ISO | 100 |
| Shutter speed | 1/160s |
The sun sets behind a hill on the Dingle Peninsula, Kerry, back in 2021.
| Aperture | ƒ/8 |
| Camera | ILCE-7M3 |
| Focal length | 240mm |
| ISO | 100 |
| Shutter speed | 1/1000s |
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 |
Chickens, and what looks like a duck, in cages at the Bantry market a few years ago.
| Aperture | ƒ/3.5 |
| Camera | ILCE-7M3 |
| Focal length | 50mm |
| ISO | 100 |
| Shutter speed | 1/2000s |
When the weather is as nice as it is now, there’s nowhere like West Cork. Rolling hills and beautiful countryside, trees heavy with leaves and flowers in bloom, friendly people, and loads of things to do.
One way is Bantry, Ballydehob is the other way. We were headed to Ballydehob when I stopped for a few quick photos.
| Aperture | ƒ/6.3 |
| Camera | ILCE-7RM5 |
| Focal length | 24mm |
| ISO | 100 |
| Shutter speed | 1/400s |
An old van sits in the driveway of a house on Sherkin Island, Co Cork. The barrier blocking the way is apparently used extensively on the islands off the Irish coast and in other rural areas, but I’m more familiar with seeing them in WWII films or war zones!
| Aperture | ƒ/8 |
| Camera | ILCE-7M3 |
| Focal length | 103mm |
| ISO | 320 |
| Shutter speed | 1/125s |
The derelict McCarthy’s Garage as it was in 2021 in Schull, Co Cork. The building today is very different, but it’s still pink! I have a few photos of the old petrol pumps that stood outside the building somewhere on this site, going further back in time.
The slate roof visible on the McCarthy’s building is typical of traditional Irish architecture. Irish slate was quarried extensively in counties like Valentia Island in Kerry and was prized for its durability and weather resistance, often lasting well over 100 years when properly maintained, which explains why so many original slate roofs still grace Irish buildings today.
| Aperture | ƒ/4 |
| Camera | ILCE-7M3 |
| Focal length | 16mm |
| ISO | 160 |
| Shutter speed | 1/500s |
