June 30, 2014

Ireland XX (Galway and Finavarra Martello Tower, Ireland)

As I walked around Galway, I was fascinated by the lovely water-shut-off covers on the streets; they were so simple, and so beautiful.
Digital original
A long disused lock in Galway, with tons of water flowing through.
Digital original
Finavarra Martello Tower dates from the period 1804-1807 when British military engineers built many such fortifications as signal towers to protect the coast against a French invasion. Most of these towers are oval or round and stand between forty and sixty feet high. Their staircases were incorporated within the walls and the doorway was usually some distance above ground level.
Digital original
Situated on Finavarra Point, the tower protected the north-easternside of Ballyvaughan Bay and the south-western entrance of New Quay harbour. The usual garrison was about ten men who would have lived in a nearby barracks. The remains of such a barracks lie north-east of the tower.
 Digital original, 48 frame exposure blend, 12 image stitch
Without a doubt, this is my favourite architectural image I have made in years; in many ways this is a mirror of an image I made in Halifax in 1995 of the R.M.L. emplacements on George's Island, in Halifax harbour. Impossibly wide, and focused on the beautiful light in the martello tower, it speaks less about the military purpose of the space than the beauty of the light within it.

June 29, 2014

Ireland XIX (Tyrone House to the Cliffs of Moher, Ireland)

Tyrone House County Galway is a ruined manor house, built in the 1770s for Christopher St. George. The house was destroyed by the local IRA unit during the Irish War of Independence.
Digital original, 2 frame stitch
I could have spent all day photographing Tyrone House, both the simple beauty of the architecture, and the contrast between the abandoned structure and the surge of new life that surrounded it
Digital original
Ardrey House was built in 1770 by by Joseph Blake, who later gained the title of Lord Wallscourt. This title became synonymous with the house that has now fallen to ruins. The Wallscourts lived there until the second wife of the fourth Earl frittered away all the family money on gambling. She even sold the lead of every roof on the estate. The mansion was left empty and much of the contents stolen.
Digital original
In 1241, the Dominican Priory in Athernry was founded, a major institution. It was ostensibly closed during the Protestant Reformation but survived until being desecrated and burned during the MacanIarla Wars of the 1570s, and was finally vandalized by Cromwellians in the 1650s.
Digital original, 6 frame stitch
This site was used as a monastery founded by St. Connell in the 6th century. Later in 1353, the Kilconnell Friary was established on the same site for the Franciscans. There is some evidence that this friary was actually founded later by William O'Kelly in 1414, although it is more widely believed that 1353 is the correct time period.
Digital original
Kilconnell escaped suppression in the early 1500's. However it fell to ruins in 1691, after King James II was defeated in the Battle of Aughrim. It appears as though some friars were in evidence until 1801.
Digital original, 2 frame stitch
The Cliffs of Moher rise 120 metres (390 ft) above the Atlantic Ocean at Hag's Head, and reach their maximum height of 214 metres (702 ft) just north of O'Brien's Tower, eight kilometres to the north.

June 28, 2014

Ireland XIII - Rock of Dunamase to Dunguaire Castle, Ireland)

Digital original, 2 frame shutter speed blend
The Rock of Dunamase is home to the ruins of Dunamase Castle, a defensive stronghold dating from the early Anglo-Norman period with a view across to the Slieve Bloom Mountains.
Digital original, 2 frame stitch
The morning I spent at the Rock of Dunamase was a real pleasure; the light was lovely and soft, and the sky was quick moving, which made it perfect for making images with a really long exposure (15 seconds in this case)
Digital original
Clonmacnoise was founded in 546 by CiarĂ¡n, a young man from Rathcroghan, Co. Roscommon. Until the 9th century it had close associations with the kings of Connacht. The strategic location of the monastery helped it become a major centre of religion, learning, craftsmanship, and trade by the 9th century and together with Clonard it was the most famous in Ireland, visited by scholars from all over Europe. From the ninth until the eleventh century it was allied with the kings of Meath. Many of the high kings of Tara and Connacht were buried here.
Digital Original
Clonmacnoise has two towers; the one closer to the main buildings is striking, but lacks the stone cap, where the above tower, on the outter wall of the site, was complete with conical cap.
Digital original, 7 frame exposure blend, 3 frame stitch
Dunguaire Castle is a 16th-century tower house on the southeastern shore of Galway Bay in County Galway, Ireland, near Kinvarra. The name derives from the Dun of King Guaire, the legendary king of Connacht.

June 27, 2014

Ireland XII (Muckross Abbey to Staigue Ringfort, Ireland)

Digital infrared original
Muckross Abbey is one of the major ecclesiastical sites found in the Killarney National Park, County Kerry, Ireland. It was founded in 1448 as a Franciscan friary for the Observantine Franciscans by Donal McCarthy Mor. This was the last infrared image of the trip, as shortly after this, my IR camera stopped working...ultimately it was an inexpensive repair, but it was really upsetting at the time.
Digital original, 12 frame exposure blend, 8 image stitch
The cloister at Muckross Abbey was really interesting to photograph; most of the cloisters I have photographed in the past were ornate and breathtaking to behold; the cloister at Muckross was quieter, timeworn and understated. I made several compositions from different corners of the cloister, but this one is my favorite.
Digital original
The drive around the Ring of Kerry was made on a strikingly beautiful day - the sky was clear and bright, and the landscape of South-Western Ireland was breathtaking to behold.
Digital original, 2 image stitch
Loher Stone Fort is beautifully situated overlooking Ballinskelligs Bay. Built in the early christian period as a defended farmstead, it was recently reconstructed. The circular outer walls are over 2 metres high.
Digital original
Skellig Michael is an island (the larger of the two Skellig Islands) in the Atlantic Ocean, 11.6 km west of the Iveragh Peninsula in County Kerry, Ireland. A Christian monastery was founded on the island at some point between the 6th and 8th century, and was continuously occupied until its abandonment in the late 12th century.
Digital original
Staigue is a partly ruined stone ringfort three miles west of Sneem, on the Iveragh peninsula in County Kerry, Ireland. The fort is thought to have been built during the late Iron Age, probably somewhere between 300 and 400 AD, as a defensive stronghold for a local lord or king.

June 26, 2014

Ireland XI (Dunmore Cave, Ireland)

Today was a wet day in south-central Ireland, so the plan was to head underground...but on the way, I had to stop to photograph this lovely tower in the middle of a field. The weather even co-operated with great clouds behind!
Digital infrared original
Dunmore Cave is eleven kilometres north of Kilkenny City and, like other caves across the country, is formed by limestone which was laid down over 300 million years ago.
Digital original
It contains almost a quarter of a mile of passages and at its deepest point is 150 foot below the surface. Although this is smaller than many of the caves around the country, the beauty and magic of its calcite formations as well as its scientific and historical interest make it one of Ireland's most fascinating caves. Its presence has been known for years but it is only recently that attempts have been made to unravel its history. In 928, the Dunmore Cave was the site of a Viking massacre. Mention of the cave was made in the 9th century Irish Triads.
Digital infrared original
I've driven by this barn every morning and evening for almost a week, and finally had to stop and photograph it...fortunately the day's rain held off while I explored the possibilities.
Digital original
The light at the end of today was just lovely - soft and bright, all at the same time.

June 25, 2014

Ireland X (Aherlow Valley to Athassel Priory, Ireland)


Digital original
This day dawned damp and drizzly, so after a long morning of lazing around the rented accomidations, we headed to the north into the Aherlow Valley, where the views were pretty impressive.
Digital infrared original
Athassel Priory is the largest medieval priory in Ireland, stretching over a four acre site. The priory dates back to the 12th century when it was founded by the Augustinians under the patronage of Walter de Burgh, 1st Earl of Ulster, the original buildings were altered and renovated over the next 300 years. The priory was burnt twice, once in 1329 by Brian King of Thomond and again in 1581 by John Fitzgerald of Desmond. A large town had grown up around the priory but was destroyed during the two raids.
Digital infrared original
It was a real pleasure photographing at Athassel Priory; with no-one else around, it was ultimately rain which ended the day, but not before I made some really pleasing image, including this one of an ancient stairway.
Digital original
At the end of the day, back in Cahir, the twilight clouds moving over the mountains to the south were haunting.

June 24, 2014

Ireland IX (Jerpoint to Kilcooley, Ireland)

Digital original
This day was focused in no small way on the ruins of religious sites, as most of the remaining days in Ireland would be. The morning saw a drive across central Ireland to Jerpoint Abbey, which was a pleasure to photograph, even through it was constantly threatening to rain.
Digital infrared original
Jerpoint Abbey is a ruined Cistercian abbey, founded in the second half of the 12th century, near Thomastown, County Kilkenny, Ireland.
Digital original
Kilkenny is a city located in south-east part of Ireland and the county town of the eponymous County Kilkenny. It is built on both banks of the River Nore in the province of Leinster.
Digital original, 2 frame exposure blend
Walking around Kilkenney, I only had my smaller Sony mirrorless, so the distortion in this image (of the refurbished horse barns of Kilkenney Castle) is pretty evident...all the same, the smaller camera was absolutely the ideal camera for just walking around town.
Digital infrared original
This was the first image on the Irish trip that I knew was a success - it was the end of the day when we arrived at Kilcooley Abbey, and the low, angular light was just perfect, coming into the ruin and highlighting the texture of the ancient stones. I felt like the ghost of Frederic H. Evans was looking over my shoulder.
Digital infrared original, 2 frame stitch
Kilcooley Abbey is a Cistercian Abbey close to the Village of Gortnahoe,in Co Tipperary, located within the grounds of the Kilcooley Estate. This abbey dates from 1182 when Donal Mor O’ Brien granted lands to the Cistercians, to build an abbey here. The abbey which is a sister house to both Jerpoint Abbey and Holy Cross Abbey, is considered to be a hidden gem, tucked away in this remote corner of County Tipperary.

June 23, 2014

Ireland VIII (Caahir to Cashel, Ireland)

Digital original, 5 frame exposure blend, 2 image stitch

Cahir is a fine example of a late Medieval Castle that had been enlarged and greatly remodeled in the 15th to 17th centuries. When the main line of the Butler family died out in the late 1700's, the castle fell into ruin. It was partly restored in the 1840's by the Cahir Butlers and more heavily restored after it became a National Monument in 1964.
Digital original, 5 frame exposure blend, 2 image stitch
Today's drive was through the Vee, which is just covered in massive rhododendron's...there is no way to describe how many there are. The Rhododendron was only introduced to the area around the Vee in the 1960′s and has, since that time taken over the entire mountainside, killing off virtually every other plant that had previously grown there.
Digital infrared original, 2 frame shutter speed blend, 2 frame exposure blend
Lismore Castle is a stately home located in the town of Lismore in County Waterford in Ireland, belonging to the Duke of Devonshire. It was largely re-built in the Gothic style during the mid-nineteenth century by William Cavendish, 6th Duke of Devonshire.
Digital infrared original, 5 image stitch
The Rock of Cashel, also known as Cashel of the Kings and St. Patrick's Rock, is a historic site located at Cashel, South Tipperary, Ireland.
Digital original
This sunset was spent at Cashel, where I made this image of Hore Abbey.

June 22, 2014

Ireland VII (Cork to Timoleague, Ireland)

Digital original, 4 frame exposure blend

This helical stair, at Camden Fort Meagher was fabulous to photograph; I can deny I wished the lighting wasn't there, but given the choice of not photographing it, and having to work around the lighting, the answer was obvious.
Digital infrared original, 3 image stitch

Charles Fort is one of the finest surviving examples of a 17th Century star-shaped fort, and much of the construction begun in 1678 remains. The fort has two enormous bastions overlooking the estuary, and three facing inland. Within its walls were all the barracks and ancillary facilities to support the fort’s garrison. The fort continued in military use until 1922.
Digital original infrared, two frame stitch
Timoleague Friary is a Franciscan friary located in Timoleague, County Cork, Ireland. It dates from about 1300.
Digital original
As with the previous night, the sunset south of Cahir was just lovely...and I missed it (was driving home at the time)...I managed to make this image of the afterglow however.

June 21, 2014

Ireland VI (Driving South-West from Dublin, Ireland)

Digital infrared original

Glendalough, from the Irish “Gleann da locha", meaning the Glen of two Lakes. It combines extensive monastic ruins with a stunning natural setting in the Wicklow Mountains.
Digital infrared original, 2 frame stitch
Cahir Castle, one of the largest castles in Ireland, is sited on an island in the river Suir. It was built in 1142 by Conor O'Brien, Prince of Thomond.
Digital original
The final light of the day was just lovely; I missed the sunset itself (it was a shocking deep red), but ten minutes later, in the eastern sky, there was the most delicate shade of pink.

June 20, 2014

Ireland V (Dublin, Ireland)

Digital infrared original, 3 image stitch
The Dublin magazine fort was built in 1735. The fort can be found in the west of Dublin city, north of the River Liffey within Phoenix Park. The building is located in the south-eastern part of the park, close by a wooded ridge.
Digital infrared original
A detail of the north wall of the nave of St. Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin, made during my last evening spent photographing in the city.
Digital original
Outside of Kilmainham Gaol there is this haunting sculpture dedicated to the executed leaders of the 1916 rising.