Images of Ireland by photographer Peter McCabe
You could call Peter McCabe the landscape whisperer.
He can coax out of an everyday scene the most evocative compositions. I’m talking clouds almost three-dimensional in their bouffant-ness, seas swelling and splashing against the picture, and sands so full of texture I fear they’ll scratch my screen.
Lucky for us, this whisperer can wield a camera lens. We asked him to show us his favourite places in Ireland to photograph.
This is what he whispered back:
As a landscape photographer living in Ireland, I’m spoiled for choice when it comes to locations to photograph.
However, there are three counties in particular that I have a magnetic attraction to; Mayo, Donegal and Cork.
Mind-bending Mayo
Out past in County , the road narrows and winds all the way down to the Silver Strand. Nestled in the shadow of Mweelrea Mountain, this is one of the most spectacular beaches in Ireland.
Silver Strand in County Mayo
I took this shot one mild March evening when the sun cast a glow across the coastline. I think the composition really captured the beauty of the location.
The sun rises on Donegal
is a photographer’s paradise. A county where it’s possible to get lost in a landscape – despite never being too far from a town/village/shop/pub/B&B. Donegal has some of the least explored, and as a result, most untouched land on the island, hence why I hold so many of my photography workshops here.
Glen Head County Donegal
One of my favourite shots from Donegal is this view across the wild ragged coastline near Malinbeg. On this particular morning, I sat in the early darkness, listening to the roar of an unseen Atlantic. As dawn broke revealing a distant Glen Head, I tripped the shutter as the rising sun turned the sea spray golden.
However, my favourite sunrise image is this view of the ruined church at the base of Mount Errigal in Northwest Donegal.
Poison Glen, Donegal
In the stillness of a warm summer morning with the sounds of cuckoos calling in the distance, I stood by a tripod, tripping the shutter as the sunlight crept down the Glen and across the spire of the church.
Worth Popping the Cork
The in West Cork is simply beautiful. Less explored than the Ring of Kerry, it’s exactly the type of place you imagine when you hear people say they ‘want to get away from it all’.
Sunrise over the Healy Pass, County Cork
Photographers by their nature need two key things; patience and persistence. In this case my persistence paid off when, after religiously making the journey to the summit of the Healy Pass, a fleeting shaft of sunlight created this dramatic lightshow.
Peter will host a landscape photography workshop from 12 – 17 October 2012 in the wonderfully photogenic Connemara. Check out Connemara Ireland Workshops for details.
Get your jaw dropping and see more of Peter McCabe’s landscape photography of Ireland on his website.
[...] I’m the guest blogger over at DiscoverIreland.com this month. Their site features a selection of my Irish landscape photographs. To check it out select the following link http://blog.discoverireland.com/2012/04/images-of-ireland-donegal/ [...]
Oh I want to go so bad it makes me cry,it’s like another part of the world is calling me home!!!
Absolutey the most beautiful scenes I have ever seen,will definitely put on my wish list to see these, family comes from Donegal, never realized how truly beautiful that area is.
I feel the same Lori…. homesick for a place I’ve never been.
Beautiful photos and excellent capture of the sites of Ireland… you’re a great photographer….thanks for sharing them. I love Ireland and look forward to going back to my roots…
We will be taking our first trip to Western Ireland in a month. So excited! I 8 days exploring Co.’s Clare and Kerry. I know it’s not enough time but that’s all we could muster. We are already talking about our next trip! Thanks for the words about the Beara Peninsula!
Such beautiful pictures of places I’ve never seen. Last June we were in southern Ireland and loved everything we saw. Hopefully we’ll get back again some day and go north to see this area!
I can only dream to visit one day
My Mom from Limerick City always said the west of Ireland is where the great beauty is! RIP Mom
This is me on the road near Doolin : http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f26/lavinialuna/photos/27a7cd04.jpg
Me on the beach near Doolin : http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f26/lavinialuna/photos/meonbigrock.jpg
This trip I took in 1998 is still one of my most favorite moments of my life. I will come back, I promise!
Beautiful pictures of a beautiful country. I have been there three times and each part has its own type of beauty, Doned=gal and the west are amazing. God’s country or as in the song “a little bit of heaven.”
Donegal
Counting the days to we visit Ireland again! We’ve been before…but “home” is calling us!
Hopefully will be back in Donegal, Leitrim & beautiful Sligo in June, God willing. Can’t wait! But I hope it’s warm this time. LOL
Looking forward to being in Donegal in October!
Simply gorgeous….simply, home!!
Thanks for sharing!
This is the stuff that travel dreaming is made of! I just sent links out to our clients via Facebook, Twitter and our travel alert feed. These are so totally gorgeous, it makes me ache to be back!
Beautiful photography, being Irish I am so proud of the land and beauty of my birth, it was a pleasure to view them. Thank you.
So beautiful!
Never been and will probably never get there.I so enjoyed the beautiful pictures of Ireland. !!!!!
Just amazingly beautiful !!!!
I want to visit Ireland, its the only country I dream to visit. I love thier Irish blessings, culture and traditions. But I can’t afford to visit there. Just watch the movie entitled “Leap Year”, it was shoot in Ireland.
I met a friend name Patrick, he is from Ireland and he gave me this Irish Blessings:
May the road rise to meet you
May the wind be always at your back
May sun shines warm upon your face
May the rains fall soft upon your face
And until we meet again
May God hold you in the palm of His hand
I was wonder what this blessings is so I search Ireland and then I saw the magical country and I love their history.
How do I submit photos to your site> Thanks
Terry
beauty incarnate.
Absolutely gorgeous. Oh, I long to visit Ireland again!
When is the temperature the best for a visit to the west part of Ireland?
Lovely pictures but somewhat misleading. Where are the pictures of the dozens of half finished houses that now litter the countryside? An all too common sight now is a derelict old house with an abandoned, half- built neo-georgian pile right beside it. How about some pictures of small country towns in which every other shop is empty? For exampleClones, Co. Monaghan, even has boarded up pubs in its main street – once a busy, lively market town and now a scene of desolation.
This, sadly is the real Ireland, the “ould Country” has gone and will never return. It makes me sad and angry everytime I go back home – but I still keep going!