The last daylight, New Years Eve 2013 .
New Years eve 2013, sunsets over Slievenamon, county Tipperary
Irish Landscape photography : Nigel Borrington
Happy New year everyone, I hope you all have a wonderful 2014 !!!
Nigel
The last Daylight of New Years even 2013
2013, a year on the Mountain .
Images of slievenamon 2013
Irish Landscape Photography : Nigel Borrington
During 2013 my post have covered many different locations and landscapes around Ireland and Europe, yet selecting the location for one of my final post of the year was very simple for me.
The landscape around the mountain of Slievenamon, County Tipperary is one of the most scenic in the south east of Ireland, it is very local to myself and I have taken many images during 2013 here.
So for my final Gallery I want to share some images of this wonderful location and I look forward to sharing much more in 2014.
Happy new year to everyone !!!
Stable By Claudia Emerson
A Family Stable in county Kilkenny
Photography : Nigel Borrington
Stable
By Claudia Emerson
One rusty horseshoe hangs on a nail
above the door, still losing its luck,
and a work-collar swings, an empty
old noose. The silence waits, wild to be
broken by hoof beat and heavy
harness slap, will founder but remain;
while, outside, above the stable,
eight, nine, now ten buzzards swing low
in lazy loops, a loose black warp
of patience, bearing the blank sky
like a pall of wind on mourning
wings. But the bones of this place are
long picked clean. Only the hay-rake’s
ribs still rise from the rampant grasses.
Images of Slieve league , County Donegal
Images from Slieve League coast line, county Donegal
Irish Landscape photography : Nigel Borrington
The coastline around county Donegal offers some of the best Landscape in Europe with its wonderful small coves and mountains like Slieve league , sitting above the Atlantic ocean.
These images were taken on an October visit and walk along the cliff tops.
Merry Christmas
Merry Christmas to Everyone.
Have a wonderful day wherever You are and what ever you do !!!
Nigel …..
Snow on snow, By James Hart
Snow covers the welsh hills
Landscape Photography : Nigel Borrington
It Christmas eve, so I felt it was time for a winters poem and a picture.
Happy Christmas everyone!
Snow on snow
By : James Hart
Snow on snow
Flakes gently falling
Like leaves from a tree
Asking permission
Before they land
On the snowflakes underneath
Each one different
Like leaves on a tree
A white carpet
Pure white till soiled
By children’s shoes
They love its touch
Ooo snowball fights
Snow doesn’t hurt
Snow is soft and forgiving
People hurt
They are selfish and cruel
So let it snow
Snow on snow on
Snow on snow
Christmas shopping in Rome
Christmas shopping in Rome
Street Photography : Nigel Borrington
Two shopping days to Christmas day and traditionally these are the busiest shopping days of the year, a little time back this very weekend just pasted I was in Room with my brother for a long weekend.
As you can see from the images below the streets were very busy and the town was flooded with Christmas shoppers from all over the world.
Rome at Christmas, Black and white Gallery
Midwinters day and the pagan goddess of the winter
The stone circle at Castlerigg
Landscape photography: Nigel Borrington
Today is Mid winters day or the Winter Solstice.
History and cultural significance
The solstice itself may have been a special moment of the annual cycle of the year even during neolithic times. Astronomical events, which during ancient times controlled the mating of animals, sowing of crops and metering of winter reserves between harvests, show how various cultural mythologies and traditions have arisen. This is attested by physical remains in the layouts of late Neolithic and Bronze Age archaeological sites, such as Stonehenge in Britain and Newgrange in Ireland. The primary axes of both of these monuments seem to have been carefully aligned on a sight-line pointing to the winter solstice sunrise (Newgrange) and the winter solstice sunset (Stonehenge). Significant in respect of Stonehenge is the fact that the Great Trilithon was erected outwards from the centre of the monument, i.e., its smooth flat face was turned towards the midwinter Sun.
The winter solstice may have been immensely important because communities were not certain of living through the winter, and had to be prepared during the previous nine months. Starvation was common during the first months of the winter, January to April (northern hemisphere) or July to October (southern hemisphere), also known as “the famine months”. In temperate climates, the midwinter festival was the last feast celebration, before deep winter began. Most cattle were slaughtered so they would not have to be fed during the winter, so it was almost the only time of year when a supply of fresh meat was available. The majority of wine and beer made during the year was finally fermented and ready for drinking at this time. The concentration of the observances were not always on the day commencing at midnight or at dawn, but the beginning of the pre-Romanized day, which falls on the previous eve.
Since the event is seen as the reversal of the Sun’s ebbing presence in the sky, concepts of the birth or rebirth of sun gods have been common and, in cultures using winter solstice based cyclic calendars, the year as reborn has been celebrated with regard to life-death-rebirth deities or new beginnings such as Hogmanay’s redding, a New Year cleaning tradition. Also reversal is yet another usual theme as in Saturnalia’s slave and master reversals.
CAILLEACH BHEUR : The Celtic Goddess of winter
CAILLEACH BHEUR : Scottish, Irish, Manx, Great Goddess in her Destroyer aspect; called “Veiled One”. Another name is Scota, from which Scotland comes. In parts of Britain she is the Goddess of Winter. She was an ancient Goddess of the pre-Celtic peoples of Ireland. She controlled the seasons and the weather; and was the goddess of earth and sky, moon and sun.
A Lighthouse By : Ashley Rose
A Lighthouse
By : Ashley Rose
The stone facade bound into the coarse rock,
Signaling, sending, and saving,
Streaks of light alluring threat to vessels.
Like flare of alert, warning of an ominous havoc.
Sending waves of whispering light into the mute air,
Advising all to depart back to the watchful sea.
The light reflects on the storm driven oceans,
tracing the surface with an inkling of caution,
a lighthouse, beacon of hope.
The tides swoosh against the jagged cliff,
where tattered remains of a ship remain.
The waves roar as a dull overcast envelopes the sky.
The lighthouse’s beams echo off a ship,
leading the wandering adrift to safer waters,
as a guide to shelter.
Memories of a Christmas past.
Snow on the foot hills of Slievenamon, Co.Tipperary
Irish Landscape Photography : Nigel Borrington
Well we are only 6 days away from Christmas day and like most people I have been wondering if we will get some snow for Christmas . This year however here in Ireland none has been predicted and it looks like there will only be rain.
So I thought I would post some pictures of the local fields back on Christmas day in 2011, covered in a wonderful white blanked of snow.
Gallery of a snow covered Landscape, Christmas 2011
An old farm with a mountain view.
The old farm with a mountain view, Ninemile house, Tipperary
Irish Landscape Photography : Nigel Borrington
The Irish Landscape is full of old Farms and home places, filled with many memories of generations past…..
This farm is located very close to the mountain of Slievenamon, country Tipperary.
Gallery
The Storm Crow Calls. By, John W. McEwers
The storm Crow
Landscape Photography, Nigel Borrington
The Storm Crow Calls
By, John W. McEwers
It sounds like rain
big rain
the kind that hurts
if you tip your face back
and catch drops on your tongue, ill advised.
But whether the rain hits hard or you stay inside
it screams thunder, and you must pay
attention enough to hear
the storm crows call,
telling you you aren’t safe
or strong enough
or big enough
or happy enough
but you dont know better
and you believe him when he calls
and the storm crow gets your goat
in his talons.
Reflections , poem by Emmy Gaspar
Kings river at Kells , County Kilkenny
Irish Landscape Photography : Nigel Borrington
By : Emmy Nielsen Reyes de Gaspar
There is so much beauty in life,
Beauty in the human soul,
Beauty in the heart and in the mind
Of the good man and woman.
There is beauty in nature,
Beauty in the sky and in the clouds,
In the mountains and in the sea.
There is beauty in the creative work of man,
Beauty in true friendship.
And immeasurable beauty in love.
All these things,
To delight us in this world.
Carey’s Castle
Carey’s Castle, Clonmel in Co. Tipperary
Irish Landscape Photography : Nigel Borrington
Carey’s Castle rests in a woodland setting near Clonmel in Co. Tipperary, the Glenary River running past the castle and adding to a very peaceful atmosphere here. A walk of around 500m down a wonderful woodland trail is well worth the effort when the trees part and Carey’s Castle appears before your eyes.
The Castle was built sometime during the 1800s by the Carey family who live locally, they were schoolmasters in the area. A mixture of architectural styles exist through out the grounds, including Romanesque and Gothic windows, Gothic arches, a Celtic round tower and a Norman Keep, which all adds up to make a beautiful building in a wonderful location.
The Castle and it grounds were occupied by monks at one stage and the remains of and older walled garden exist at the back of the Castle in the woods.
Carey’s Castle, Gallery
Photo restoration
During last week I was working on some only Family albums and wanted to share this image of two family dogs taken way back in the 1920’s in America.
The first image is of the photograph in its current condition and the second after I have spend some time restoring it to the best possible condition I can achieve while keeping the image looking very natural for its age.
The fishing boats of Galway bay (Image gallery)
Fishing boats at Galway bay, county Galway
Irish Landscape Photography : Nigel Borrington
The landscape around Galway bay is one of the most beautiful in Ireland , offering long walks along sandy beach’s and scenic fishing bays.
The photographs below are from such a walk I took about two years ago during an Easter holiday in the area.
Fishing boats at Galway bay, Gallery
It the weekend so why not ….
The Burren, County Clare
Irish Landscape Photography : Nigel Borrington
Its a winters weekend, so why not get outside and go for a walk , find some new things to look at.
Some wonderful views, roads and even the walls.
Far away lake , Poem by: Beckian Fritz Goldberg
Irish Landscape Photography : Nigel Borrington
Far away lake
By, Beckian Fritz Goldberg
We can’t get there
by road, by rope, by
wing
by time—
though time would be the way
by boat
by please please
time would be the way
then the reed-quiver
a cloud of gnats
mumbling its hypnotic suggestion
by sleep, sleep
until you say
lift my elbow straighten
my legs
And I
straightened you in this life
like flowers
but the little water
there was
went to air
where it came from
And all my love for you
came back—
you couldn’t take it where
you were going
you’d get halfway there
and then you’d drift
arms by your side
like a clock
plucked…
The Sea Of Time, Poem by Robert Crawford
Images of the Waterford coast.
Infra-red photography
Irish landscape photography : Nigel Borrington
The Sea Of Time.
by Robert Crawford
On that strange sea
Where Man’s bark moves as toward eternity,
What sails put forth that are not seen again!
So joyous it may be, or in pain,
The mariner doth drive still on and on
Beneath no mortal star,
And to no mortal port — as one
Who may but anchor somewhere so afar,
Not himself wrecks if he shall reach no more
In that tremendous sea another shore:
He is so like a wave himself at last,
He would toss through the future as the past —
But tethered as a whale is to a wave,
So he might still the one life have
Through all the changes that may be
On that tremendous sea!
Five images from the Comeragh Mountains.
Fuji film x100 and Canon G1x
Comeragh mountains, County Waterford
Irish Landscape photography : Nigel Borrington
Five images from the Comeragh Mountains
Just a mini gallery of black and white images taken in and around the Comeragh mountains, during the winter months last year.
This coming year I will continue to capture this wild place. some how the winter feels very much at home in these mountains.
The carpenter’s challenge, By : Joe Bergin
The Carpenters spokeshave
Photography by : Nigel Borrington
CARPENTER’S CHALLENGE
Joe Bergin
First heard of him from Uncle John
Something about a carpenter coming down
From back up in the mountains to work
In the town and on the camps down by the lake
Ate no meat, nothing from the deadly nightshade family
And didn’t drink but once a year
In a three day bacchanal on the summer solstice
I’d seen his work and it was damn good
He was something of a mystery to me
Came down to the lake and that’s where I met him
Working on the family camp
Alight in his eye and doing the work I should’ve done
He had but one good hand and the other
The right one, I believe, had a part of a thumb
And no fingers to speak of really
But Bert could frame an addition or
Build a deck as good and fast as anyone
Had his tricks, though, like the rubber band
Around his wrist to hold the nails his hand
Couldn’t grasp,and many more I’m sure
Tried to find his house once in the back country
To drop off an anti-war t-shirt I knew he’d love
Had the right address but got lost on the
Winding dirt roads and couldn’t find it
Told my brother James about it and he said
“Maybe you weren’t supposed to!”
What is a Horse ? , Poem by : Lily Whittaker
Uisge beatha, A county Kilkenny Horse
Photography : Nigel Borrington
What is a Horse ?
By: Lily Whittaker
What is a horse?
A horse has eyes as dainty as a mink.
The grace is interrupted merely by a blink.
A horse is beauty.
What is a horse?
A horse is a tree in a storm that never goes down.
A horse is a weathered rock that stays around.
A horse is ancient.
What is a horse?
A horse waltzes like breeze over rivers.
She curvets and leaps like rain shivers.
A horse is a marionette.
What is a horse?
A horse is determination, that never stops flowing.
A horse is fondness, that never stops growing.
A horse is poetic power.
Slievenamon
Early morning view of Slievenamon, county Tipperary
Irish Landscape photography, Nigel Borrington
Li Po – Alone Looking at The Mountain
All the birds have flown up and gone;
lonely clouds float leisurely by.
We never tire of looking at each other –
Only the mountain and I.
Memories of a winters farm
Fujifilm X100
Memories of a Winters Farm
Landscape photography : Nigel Borrington
Memories of a winters farm
This weekend two years ago I was staying at a farm located near Eryrys, Denbighshire, North Wales.
On arrival the weather was cold with some snow in the air but by the next morning it had started snowing heavily and did not stop for the full two weeks of the visit.
Farming in this kind of weather is very difficult and feeding the animals very much so, the following images are just some taken during the stay and I feel they captured the north Wales landscape during one of its hardest winters for some forty years.
Gallery
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