Street views, Cobh, County Cork, Ireland, April 2018
Street Views
Cobh, county Cork
Nigel Borrington
April 2018
Images without words – The life of the County Cork Sheepdog.
The Sheepdog
County Cork
Ireland
Nigel Borrington
The week of the winter solstice – Ardgroom Stone Circle, County Cork, Ireland
Ardgroom Stone Circle, County Cork,
Ireland
Nigel Borrington
Ardgroom Stone Circle, County Cork, Ireland
The Ardgroomon stone circle is located on the Beautiful Beara Peninsula, county cork. It has to be one of the most magical of all the Irish stone circle, it also has the best of locations and views, sitting about the Atlantic ocean. There is something so exciting and mysterious about visiting a stone circle. The Ardgroomon circle is located in an area were there is an abundance of these historic sites, as well as wedge tombs, ring forts, boulder burials and fulachta fiadhs.
As well as being used for the Solar Spring and summer Equinox’s along with the Summer and Winter Solstice, many of these stone circles would also log the Movement of the Moon, Planets and Stars as during the year they changed their positions along the horizon. The standing stones in a stone circle would have in combination with a feature on local hill sides, have been lined up with astronomical objects(Sun, moon, planets and Stars). This would have given an almost daily measurement for months of the year.
The reason that ancient peoples needed to log the movement of the heavens was mainly for practical reasons such as farming, they needed to know when to sow seeds, bring cattle down from the mountains and bring in the crops, also they needed to know how long their store of food had to last before the new growing season started, no imports in those days.
Solo images : Jameson Irish Whiskey , County Cork – The Mash
Jameson Irish Whiskey
The Mash
Nigel Borrington
The Whiskey mash
A mechanical metal stirring unit with a central bevel gear, installed to make stirring easier. That way the sugar could not only be extracted faster but also more efficiently. Less sugar was left in the husks of the grain, and the whisky became more affordable.
The mash has to be stirred for some time to extract the malt sugar from the grist. In earlier times, a lot of water used to evaporate during this process, and with the water steam the temperature fell constantly, which further impaired the extraction process. Only in the last century, when energy costs rose, nearly all mash tuns were equipped with a lid made of sheet metal (e.g. copper) in order to limit the loss of energy.
Portraits of Siamang Gibbon’s, Fota Island wildlife park , County Cork
Siamang Gibbon
Fota Wildlife Park
County Cork
Nigel Borrington
During last weekend we visited Fota wildlife park in county cork and spent many great hours getting to know many of the animals they have in their care.
The Siamang Gibbon at the park are all member of the same family 🙂
Here are some details and fact about them , just to help you get to know them a little better 🙂
About the Siamang Gibbon
With a Latin name that means ‘Dweller in the trees’, the Siamang Gibbon is a tailless, black-furred ape that can grow to be twice the size of other Gibbons. Like other apes, the Siamang Gibbon has quite an upright posture and well-developed brain. However, it can weigh up to 14kg and has a special throat sac to amplify its call, which can be heard up to two miles away in the forest canopy.
Habitat
Native to the forests of Sumatra, Malaysia and Thailand, its home range overlaps with both the Lar and Agile Gibbons 0 though because of its largely leaf-eating habits, it does not compete for what the forest has to offer the other species.
Wild Notes
Siamangs are very agile and acrobatic creatures and their extra-long arms help them swing up to 15 feet in one move. Its arms stretch out to help with balance while walking and because it uses its hands so frequently while traveling, the Gibbon tends to carry items with its feet.
Conservation
Siamang Gibbons are considered to be Endangered as 70-80% of their primary habitat has been lost to palm oil production in recent decades. The illegal pet trade has also taken a toll on wild populations, but there are a growing number in existence in captivity across the world.
Did you know?
The Siamang Gibbon mates for life with both parents playing a role in rearing offspring. Breeding males and females also sing duets in order to maintain their bond and establish territory boundaries.
As a fellow ape, the Siamang is also the closest related animal to Mankind in the Park.
The Fota Connection
One of the noisiest crews in the Park, the Siamang Gibbons are hard to ignore and have been at Fota right from the beginning.
They feed on fruit, vegetables, nuts and willow branches and can often engage in long bouts of calling out if the Park is busy and they feel their territory might be under threat. Situated on Monkey Island, their location allows visitors get right up close.
Monday Morning , Poem By Sainche Micano
Walking to work
Eyeries
County Cork
Monday morning
By : sainche micano
Waking up to routine
craving for a new thing
the broken life still clinging
and the hopeful soul still living
..oh no
says the thoughtful me
….oh yes
says the faithful side
not lost
but tossed
..to face the replay of last week
one more time
..only that this time..
i won’t have you for a while
…
Allihies – County Cork, Moments in the setting sun
The Irish town of Allihies is one of Ireland hidden Gems, located at the end of the Béara Peninsula county cork it is the perfect getaway location for a holiday. I have visited many times and I am planning to do so again this year.
These images are from just some of my visits, while staying in a cottage with a sea view, they are captured on some evening walks in the setting sun.
Glengarriff, west Cork, Ireland : Gallery
Glengarriff, Beara Peninsula of County Cork, Ireland.
Irish landscapes : Nigel Borrington
Glengarriff, Beara Peninsula of County Cork, Ireland.
These images where taken on a visit to the west Cork town of Glengarriff during September 2014.
To me the town is at the top of my personal list of best visits in Ireland, for its size it has plenty of places to eat and drink and some great little shops. The surrounding area is full of great places to visit with a wonderful coast line , Mountain walks and Historic parks and nature reserves.
The Town has an official web site here : Glengarriff
Glengarriff the town
Glengarriff (Irish: Gleann Garbh, meaning “Rough glen”) is a village of approximately 800 people on the N71 national secondary road in the Beara Peninsula of County Cork, Ireland. Known internationally as a tourism venue, it boasts many natural attractions. It sits at the northern head of Glengarriff Bay, a smaller enclave of Bantry Bay.
Located 20 km (~12 miles) west of Bantry, and 30 km (~18 miles) east of Castletownbere, it is a popular stop along the routes around the area. In recent years, its importance as a waypoint along the Castletownbere to Cork fish-delivery route has declined as local infrastructure improves.
Glengarriff : Gallery
A swim at Coolieragh’s, coves. Glengarriff, county cork
Molly taking a dip
Coolieragh’s, coves. Glengarriff, county cork
Irish landscape photography : Nigel Borrington
Recently we stayed at Coolieragh’s, Glengarriff, county cork , its a great location just west of Glengarriff.
The coast line is full of rocky coves that are perfect for taking a swim, we took molly our golden retriever down to the best of these many time during the week. She loves to swim and even though the water was cold we also took the opportunity many time as well.
A swim at Coolieragh’s, coves. Glengarriff, county cork
About Meditation and Landscape
Waterfall at Glengarriff Nature Reserve
Irish Landscape Photography : Nigel Borrington
About Landscape and meditation
The concept of Meditation is of a big interest to many people, some maybe religious some not.
To myself the process of clearing my mind while being out side in a wonderful Landscape location goes hand in hand.
This is a great article on Meditation : Is meditation about making your mind go blank
Last week on a visit to the Glengarriff Nature Reserve , county cork and on the waterfall walk , I came across a man just sat on a rock looking at the waterfall and rock pool.
This location is a very beautiful and peaceful place to be in and he was making the most of the atmosphere here. I feel it is very important to get outside into places like this and find a space for your mind to relax, these days more than ever we are having to think about so much almost all the time so it is very important to escape and find a space.
I feel that clearing your mind lets you find out what the true priorities in your life are, separating these out from all the other things that you can well do without.
Barley Lake, Glengarrif, county Cork
Barley Lake, Glengarrif, county Cork
Nikon D7000
Irish Landscape photography : Nigel Borrington
Barley Lake, Glengarrif, county Cork
Spending last week staying in Glengarrif, west county Cork I have just started to look at some of the Landscape photo’s taken during the week.
Glengarrif is located on the south east of the Beara Peninsula, west cork and is one of the most feature filled locations in Ireland, with (Mountains, nature reserves, rivers, Lakes and a wonderful coastline).
Barley Lake is located high above the town about as high as you can get a lake, sheep being its only visitors for most of the Year. The walk up is long but great fun as the views along the route are just wonderful.
I will post a full Gallery soon along with lots of the other great local locations I visited during the week.
Just For now the above image is a full view of Barley lake with its surrounding hills and wonderful Landscape setting. The image was created by stitching eleven separate images into one panoramic view.
An afternoon at Rosskerrig, Ahakista
All images using a nikon D300
Rosskerrig, Ahakista, West cork, Ireland
Irish landscape Photography
Rosskerrig, Ahakista is on the Sheepshead peninsular in county West Cork.
Its a wonderful location for an Irish holiday and perfect for landscape images of the coast line alone both sides of the Atlantic bay. It was a very warm but hazy afternoon around Easter time, the light from the sun was oddly very low even though it was still only around 3pm.
For these images I had the camera on a tripod and used a polarising filter.
Rosskerrig, Ahakista, West cork, Gallery
This Old Caravan
Nikon D200, 50mm f1.4 lens
The old Caravan
Walton Court, Oysterhaven Bay
County Cork
I took these images one September afternoon while we were on a weeks holiday at Walton Court, Kinsale, County Cork. I was walking our dog Molly down towards the beach when we came across this old wooden Caravan.
I just had to get some shots, it makes you wonder about the life it has had and how long it has been sitting here.
I found the owner the next day and its been a long term dream to restore it but I think the downturn has probably delayed that a little, one day however it would be wonderful to see it looking as new
Nigel
Nigel Borrington 
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