A sense of place – our old family farm

Nikon D7000, 18-200mm VR2 lens
Images of the old farm, County Tipperary
Landscape photography by : Nigel Borrington
I have introduced the old family farm before but I just wanted to post some images that fill in some for impressions of the place. The farm has been worked on for many generations. Sadly its no longer lived in any more but we do our best to visit and keep the old place going….
Gallery of Burnchurch farm, County Tipperary

Nikon D7000, 18-200mm VR2 lens
Images of the old farm, County Tipperary
Landscape photography by : Nigel Borrington

Nikon D7000, 18-200mm VR2 lens
Images of the old farm, County Tipperary
Landscape photography by : Nigel Borrington

Nikon D7000, 18-200mm VR2 lens
Images of the old farm, County Tipperary
Landscape photography by : Nigel Borrington

Nikon D7000, 18-200mm VR2 lens
Images of the old farm, County Tipperary
Landscape photography by : Nigel Borrington

Nikon D7000, 18-200mm VR2 lens
Images of the old farm, County Tipperary
Landscape photography by : Nigel Borrington

Nikon D7000, 18-200mm VR2 lens
Images of the old farm, County Tipperary
Landscape photography by : Nigel Borrington
A weekend in the wheat fields

Nikon d7000, 18-200mm vr2 lens
Wheat field in Tipperary
Irish landscape photography : Nigel Borrington
Just back from a brilliant weekend on the farm in Tipperary, I love it at the farm you get true downtime helping out and just walking among the fresh wheat fields….

Nikon d7000, 18-200mm vr2 lens
Wheat field in Tipperary
Irish landscape photography : Nigel Borrington
The old out buildings of the farm, house lots of swallows and I managed to capture one in this shot….
Nigel
Its the weekend so……
Fuji X100, 28mm lens, iso 100
County Kerry coast-line ,
Irish Landscape photography:Nigel Borrington
It’s the weekend so if you can find a place with a view and lose yourself in it…..
Kilkenny landscape photography
Its a great morning here in county Kilkenny….

Nikon D7000, 18-200mm vr lens
A kilkenny landscape
Nigel Borrington
I was Up early this morning, and took this shot of our local landscape as the very early sun broke through the clouds, just for a while. I am trying as hard a possible to fight that Friday feeling and get some plans going, we have a long weekend here with a bank holiday on Monday but must keep going, just one more day …..
Kilkenny landscape photography
A Wednesday afternoon walk – an eight image gallery.
An afternoon walk, Burnchurch County Kilkenny
The towns-lands of Burnchurch, county kilkenny offer one on the most wonderful landscapes in county Kilkenny. The National ploughing match was held here some years back along with national sheep trials. I helped in submitting images for both events.
I took a couple of hours off this afternoon to walk Molly our Golden retriever and take some landscape photographs for my blog and website this time.

Nikon D7000, 18-200mm vr II lens, iso 100
Burnchurch, County Kilkenny
Landscape photography by : Nigel Borrington

Nikon D7000, 18-200mm vr II lens, iso 100
Burnchurch, County Kilkenny
Landscape photography by : Nigel Borrington

Nikon D7000, 18-200mm vr II lens, iso 100
Burnchurch, County Kilkenny
Landscape photography by : Nigel Borrington

Nikon D7000, 18-200mm vr II lens, iso 100
Burnchurch, County Kilkenny
Landscape photography by : Nigel Borrington

Nikon D7000, 18-200mm vr II lens, iso 100
Burnchurch, County Kilkenny
Landscape photography by : Nigel Borrington

Nikon D7000, 18-200mm vr II lens, iso 100
Burnchurch, County Kilkenny
Landscape photography by : Nigel Borrington

Nikon D7000, 18-200mm vr II lens, iso 100
Burnchurch, County Kilkenny
Landscape photography by : Nigel Borrington
Irish Boglands and Peatlands
Back In 2004 I attended an art exhibition held in our local friary hall. The exhibition titled Currents was being shown in many locations in the republic of Ireland and The North of Ireland during that year. I was taken by many of the artists ( I will come back to some of them in future posts) but for me one stood out above the others, this being Sam Mateer and his paintings of the Irish Bog-lands.
Over the last few years I have visited and photographed these areas of the country and aim to continue doing so.
Since the start of the year I have also been considering returning to some landscape painting and drawing, so what better subject areas can you find that these unique and magical places.
The set of images below are just some of the many photographs I have taken in order to start to get to grips of this project.
The weekends fading light
Nikon D700, 50mm f1.4 lens, iso 200
Kilkenny sunset, South Kilkenny
Landscape photography : Nigel Borrington
Sunday evenings are my most favourite time of the week, the weekends light is fading fast and we have a new week ahead of us, new chances to grow and reach our aims.
Kilkenny landscape photography

Nikon D7000, 50mm f1.4 lens
Kilkenny Rapeseed fields
Landscape Photography : Nigel Borrington
I love this time of year all the fields in County Kilkenny are coming to life. The Rapeseed fields are just the most wonderful site of them all…..
Rapeseed
She buried the thought
seeds of long ago .
Spirit fields then did ignite
with rapeseed light.
By : Saiom Shriver

Nikon D7000, 50mm f1.4 lens
Kilkenny Rapeseed fields
Landscape Photography : Nigel Borrington
Its the weekend so……

Nikon F90x, 35mm lens, Kodak film
Lake Windermere, Lake district national park, United Kingdom
Landscape photography by : Nigel Borrington
Its the weekend so why not find somewhere new to yourself and explore ……
Flowers on the river bank
Yesterday’s weather here in Kilkenny was just wonderful and all the flowers along the river Nore are coming to life, It was just brilliant to be able to capture the two images below.

Nikon D200, 50mm f1.8 lens, iso 200
Flowers on the banks of the river Nore kilkenny
Nigel Borrington

Nikon D200, 50mm f1.8 lens, iso 200
Flowers on the banks of the river Nore kilkenny
Nigel Borrington
Depth, in the flower bed
These two images are another example of using lens depth of field to good effect using a wonderful flower bed on our local river bank. The first image is using F8 and the Second image is using F1.8 as a lens aperture setting.

Nikon D200, 50mm lens at f8, iso 200
Flowers on the banks of the river Nore, country Kilkenny
Kilkenny based Photographer : Nigel Borrington

Nikon D200, 50mm lens at f1.8, iso 200
Flowers on the banks of the river Nore, country Kilkenny
Kilkenny based Photographer : Nigel Borrington
Irish clean water standards – ( EPA 2012 )
In May 2012 I received a call from the Irish EPA in Cork, they were looking for some images in order to help finish the publication of some brochures, before the launch of new European clean water standards.
In the end I got both the front cover and many of the internal images, these are just some of the work submitted, this project was a great chance to publish some of my landscape photography.
I also completed the design of the from cover as below….
Coolagh old church, county kilkenny

Nikon D200, 35mm focus length, iso 200
The old church at coolagh
Kilkenny photographer : nigel borrington
When we first came to live in Kilkenny back in 2003, we lived right next to these old church ruins at coolagh county kilkenny. Early each morning I would walk our then 6 month old golden retriever puppy, molly into the fields and up-to this spring below the tree.
These old church remains date back from around (1171-72) being constructed by the Anglo-Normans. The old church on coolaghmore hill, was replaced with a new church in about 1880. These old remains of the original church have stood unused ever since.
The wonderful Kilkenny landscape.
River Nore Kilkenny

Nikon D700, 50mm f1.4 lens, iso 400
River Nore, County Kilkenny
Landscape photography : Nigel Borrington
The river Nore, as it flows through Thomastown, county Kilkenny ….
Morning meditations, in a foggy kilkenny landscape

Nikon D200, 50mm f1.4 lens, iso 1600
Fog over a Kilkenny Farm
Kilkenny Landscape Photography : Nigel Borrington
Morning meditation
I find nothing to fill the emptiness,
Of a very cold grey moment
In the endless time of my waking up attempts,
When feeling is painful and the morning is fogged,
Time comes and goes as I try to understand,
Understanding becomes big, huge as a true thing can be,
Truth is relative they say,
Points of view and ways to see,
Interacting is so self defined,
Perceptions float when empty seems deathlike,
Silence in and out is not necessarily peace,
Nothing is rational in a sleepy fogged mind,
But the sun has no fault for this,
So,
I decide to get up from my warm bed,
In a fogged, cold, grey and empty morning,
Carry on my sleepy, fogged mind,
With the conviction this certainly is a different day.
By : Mirela Kapaj
Sunday evenings….

Nikon D700
Kilkenny Landscape
Landscape photography : Nigel Borrington
Sunday evenings are my favourite time of the week, hopefully your mind has been stripped down, cleared out and ready go into the new week ahead!
Its the weekend so…..

Nikon D7000, 50mm f1.4 lens,iso 100
Kilkenny landscape view
Nigel Borrington
Its the weekend so take a country walk and stop for the views………..
Rosebuds of May

Nikon D700, 50mm f1.4 lens
White rosebuds and flowers
Landscape photography : Nigel Borrington
I love this time of year, our hedgerow is coming alive with all kinds of life, these white wild roses are just one wonderful example.

Nikon D700, 50mm f1.4 lens
White rosebuds and flowers
Landscape photography : Nigel Borrington
When these Roses come out each year they are always wonderful to look at but they last such a short time, I would love it if they flowered all summer…
A Poem by :Robert Herrick
Gather ye rose-buds while ye may,
Old Time is still a-flying:
And this same flower that smiles to-day,
To-morrow will be dying.
The glorious Lamp of Heaven, the Sun,
The higher he’s a-getting
The sooner will his race be run,
And nearer he’s to setting.
That age is best which is the first,
When youth and blood are warmer:
But being spent, the worse, and worst
Times, still succeed the former.
Then, be not coy, but use your time;
And while ye may, go marry:
For having lost but once your prime,
You may for ever tarry.

Nikon D700, 50mm f1.4 lens
White rosebuds and flowers
Landscape photography : Nigel Borrington

Nikon D700, 50mm f1.4 lens
White rosebuds and flowers
Landscape photography : Nigel Borrington
Mystery of a place – Castlemorris house and gardens

Fujifilm X100
The Green door
Irish landscape photography: Nigel Borrington
This old door and the stone shed it is attached to is all that remains of one of Ireland greatest ever country houses, The house had some 356 windows and belonged to the Montmorency family.
In its day in the mid-19th century, it was one of the finest (and largest) houses in Ireland at that time and compared well with Bessborough in Piltown.
Built around 1751 in the parish of Aghaviller, the Castlemorris estate was previously known as “Diore Lia” (a grey wood). Formerly home to the Morres and de Montmorency families, the family vault can still be seen in the local churchyard.
The churchyard also contains the remains of an ancient round tower. Built to protect the occupants and valuables of monastic settlements from Viking raids, these towers dot the Nore valley.
In 1924 the house was sold to the Land Commission. In the early 1930s it was unroofed and a demolition sale took place. Many parts of the house can be found in houses around the country.
The house itself was finally demolished in 1978. The grounds now merge with other Coillte woods, totalling approximately 2,000 acres in the district. Ms de Montmorency-Wright gave an excellent talk and should be complimented for her extensive research into her family and their association with Castlemorris.
Simple things

Nikon D7000, 200mm Focus lenght
Seed heads
Landscape photography : Nigel Borrington
When I am out and about with my camera, it is often the simplest of natures things that attract my attention…
This old red door – Goresbridge, Kilkenny

Fujifilm X100
KIlkenny photograher, Nigel Borrington
The old Mill at Goresbridge
When I was considering posting these images, I was wondering if I should show the setting of this old and wonderful red mill door. Its located on the site of on old mill sitting on the river Barrow as it runs through Goresbridge, county Kilkenny.
Sometimes just displaying something like a door just by itself can create a Mystery.
On this occasion, I will show the door in its location, I am however thinking of creating a series of images that do separate these kind of subject’s from their surroundings.

Fujifilm X100
KIlkenny photograher, Nigel Borrington
The old Mill at Goresbridge

Fujifilm X100
KIlkenny photograher, Nigel Borrington
The old Mill at Goresbridge
In ancient woodlands, bluebells and wild garlic grow

Fujifil X100
Kilkenny Ireland
Landscape photography : Nigel Borrington
In Ancient Woodlands
We walked within an ancient wood
Beside the path
Where oak and beech and hazel stood,
Their leaves the pale shades of May.
By bole and bough, still black with rain,
The sunlight filtered where it would
Across a glowing, radiant stain—
We stood within a bluebell wood!
And stood and stood, both lost for words,
As all around the woodland rang
And echoed with the cries of birds
Who sang and sang …
My mind has marked that afternoon
To hoard against life’s stone and sling;
Should I go late, or I go soon,
The bluebells glow where wild garlic grows— the birds still sing.

Fujifilm X100
Kilkenny Ireland
Landscape photography : Nigel Borrington
St Patrick well
St Patrick’s well is located In Clonmel, County Tipperary.
The Well pre-dates Christian times by a considerable period, clearly only being referred to as belonging to St Patrick since he or the local church converted the local people to Christianity.
“The Celtic pre-Christian period.
There is a lot of evidence to show that in ancient Ireland well worship was widely practised. Many if not all of Ireland’s holy wells of later Christian times had been objects of pagan veneration, and regarded as sacred, centuries before the advent of Christianity. In fact many Irish place names which have their origins dating from pre-Christian times are derived from wells. One of those sacred springs Tipra Arann in the present Barony of Clanwilliam around Tipperary Town, gave its name to County Tipperary. In the Bronze Age there seems to have been no temples constructed for the purposes of worship. Pagan rites were performed in the open air. Those were places of popular assembly as well as centres for pagan worship and sacrifices.”
Sacrifices ? There is no evidence of this so I think the writer of the page is talking about offerings. Items of personal value placed into the well as a thank you to the water gods.
“St Patrick and his disciples on their travels throughout the country took advantage of those assemblies to preach the Gospel and to baptise the new converts. To St. Patrick coming from lands within the former Roman Empire some of those Celtic customs must have appeared strange. Well worship was re-orientated and transformed into a Christian context. In due course, from being places where pagan rites had been performed, the wells became places of Christian worship. There was a tradition which has died out that people visited St Patrick’s Well before sunrise on the first day of May – a date which coincides with the Celtic Festival of Bealtaine.”
I find the idea of Holy wells in the early Christian period to be fascinating, It appears, as covered above to be a clear attempt by the church to override the previous worship of water gods and to move this worship over to the new God that the modern christian church now worships.
River Anner, Clonmel, County Tipperary

Nikon D700, 18mm focus length, f8, 30 seconds exposure
Hoya R72 Infrared filter
Irish Landscape Photography: Nigel Borrington
I first exhibited this Infra-red photograph of this bridge that crosses the river Anner, Clonmel, County Tipperary. The exhibition was held in the public Library in Clonmel town.


















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