A cool Sea breeze ….
A wanderer, I explore grasses high as my knees
Far away, grey foam breaks from the stiff seabreeze
To my left, a stark mountain frames the sky
My tireless bare feet follow memories nearby
As I inhale familiarity, my heartbeat slows
And earthy remembrance kneads through my toes
I’m not scared as blossoming storm clouds appear
For I remember what happened when I was actually here
Nostalgic breaths of wind soon whip at my face
Surrounded by vastness, this awe I embrace
To a place lost in time, I’m fervently drawn
Funny how you can only miss something when it’s gone
Fabrizia Mugnatto Dec 2016
A weekend drawing , Hookhead lighthouse county Wexford, Carbon Pencil on Paper.
Hookhead lighthouse
Carbon Pencil Drawing
Nigel Borrington
2019
Hookhead Lighthouse, County Wexford
This pencil drawing that I made a start on, on Friday evening and finished Sunday evening was taken from a set of photographs I took sometime back of the Hookhead Lighthouse, I was staying locally for a week and one evening just as the sun was setting on one side and the moon was rising on different sides of the lighthouse I took a photo that I have wanted for sometime to turn into a painting or a drawing.
The drawing is just the start I hope of creating a set of drawings and painting from all the images taken that week, this part of county Wexford is one on my favourite parts of Ireland, the coast here can be very dramatic and stormy at times yet stunning and peaceful on a summers day.
An October Sunset, Duncannon Beach, County Wexford, Ireland
A collection of images, all taken on my favorite beach in county Wexford – Duncannon beach, with its fort overlooking one end of the beach and a view down toward hook head at the other. The Sunsets here in October can be amazing and full of Autumn light 🙂 🙂
There are also pictures here of Molly, our much loved golden retriever, she is sadly no longer with us but she is always remembered and missed for moment like these ones. It was always great fun watching her exploring beaches and the sea, she love swimming so much she would spend hours returning sticks and balls from the water 🙂 🙂
Time and Eternity By : Emily Dickenson, (1896)
Tintern Abbey
County Wexford
Irish Landscapes
Nigel Borrington 2018
One need not be a chamber to be haunted,
One need not be a house;
The brain has corridors surpassing
Material place.
Far safer, of a midnight meeting
External ghost,
Than an interior confronting
That whiter host.
Far safer through an Abbey gallop,
The stones achase,
Than, moonless, one’s own self encounter
In lonesome place.
Ourself, behind ourself concealed,
Should startle most;
Assassin, hid in our apartment,
Be horror’s least.
The prudent carries a revolver,
He bolts the door,
O’erlooking a superior spectre
More near.
Snow on Curracloe Beach, County Wexford, March 2018
Snow on Curracloe Beach
County Wexford
Following Storm Emma
Nigel Borrington
Man’s Coiled Beacon by Rosie Howe
Man’s Coiled Beacon
Rosie Howe
A gleaming halo of light
Rotates around its fixed staff
Like a relentless lasso
Stretching across a chalky sea,
Covering all it touches
With an adorning hope
That cannot be seized.
At night, its light pulsates
Like a beacon, a constant blaze
Passing over a jaded path.
No footprints are left from
Its endless wanderings,
Repeatedly retracing its steps,
It coils. Built to forget.
The forgetful lantern swings,
Its pendulum never ceasing,
Gliding over lighted buoys,
And boat hulls, and
Dancing on the oily wings of
Cormorants as they plunge
Down to the dark depths
When the Fishing Boats Go Out , By: Lucy Montgomery
When the Fishing Boats Go Out
Lucy Montgomery
When the lucent skies of morning flush with dawning rose once more,
And waves of golden glory break adown the sunrise shore,
And o’er the arch of heaven pied films of vapor float.
There’s joyance and there’s freedom when the fishing boats go out.
The wind is blowing freshly up from far, uncharted caves,
And sending sparkling kisses o’er the brows of virgin waves,
While routed dawn-mists shiveroh, far and fast they flee,
Pierced by the shafts of sunrise athwart the merry sea!
Behind us, fair, light-smitten hills in dappled splendor lie,
Before us the wide ocean runs to meet the limpid sky
Our hearts are full of poignant life, and care has fled afar
As sweeps the white-winged fishing fleet across the harbor bar.
The sea is calling to us in a blithesome voice and free,
There’s keenest rapture on its breast and boundless liberty!
Each man is master of his craft, its gleaming sails out-blown,
And far behind him on the shore a home he calls his own.
Salt is the breath of ocean slopes and fresher blows the breeze,
And swifter still each bounding keel cuts through the combing seas,
Athwart our masts the shadows of the dipping sea-gulls float,
And all the water-world’s alive when the fishing boats go out.
Monday Poetry : The Harbour, by: Winifred Mary Letts
The Harbour, Poem By Winifred Mary Letts Nigel Borrington
The Harbour, Poem
By : Winifred Mary Letts
I think if I lay dying in some land
Where Ireland is no more than just a name,
My soul would travel back to find that strand
From whence it came.
I’d see the harbour in the evening light,
The old men staring at some distant ship,
The fishing boats they fasten left and right
Beside the slip.
The fishing boat rests along the shore,
The grey thorn bushes growing in the sand,
Our Wexford coast from Arklow to Cahore –
My native land.
The little houses climbing up the hill
Sea daises growing in the sandy grass,
The tethered goats that wait large -eyed and still
To watch you pass.
The women at the well with dripping pails,
Their men colloguing by the harbour wall,
The coils of rope, the nets, the old brown sails,
I’d know them all.
And then the sun- I’d surely see
The disk against a golden sky.
Would let me be at my rest.
First Post after the Easter Holidays
irish national heritage park.
County Wexford
Nigel Borrington
I was only back in-front my laptop for the first time yesterday evening, uploading some of the images I captured over the Easter Holidays.
It was a great break, this year we stayed in Ireland but chose to visit many of the great locations the south east and west of the country has to offer.
The Irish National Heritage Park, was just one of these places, the Park gives you an historic journey that takes you deep into Ireland’s past, Through 9000 years of Irish History. It is a very special place where Ireland’s heritage comes alive with sights and sounds that shaped a country and helped to shape the bigger world.
Located on the banks of the picturesque River Slaney, The Irish National Heritage Park truly is the cornerstone of Ireland’s Ancient East.
With an outdoor museum depicting 9000 years of re-created Irish History situated within natural forestry & wet woodlands.
The following images are just some from the many I took on the day we visited ….
Image processing using Andriod Tablet Software
Duncannon Beach
Landscape processed with Spadspeed
Nigel Borrington
For almost all of my digital image processing I use a combination of Photoshop or Paintshop-pro and aftershots-pro software, these applications are perfect to getting the best possible quality from you images. However what about times when you want to be a little more creative with your images, processing them in a more artistic fashion and then sending them to your facebook or blog moments after you have taken them.
Last Saturday I visited the coastal town of Duncannon in county Wexford and took some beach images using both a Fujifilm x100 and a Nuxus 7 Andriod Tablet with and used an app that I downloaded sometime back called Snapspeed to process them . This app is well known and used but I had not used it while at a location before, so decided to give it a go !!!
The images here are all processed using some of the filters and packages available in Spanspeed and I was impressed with how they looked after processing.
I think if your a landscape painter who paints raw outside this little app could give you some great ideas as to how you may end up paint the scene in-front of you. I also love the final images, this application is both great fun and also I feel could well be used to produce some great design images.
Snapspeed Gallery
Images of Duncannon beach in the winter Sunlight
Duncannon beach in the sun.
Irish Landscape Photography : Nigel Borrington
Duncannon beach , County Wexford
On Saturday I visited the beach at Duncannon, Wexford. The weather was just perfect and it felt very much like the calm after the storm, the weather for most of the week before had been eventful with heavy rain and thick Fog on Thursdays.
Most Irish beaches at this time of year are so peaceful , the summer crowds have all left and you get some great space to yourself. I took these images as I noticed just how low the sun is at this time of year in the late afternoon.
The Sunlight was just amazing on the sand as it created many long and deep shadows.
Images of Duncannon beach in the winter Sunlight
Reflections on the river Barrow.
The River Barrow, Goresbridge, county Kilkenny
Landscape photography : Nigel Borrington
The River Barrow flows from its source at Glenbarrow in the Slieve Bloom Mountains, County Laois to the Celtic Sea at the harbour of Waterford.
The river also forms a natural border between parts of counties Kilkenny and Carlow and Kilkenny and Wexford.
I Completed walking all the stages of the river last year, my favourite part of the river however is around the Goresbridge area, county Kilkenny.
The images below are just some taken at Goresbridge, during June of 2014.
River Barrow Gallery
Visiting the Saltee Islands spring 2014
Saltees Islands In Spring
Wildlife and Landscape photography : Nigel Borrington
This Spring I am planning another visit to the The Saltees Islands, St. George’s Channel. The Islands consist of the Great and Little Saltee, they are situated approximately 5 kilometers off the coast of Kilmore Quay Co.Wexford.
The larger island Great Saltee is the most famous bird sanctuary in Ireland and is very popular with both day-trippers and birdwatchers alike. These Islands are privately owned and are one of the world’s major bird sanctuaries.
It’s a wonderful visit to make if your into wildlife and Photography or just a wonderful place to spend the day.
The below images were taken last spring.
Saltee Island Gallery
Hookhead lighthouse , From day into night : Image Gallery
Hookhead lighthouse, county wexford
Irish landscape photography : Nigel Borrington
One evening a little time back , while staying in country Wexford, I visited the lighthouse at Hookhead.
I always wanted to visit this great lighthouse, just before dusk and at the point that the lights are turned on for the night. It was a great feeling to stand below the tower and experience the darkness arriving over the coastline of Wexford.
The following images show this transition from evening light to darkness over the open Celtic sea.
Gallery
5 solo images for the week (Monday).
Nikon slr, 50mm f1.4 lens
Curracloe beach, County Wexford
Irish landscape photography : Nigel Borrington
This week I am working on selecting some single images in order to update my web site and put an exhibition together.
I have been posting on my Blog now since May 2011 and really enjoy every moment of it. In this time I have posted some 1500 images here.
Also what I love the most about blogging and word-press is viewing and reading other peoples blogs, so over the following week I am going to give myself sometime to do more reading than posting.
So I am going to post some single images each day. Along with a quick comment as to how I got the image and why I enjoyed it so much !
Mondays Image..
Curracloe beach, County Wexford
The above image is from Curracloe beach in county Wexford taken one Christmas time about four years ago, It’s the first time I have see snow on a beach like this and it could be the last as the climate here is not usually as cold over the winter months, the temperature was -12oc at the time the image was taken. The image was taken at about 4pm just as the sun was starting to set and the reds and yellow from the sun were being reflected by the snow.
This was a wonderful moment to be out taking pictures, one I will never forget.
Eva Cassidy – Who Knows Where The Time Goes ?
“Who Knows Where The Time Goes?”
Across the evening sky,all the birds are leaving
Oh but then you know, it was time for them to go
By the winter fire, I will still be dreaming
I do not count the time
for who knows where the time goes?
Who knows where the time goes?
.
Sad,deserted shore
your fickle friends are leaving
oh, but then you know it was time for them to go
But I will still be here
I have no thought of leaving
I do not count the time
for who knows where the time goes?
.
I know I’m not alone
while my love is near me
I know that its so until its time to go
All the storms in Winter and the birds in Spring again
I do not count the time
For who knows where the time goes?
who knows where the time goes?
who knows where the time goes?
.
Thanks to a very great friend for the inspiration …
Rosslare Habour, county wexford, a week on the beach
All images taken with a Nikon D300
A week on Rosslare beach, county wexford
Irish landscape photography : Nigel Borrington
Rosslare Holiday Resort is located in the South east of Wexford and has some of the best hours of sunshine in Ireland, Along with having one of Ireland’s small but best used ferry ports it is also visited by many people for holidays or day trips to the wonderful beach.
We stayed here back in 2008 for a wonderful week and walked ourselves and Molly our Golden retriever along the beach each day. She made many new friends with people and dogs during her time here, managing to get them to entertain her in the sea for hours.
I really enjoyed watching so many people enjoy themselves here, walking along the beach, swimming, and exercising themselves and there dogs.
Rosslare beach people and dogs, Gallery
The Raven, Curracloe, Co. Wexford
Images taken using a Nikon D700
The Raven nature reserve, Curracloe, Co.Wexford
Irish landscape photography : Nigel Borrington
The Raven Nature Reserve and Curracloe beach
located at Raven Point on the north side of Wexford ( Loch Garman) Harbour, Co. Wexford.
Raven Point is a spit, a type of peninsula created by deposited sand. It is a portion of an area consisting of a series of sand dunes known as the North Slob with views of the Irish sea and the harbour.
The Reserve is located beside Curracloe beach, best known for having featured in the Second World War themed motion picture ‘Saving Private Ryan.’
Raven Point is planted with a forest of pine and other evergreen trees. It is also a sanctuary for birds such as geese and wildlife especially the red squirrel. Seals can also be seen on the beaches and in Wexford Harbour.
A looped walk of the area goes to the tip of the Raven Point spit through the wood and back again via the beach.
It’s a wonderful place to visit for a day and offers long walks and one of Ireland best white sandy beaches.
Raven point a Gallery
Irish National Heritage park
All images using a Nikon D700
Irish National Heritage park – A Crannog
Landscape photography : Nigel borrington
One place in Ireland you have to visit, in order to get a good sense of the nations history is the National heritage park.
Location
The Irish National Heritage Park Ferrycarrig, is Located in the South East of Ireland, approximately 3 miles from Wexford Town off the Dublin (N11) Rosslare Road (N25). Eleven miles from Rosslare Europort.
Sat Nav: N: 52.348 W: -6.51673
This park is Unique in Europe, occuping 35 acres and has 16 archaeological and historical reconstructions all located in their natural settings. The Heritage Park outlines the history of Irish life as the story of 10000 years unfolds before you. It is history presented in a unique way in magical and varied settings.
A Crannog
The images in this post are from the reconstructed Crannog, Wiki-pedia defines a Crannog as follows
“Crannogs were used as dwellings over five millennia from the European Neolithic Period, to as late as the 17th/early 18th century although in Scotland, convincing evidence for Early and Middle Bronze Age or Norse Period use is not currently present in the archaeological record. The earliest radiocarbon determinations obtained from key sites such as Oakbank in Loch Tay or Redcastle, Beauly Firth approach the Late Bronze Age – Early Iron Age transition at their widest interpretation at 2 sigma or 95.4% probability, falling after c.800BC and therefore could only be considered Late Bronze Age by the narrowest of margins. Crannogs have been variously interpreted as free-standing wooden structures, as at Loch Tay, although more commonly they exist as brush, stone or timber mounds which can be revetted with timber piles. However, in areas such as the Western Isles of Scotland, timber was unavailable from the Neolithic onwards. As a result, completely stone crannogs supporting drystone architecture are common here.
Today, crannogs typically appear as small, circular islets, often 10 to 30 metres (30 to 100 ft) in diameter, covered in dense vegetation due to their inaccessibility to grazing livestock.”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crannog
Crannog images
Fethard on Sea, county Wexford
Fethard on Sea, Wexford
Ireland has many small fishing village’s around its coast-line, Fethard on Sea, Wexford being just one of them. There is nothing special or different about it, compared to any one of the others. Yet when you visit you will feel at home very quickly with this small town and it’s people.
The fishing Harbour is just wonderful and the relaxed feeling of the people who live and work here comes across very quickly.
I took these two images of some of the fishing boats near the harbour last year, on a weekends visit.
Duncannon Fort, County Wexford
All images Nikon D700
Duncannon Fort, County Wexford
Irish Landscape Photography : Nigel Borrington
Duncannon Fort
If you plan to visit County Wexford, Duncannon fort is well worth a visit, I took the images in this post on a visit earlier in the summer.
The fort was built in 1588 in the expectation of an attack on the area by the Spanish Armada. The Fort is surrounded by a 30 ft high dry moat and has one of the oldest lighthouses of its kind in Ireland. All the major buildings in the Fort surround a parade ground. A walk around the outer ramparts afford spectacular views across the estuary to Co. Waterford and down to Hook Head. Located at a lower level than the moat is the croppy boy cell. After the 1798 rebellion, prisoners were detained here pending transfer to Geneva Barracks for trial and sentencing. An added attraction is the Maritime Museum which charts the maritime history of one of the most dangerous coastlines in Ireland, the Wexford coast.
incorporates a maritime museum, Arts centre, café and craft shop and is open daily to visitors from June to September. Guided tours are available. Duncannon and Fort was the location for the opening scenes of the 2002 remake of ‘The Count of Monte Cristo’, starring Jim Caviezel and Richard Harris.
Image Gallery
Its the weekend so…..
Nikon D7000, 18-200mm vr2 lens, iso 100
Saltee Islands, County wexford
Irish Landscape Photogrpahy : Nigel Borrington
Its the weekend so why not do something like find an island and take some pictures, sit down and draw the landscape or just take in the view and empty your mind.
Nikon D7000, 18-200mm vr2 lens, iso 100
Saltee Islands, County wexford
Irish Landscape Photogrpahy : Nigel Borrington
Mount Leinster
Canon G1x, iso 100
Image of Coolasnaghta ridge, Mount Leinster, Co Carlow
Landscape Photography : Nigel Borrington
An image of the Coolasnaghta ridge walk, mount leinster, County Carlow. Taken back in February 2013, the mountains grass and heathers were still brown and yellow from the snow and cold of the winter.
This is a great walk along the ridges of mount leinster in Co.Carlow as it offers views of four of Ireland county’s below (Carlow, Wexford, Waterford and Kilkenny ). The mountain is best accessed from the village of Borris, Co.Carlow and is about a 10km drive away.
Great black backed gulls – Saltee Islands, wexford
Nikon D700, Nikon 300mm f2.8 vr lens
Gulls an the Saltee Islands
Wildlife photography by,
Kilkenny based Photographer : Nigel Borrington
Two young Gulls taking a rest on a cliff top, on the Saltee islands, county Wexford…
Nigel Borrington 
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