Kinvara Walks

22/05/2022

11/04/2022

Glenariff, Cushendall, Co. Antrim

I'm in the Antrim Glens for a holiday before my walking season begins on 29 April after a 2 year gap due to Covid. I'm also trying to get my fitness levels up for the season, after the long lazy winter!

I did a relatively short circuit today of the Glenariff Waterfalls, taking lots of pictures. This one is my favourite. We don't have such features in the Burren.

I used a long exposure, 0.8 sec, to get the milky effect of the flowing water. I think that it really animates the image, giving the feeling of the flowing water. What do you think? I hope you like it.

Photo ©2022 Paul Dunne

17/03/2022

17/03/2022

St. Patrick's Day Parade 2022 in Kinvara - Grand Marshall Karen Weeks

Fresh from her fantastic endurance feat - 1st Irish woman to row solo across the Atlantic. Karen got a fantastic reception from the large crowd that turn out for the parade this year.

Photo ©2022 Paul Dunne

25/02/2022

Congratulations on such an amazing feat Karen!

18/02/2022

18/02/2022

We're Back Walking!

And we have a brand new website with an improved booking engine. Book our walks online, and get a Special Online Offer of €22 per adult and €10 per child U-16.
€25/€12 when not booked online!

Our scheduled walks start on 29 April, and will operate every Friday, Saturday and Sunday in May & June. We are finalising our calendar for July, August & September at the moment.

Book online at kinvarawalks.com

22/08/2021

Lettergesh, Connemara, Co. Galway

A lovely sunset last night, and a lovely view of offshore islands. The large island in the distance on the right hand side of the image is Inishturk Island. I particularly love the position of the three persons in the picture, it adds to the sense of perspective.

Photo: ©2020 Paul Dunne/Irish Dew Photography

10/08/2021

Eyeries, Beara Peninsula, West Cork

A lovely view of the western part of the peninsula. I think that this picture shows that even in the middle of summer, the west coast of Ireland live up to the marketing title, the Wild Atlantic Way.

Can you identify the 4 different wild flowers visible in the image. A clue - 3 are native and one (very common in the west of Ireland) is a garden escapee!

Photo: ©2021 Paul Dunne/Irish Dew Photography

07/08/2021

Pony trekking (is that hacking?) on the Beara Bridleway.

Photo: ©2021 Paul Dunne/Irish Dew Photography

06/08/2021

Castletownbere, West Cork

A scenic view from the centre of the town, one of the largest fishing ports in Ireland! Until 1938 it was also an important British naval base.

Photo: ©2021 Paul Dunne/Irish Dew Photography

05/08/2021

Taken on the long-distance Beara Way walking route - it has a section on Bere Island

View from Bere Island, Co. Cork

Looking north towards the Beara Peninsula in West Cork. The purple Bell Heather is in full bloom.

Photo: ©2021 Paul Dunne/Irish Dew Photography

05/08/2021

Cottage near Youghal, Co. Cork

Who would think to paint a lovely thatched cottage in a bright red colour?? Yet - it works!!

Photo: ©2020 Paul Dunne/Irish Dew Photography

22/06/2021

The 2021 vintage of Rock Rose Cottage Elderflower Champagne bottled and ready to ferment in the champagne method. Let’s hope that it turns out to be a good vintage! 😀

20/06/2021

I found this native orchid in one of my flower beds - so lucky that I didn’t mistake it for a w**d weeks ago! Looking good. It’s one of 28 native Irish species of orchids. It’s called the Common Twayblade - guess why!

13/04/2021

Burren Wild Flora - Hazel Buds
- photo taken 10 April 2021

Most people think of the limestone pavement when they think of the Burren. But one of the most extensive habitats of the Burren is Hazel woodland and scrub. The Hazel tree is almost everywhere on the Burren, except the tops of the hills.

In Celtic religion, trees were regarded as gods and were valued and worshipped. This is why we have so many rituals and 'superstitions' around trees to this day in Ireland. There were 7 'noble trees of the forest' including oak and ash. Yep, you've guessed it, Hazel is one of these most important 7 tree varieties!

This photo captures the hazel bud as the tree springs to life and the new leaves emerge.

12/04/2021

Burren Spring Wildflowers - Primroses
- taken 11 Apr

Mostly found on the woodland floor, woodland edges and roadside verges. Primroses flower early to catch the spring sunshine before the canopy of leaves close in. The are not unique to the Burren, and are found in hazel woodland so common in the Burren.

The flowers are edible, though you should not pick any wildflowers on the Burren! In times past, teas and infusions made from the primrose plant were used for pain relief from headaches, toothache, gout, etc.

11/04/2021

It looks like Kinvara Walks will not be able to operate for a second year in a row. So to keep your hunger for the wonderful Burren fed, I am going to post updates on the Burren, and in particular on the wild flowers in season. I hope to post one flower each day this week.

The first flowers to bloom are mostly the woodland flowers. They have to get their flowering cycle done before the trees come into leaf in May and the canopy closes, blocking the sunlight. In the Burren, we have a variety of woodland, much of it being hazel.

Much to my surprise today though, I came across the first orchid to flower of the year - the Early Purple Orchid. This one hasn't fully opened yet. The flower heads are just emerging from its protective pod.

I will continue with a post every day this week featuring the woodland flowers, so be sure to check back to my page!

22/03/2021

Planted most of my early potatoes 🥔 today - Queens and Kerrs Pinks. I decided to use the lazy bed method. And like farmers in pre-Famine west of Ireland, I’m using seaw**d as my fertiliser. Hopefully, that’s some of my food sorted for summer!

21/02/2021

Sunset tonight over the Burren and Galway Bay, viewed from the top of Abbey Hill.

21/02/2021

Lovely warm light in the evening sunshine - a view from the south side of Abbey Hill, looking east towards Oughtmama and Slieve Carran in the distance.

29/01/2021

A lovely winter’s evening on the Burren with a spectacular view of Black Head and Galway Bay. The rain clouds are beginning to gather, it’s going to be a wet night! Stay safe everyone 😀

13/08/2020

Downpatrick Cathedral, Co. Down

This Church of Ireland Cathedral marks the final resting place of St. Patrick. The big slab at the bottom of the picture is the exact spot.

In the 12th century John DeCourcy reinterred the bones of St. Brigid and St. Columcille here as well, thus fulfilling a prophecy that the 3 saints would rest together. John DeCourcy was the Norman lord who conquered much of Ulster, and who built Carrickfergus Castle.

The cathedral itself is lovely, well worth a visit.

Photo ©2020 Paul Dunne/Irish Dew Photography

13/08/2020

Oulart, Co. Wexford

It's harvest time, a time of plenty. These contractors, Alan and Andy Nolan are cutting barley on a nice sunny August afternoon.

For those of you with a farming background, the first load failed to make it as malting barley with a moisture level of 22%. Malting barley goes to making beer, stout and whiskey, all important commodities to the Irish economy. If it fails to make the grade, it is used a animal feedstuff, and earns a lot less for the farmer! The maximum moisture level allowed is 21.5%.

Photo ©2020 Paul Dunne/Irish Dew Photography

11/08/2020

I like this picture, the composition, the colours, the sense of summer, Irish style. But do you know the real reason that I'm posting this particular picture? Can you see it?? 😀

Photo ©2020 Paul Dunne/Irish Dew Photography

09/08/2020

North Antrim coast, near Cushendun, Co. Antrim

Another abandoned farmstead, left to return to nature. While quite poignant, I think that it makes a lovely picture. I hope you do too!

Photo ©2020 Paul Dunne/Irish Dew Photography

09/08/2020

Carrickfergus Castle, Co. Antrim

Built by John DeCourcy in 1177, the castle has been in continuous use ever since, and as a military stronghold until 1928. DeCourch was one of the Norman lords who invaded Ireland, following on frm the original invitation from the Irish King of Leinster, Diarmuid McMuirteactagh to the Earl of Pembroke, Stongbow.

Carrickfergus Castle was one of many built by Decourcy, and other Norman lords, to consolidate their conquerors hold on their new territory. This is one of the best preserved medieval buildings in Ireland, and the finest surviving example of a Norman Castle.

Castles were the technology of the time that gave the Normans the advantage over those they conquered, and only ceased to be effective with the invention of gunpowder.

Photo ©2020 Paul Dunne/Irish Dew Photography

06/08/2020

North Antrim Coast, near Cusehdall

What was once a small farmer's cottage is now on its last legs, as a storage shed for a farmer. But how do I know that this was originally a cottage? Well, you don't normally have chimneys in a shed!

I love the low cloud hanging over the cottage and hillside - it make the shot very atmospheric, don't you think?

Photo ©2020 Paul Dunne/Irish Dew Photography

06/08/2020

near Glencolumbkille, Co. Donegal

Due to current circumstances there are very few foreign visitors in Ireland. However, the month of August has seen accommodation booked out throughout the country, with very little available until September, such has been the surge in staycations.

I wonder did the owners of this caravan clear all the overgrowth to reveal this gem of a caravan in order to list it on AirBnB. You know the description....."quirky, full of character, rustic charm, own door, tropical garden, ...." 😀

Photo ©2020 Paul Dunne/Irish Dew Photography

05/08/2020

Giant's Causeway, Co. Antrim

One for the bucket list. I have waited so long to see this, one of only 3 UNESCO World Heritage sites on the island of Ireland.

It's very busy, so getting a good photo opportunity isn't easy. Add to that the fact that I'm in a relaxed mode (I over-exposed every shot today) and the weather was pretty dull, I hope that you enjoy this capture!

Oh and my laptop's screen is completed washed out of red, so it's a guessing games as to whether I'm getting the colour balance right!

Photo ©2020 Paul Dunne/Irish Dew Photography

05/08/2020

The Dark Hedges, Co Antrim

This avenue through old beech trees was made famous by being used as a location for the TV series Game of Thrones - I had to Google that, believe it or not!

A bad storm a few years ago felled a number of the trees. You can notice the gaps (though not in my photo I hope). I noticed that new beech saplings have been planted. Another 300 or so years and the gaps will be plugged!

The trees were originally planted by a Stuart family, to line the avenue up to their grand house.

Photo ©2020 Paul Dunne/Irish Dew Photography

04/08/2020

Assaranca Waterfalls, Ardara, Co. Donegal

I holidayed beside these waterfalls as a child of 7 or 8 years old, and I still have very vivid memories of that wonderful week! I remember my first taste of that uniquely Irish soft drink, Cidona. It was in a 'flagon' bottle with a screw top, bought in a small country shop less than a mile from these falls!

I did visit the waterfalls once again when I was about 20, to relive those memories. This week I again had the chance to stroll down memory lane.

I could even pick out the house where we visited a weaver on a hand loom in a room in his cottage, close to the waterfall, weaving the famous Donegal Tw**d. Sadly today, this cottage industry is gone, no longer made in a room in a Donegal cottage. Though you can still buy Donegal Tw**d, it became mechanized shortly after my youthful holidays.

Photo ©2020 Paul Dunne/Irish Dew Photography

03/08/2020

Doe Castle, Creeslough, Co. Donegal

Situated on the shores of Sheephaven Bay, this castle is known as the site of Ireland's Romeo & Juliet story. It was built in the 15th century as the stronghold of the MacSweeney clan. They were originally Gallowglass (mercenaries) from Scotland who came to help the Irish fight off the English.

This account of the story comes from the Irish Folklore Survey of 1937-38, when folklore was collected by all 11 and 12 year old students in Ireland from their neighbourhood. This story was written down by a young Joseph McLoughlin from a Mandy McLoughlin (84) - probably his grandmother: -

"Long ago there lived at Doe Castle a great chieftain named Maolmurrough McSwine. He was very fierce and cruel.
He had one beautiful daughter Eileen. She fell in love with O'Boyle who lived in Faugher Castle in the neighbourhood. This displeased her father, and, one day, when O'Boyle was fishing near Doe Castle, two soldiers seized him, and took him a prisoner and locked in the dungeon. He then shut Eileen up in the highest tower.

After two days O'Boyle was taken out and hanged, and his body was carried out to the little graveyard under the Castle walls. Eileen was looking out of the tower window and saw it all. She leaped from the tower and was killed instantly. Her co**se was found by her maid.

Maolmurrough was very sorry, and he allowed her to be buried in the same grave as her lover O'Boyle, and he put a Tombstone over them."

This Folklore survey is currently being digitalised and can be explored on duchas.ie. The graveyard can be visited beside the castle, managed by the OPW and normally open to the public, though the castle isn't this year - covid-19 restrictions.

Photo ©2020 Paul Dunne/Irish Dew Photography

02/08/2020

Gaothdobhair, Co Donegal

Bád Eddie (meaning Eddie's boat) was actually Cara na Mara (Friend of the Sea) before it was towed to Magheraclogher Beach, Dunbeg in 1977 to have repairs carried out. Obviously, this never happened.

The iconic sight has featured in many publications over the years. It featured in a video for the song In a Lifetime by Clannad and Bono, https://youtu.be/Ty2V7yRPbCc - it features at 1:53. It was also featured in Vogue magazine.

I hadn't seen it in over 20 years, and it has deteriorated a lot in that time.

Photo ©2020 Paul Dunne/Irish Dew Photography

02/08/2020

Glencolmcille, Co. Donegal

We tend to think of life 100 years ago as being a bit drab and dull, I suppose mainly because we only see it in black and white photos.

This is how dull Ireland would have really looked 100 years ago! :-D

Photo ©2020 Paul Dunne/Irish Dew Photography

01/08/2020

Mt. Errigal, Co. Donegal

A view of Mt. Errigal over Dunlewey Lake on an overcast August day.

Photo ©2020 Paul Dunne/Irish Dew Photography

22/06/2020

Beauty is all around us!

Can you identify this flower? Hard to believe that it belongs to an extremely prolific plant that feeds much of the world. It is, or course, the flower of the humble spud! These are early queens variety.

Delighted to say that mine are doing great! My first time planting them. The past two weekends have seen blight warnings issued. I sprayed them with a mixture of bluestone (copper-sulphate) and washing soda. That is supposed to provide protection for 2 weeks, so I'll have to spray again shortly. Spud is a colloquial name for the potato.

Photo: ©2020 Paul Dunne/Irish Dew Photography

17/05/2020

Hawthorn Blossom

With the continuing pandemic, I am staying at home as much as possible. This means that I'm getting great work done on my garden! But it has also led me to seek inspiration from my more immediate surroundings. This is a picture I took this afternoon in my garden.

In the Celtic Ireland of the pagans and the druids, the people found most of their gods in nature. Trees were worshipped, and there were seven noble trees of the forest. Funnily enough, the hawthorn tree wasn't one of the nobles.

Today, there are more 'superstitions' around the hawthorn tree than any other tree. People believe in fairy trees, normally a lone hawthorn tree. In May, people hang rags on the May Tree - a hawthorn tree commonly found beside a 'holy' well. They make a wish, and when the rages rots and falls off, the wish is granted (think of lighting a penny candle in a church and saying a prayer for some intention!).

Of course, most of these 'superstitions' are the inherited beliefs of our ancestors, the rituals being their form of worshipping their gods. Why the hawthorn tree though? Well I believe it's because it is the most common tree in Ireland, and thus the beliefs around this tree have survived better than others.

Photo: ©2020 Paul Dunne/Irish Dew Photography