Michael McGillycuddy Photography

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Michael McGillycuddy Photography

Hello everyone and welcome to the page for Michael McGillycuddy Photography. Dad of three with a terrible sense of direction. Many Thanks,

Mike

Usually gets lost in a forest or up a mountain. Luckily I bring along my camera to record where I've been and to find my way back and some of these photos turn out okay. Lucky to live in a beautiful part of Ireland with so many places to explore and pursue my passion for photography. The paragraphs I write to accompany many of these photos are my meagre attempt at a journal to document these littl

e adventures so please excuse any misspellings or improper grammar. All photos are my own, shot in RAW and developed primarily in Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop for detail, contrast and colour correction, etc. Please LIKE or SHARE if you enjoy what you see here and please feel free to visit www.mcgphoto.ie and instagram.com/michaelmcgillycuddy for more photographs.

10/05/2023

The Peace of Wild Things, Ross Island, Killarney Co. Kerry

The end of April and beginning of May is when summer really starts to make its presence felt, if not so much in the weather! Bright green shoots start to appear, trees become less and less bare and the early flowers promise of better, brighter and sunnier days to come. And some of the first around the National Park are the bluebells and wild garlic so always worth a few visits to capture what's possible.

The trip had started badly though - forgotten equipment and a general sense of feeling rushed meant I was a little impatient with the sun to come out from behind the clouds. With a few brief appearances though the sunlight added a little contrast to the scene, offering areas of light and shadow and shining through the beautiful greens of the tree canopy overhead. The inconsequential little "troubles" from earlier in the morning began to become distant memories and I was happy with what I had captured.

Little did I realise that as I was contemplating finishing up that a few young fawns would venture into the scene. Pure dumb luck. Luckier still was the fact that they just stayed still, monitoring this funny looking human staring back at them. After I managed to rattle off a few shots they continued on their way and I did the same. Home again after a beautiful, peaceful and positive morning.

17/04/2023

The Foal - Kinard, Dinlge Peninsula, Co.Kerry

The beautiful sea stack known as An Searrach ("The Foal") just off the coast of Kinard, between Lispole and Dinlge is one of those places that never disappoints. The strong currents along that stretch of coastline always mean that no two visits are the same and the is always a new angle to try in terms of composition. And this time, a bit of anew angle for me as well with the sea stack. Braving some slightly strong headwinds my little drone headed out the kilometre or so from launch point to get the view looking back towards me and that rugged coastline. The sunshine out west was reasonably low adding some nice bursts of light onto the landscape and the rock formations. Whenever I need to clear my head, the Di**le Peninsula is most definitely the place I head for. While I waited until well after sunset on the strand and captured a few more shots, it was this earlier one that has my heart...at least for now. Until the next time, Kinard

22/03/2023

Timeless - Tower Wood, Killarney Co. Kerry

After a recent trip to Tower Wood by a friend and fellow photographer he likened this place to a scene out of Jurassic Park. There is a sense of other-worldliness about it, as if one could imagine it was frozen in time, untouched and far from the madding crowd. But the reality is so different. I grew up just a few minutes drive from here and have visited reasonably regularly down through the years, if not always to this somewhat less well known waterfall, if not always with camera in hand. Sometimes just not getting lost is a good outcome for me!

But on this particular evening in middle of Autumn last year I was there on a mission, camera in tow. While the colour in the trees had not turned as much as I had hoped for the long term forecast meant there might not be a better opportunity than this evening for a reasonable sky at sunset as the trees started to change colour. Again the deceptiveness of this place make it appear to be far from civilisation but from the top of the falls one can make out the road that winds its way to Molls Gap.

Weary stags were still bellowing, even as rutting season was fading, echoing through the woodland and adding some of that sense of timelessness to the scene in front of me. It could as easily be the 1820s rather than the 2020s as far as this vista was concerned. The sun began to set and duly obliged with some colour in the sky to compliment the falls and canopy of trees.

I must have spent 2-3 hours in this one spot, not always taking photos but just enjoying what we have to enjoy so close at hand. Light eventually faded and I needed to get back to the car. Thankfully my sense of direction didn't let me down and I didn't round any corner and meet one of those stags. And with a few shots on the memory card, a fairly successful evening all round

13/03/2023

Clear Path - Gap of Dunloe, Co.Kerry

The trip to "the Gap" is a short one from my home but one I enjoy making every single time. There's a calmness in the wild landscape no matter how far one ventures in. The narrow road means you have to take things slow and there's usually need to pull in if you meet an oncoming car, along with the customary friendly wave of the hand. On this day the mountains were shrouded in low cloud while Black Lake remained relatively calm but the gloomy conditions did not offer up much in terms of reflections, save for some small mirroring of the wintery sun trying to break through the clouds. Keeping the big camera safely tucked up I ventured out with the small drone to try capture as much as I could from the first bridge over the River Loe all the way past the Gap itself to Purple Mountain and the McGillycuddy Reeks in the distance The shot for me was all about this narrow, twisting road that hugs the landscape all the way through the Gap and into the mists beyond, leading to the equally stunning Black Valley. No road trip that day though - jobs to be done and back to reality all too soon. Still, worth the drive and the small respite from the hustle and bustle. The roads widened as I drove the other way but certainly did not get as pretty as this one.

07/02/2023

Return Journey - Dún Chaoin, Di**le, Co.Kerry

Hello Facebook, it's been a while!!

It is a little strange writing these words as it has been something over 700 days since I last posted - Facebook keeps telling me these things. Timeout was needed quite badly a few years back and it has taken me this long to look at posting here again. I've been out with the camera, exploring some new places and venturing to some old spots too and just enjoying all that can be experienced when you get some mud on the boots and go for a ramble.

And here's a relatively recent shot, from the old pier at Dún Chaoin. I guess most know of the newer one with that gorgeous winding path and those jagged rocks at the end but this one, not too far away, was the original. The walk from the new to the old pier had been enjoyably and dotted with many stops for little snaps, more for fun than posting and the destination did not disappoint either. With Dunmore Head and the Greet Blasket directly ahead and the waves crashing against the combination of natural stone and man-made concrete I was happy to sit here until the sun dipped a little lower, providing a very moody, contrasty sky.

With the clouds gathering and the promise of any more light fading quickly it was time for the return journey, back tot he car and then home. Not quite sure how often I will continue to post here but it feels nice to return with this one.

03/01/2021

A Road to Rivendell
Glencar, Co.Kerry

A very Happy New Year to all. I am starting up my posts here on Facebook after what was a very difficult year for so many, myself included, in the hope that 2021 brings better for us all.

The title may sound a little unusual, given its Lord of the Rings connotations but when I encountered the scene this was exactly the feeling I had. Indeed, when posting on my own personal page a few friends also commented the same so perhaps it fits. The dark shadows of the pathway lead towards brighter possibilities and safe harbour around the corner. With all that 2020 brought and what 2021 may promise it seemed like an appropriate opening chapter for the new year.

I would like to think that I will post more regularly here on Facebook but events over the last year have meant there are times where my ability or desire to compose these little paragraphs is diminished as I deal with some periods of self doubt but I face 2021 in a much better mindset than 2020 and despite another lockdown I remain positive that this year will be much better all round.

May you all stay safe and healthy for the year ahead.

24/12/2020

Even without the COVID pandemic, 2020 was a strange year and one where my posts here on Facebook had to take a back seat. But even with another lockdown on the horizon I am extremely happy to be in this Christmas season with our three healthy boys, having weathered the storms that 2020 brought, and feel very positive for what the New Year will bring. Wherever you are and however you may celebrate this time of year, may it bring a time of peace to you and yours. A very Happy Christmas to you all

27/07/2020

Celestial Wanderer - St Mary’s Cathedral, Killarney

A late envening ramble around Ross Castle found me returning for home later than anticipated. As I passed the cathedral I decided to have a quick check of some Astro apps to determine the location of Comet Neowise in relation to one of Killarney’s most iconic buildings. Sure enough, there was a chance...with a little bit of time. All I had to do was wait and try not to look too conspicuous.

As midnight approached, the comet appeared in the night sky and after a few shots I was a happy man, making my way home again. To think the last time this comet was visible that the pyramids at Giza were still about 2000 years from being built just puts into perspective the enormity of space and how tiny our little portion of galactic real estate actually is. A rather humbling thought but a glorious sight

24/06/2020

New Finds on Old Roads - Glencar, Co.Kerry

My love for the hinterland of Glencar grows all the time and a feeling of reconnecting with family history makes it extra special. With so many little hidden gems it is a great place to find new stomping grounds and avoid stepping in the impressions of others tripods.

This little building has long attracted me as I have driven this road but conditions were never suitable so I would just drive on. On this occasion, though, how could I not stop a while and grab a few shots. It is good to be out beyond the lockdowns 5km limits and to get back to some semblance of normality. Care and caution still needed but it is so great to see the beginning of the end of a difficult time for so many.

03/06/2020

Flight Lesson- Blennerville, Tralee, County Kerry

As I set up for a long exposure on the bridge overlooking Blennerville windmill and Tralee Bay, the sound of something moving through the air behind me began to get louder and louder. Within a few seconds I was picking my jaw off the ground as hundreds of Brent Geese flew in formation above me. From left to right, they filled the sky as they made their nightly journey out towards Fenit. I knew that my camera wasn’t set up to capture them. The exposure time of multiple seconds would mean each bird would appear as a streak in the sky so in that instant I just accepted that it wasn’t meant to be and enjoyed the spectacle above me.

When they were gone I looked back down at my camera and that’s when I realised I had another camera around my neck that could easily have captured the scene!! One can imagine the names I called myself when I realised my gaffe. That was many years ago, perhaps many more than I’d care to recall but it provided me a few valuable lessons. And it also provided me with a challenge to get the shot I had so foolishly missed.

It took me until the evening before the lockdown of 2020 to right that error and complete the challenge. A high tide on the bay, coinciding with promising conditions, at the right time of year when the geese make the wetlands their temporary home meant I was in with a shout. After that it was really just a bit of patience and resisting the urge to move to another vantage point for fear of missing it. Thankfully it paid off. The drive home was enjoyable, without the name-calling

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