Bansha (Irish: An Bháinseach, meaning "a grassy place") is a village in the Galty Mountains in South Tipperary, Ireland. The village is part of the parish of "Bansha and Kilmoyler" (united in 1858) in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cashel and Emly. It is in the historical barony of Clanwilliam.
The day we drove through Bansha was extremely windy, and this churchyard just begged to be shown in b/w. The sky was a beautiful colour, but the wind was whipping the trees around, and since the church itself was deserted and empty, the scene presented itself as lonesome and somewhat eerie. Hence the B/W.
Your comments are always welcomed - this is a 3-shot handheld HDR (I braced against the wind!)
Tags: Ireland Bansha churchyard cemetery eerie b/w
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Castletownbere is the main town on Ireland's Beara Peninsula and was once a haven for smugglers. Just offshore, the Bere Island is so sparsely populated that it makes Castletownbere seem like a huge metropolis. For tourists, it’s really just a stop along the loop around the Beara Peninsula, but it does have one serious claim to world-wide fame.
The real thing sitting on the main street of Castletownbere is McCarthy’s Bar, yes, the same bar that features so prominently on the cover of Pete McCarthy’s bestseller ‘McCarthy’s Bar’. Inside it is immediately clear that there’s more to McCarthy’s than one would guess from the establishments name. To The right of the door is a cozy snug, where Cork families would meet to discuss marriage terms as recently as a generation ago.
To the left of the door is a small grocery where locals can find that important ingredient provided it’s in a tin, when all other convenience stores are closed. The bar itself sits near the back of the large room filled with unbelievable memorabilia, there is often lively music being played and a patron or two to exchange pleasantries with.
We stopped in here on a moist Sunday afternoon, when all else was closed; we chatted with a couple of local couples watching Liverpool soccer, and felt like we could stay there for a good long while, drinking tea and eating scones with jam and cream. A wonderful experience.
3-shot handheld HDR; as always, your comments are appreciated and try this one in Black.
Tags: Ireland Castletownbere McCarthy's Bar tea and scones soccer The Beara Peninsula
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With a history dating back to 1263, Kytelers Inn, in the heart of the Mediaeval City of Kilkenny, combines a rich heritage with 21st century amenities and service.
Since it was first established by the notorious Dame Alice de Kyteler in the 13th. Century, the Inn has welcomed visitors and has provided them with good food and beverages. To-day its menu maintains the proud tradition of Irish cooking and from its taps flow local beers like Kilkenny and Smithwicks as well as Guinness and the Irish lager, Harp.
A wonderful place to spend time, with this band playing Irish music and the fellow in the back, 3rd from the right, providing Irish legends, poetry and folklore.
Tags: Kilkenny Kyteler's Inn Smithwicks Guinness Harp
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The same image as the previous post - this time done in NIK Silver Efex Pro for comparison purposes.
Your comments or suggestions are always welcomed - including your preference for either the colour or the B/W version here.
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This central Kilkenny landmark dates from 1761. Erected by Alderman William Colles, the Thosel served as the market for the city (the word 'thosel' means literally a marketplace). Architecturally, the building has a double length arcade with an impressive Georgian Council Chamber room positioned above the arcade. There is a clock tower on the steeply pitched roof, and the southern wall contains the Kilkenny coat of arms. The original building was badly damaged after a fire in 1987, but has since been completely restored, and now serves as the City Hall.
It was a rainy day in Kilkenny, which only added to the light and texture of this old structure. A passerby pauses under the archway and takes in the action on the street.
3-shot handheld HDR; Photomatix Pro 4.2
As always, interesting on Black, and your comments are always welcomed.
Tags: Kilkenny Thosel market clock tower Ireland
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