FIRST PLACE
COASTAL HERITAGE
In the shadow of a giant!
CLASSIEBAWN CASTLE, MULLAGHMORE, CO. SLIGO
"With its unmistakable shape, it's a popular landmark in Donegal Bay to photograph. I really wanted a unique perspective and to show it under new light. I also wanted to include the mighty Benbulben looming large in the background. It took multiple attempts to get the perfect angle and to line it when the conditions were right. I used a long lens and shot from over 10km away."
PHOTOGRAPHER BRIAN CAMPBELL
SECOND PLACE
COASTAL HERITAGE
Weathering the Storm
BROADHAVEN LIGHTHOUSE, BALLYGLASS, CO. MAYO
"I have photographed Broadhaven lighthouse in all types of weather, a Winter storm providing the dramatic scene for this image. I was positioned with my camera against a ditch, sheltering from the howling wind when a brief break in the clouds allowed the low Winter sunlight to illuminate the dramatic scene of the huge waves crashing against the rocks! A true testament to the quality of workmanship, this lighthouse has weathered many storms since light was first established in 1855."
PHOTOGRAPHER BRIAN WILSON
THIRD PLACE
COASTAL HERITAGE
Doonagore Castle in Doolin
DOONAGORE CASTLE, DOOLIN, CO. CLARE
"Doonagore Castle is a round 16th-century tower house with a small walled enclosure located about 1 km south of the coastal village of Doolin in County Clare, Ireland. The location is well known to me and with the right weather conditions you can take an interesting shot of this historical place on the Atlantic shore. To take this shot, I used a drone that gave me the freedom to move around and find the right frame."
PHOTOGRAPHER PIOTR MACHOWCZYK
Wicklow Head Lighthouse at Sunrise
WICKLOW HEAD LIGHTHOUSE, DUNBUR HEAD, CO. WICKLOW
"Alan, Tom and I from the Carlow Photographic Society arrived at the lighthouse at 04:15 am on the 14th of June for sunrise at 5 am. It was just perfect with the right mix of cloud and sun. I love the variety of colour and tones in this image We spent two hours there photographing the seascapes and just enjoying the sound of the sea birds."
PHOTOGRAPHER PHILIP REILLY
Summer Evening Activity
COLIEMORE HARBOUR, CO. DUBLIN
"Coliemore Harbour is a great spot where you are in a city but it doesn't feel like you are - no hustle/bustle here! I love that it is well frequented by lots of people - fishermen, families out for a stroll, sea swimmers, rowers and even the odd seal. This was taken on a Summer's evening near sunset - I love the red colour pop of the boat, buoys and the door of the rowing club and the general tranquillity of the scene."
PHOTOGRAPHER HELEN BLACK
Laytown Viaduct
LAYTOWN BEACH, LAYTON, CO. MEATH
"Originally built as a timber structure in 1844 it was replaced with a cast-iron bridge in 1859 and again replaced with another iron bridge in 1896. I always wanted to capture the majesty of this viaduct and when I discovered that the Railway Preservation Society were running a steam engine I planned my shot. After hours of waiting (the train had broken down) and standing in the rain almost magically the sun appeared and I heard the chugging of the approaching engine. Here’s Merlin the tank crossing the Viaduct over Nanny the River as she enters the sea."
PHOTOGRAPHER DAVE STANLEY
Hook Lighthouse Braving Storm Eunice
DUNMORE EAST, CO. WATERFORD
"Took this shot from the top of the Dunmore East harbour office during Storm Eunice. I’ve never seen the wind whip up the water from the surface like that when a gust past through. When the sun started to break through it was an amazing sight with Hook lighthouse in the background to scale the size of the swells."
PHOTOGRAPHER STEPHEN HIGGINS
The Metal Man
TRAMORE, CO. WATERFORD
"The Metalman and its three pillars were erected a few years after the great tragedy that was the Seahorse in which 360 lives were lost at sea. Once erected in 1823, they acted as maritime beacons, telling sailors to go back out to sea so similar tragic instances would never happen again. The Metal man is synonymous with Tramore Bay."
PHOTOGRAPHER KEVIN DOYLE
The Skelligs
ST FINIANS BAY, CO. KERRY
"The Skelligs are one of the most iconic parts of the whole West of Ireland. They were inspirational enough to draw Hollywood directors to Co Kerry and continue to provide a jaw-dropping landscape through the camera or just the naked eye. I had wanted to shoot these for quite some time however I did not want just any sort of day. I needed wind, I wanted large swell and luckily on this particular day, I got my chance. It was a typical Irish spring day of sunshine and showers. I love those days, the light is good, there is drama and for a scene like this, I wanted the light hitting the Skelligs. It helped to illuminate them and create some definitions. Timing it was the trickiest, I must of taken over 400 shots just to get the right one where the wave broke nicely in the foreground while also getting some light on the rocks themselves. It is still one of my proudest images to date."
PHOTOGRAPHER SEAN O’RIORDAN
