Michael Stephen Wills Photography

Watered Terrace

January 16, 2021January 15, 2021 MichaelStephenWills

Beginnings of Adrigole river flow over a natural terrace. Caha mountains visible in the distance.

A terrace fortifies the road just visible to the left.

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Glacial Claw Marks

January 15, 2021January 12, 2021 MichaelStephenWills

Looking toward the heights from Classduff townland. Glacial striations of the Caha Mountains visible in the distance.

A stream of the developing Adrigole river in the foreground. Beara Peninsula, County Cork, Republic of Ireland.

Toward the Heights

January 14, 2021January 12, 2021 MichaelStephenWills4 Comments

Here the camera is turned toward the head of the valley across a wide sloping expanse. Clashduff townland comprises most this scene, we will remain in Clashduff until we breach the pass.

Sheep pasture in the foreground. Beara Peninsula, County Cork, Republic of Ireland.

Mass Mount from Clashduff

Mass Mount

January 13, 2021January 7, 2021 MichaelStephenWills

We packed a solid Manfrotto studio tripod into a tiny rental car for photographs such as this one. After the photograph of yesterday’s post, I swiveled the camera a few degrees, the steady mount retaining scene orientation otherwise.

The mountain in the middle distance, dappled with light, is Mass Mount, the townland is named for this landform. Kildromalive, in Irish Choill Droma Limh, translates to “Wood Ridge.”

Clashduff wide angle

Play of Clouds and Light

January 12, 2021January 6, 2021 MichaelStephenWills

Preparing for our tour of the island I acquired an “L” grade Canon lens, the 24mm f/1.4L USM. It is used to good effect here and in the following photographs from our traverse of Healy Pass, a “famine road.”

Here we are at the southern edge of the townland surmounting the pass, Clashduff, in English. In Irish, na Claise Duibhe translates to “Black Ravine.” There are ten Republic of Ireland townlands with this name including one in the middle of Cork City near Finbar Cathedral.

Looking down Healy Pass from Clashduff townland. In view are these townlands Kilcaskan, Canshanavoe, Glenlough and Kildromalive.. Caha Mountains, Beara Peninsula, County Cork, Republic of Ireland

I’ve used portrait mode here, with the “wide angle” capturing the clouds.

Inchintaglin near to Clashduff, and again

Play of Clouds and Light

January 11, 2021January 4, 2021 MichaelStephenWills1 Comment

Inchintaglin near to Clashduff, again

January 10, 2021January 4, 2021 MichaelStephenWills

Standing around, gawking made respectable holding a camera.

Inchintaglin near to Clashduff

January 9, 2021January 3, 2021 MichaelStephenWills

Steepening terrain, switchbacks come into view as we proceed on Healy Pass.

Inchintaglin Life Forms

Around the Road

January 8, 2021January 3, 2021 MichaelStephenWills

Near

and far

Inchintaglin is the townland name, the land is two mountains, the near ending with the above ridge, in the northeast. When the road breaches below the ridge the land beyond opens up.

Inchintaglin

Views of four townlands

January 7, 2021January 3, 2021 MichaelStephenWills

Healy Pass, R574, ascends along lower slopes of Adrigole Mountain (AKA Hunger Hill). We passed several roads descending to this valley, providing access to farms. Four townlands are in view, the Irish language name in parenthesis: Kilcaskan (Cill Chascann), Dromgarvan (Drom Garbhain), Canshanavoe (Ceann Seanbhoith), and Inchintaglin (Inse an tSeaglainn), where I stand.

O’Sullivan is the most common surname of Beara Peninsula. Here is a biography of one O’Sullivan born Inchintaglin townland (you’ll need to read Irish or translate the page): O’SÚILLEABHÁIN, Francis (1889–1956).