The gable end of 12 Montague Street, Dublin as it faces onto Montague Lane is temporarily home to an artwork by Joe Caslin which aims to highlight the work of charity Samaritans.

The street artist, who is also a teacher, uses pencil drawings to highlight societal issues in contemporary Ireland, has unveiled his latest artwork in Dublin to bring attention to Dubliners of the work carried out by Samaritans.

Utilising the concept of the 15th century Japanese technique of Kintsugi in which broken pottery is repaired using powdered gold, Caslin's artwork of a male figure with the Kintsugi gold holding his face together suggests the idea that people may appear whole now but might have been broken before.

Samaritans do amazing work for those who need help, operating a 24 hour helpline for free via this number: 116 123 from anywhere in Ireland - from Antrim to Wexford and it's free to call.

A few years ago I posted about the fine views on a sunny day from Antrim to the Scottish islands of Islay and Jura, as well as the Mull of Kintyre (out of sight on this particular post).

Recently, Michael Cory contacted me about the post and the image, to use it in his fortcoming talk on mapping.

He is giving a talk on the Ordnance Survey and its early 19th century baseline established on the shores of Lough Foyle which formed the basis for all measurements between places in Ireland, Britain and further afield for the best part of two centuries.

Above here, an intense double rainbow looking across Benone towards Magilligan and beyond, Inishowen in Donegal.

Michael is a land surveyor who has mapped many portions of the world's more exotic corners, his talk is in Dublin on the 13th of June 2024 at 18:30 in Phoenix Park entitled From Limelight to Satellite: The Importance of the Lough Foyle Baseline.

To reserve a free spot, attending what is sure to be an informative, enjoyable talk have a look at the eventbrite page: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/from-limelight-to-satellite-the-importance-of-the-lough-foyle-baseline-tickets-907599413277?aff=odcleoeventsincollection&keep_tld=1

Great Pollet Sea Arch is one of Ireland's finest coastal geographical features. Situated off the coast of County Donegal's Fanad Peninsula, the sea arch stands at 20 metres above the crashing waves along this rocky headland.

Known in Irish as Stua Mór Phollaide (Great Pollet Arch), the sea arch as seen here separated from the mainland on the left due to coastal erosion during the millions of years since these rocks were formed.

Here the rocks are quartzite having been formed during the late Precambrian, somewhere between 2.5 billion and 541 million years ago part of the Dalradian Supergroup that runs between the north of Ireland and central Scotland.

As throughout Ireland, much erosion has taken place in the intervening time and at some point, likely in the last 11,700 years which is known as the Holocene (since the end of the last Ice Age) this section of the headland became a bridge with a sea cave eroded through it and then subsequently it became detached from the mainland behind it.

Thus forming what we see today, an impressive sea arch which is Ireland's largest sea arch. Note that a sea stack, such as Dun Briste is different to a sea arch.

I will be leading a few small group photography workshops in Donegal during 2024 and 2025, to find out more contact me using the contact page or form.

In Ireland's far north, one of its finest stone circles sits on a low hill with commanding views over the local countryside towards distant ridges.

Beltany stone circle comprises 64 upright stones organised in as close to a percect circle as a highly disturbed ancient bronze age site can be.

The stone circle is made up of larger than typical standing stones for an Irish site, some here are 2.5 metres in height.

Its name suggests that the festival of Bealtaine was celebrated here on the 1st of May. The festival marked the start of summer as it sits halfway between the spring equinox on March 21st and midsummer on June 21st.

Traditionally fires would be lit on hilltops throughout Ireland and sites like Beltany, on a hill overlooking surrounding countryside, would have had local or regional significance.

It's a site that has been disturbed, by quarrying for stone and earth in more recent centuries, and some archaeologists suggest that the stones of Beltany stone circle were originally the kerb stones for a large cairn.

Join me, Panoramic Ireland, to visit and photograph places such as Beltany in Donegal and Dublin Bay.