Winter isn't over just yet, despite the traditional start of spring in Ireland being 1st February - the feast day of Saint Brigid, the whole of Ireland is now covered in snow on

Not very high, the mountains of Ireland are nevertheless full of character and are actually often dusted with snow in the winter.

At 1,038m, Carrauntoohil is the highest point in Ireland;

At the end of that beautiful hike in the mountains, after the day looked to have finished early with a snow-storm darkening the sky, this is the reward of a bright and colourful

The snow appears to be gone for the moment but while it lasted the landscapes of Ireland's mountains were transformed.

No doubt we will see more before the summer arrives.

To join

I often get asked if it snow in Ireland or does the sun shine in winter in Ireland.

And on certain days it is possible to say yes to both.

This week has seen plenty of snow here

Slievenamon - above the snow line in winter

Braving the elements on a cold winter's day we climbed up Slievenamon, a 720m-high mountain in Ireland's

Photography and Ireland. It doesn't always involve snow, not even in the mountains.

As I looked out to green fields and sunny blue skies on the mountain slopes today, not a drop of the

The green fields of Ireland, looking lush green on a December day with snow-covered mountains.

Ireland doesn't receive a lot of snow, given that Dublin

As I write this I'm sitting in front of a warm fire with a cup of tea ready to do its job of warming me up from the inside.

A near perfect reflection on the lake, snow covering the

Snow rarely lasts for more than a few days when it falls in Ireland. Save for in the high ground, above 600m where it might persist for the winter months on northern slopes.

So on waking

There have been a lot of rainy, windy and stormy days this winter. We have now passed Storm Imogen making the next official storm number ten of the season.

Today though

No snow this winter in Ireland

Ireland has been hit by storm after storm this autumn and winter with more to arrive, and although there has been some snow on sheltered east-facing