The little bit of snow we have had in recent days in Ireland has now gone, melted more by heavy rains than warming temperatures.

Today saw some bright and sunny winter clear skies but also almost-night winter sleet and rain brought by thick, dark clouds.

Here, in the image above this afternoon, a weather front spreads across the green Irish landscape towards me bringing with it sleet, followed by dark, wintry showers just out of scene.

Ireland remains green and often bright in winter, the days are now lengthening again after the winter solstice on December 21st. 

No images from the recent snow but some video that I might get posted soon.

Join me, perhaps later in the year, when weather conditions improve to learn how to photograph in the Irish countryside.

Panoramic Ireland's photography tours and workshops run all year round.

From a high vantage point in the drumlin country of County Armagh, I spotted a large plume of smoke heading into the atmosphere.

At first I thought it must be an industrial unit on fire, because of the sheer volume; this was no chimney fire.

As I descended to lower ground, I could see that it was coming from the direction of Newry, County Down, so I headed in the direction of the town and followed the dark skies close to main road.

Eventually I found a close place to observe and photograph the inferno.

It was clearly coming from a farm, I later found out it was indeed a pig farm that was afire.

This panorama of the fine late autumn Irish landscape with smoke rising thick through the sky gives an indication of the size and scale, the sun was obscured for much of the time that I was there.

Several fire brigades attended the sizeable blaze.

It was a landscape of smoke and fire.

Sunset in the mountains, Ireland, the sun goes down.

Valley lakes reflect the last of this day's light as the sun edges towards our apparent horizon on the mountain ridge; glints of brightness in the dark from quartzite rocks.

Thin Lizzy's haunting final single The Sun Goes Down is about more than this quotidian natural event, yet as one of my favourite songs, I feel it fits with this image quite well.

Of course, now at the end of November we are seeing early sunsets in Ireland at approximately 16:30 and we will soon reach the shortest day of the year.

Winter is a fine time for photography in Ireland, short days mean that sunrise and sunset are easier to be up and out for, the crowds of summer have gone and often a good winter storm brings interest to the coast.

Join Panoramic Ireland's photography tours in Ireland all year round, not just when the sun goes down - when it comes up as well.

Autumn is well and truly here in Ireland.

We have now passed the autumn equinox by around six weeks, with six weeks to go to the shortest day of the year. 

Temperatures are dropping along with the shortening day length, but we do have clear blue skies this week.

Autumn is a time of colour of course, so woodlands and the mountains take on a stereotypical burst of colour as green moves to yellow, brown and red.

Time to enjoy photographing the pockets of deciduous woodland that dot the Irish landscape.