A visit to the coast of Ireland is a pleasure to be enjoyed at all times of the year, good weather and bad.

Another day in the mountains of the West of Ireland

A typical stormy winter's day in Ireland's West, the view of mountains and lakes with a celtic cross in the foreground. A bracing and worthwhile walk along steepening paths, past sheep, fences and field boundaries took me over the pass and to this view over the wild west of Ireland.

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 slopes on the mountains that ring the country, there has been no widespread frozen precipitation over the country.

2014 is Year of the Horse in Chinese culture. Despite spending much of my time with horses and having photographed them throughout Ireland in 2013 I have neglected to post about our four-hooved equine friends until now.

Here is an image of two of the most photogenic horses that I photographed last year during the summer, this time in the southwest of Ireland.

Eight hooves, four ears and two tails stand underneath a western sky.

Horses, the west of Ireland and long summer days. With a camera, a picnic and some fine weather. Perfect. Would you rather be anywhere else?