No journey through the west of Ireland can be complete without seeing one of the most characterful sights of the Irish countryside, the Irish Donkey.
Here on a recent photo tour by Panoramic Ireland, my client from Canada was keen to seek out horses and donkeys in the Irish countryside.
It was a hot day and in a field of energetic donkeys this one stood, resting momentarily with sunshine and shadow as a gentle breeze skipped off the Atlantic.
During the 19th century and for much of the last century donkeys played a vital role in rural life, doing most of the heavy work on farms before mechanisation particularly on those farms where horses were too large for the small fields or expensive to keep.
Now there are few working donkeys in Ireland but there are many neglected Irish donkeys, as a result the Irish Donkey Sanctuary looks for suitable places all over Ireland to rehouse these long-eared friendly creatures.
And thankfully so, the Irish donkey is an essential component of rural life.
So keep an eye out for the long ears sticking up over a stone wall or the loud braying sounding throughout the countryside.
