Dublin's Baily Lighthouse, overlooking the UNESCO designated wildlife reserve of Dublin Bay the lighthouse is a famous sight for locals and tourists alike in Howth and County Dublin.

The lighthouse on Dublin's Howth Head has guarded ships entering and leaving Dublin Bay, Dublin Port and Dun Laoghaire, as well as those moving through the Irish Sea, for over 200 years.

Dublin's Ha'penny Bridge dates to 1816 when it was built on a trial basis to replace a ferry that operated at this point on the river. It is built of cast iron and is still in daily use over 200 years later.

The ferryman was paid out of the toll levied on anyone crossing the bridge, costing half of one pence or a ha'penny.

I have been travelling extensively recently, far and wide but also in my own country - Ireland.

Many of the island of Ireland's roads look like this, scenic and green. Enough to enjoy the journey on most occasions.

Competition time! Win a Kilkenny Photo Tour with Panoramic Ireland Photo Tours!

To be in with a chance of winning a private photography tour of Kilkenny (3.5hrs) in the city just visit our Instagram page and follow us, comment on this post and let us know who you would like to share this experience with, who would you spend a few hours in Ireland's Medieval City with?

If you don't use Instagram then see number 3 below.

So here is how to do it again:

1: Follow @panoramicireland on Instagram.

2: Comment on this post with the name of who you would most like to visit Kilkenny with.

3: If you don't use Instagram then just send me an email here through the site with your answer - who would you spend time with in Kilkenny?

Good luck, winners will be drawn on the 1st of May 2018 and notified via this website and by email.

A colourful day in Kilkenny, to celebrate my latest New York Times piece. . . . . . . . . . #travelgram #wildernessculture #neverstopexploring #kilkenny #beautifuldestinations #adventureculture #earthpix #nakedplanet #bbctravel #natgeotravel #medieval #naturelovers #travelblog #ic_architecture #AdventureVisuals #folkarchitecture #panoramicireland #vsco #lifeofadventure #vscocam #vscotravel #tripadvisor #ireland #hikingadventures #livefolk #creativefolk #goldenhour #thecreatorclass #exploremore #magiclight

A post shared by @ panoramicireland on Apr 3, 2018 at 3:13pm PDT

Seen throughout the year, the Irish hare is most visible in the spring months when it leaps and bounds, twists and turns, flashing across the green fields of the Irish countryside as seen in this image.

The Irish hare Lepus timidus hibernicus is a distinct subspecies of the mountain hares found all over the top of the northern hemisphere. All Lepus timidus bar hibernicus change their coats of fur to white in winter to match with typical winter conditions of snow at such northern latitudes. But due to Ireland's mild climate and lack of white covering the landscape, the local hares keep a brown coat all winter long - an evolutionary change.

Northern Ireland's Giant's Causeway is a place that I have photographed often.

Read more about the history, mythology and geology of the unique coastal geographic feature in one of my previous posts here - it's an interesting read.

If you happen to find yourself walking around Dublin you might have a look around Anne's Lane just off South Anne Street in the city centre. Here, outside a bar called Zozimus you will find the structure suspended between you and the sky above.

The second installation of colourful umbrellas has been installed and it makes the narrow lane look bright and colourful in good weather, the umbrellas are still looking good in 2023.

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Dublin is of course much more than the traditional tourist attractions, it makes for a great city to just walk around enjoying and photographing the parks, riverside quays and narrow lanes in the city centre.

Join Panoramic Ireland on a photography tour of Dublin - find out more here.

The Irish pub, scene of many a good evening but traditionally not on Good Friday one of only two days of the year when pubs are not allowed to open in Ireland - until now.

2018 sees the end of the ban on pubs opening on Good Friday due to the amendment of a law from 1927.

Sometimes the early morning just gives more than you expect.

Making the effort to get out early for sunrise makes a lot of sense, especially on the east coast of Ireland.

On this occasion I knew the tide would be out giving the opportunity to get a wet sand foreshore that will reflect the sunrise sky's brightness and vivid colours such as here in this image.

What is harder to predict is the actual sunrise, but it is always worth making the effort to get up and get out with camera ahead of the arrival of a new day.

What we look for in sunrise skies are some high level clouds, blue sky and a clear horizon. That allows the early morning sunlight to shine across the sky and landscape catching the edges of those clouds above and any buildings down here on the ground.

On this morning the perfect combination - just look at that colour!

It doesn't have to be epic, just appropriate and the sunrise will make it beautiful.

Spring is here at long last.

The traditional beginning of spring in Ireland is St. Brigid's Day on the the 1st of February, in the meteorological calendar spring starts on the 1st of March and often the passing of the Spring Equinox on the 20th/21st of March is regarded as the true beginning of the season that sees the hedgerows and woodlands of Ireland erupt into life with fresh green carpeting the countryside and urban parks of the Emerald Isle.