An ominous start to the week with Storm Debi set to blast Ireland with storm force winds.

A status red warning, the highest level in Ireland for weather events, has been issued for Clare, Galway, Roscommon, Offaly and Westmeath.

Interestingly they have singled out East Galway and South Roscommon even though it looks from the map that North Tipperary, formerly an actual distinct part of the Premier County, should also be included. Especially as Nenagh in North Tipperary is forecast to get 68km/h winds while Birr in County Offaly is only expecting 57km/h and Ballinalsoe, East Galway is only forecast to get 50km/h.

There has to be a better method rather than relying solely on county boundaries, especially as places like Birr in County Offaly is only 1km from County Tipperary.

Anyhow, an orange weather warning is in effect for Tipperary, Carlow, Laois, Dublin, Kildare, Kilkenny, Longford, Louth, Meath, Cavan, Monaghan, Kerry and Limerick with the rest of Ireland under a yellow weather warning.

**Update** And indeed, as of 20:32 this evening, Met Eireann have updated more counties to red including: Clare Kerry, Limerick, Tipperary, Galway and Roscommon from 02:00 - 05:00 Monday 13/11/2023 with Dublin, Kildare, Laois, Louth, Meath, Wicklow, Offaly and Westmeath under a red warning from 05:00-08:00. Orange is in effect for most of these counties as well until 10:00.

Keep an eye out on met.ie for updates including upgrading and downgrading of weather warnings.

There is also a status red marine warning, get those boats into harbour.

Keep safe and dry, best not to make any unnecessary journeys.

Dublin's Portobello is a large block of the south inner city stretching from the Grand Canal in the south to Kevin Street at Saint Patrick's Cathedral in the north and from Clanbrassil Street in the west to the eastern boundary at Wexford/Camden/Richmond Streets.

Comprising the leafy canal, leafy parks and leafy avenues this is one of Dublin's most desirable neighbourhoods.

Portobello lies within easy walking distance of the city centre, the Luas runs close by at Charlemont and buses head in and out along the south circular road.

Griffith College sits close by and anyone familar with the area will know of the area's regeneration over recent years.

Parts of Portobello have seen new developments, particularly in the east close to Richmond Street.

Portobello is definitely a sought after place to live.

Here's a fine property that I recently had the privilege of viewing, up for sale currently - but I'm sure not for long.

The beautifully proportioned front room is a perfect cube, looking out onto a quiet residential street with plenty of parking for residents.

This three bedroom, three bath villa-style house is on the market for €775,000 with Owen Reilly, find out more here: https://www.myhome.ie/residential/brochure/25-ovoca-road-portobello-dublin/4735851

Located just steps away from renowned eatery Bibi's, 25 Ovoca Road is a perfect location for those who want to be close to the action but live in a quiet, residential area.

Wicklow is not short of scenic locations for photography and one of the most scenic of them all is Ballinastoe Woods.

Here, a boardwalk ascends through the forest, part of a long walking route through the mountains and Irish countryside.

It's easy to imagine this place as enchanted, inhabited perhaps by a púca, one of the mythological creatures in Irish and European folklore.

Soft clear light, soft red pine needles and soft green moss add to the atmosphere of the woods as a special place, as seen here in autumn.

Mischievous in nature and seen as wicked or benevolent depending on the story, there is no doubt that an encounter with a púca would be very eventful.

As we reach Hallowe'en, based on the Irish festival of Samhain at the end of October, we arrive at the traditional day of that cheeky púca on November 1st.

So, as you leave the brighter parts of the woods take care in those darker, quiet areas for it might not be a badger that you encounter but a naughty púca; treat it with respect and I'm sure you'll be fine.

Here's another enchanted woodland that I photographed: https://panoramicireland.com/photo-tours-blog/116-ancient-woodland-co-kerry-ireland

Autumn is on its way here in Ireland, as we stopped to photograph the woodland stream beech leaves were falling constantly, not in large numbers but solely and constantly like the lightest snowfall.

Seen here, the bright reds of those fallen beech leaves lying on rich green moss-covered rocks alongside the woodland stream.

I'm sure there is some statistical analysis that can be done to predict whether a leaf will fall from its petiole, 20 metres to the ground, to land and become part of the photographer's image or be swiftly carried along by the stream which is fast-flowing and narrow, wide and slow in places, to flow towards the sea.

Or indeed to be thrown on to a rock and deposited there as higher water recedes.

The green moss here vibrant from recent wet weather, the same precipitation that feeds the stream and helps to bring those dried leaves to the ground.

And it's a scenic sight, reds and greens saturating this small corner of the Irish countryside.

Join me, Panoramic Ireland, to photograph in Ireland's woodlands in autumn, spring, summer and why not in winter too - literally all year round; improve your landscape photography on location.

It's well and truly that time of year again, Autumn is here in Ireland with clear blue skies and changing leaf colours.

That of course means colour, lots of it, as seen in this image.

A lone sycamore tree stands guard over the small stream as it flows through an empty landscape under a bright and colourful sky with white clouds and sheep grazing on grass nearby.

Of course we have heard a lot recently about a more famous lone sycamore, the one cut down at Sycamore Gap along Hadrian's Wall in England.

We enjoyed bright sunshine at the end of September here in Ireland's uplands as sheep grazed all around. 

Traditionally the start of August marks the begining of autumn in Ireland, meteorologically though September begins the season.

I have written before that October is one of my favourite months in Ireland and is definitely a time you should consider visiting the Emerald Isle.

Join Panoramic Ireland to photograph Ireland at its best in October, May and the rest of the year.

If you can't travel to Ireland, consider helping to keep Panoramic Ireland going by donating to cover the costs of maintaining the site and travelling through Ireland.

Ireland's fine scenery, as in a recent post looks as good in grey and cloudy weather as in sunshine and blue skies.

A case in point, here in the northwest, in County Donegal this landscape of granite mountains covered in a soft, boggy carpet with just delicate highlights and shadows across the empty scene.

This, a glaciated valley features steep sides hundreds of metres in height.

Join me, Panoramic Ireland, to photograph landscapes like these.

I often get asked about photography and visiting Ireland, one of the most common questions is "What is there to photograph when the weather isn't good?"

Well even in summer, like here in this image, the weather can be grey and often rainy but it's still scenic.

And yet it is how Ireland often is, not the bright sunshine and blue sky of typical postcard images. The landscape is sympathtic to the soft weather of an Irish day.

There's a poetry to the landscape in such conditions as here in Donegal and although I typically head for woodlands in grey weather, I do still enjoy photographing the open landscape with the distant grey of mountains melding in with the grey of the sky.

Join Panoramic Ireland to photograph in the Irish landscape throughout the year.

Are you visiting Ireland out of season? While most head to the Emerald Isle during the longer days of summer when temperatures are higher, the autumn, winter and spring offer much more interest photographically.

Recently I was asked what Ireland is like in October, is it worth coming to for photography and of course my answer was indeed it is worth visiting in October.

Here are some of my favourite images from Octobers over the years, a small selection but waterfalls and woodlands make up a lot of the locations.

National Heritage Week, Ireland: 12/08/2023 - 20/08/2023

National Heritage Week runs from 12th-20th August 2023 and sees events in every county in Ireland. This year’s theme is exploring the traditions and practices, knowledge, and skills passed down through generations.

Here are some of Panoramic Ireland’s picks for the week:

ECO Inishowen: Celebrating locals involved in sustainability as well as the natural heritage of Inishowen

Date & Time: 17 August, 12:30pm - 2:30pm

Location: Colgan Hall, Carndonagh, Chapel St, Gort Glebe, Carndonagh, Co. Donegal

Bat Talk in Roscommon Castle: Join ecologist David Fallon to learn about the bats living in Roscommon Castle and use a bat detector.

Date & Time: 12 August, 9pm - 10pm

Location: Roscommon Castle, Loughnaneane Park, Roscommon Town Centre, Co. Roscommon

Nano Nagle Place Markets: At Cork’s impressive Nano Nagle Place, winner of the Council of Europe’s Museum Prize in 2022, local craftspeople sell and discuss their creations.

Date & Time: 12 - 13 August, 11am - 4pm

Location: Nano Nagle Place, South Presentation Centre Ltd, Douglas Street, Cork City

Whale Watch Ireland 2023: All-Ireland Whale Watch Day. Join the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group to learn more about cetaceans and hopefully spot some off the coast between Ireland and Scotland.

Date & Time: 19 August, 2pm - 4pm

Location: Meeting at RSPB West Light Seabird Centre, Rathlin Island, Co. Antrim

Also On: 19 August, 2pm - 4pm at Car park at Portmuck, Island Magee, Co. Antrim

Carpentry and Joinery: Join Carpenter Martin Wilson, deeply knowledgeable in traditional building and restoration techniques, to explore the tools and methods integral to joinery.

Date & Time: 18 August, 6pm - 8pm

Location: Martin Wilson Workshop, Crockacullion, Beltra, F91 PY83, Co. Sligo

Fort to Fort: Venture with local historian Una Walsh as she takes you through the scenic path between Corliss and Lisleitrim, two noteworthy raths situated in the picturesque, hilly landscapes of South Armagh.

Date & Time: 12 August, 4pm - 6pm

Location: Corliss Fort, Corliss, Crossmaglen, BT35 9AY, Co. Armagh

Clonmel in the Middle Ages: Archaeologist with Ireland’s National Monuments Service, Jean Farrelly, will give a talk on the history of Tipperary’s largest town.

Date & Time: 16 August, 6pm - 7pm

Location: Emmet Street, Clonmel, E91 YW66, Co. Tipperary

Walled Garden at Strokestown Park House Visitor Centre: During Heritage Week, the volunteer gardeners will give advice and show how the gardens are cultivated today compared with 300 years ago.

Date & Time: 14 - 17 August, 12pm - 4pm

Location: Strokestown Park House Visitor Centre, Strokestown Park House, Co. Roscommon

Poetry by the Barrow: Barrow Bards are entertaining on the theme of Water Heritage Day and Town of Books Festival with poetry celebrating the Barrow and Duiske rivers, their importance to the local area.

Date & Time: 20 August, 3:30pm - 4:30pm

Location: Duiske Inn (outside), Main Street, Graignamanagh, Co Kilkenny, R95 DH00

River Barrow Safari: Also on in Graignamanagh is a walk and talk with well-known broadcaster and biologist Éanna Ní Lamhna

Date & Time: 20 August, 2:15pm - 3:15pm

Location: Outdoor Activity Hub, The Docks Graignamanagh, Co Kilkenny, R95 EKN5

The Fair of Muff: An ancient horse fair held annually in August. The Fair of Muff has plenty of traditional activities and characters in the rural County Cavan townland - not to be confused with the Muff in Donegal. Will you be heading for Muff this weekend?

Date & Time: 12 August, 9am - 6pm

Location: Muff Cross, Kingscourt, Co. Cavan

It’s coming up to Electric Picnic time again. Ireland’s largest music festival is set to return to Stradbally from the 1st to 3rd of September 2023 with a big line up featuring Billie Eilish, The Killers, Paolo Nutini, Niall Horan, The Wolfe Tones and Rick Astley among others.

All tickets are sold out but you can still get to head to EP2023. 

Every year for the past 13 years Electric Picnic have run the Tour de Picnic, a charity cycle that gives you, and others like you who have missed out on tickets, the opportunity to fundraise for good causes and challenge yourself.

Entry is still open for the Tour de Picnic but you need to be quick as the cut off date for fundraising is the 18th of August.

This year you can partake in an 80km cycle or, for those of us lucky enough not to have shin splints, a 17km run.

The charities supported in 2023 are Children's Health Foundation, ISPCC, and Jack and Jill Children's Foundation.

Each participant will need to raise €450 and in return will receive a three-day ticket to Electric Picnic that includes camping.

All the information is up on the website at: https://www.tourdepicnic.ie/faqs-info

But before you go rushing out to just sponsor yourself €450, you do need to actually partake in and complete the Tour de Picnic before you get your ticket.

Get stretching and good luck!