While researching new locations for photography workshops recently, I found this very scenic woodland for the first time.

Not a famous location, and all the better for it. This woodland is quiet and has a mixture of native and non-native broadleaf trees.

Unfortunately it is increasingly being surrounded by large conifer plantations that often result in the decline of these deciduous arboreal islands and the life that exists therein.

I don't think it is an ancient woodland, rare places in Ireland, but it certainly is old and has the look of a very pretty wood indeed with narrow, twisting paths, a river, moss-covered rocks and trees, as well as plenty of wildlife.

I will be back here to photograph and to lead photography workshops so if you would like to join me to learn how to photograph woodland scenes, contact me to improve your photography in 2023 in Ireland's fantastically scenic woodlands.

Happy Christmas from Ireland. As is most typical, we haven't seen snow at Christmas this year, to quote a famous Pet Shop Boys song "It Doesn't Often Snow at Christmas."

Despite the cold weather of recent weeks, Ireland is quite mild - as is often the case, winter usually comes in January and February, deep into the season.

We have had winter already this year, but also Winter is Coming.

Here, a fine wintery image from the Irish countryside, a mountain ridge and snow under a deep blue sky.

I think, based on how cold it has been already in December, that we will see more snow and cold temperatures throughout the rest of winter and into spring 2023.

If you can't join me to photograph in Ireland in Winter 2022/2023 then join me in Spring and Summer 2023 to photograph the hidden Ireland.

One of the most prominent, and fantastic views in Waterford City is that from Merchant's Quay on the south side of the River Suir looking towards the lofty Ard Rí Hotel on the Airmount side of Waterford.

Opened in the 1960s the 160 bed former hotel was bought by Jurys in the 1990s who then sold it to the McEniff hotel chain who still own six hotels in Ireland.

In 2005 the hotel burned and it closed for good. Subsequent fires and vandalism followed before it became a canvas for one of the Waterford Walls projects which saw Joe Caslin create this large street art piece to at least give the impressive structure some dignity.

The site was bought in 2017 and has not been developed since despite plans to do so. This side of Waterford City, part of which lies in neighbouring County Kilkenny, is due to undergo a large scale transformation that will see a whole new section added to the city known as Waterford North Quays (SDZ).

Join Panoramic Ireland, that's me, for a photography tour in Waterford in 2023 and beyond.

I wrote a few years ago about one of Ireland's most famous mariners, Admiral Brown, who was born in Foxford, County Mayo in 1777; pictured above is the statue in Dublin rather than Foxford.

It has been almost 10 years since my last visit to Foxford, another journey to this scenic part of Ireland is overdue.

Over many years, William Brown distinguished himself as a mariner and eventually rose to the rank of Admiral, having founding the Argentinian navy during its independence campaign from Spain in the early 19th century.

He is regarded as a national hero with almost every town in Argentina having a street named for Almirante Guillermo Brown as he was known in the country.

In recent years of course the interest in Argentine-Irish connections has received a boost, particularly with the current World Cup 2022 featuring Irish-Argentinian Alexis MacAllister.

Tickets for Ireland's biggest music festival, Electric Picnic 2023, will go on sale this week on Friday 9th of December.

Some of the headline acts for EP23 have been announced and include Billie Eilish, Lewis Capaldi and Niall Horan.

Find more information on tickets here.

I have written about Dublin at Christmas before, the city is of course well known for its nightlife and vibrant culture but recently Dublin has made it on to the Conde Nast Traveller best cities for Christmas list.

And I would have to agree, there are plenty of bars, lots of great museums and sights to see.

Strangely though the authors did suggest that it is somehow typical here in Dublin to eat black pudding on a night out "There’s no better way to warm up on a cold Christmas night than with some black pudding and a few pints—"  and this very line has raised a few chuckles from many Irish people, because no one eats black pudding in this way.

Of course, when you are here why not take a Dublin Photography Tour with Panoramic Ireland, it's one of the best ways to see Dublin and is an activity that doesn't involve drinking.

Dublin's Custom House is no stranger to the pages of Panoramic Ireland, the iconic structure was finished in 1791 and has been probably Dublin's most recognisable building ever since.

Architect James Gandon designed and oversaw the construction of the Custom House, literally the place where taxes or customs were paid on good coming in to and out of Dublin.

Built with Portland stone, a fine white limestone from the south of England, the Custom House exuded a strong sense of authority over the merchants in Dublin yet the location was obsolete by the time it was finished as the main port operations had moved much further downstream to accommodate larger ships of the late 18th and early 19th century.

The Custom House is seen here with half reflections on a calm River Liffey affected by a little wind.

Panoramic Ireland's Dublin Photo Tours are the original in Ireland and run all year round - learn how to improve your photography with a private experience from an Irish photographer who has worked for the biggest names in the travel and publishing world.

Sunset on Saint Patrick's Cathedral, one of Dublin's most famous buildings.

Founded on the site of Saint Patrick's conversion of a local pagan to Christianity in the 5th century, the first reference to the site dates from the 9th century but it is 1212AD before the church becomes a cathedral.

The original tower was destroyed and rebuilt in 1370, the spire as seen here pointing skywards was added much later.

Interestingly there was a university founded here at Saint Patrick's in 1320 that, had it still been in existence, would be the 10th oldest university in the world.

Join Panoramic Ireland to photograph Irish, and Dublin, scenes.

Photography workshops and tours available all year round, throughout Ireland.

Panoramic Ireland's Dublin Photo Tours don't stop during the winter, we enjoy photographing all year round in Dublin and throughout Ireland.

Just have a look through the Blog section for more.

Here from one of our photography workshops in Dublin this week, the colours of the Convention Centre set to those of the Irish Tricolour - Green, White and Orange.

And of course, this time of year is a good point to think about buying a voucher for friends and family to use throughout the year.

Bright golden autumn colour on one of Ireland's many back roads.

While some Irish thoroughfares get all the attention, The Dark Hedges and Grafton Street being two prime examples, the country is accessible from a dense network of small back roads that, in many places, are incredibly scenic.

Just colour here beside a small river, enough to make you want to stop and just take it all in for the few weeks of autumn every year.

The season is changing now and after lots of windy but warm weather recently most of the leaves are off the trees. The bare season of winter is nearly here.

Scenic and Colourful Irish Road in Autumn