Ireland is currently on a Level 5 lockdown due to the COVID-19 / Coronavirus pandemic, the country had one of the best - lowest - rates of infection in Europe until recent weeks where we unfortunately saw the 14-day incidence rate become the highest in the world.

Now as Ireland grapples to try and reduce one of the world's highest 14-day incidence rates of Coronavirus infections, it would seem that travel will not be similar to what we call normal until late summer, most likely autumn, of 2021 but let's follow the path towards the rainbow.

They say you'll find gold at the end of a rainbow, that certainly hasn't literally happened to me but there is visual gold in rainbows. Here a faint double rainbow is visible to the right of the image.

Patience and optimism is a key attribute in any photographic endeavour, particularly in landscape photography.

And for that reason, Panoramic Ireland are taking no-deposit required, freely cancellable bookings for 2021 and 2022 - private tours and workshops in Ireland.

The West of Ireland, it's the place that I photograph most often in Ireland along with the Antrim Coast and Dublin.

Here, a typical western scene of rugged mountains, very often coated with a soft green of grass and, here where you see the reddishness, bracken that has died back for the winter. 

Bracken is a type of fern Pteridium that dates back some 55 million years, is highly invasive and can cause cancer in humans (only if eaten) and is poisonous to animals (again only if eaten).

Ireland is a small country, there is no doubt about that but it has surprising variation in geography across its landscape of 486km by 275km.

Here, one of the best known mountains in the country - especially around Dublin - is the Sugarloaf, the tallest peak seen here just right of centre.

This image comes from winter, on a Panoramic Ireland photography workshop in the Irish mountains.

Ireland has seen more than its fair share of stormy weather this summer, as I write we have thunderstorms and heavy rain with very warm temperatures.

This weather of course gives rise to rainbows, this one seen here shining over an old abbey building dating to the 12th century.

These stones have stood here for 800 years, the rainbow lasted mere minutes. 

It got me wondering, how many rainbows has this old building in the Irish countryside seen?

Now there's a thought, but even without an answer it was still a fine sight.

I have written about rainbows here on panoramicireland.com before, here are a few of my favourites: 

https://panoramicireland.com/blog-ireland-guide/croagh-patrick-pilgrimage-brocken-spectre-ringed-glory-irish-mountain

https://panoramicireland.com/photo-tours-blog/rainbow-portobello-dublin

https://panoramicireland.com/miscellaneous-blog-category/stormy-day-weather-brings-delights-ardglass-co-down-northern-ireland

I have written about Connemara here on panoramicireland.com many times before, including here.

It's a place that I know well, a place that I have photographed many times. Often I have stood in the rain, capturing the misty scenes of this part of Ireland, many times I have captured fine sunsets and explored the region's beauty.

Here a scene of fast moving clouds and ruffled water zooms past a tree-laden island and barren mountainside, a riot of colour.

Carrickfergus Castle was begun by John de Courcy in 1177.

De Courcy was an Anglo-Norman knight who came to Ireland at the behest of Dermot MacMurrough, King of Leinster, who sought the English King Henry II's help in becoming King of Ireland.

With no inheritance in England due, no lands and title - de Courcy set off from the southeast of Ireland to the north, and effectively defeated any opposition in County Down and County Antrim. Thus begins a turbulent millennium of English involvement in Ireland.

Croagh Patrick Brocken Spectre and Ringed Glory

Ireland is a magical place, many myths and legends abound of superheroic endeavours and mysterious peoples.

That magic didn’t disappear centuries ago either, it still exists.

With recent cloudy overnight weather it has been difficult to find an opportunity to get out and photograph Comet NEOWISE or C/2020 F3 (NEOWISE).

The celestial body is now heading away from Earth and is fading, soon to disappear.

So with a good evening sky and a forecast for clear skies I headed into the mountains.

Photographing clouds and other scenes as I waited for the sky to darken, I was greeted about an hour after sunset with more and more cloud. Thickening all the while, I eventually lost sight of any open sky.

As midnight approached, sunset was at 21:40 - I descended out of the mountains really with the intention of heading on, to abandon hope of photographing the comet.

But as the altitude changed, so did my view of the sky - I could finally see some stars and the Plough became visible in the northern sky.

I knew that NEOWISE would be close to the Plough and sure enough when I found a quiet crossroads in the Irish countryside I finally had a view of the whole sky.

Surprised that I could just see it with the unaided eye, I quickly set about photographing the comet, first with a wideangle lens then with a longer lens.

It burns a fine green at the moment, having been a red colour last week.

And that might be the last time I have the opportunity to search for and photograph NEOWISE as the forecast for night skies over Ireland for the rest of July aren't wonderful. But, with the patience of a photographer I will have at least another attempt.

Join Panoramic Ireland on a photography workshop or photo tour in Ireland.

With the relaxation of travel restrictions in Ireland in recent weeks, and the news that my post-cancer checkups will be back soon, I took a visit to the coast.

And I chose the Copper Coast on Ireland's south coast, County Waterford where I run photography workshops.

This fine section of Irish coast doesn't form part of the Wild Atlantic Way but has some of the most scenic bays and beaches in Ireland.

Join me here on this beautiful coast to learn how to improve your photography.

Panoramic Ireland's photography workshops operate all year round, have a look at the Copper Coast page or send me an email to find out more.

Things change, particularly in Dublin where little remains the same for long.

Take the Bernard Shaw Pub on Dublin's Richmond Street, once a hipster, artistic honeypot and now closed (although they did move, this site is being redeveloped) - this scenic moment captured on a Dublin Photo Tour.

One thing hasn't changed though, Panoramic Ireland's Dublin Photo Tours are running again as they always have with social distancing in mind.

Our private tours and workshops run all year round, every day of the week at times to suit you. Once you make an enquiry we can work out a good time, location and subject matter to suit your interests, as we always have done for over 10 years.

If you are looking for things to do in Dublin, send an email or see the Dublin Photo Tours page for more information, tours and workshops available now from July 2020 onwards.