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.

The coastline of Ireland comes in many different forms - the sandy beaches with turquoise waters, rocky headlands and coves, pebbles and stones. All of these elements make up the ever changing and ever beautiful coast of the Emerald Isle.

Here I made this image from a visit to the north coast, the rocky peaks just offshore look a little like a film set especially when seen against the post-sunset sky with its pinks and oranges fading into blue.

I have added a little post-processing to give a more mystical, moody feel to this seascape.

Join me on a photography tour and learn how to make images like these, from €220 for a private one-to-one workshop.

Here in this west of Ireland sunset is one of my favourite images from 2017, as seen in my YouTube video here.

For over ten years I have been organising photography workshops and tours here in Ireland.

The sunset image is one of the most lambasted, often cited as a hackneyed subject matter in photography but actually, photographed correctly (like here from this Panoramic Ireland photography workshop), the sunset can be enticing, mesmerising, one of two potential perfect moments in a 24 hour period for lighting and colour.

Learn how to photograph the sunset in any conditions on a private photography workshop by contacting me here.

Join me, Panoramic Ireland, for a photography tour and workshop in the west of Ireland to learn how to photograph scenes like this.

Not very high, the mountains of Ireland are nevertheless full of character and are actually often dusted with snow in the winter.

At 1,038m, Carrauntoohil is the highest point in Ireland; we don't have much in the way of high altitude but in the winter there is snow at 300m and above in many of the mountains for some of the year.

The snow appears to be gone for the moment but while it lasted the landscapes of Ireland's mountains were transformed.

No doubt we will see more before the summer arrives.

To join me on a photographic expedition into the mountains, contact me here.

See more of the journey into the mountains on this YouTube video.

Recent cold weather has brought clear conditions with bright blue skies and frosty mornings.

The hedgerows take on another form when frost covered and the mountains beckon, their ice-covered summits set against the bright blue sky can be almost blinding.

This is of course perfect for the landscape photographer in winter.

February 2017 saw me photographing a lot of studio images for my site darrenmcloughlin.com but I did venture out into the countryside both on my own and while leading tours in Dublin, Wicklow and Kilkenny.

Snow made a return during February 2017 and crocus flowers were in full bloom. The coast of course was a perfect destination with stormy weather and beautiful winter light.

Have a look at the YouTube video here for the show.

Ardmore Cathedral on a fine sunny winter's day, Ireland.

Ardmore Cathedral is one of Ireland's oldest Christian settlements having been founded in the 5th century by the pre-Patrician Saint Declan. In other words, this was a religious settlement before the arrival of Ireland's most famous Christian figure Saint Patrick.

Situated on a height overlooking the Atlantic Ocean in County Waterford in Ireland's southeast, Ardmore has an amazing collection of ancient monuments including the 12th century 30m high round tower and carvings in the cathedral wall as seen on this image from a bright winter's day in Ireland. The Romanesque carvings as seen here are quite unusual in Ireland.

Read more about Irish round towers here.

I moved on to photograph the coast, Ireland is perfect for landscape photography in the winter.

So if you are looking for something to do in Ireland in winter join Panoramic Ireland, that's me, on a photography tour in Ireland to learn how to photograph places like Saint Declan's monastery here at Ardmore.