Winter can be cold and monotone in places around the world, but here in Ireland it is more often than not a colourful time of year interspersed with snowy days.

Most of the time, snow is absent even in the mountains except for the rare years.

Here we have the rugged, weathered mountains of the west of Ireland and the Atlantic looking calm.

Winter 2020 is far from over, currently we are having storms but there is still plenty of time for snow like this to blanket the mountains of Ireland.

Deep snow blankets the normally grassy landscape of the Irish mountains as sunset approaches.

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Despite assurances from all of the self-proclaimed experts on long range weather forecasting in Ireland, summer 2019 has not been as good as 2018 and is on par with 2017 as having been grey, windy, rainy, grey, windy, rainy...

It has at least been warm, but for photography it has been challenging. The winds, while not hurricane strength have nonetheless been constant in their presence and changeable in their direction and speed.

In other words, tripod-toppling weather.

Here is one from a tour in the west of Ireland, as the sun's rays shone through the thick, fast-moving cloud onto the choppy harbour waters of the Atlantic. The greens of the fields aglow with stormy light.

I've been exploring the Irish countryside, photographing landscapes, rivers, woodlands and waterfalls a lot recently.

The weather has been mixed with some fine sunny days and some rainy spells, but the Irish countryside looks great in any case.

Out on Ireland's Atlantic Coast, in one of the most remote places in the country, sits Blacksod Lighthouse.

A new documentary by Ireland's national broadcaster RTE tells the story of Maureen Sweeney, who on her 21st birthday, was taking weather readings at this remote outpost and relaying those through Ballina and Dublin to the Allies in Doncaster where Group Captain Stagg was interpreting the weather charts and information provided by various stations including those from Blacksod and advising General Eisenhower of the best time to launch the D-Day landings in June 1944.

Low visibility is a common problem in Ireland, landscape photography usually requires long, clear uninterrupted views so on this occasion we headed away from the big views and looked instead for scenes that suited the weather.

Here, we stopped on one of Panoramic Ireland's photography workshops in the Irish countryside to photograph sheep under a grey sky but a colourful landscape.

Lush green of late spring in Ireland both in the fields and the hedges, broken by bright orange-yellow flowers of gorse and white flowers of hawthorn.

A scene from the west of Ireland as storm clouds roll in.

Ireland's weather is variable, the country is influenced by westerly winds from the Atlantic predominantly but is also subject to Arctic and Siberian influences.

The softness of the Irish landscape is here complemented by the softness of the Irish weather.

A chilly start to the day before the sun warmed the green and grey of the west of Ireland, clouds gently lifted from the lake towards the weathered mountain tops.

And then, on we go capturing scenes from this scenic part of the world.

Join me to photograph the west of Ireland, all year round.

This week's image of the week is this one of a storm cloud and low sunshine in Ireland.

Check back next week for the next image of the week from Panoramic Ireland.

The sunny days of summer are here in Ireland.

Long days of bright, warm weather have helped to create a landscape filled with fresh greens.

Panoramic Ireland's photo tours have covered every Irish province this year with country lanes providing access to scenic views and photographic opportunities away from the busy tourist spots.

Join me for a photography adventure in Ireland this summer, the countryside is looking great with all this fine weather.

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