An attempt at HDR Photography
An first attempt at HDR photography
Click on the photo to enlarge.
Here’s something I’ve never done before so I have no Idea how good or bad it is. HDR photography. This is just the beginning hopefully. Taken at Glengarra Woods. Co Tipperary.
Mitchelstown Castle and Georgian King square
What a day this turned out to be.
As part of my current tour guide training with Ballyhoura Development I had to pick a location and research its history for my upcoming final exam and as I live in Mitchelstown which has hundreds of years of history surrounding it, I decided to choose Kingston College.
“The name ‘college’ does not refer to an educational establishment, but to a community, where people live by common rules in a specific place. At Kingston College, men and women have enjoyed independent living in the busy town of Mitchelstown for two and a half centuries.” (Alicia St. Leger)
I feel so privileged to have met a wonderful lady by the name of Carole Bradley who just gave me the most excellent private tour of the beautiful setting of the College in Mitchelstown Co. Cork. She brought me into her fabulous 250 year old home where I had the pleasure of meeting her 2 adorable King Charles Cavaliers. (Lil and Bandit) I was allowed access to the very intimate setting of the little chapel with it’s prominent stained glass window and then taken on a tour of the “never seen” rear gardens and I must say that I was awed by what I saw. I could write all day about my experience there but that’s a story for another time. Suffice it to say that the rear garden of Carole’s house has been turned into a work of art and if you saw the before and after photos then you’d be gobsmacked. It was truly an experience never to be forgotten and I was lucky enough to see it. With Carole’s assistance I will try to get some photos together and publish them here at another time or by request.
After I bade farewell to Carole I walked to the tree lined road that once was the avenue leading to the castle. What a head wrecking, mind bending experience it was, to stand in the road facing two stone piers that once opened to reveal the magnificent Mitchelstown Castle and imagine if it still stood today. Truly, the heart of a huge community was ripped apart back in 1922 when they burned the castle (in my opinion this was to hide the looting) and no one will ever convince me of anything other than that it was an absolute unwarranted disgrace perpetrated by a shower of wantonly destructive idiots under some illusion of so called “patriotic” behaviour after the Anglo-Irish treaty which granted Ireland it’s “free state” status. The order to burn the castle was given by PJ Luddy and I hope he turns in his grave for the despicable order. I don’t particularly care what others may think of my ranting on this subject as it’s my own opinion and one which I will stand by.The castle was then torn down a few years later and the cut stone facings were bought by the Cistercians and taken away to build a new wing for Mount Melleray monastery.
On the site where the castle once stood in splendid repose now looms a hideous structure of steel and pretend employment (imho) which has been used as an excuse for far too long in relation to the demolition of what could have been the ultimate Irish castle and a magnificent tourist attraction.
I could go into more detail but time is limited and there’s a book worth of information in my head. If questions are eating at you then just drop a comment below and I will answer as best I can. The photos below are copies of copies and no copyright infringement is intended.
If anyone has a good reason or a sustainable argument then I shall retract my above statements and publish an apology. Somehow, I don’t believe there is anyone out there with the balls.
Monday March 31st 2014. Galtee Mountains
Looking at the Galtee Mountains through sticky windows, heavy with the breath of living beings. Wondering if I should brave the burning lungs and aching limbs to stumble over loose stones and pain before dragging bog heavy boots and legs to look upward at cloud covered danger. It wouldn’t be my first time into the cloud and hopefully it won’t be my last.
I suppose the only things stopping me now are the 16 stones and lack of motivation as I sit behind the safety of a computer screen trying to fool myself into thinking that I’ll definitely do it “tomorrow”. Oh the joys of being me. The attached photo I took some time ago with a Pentax x70 bridge camera. It shows the splendid Galtee Mountains from the Mitchelstown to Ballylanders road. 
Tim Butler 