Northern & Northwest Ireland: Colours of the Coast

[BRITAIN.IRELANDNORTH 21.857] ‘Irish optimism.’ The rain is pouring down on his van on a grey day at White Park Bay in Northern Ireland, but that doesn't prevent this good humoured Irishman from painting a colourful sunset on his canvas. Photo Mick Palarczyk.

[BRITAIN.IRELANDNORTH 21.851] ‘Fin’s bridge.’ The basaltic rock columns of Giant’s Causeway are battered by the Atlantic Ocean. According to myth the Causeway was built as a bridge to Scotland by the giant Finn, who wanted to test his strength against his Scottish rival Fingal. Photo Mick Palarczyk.

[BRITAIN.IRELANDNORTH 21.861] ‘Rainy sunset.’ Sheltering in his van at White Park Bay near Ballintoy, the pouring rain doesn’t prevent this seascape painter from creating a colourful sunset on his canvas. Photo Mick Palarczyk.

[BRITAIN.IRELANDNORTH 21.845] ‘Golden bays.’ The Atlantic coast near Benbane Head, west of Ballintoy, consists of a succession of bays and inlets. Photo Mick Palarczyk.

[BRITAIN.IRELANDNORTH 21.848] ‘Giant’s Causeway.’ The Giant’s Causeway (in foreground) is a 60 million old lava flow with basaltic rock that cooled into thousands of hexagonal columns, which can also be observed in other lava flows that are exposed in the cliff face behind. Photo Mick Palarczyk.

[BRITAIN.IRELANDNORTH 21.862] ‘Dunluce castle.’ The ruins of 14th century Dunluce castle balance on the edge of the Atlantic cliff coast north of Coleraine. Photo Mick Palarczyk.

[BRITAIN.IRELANDNORTH 21.869] ‘Beech cathedral.’ At Stranocum, east of Coleraine, the mysticism of Ireland is embodied by this splendid tunnel of beech branches which arch up like the vaults of a gothic cathedral. Legend tells that a supernatural ‘Grey Lady’ haunts the thin ribbon of road that winds beneath the ancient trees. She silently glides along the roadside and vanishes as she passes the last beech tree. Some say the specter is the ghost of a maid from the nearby house who died in mysterious circumstances centuries ago. Others believe that she is a lost spirit from an abandoned graveyard that is thought to lie hidden in the fields nearby. On Halloween night, the forgotten graves are said to open and the Grey Lady is joined on her walk by the tormented souls of those who were buried beside her. Photo Mick Palarczyk.

[BRITAIN.IRELANDNORTH 21.874] ‘Green Ireland.’ Green Ireland shimmers behind these ancient beech trees at Stranocum, east of Coleraine. Photo Mick Palarczyk.

[IRELAND.DONEGAL 21.771] ‘Cows on beach.’ On the shore of Donegal Bay near St. John’s Point, cows have chosen a tranquil beach to ruminate. Photo Mick Palarczyk.

[IRELAND.DONEGAL 21.774] ‘St. John’s Point.’ Yellow lichens cover the eroded limestone cliffs at St. John’s Point, a nice spot to look out over McSwyne’s Bay and the Atlantic Ocean. Photo Mick Palarczyk.

[IRELAND.DONEGAL 21.777] ‘Slieve League.’ Slieve League, the 595 meter high Atlantic cliff shore west of Carrick, acquires a golden glow in the evening sunlight. Photo Mick Palarczyk.

[IRELAND.DONEGAL 21.779] ‘Holy well.’ Holy well of St.Columb near Glencolumbkille. Every year on Columb’s name-day (june 9th) pilgrims climb to this remote spot. As penance they carry three stones which are left at the well. Photo Mick Palarczyk.

[IRELAND.DONEGAL 21.783] ‘St. Columb.’ St.Columb, who christianized parts of 6th century Ireland and Scotland, was born on the shore of Lough Gartan. This wax image can be found at Colmcille Heritage Center on the shore of the lough. Photo Mick Palarczyk.

[BRITAIN.IRELANDNORTH 21.865] ‘Beech cathedral.’ At Stranocum, east of Coleraine, the mysticism of Ireland is embodied by this splendid tunnel of beech branches which arch up like the vaults of a gothic cathedral. Legend tells that a supernatural ‘Grey Lady’ haunts the thin ribbon of road that winds beneath the ancient trees. She silently glides along the roadside and vanishes as she passes the last beech tree. Some say the specter is the ghost of a maid from the nearby house who died in mysterious circumstances centuries ago. Others believe that she is a lost spirit from an abandoned graveyard that is thought to lie hidden in the fields nearby. On Halloween night, the forgotten graves are said to open and the Grey Lady is joined on her walk by the tormented souls of those who were buried beside her. Photo Mick Palarczyk.

[BRITAIN.IRELANDNORTH 21.838] ‘Library on the edge.’ The Mussenden Temple at Downhill, west of Coleraine, is poised on the Atlantic coast. Built in the 18th century by an eccentric Derry bishop, it housed his library and possibly his mistress. Photo Mick Palarczyk.

[BRITAIN.IRELANDNORTH 21.853 ‘Natural hexagons.’ The hexagonal columns of Giant’s Causeway look like man made objects but are in fact the result of the cooling and shrinking process in a 60 million old lava flow. Photo Mick Palarczyk.

[BRITAIN.IRELANDNORTH 21.843] ‘Coastal path.’ The coastal footpath near Portbradden, west of Ballintoy, makes us of little ladders to wriggle its way along steep cliffs and tiny inlets. Photo Mick Palarczyk.

[BRITAIN.IRELANDNORTH 21.855] ‘Church at Ballintoy.’ The church of Ballintoy on the Atlantic coast. Photo Mick Palarczyk.

[BRITAIN.IRELANDNORTH 21.866] ‘Beech cathedral.’ At Stranocum, east of Coleraine, the mysticism of Ireland is embodied by this splendid tunnel of beech branches which arch up like the vaults of a gothic cathedral. Photo Mick Palarczyk.

[BRITAIN.IRELANDNORTH 21.871] ‘Beech cathedral-2.’ At Stranocum, east of Coleraine, the mysticism of Ireland is embodied by this splendid tunnel of beech branches which arch up like the vaults of a gothic cathedral. Photo Mick Palarczyk.

[IRELAND.DONEGAL 21.766] ’Thatched cottage.’ The temperate Irish climate allows Montbretias to flower abundantly along the garden wall of a typical Irish thatched cottage, south of Dunkineely. Photo Mick Palarczyk.

[IRELAND.DONEGAL 21.769] Thatched shed.’ Thatched shed on the shore of McSwyne’s Bay, south of Dunkineely. Photo Mick Palarczyk.

[IRELAND.DONEGAL 21.775] ‘St. John’s Point.’ Yellow lichens cover the eroded limestone cliffs at St. John’s Point, a nice spot to look out over McSwyne’s Bay and the Atlantic Ocean. Photo Mick Palarczyk.

[IRELAND.DONEGAL 21.778] ‘Music Nightly.’ Irish pubs are famous for their live music. Wind battered pub sign in Carrick. Photo Mick Palarczyk.

[IRELAND.DONEGAL 21.780] ‘Labyrinth cross.’ This ‘Turas Cholmcille’ at Glencolumbkille has been erected as a prehistoric menhir and was christianized in the 6th century by St. Columb who inscribed a labyrinth-like cross in it. Photo Mick Palarczyk.