The Eagle has long admired the work of photographer Tom Vaughan of Ballydehob. A West Cork native whose normal fare is drone and commercial photography for estate agents he puts together occasional compilations of his aerial photography to promote both his business and this beautiful part of Ireland on the Wild Atlantic Way. After seeing the likes of Galley Head Lighthouse in Rosscarbery, Charles Fort in Kinsale, Baltimore, Mizen Head and Timoleague Abbey, you’ll be hitting the road to see West Cork in person.  The aerial footage in this video is all around Cork but mainly West Cork.

It’s no wonder they call West Cork “A Place Apart”. Nature sets the pace in this beautiful south west corner of Ireland, stretching from the south-coast of Kinsale to three rugged westerly peninsulas reaching into the wild Atlantic: Mizen Head, Sheep’s Head and Beara.

West Cork is the place many head for, leaving city lives behind to play along the long zig-zagging coastline, and walk or ride through peaceful inland woods and valleys. Hundreds of inlets, tiny coves, safe harbours and beaches are just right for long active days in the salty air.

There’s something restorative about the temperate climate and sub-tropical gardens, the tranquil lanes thick with fuchsia and montbretia, the sudden glimpses of water through the trees, the shifting light, and the soft greens, greys and violets of bays and distant mountains. 

There’s edge-of-the-world drama too: climbing up to a mountain pass through ever-changing weather, crossing the bridge to the end of Mizen Head with the Atlantic crashing below, or taking the cable car to Dursey Island, one of over a hundred West Cork islands. Seven of these are inhabited, including Ireland’s most southerly community on Cape Clear “the storytellers’ island”, where Irish is spoken as a first language, and there’s an independent way of life.

Beyond Cape Clear, the imposing Fastnet Lighthouse stands on a rock known as Ireland’s tear drop, for emigrants to the new world, this was their last sight of their native land. The whole coast echoes with history, ancient sites, ruined castles, coastal forts, copper mines.

West Cork is both very Irish, and quite cosmopolitan, for many have ‘blown-in’ on the winds and stayed to make this beautiful place their home. There’s a strong creative community here.… It’s A Place Apart. 

Places featured in this video include the following; Roaringwater Bay, Galley Head, Baltimore, Audley Cove, Mizen Head Lighthouse, Heir Island, Ballydehob, Sherkin Island, The Shakey Bridge, Sundays Well, Three Castle Head, Dursey Cable Car, Bantry House, Long Island, Castle Freke, River Ilen, Glandore, Kinsale, Kilcoe Castle, Liss Ard, Schull, Skeam Island.

Tom’s site is http://www.oakwoodaerialphotography.ie/

See you on your visit soon!

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The Skibbereen Eagle

In 1898, to widespread bemusement, a small Provincial Newspaper in an equally small town in the South West corner of Ireland sonorously warned the Czar of Russia that it knew what he was up to and he should be careful how he proceeded for “The Skibbereen Eagle” was wise to his game and in future would be keeping its eye on him! It is doubtful that Nicholas II, Emperor and Autocrat of All the Russias, even noticed the Eagle’s admonitions but as history soon proved he should have paid closer attention to the Eagle’s insightful opinions!

Today, powered by its readers and contributors, from its cyber eyries in Ireland and the centres of the Irish Diaspora The Eagle casts its Cold Eye on Life and Death and much in between.

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