It has been two years since our Group visited Vernon Mount to capture the action of motocross. Once again we received a very warm welcome from hosts, The Munster Motorcycle Club.
We really enjoyed ourselves photographing the riders as they soared through the trees and over the many jumps along the course rising dust as they sped by.
Congratulations to all the riders who were crowned 2019 Southern Masters.
Click here to see a gallery of images from this shoot. Enjoy!
– Eileen Upton
fEAST is a festival run by the people of East Cork and East Cork Camera Group could not miss out on this opportunity to capture the colours and flavours of this local event.
At least 15 nationalities working together to showcase the diversity of cultures in East Cork with over 40 stalls lining the Main Street showcasing their produce. Enjoying the sunshine and friendly atmosphere our Group members mingled among the huge crowds on Sunday to capture the atmosphere of the day.
Click here to see a gallery of images from this shoot. Enjoy!
– Eileen Upton
On Sunday, 13th January, East Cork Camera Group paid a visit to Youghal. We met at Green Park and divided into groups in order to cover the entire town. The Clock Gate Tower was our first stop and is the most visible landmark in the centre of the town. Although built in 1777 as a gaol, its story spans 700 years of history. It is divided into four floors. Each floor depicts a different era in time and includes a medieval merchant’s dwelling, 18th Century Gaol, a “time-keeping floor” and a former family home.
There was a commanding view from the top of the building. The only sound to be heard was the clicking of cameras until the Clock struck “3” and then we descended with the sound of the bells ringing in our ears. An absolutely fascinating place to visit and we could have spent hours there.
Our next stop was St Marys Collegiate Church, nestled under the protective arms of Youghal’s Town Walls in the Raleigh Quarter, which can claim to be the oldest church in Ireland with continuous worship since the 13th Century. The trusses of the stunning nave roof have been carbon dated to the late 12th century. There we photographed plaques and effigies and in particular the magnificent stained glass
windows.
One of Ireland’s oldest cinemas, the Regal Cinema reopened its doors in 2018 following a year-long renovation. The cinema was built in 1936 and many of its original architectural features have been meticulously restored making a visit a truly nostalgic experience.
We then headed to Youghal Lighthouse which has a unique history beginning in 1190 when a light tower stood on the site of the present tower. The Tower as we know it was built in 1848. Its location is unique in that it is almost in the centre of the town.
We could not leave Youghal without paying a visit to the beach. We all headed down to the front strand to capture the setting sun. As the sun set, we headed for home after a very enjoyable day spent in one of the towns of Ireland’s Ancient East.
See a gallery of images from the shoot here. Enjoy!
– Eileen Upton
Eileen Upton LIPF, Kevin Day AIPF, and Noelle Lowney LIPF
There was a strong showing from East Cork Camera Group at last Saturday’s Irish Photographic Federation Distinction Sitting in Thurles, Co. Tipperary with six members seeking Distinctions.
Kevin Day, Dave Harris, Fidelma Read, and John Tait were seeking Associateships while Noelle Lowney and Eileen Upton were seeking Licentiateships. With a capacity entry, judging began at 10 am accompanied by the expected apprehension and expectation of those being assessed.
Kevin, Eileen, and Noelle were all successful while Dave, Fidelma, and John narrowly missed out but lived to fight another day. Well done to all.
– Anthony O’Connor
Cork Harbour Festival is the largest annual event in Cork Harbour with a nine-day celebration of maritime culture and heritage. There are over 70 events in Cork City and the harbour towns and villages.
Ocean to City – An Rás Mór is the flagship event of the Cork Harbour Festival and is Ireland’s very own long-distance rowing race. The first race was held in 2005 and was originally a race for traditional fixed-seat boats. It has now grown into an annual event for an all-inclusive rowing and paddling event embracing everything from traditional wooden working boats, currachs, skiffs, gigs and Chinese dragon boats to contemporary ocean racing shells, kayaks, canoes and even stand-up paddle boards, attracting over 600 Irish and international participants from the U.S., Germany, Spain, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, crewing over 200 craft.
On Saturday, 2nd June, our Group took up many vantage points along Cork Harbour and waited for the race to begin. The Irish Coast Guard Rescue Helicopter together with the Crosshaven Coast Guard Boat and the RNLI inshore Life Boat carried out a demonstration training exercise to entertain the crowds waiting on the Promenade in Cobh. At 2.30pm. the race began at Crosshaven and it was not long before the colourful spectacle of all sizes of boats and crews could be seen rounding the Spitbank and turning towards Cobh. As the rowers passed by Cobh, they were greeted by shouts of encouragement from all those waiting along the quay. Even though some participants were under pressure at times to keep going, they managed to wave to the crowds, such was the festive atmosphere on the day.
The magnificent tall ship, Pelican of London, paid a visit to Cork Harbour during the Festival. It was built in 1948 and first served as an Arctic trawler and then a coastal trading vessel. In 2007, after a twelve-year rebuild, she became a sail training ship with Sail Training Ireland.
Cork Model Yacht Club celebrates its 80th anniversary in existence at The Lough. On Sunday 10th June, the Club gave a demonstration of competitive radio controlled model yacht racing, based on the International One Meter Racing Class. These yachts cover a meter every 20 seconds and are quite spectacular to watch especially in the presence of a good wind when they really pick up the pace! Sailing takes place around a series of buoys and a race will last between 15 and 20 minutes.
East Cork Camera Group attended some of the many events of the Festival to capture the atmosphere and enjoyment felt by all participants and you can see a gallery of images from them by clicking here. Enjoy!
– Eileen Upton