The Fastnet is the southernmost point of Ireland, and known as "Ireland's Teardrop" as it was often the last sight of home for emigrants heading to the New World.

Seen here in the aftermath of a storm, the trough of a swell passes by the rock, revealing details not normally seen.

Dramatic fingers of rock reach out from Galley Head at sunrise.

Mizen Head is the most south-westerly point on the Irish mainland and the home to a fog station and lighthouse since 1909 and 1959, respectively.
Seen here at sunset on an evening with heavy swell, the location shows its remote and forbidding character.
The lighthouse and fog signal were automated in 1993, and in 1994 the station was opened to the public as a visitor center. Worth a trip if you're in the area!

The lantern of the Fastnet lighthouse glows as the first rays of sun strike it on a beautiful spring morning.

The Fastnet is a place of extremes. One of those is the ocean - during the Winter months it's not unusual for green water to clear the top of the lighthouse almost 180 feet above sea level. One of the reasons for this is a steep shelf off the south-western side of the rock that throws up huge waves. This was photographed on a relatively calm day!

Mizen Head at sunrise, from the air.

Kilcatherine is one of the hidden jewels of the Beara, itself an under-appreciated gem of the south-west of Ireland. This photograph from Kilcatherine Point looking west to Inishfarnard shows the rugged beauty of this area. It was a day where the forecast was bad enough to make you want to curl up by the fire and forget the outside world exists, but I ventured out and was rewarded with this wonderful sunset.
You don't need good weather to make good photographs!