This is the future light at Roancarrig. The old tower will be shut permanently, and this placed outside it. The middle piece in the centre is the base, with the balcony piece going on top with the section on the extreme left being to the uppermost section with presumably the light on top. It will be powered by solar panels, and inspected once every 18 months or so. This cuts down visiting costs dramatically, and with the helicopter costing 20 euros a minute to run you can see why Irish Lights are doing it. Other lighthouses will follow, like the Bull and Tearaght

The 2011 Extreme Irish Lighthouse Tour group at Josephine Geraghty's at Blacksod, Co. Mayo. 'We loved staying with you Josephine' l-r: Gary, John Eagle, Laura Chewning, Nancy Ohlson, ?, Josephine, Lynda, Judy Weeks and Tommy Hartnett

I have put up a selection of the pictures I took during

the Extreme Irish Lighthouse Tour 2011, to view please click here

My 2011 brochure has been released, you can download the pdf free of charge by clicking on it

Two of the pictures (June and July) in the Bord Gáis calendar were taken by me

As of January 11.1.11 fog horns in Ireland have been discontinued. Irish Lights say they are no longer required as most vessels at sea have GPS

I have started up a lighthouse dedicated wall on Facebook, to join just go there and search for Irish Lighthouses.

I am giving a tour of Cork and Kerry lighthouses starting August 15th at the Castle Hotel in Bunratty. I will give a slide show of my lighthouse photography, then the next day we start by going to Loop Head and then make our way round the coast and finishing up at the Fastnet. If you would like to join us then please click on the 'Lh Tour' tab above.

Some of you might notice www.JohnEaglePhotography.com is changing its appearance. It started awhile ago. I don't claim to be a wizard when it comes to web page designing but I like to keep my hand in and work away on the quiet when there is no photography to be doing. You can also click on the lighthouses in the header at the top and be taken directly to their own pages, ie Mizen, Fastnet, Skelligs and Inishtearaght. The other thing is my Indigo serer is full, so my site is cascading over onto other servers. It will take awhile to complete, so I hope you will bear with me while I am getting it all sorted out. Thank you for your patience

New lighthouse under construction on Dinish Island, Castletownbere

Roancarrig lighthouse. Please click here for more images

September

27A is now available again with the tower fully intact, it was sliced in half in the first printing, but my printer has kindly corrected their mistake. The card does not have lettering on the front, like the original above

August

The Irish Lighthouse Series complete set is now €39 + shipping click here

My collie Suzie didn't quite make it into my new book 'Ireland's Lighthouses A Photo Essay' she was there with me on the island when I took the shots, so here for all you pet lovers is herself, dangerously close to the cliffs!

She was tearing round all over the place, she likes to chase birds, butterflies and basically anything that moves. She is a bit like a sports car, she does nought to 70 in about 3 seconds. The Bugatti Veron has nothing on my doggy

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I have made a few changes to the Irish Lighthouse Series this Summer, getting shot of poorly printed cards and replacing them with new ones. The latest new addition is:

39B Straw Island which I did specifically for my loyal collectors who told me, quite rightly so, they could not see the lighthouse properly in 39A. I have also re-instated:

60 Eagle Island as I feel it is a much better card to 60A. These postcards are now available to purchase, click here to do so

July

Thank all of you who were waiting for my new book

I sold out, a good complaint I suppose, but many of you I know were waiting and so thank you for your patience. I have fresh stocks in

I have just added pictures of Charles Fort in Kinsale which I took when I was there for the launch of my book 'Ireland's Lighthouses A Photo Essay'

From August I am replacing 60A with the above original of Eagle Island #60. I am not really sure why I ever brought out 60A (see below). I have stocks of it left for anyone who wants it, available in the Bargain Basement at 10c plus postage

My thanks to Tom MacSweeney the maritime correspondent, served for many years with RTÉ tv and radio, now retired. He officially launched my new book Ireland's Lighthouses - A Photo Essay in the Kinsale Bookshop in Kinsale July 15th.

l-r: Tom MacSweeney, Gillian Hennessy of Collins Press, John Eagle

picture: Denis Scannell, used courtesy of Irish Examiner

I very much enjoyed his speech and the launch, and the time I spent there. My thanks also to Kinsale Arts Week, Alannah Hopkin and The Collins Press for arranging the launch

My next new lighthouse postcard will be #39B Straw Island

Listen to me on RTE Radio 1 Seascapes (it is about 15 minutes into the programme)

As of July 1st all postcards off this site are only 40c + postage. I prefer payment with PayPal

Always striving to get my photographic work looking as good as possible I am now releasing new views of old numbers in the Irish Lighthouse Postcard Series. The new postcards I am really pleased with, arrived here today. Numbers 4A, 14A, 17B, 18A, 19A, 20A and 21A. Some of you might not have got the postcard #86A which I released in November of last year. All these postcards are available to buy on my website, click here Or if you wish to buy single postcards, click here

I have put up a new page to enable collectors to buy my postcards individually so if you are missing out on a few cards you can buy them from me. Individual postcards are now reduced to 40c each plus shipping click here

The Irish Times printed a picture of mine today, (June 14th) one I took of Blackrock Mayo, to go with an article on the 200 years of Irish Lights by Lorna Siggins

Click this link to read article by Lorna Siggins

May 2010

a stunning new paperback photo essay, entitled Ireland’s Lighthouses, which has just been published by maritime photographer, John Eagle, for Collins Press. Lorna Siggins, The Irish Times May 2010 Read other reviews click here

My first book 'An Eagle's View of Irish Lighthouses'. I have a limited stock of these books, all in unread mint condition and now out of print. It will not be reprinted. Each book is signed by me, the author and costs €45 plus postage. If you would like one then please click here

April

Its here and waiting for you

My new book is now in stock. Please note, this book is much bigger to my first one and weighs a lot more, therefore the postage is more. Click here to order and I will post to you straight away. Please let me know if you would like me to sign it for you.

I still have stock of my first book

if you would like one

Here is your first glimpse of my new book. Just received an advance copy and I am really thrilled with the professional way The Collins Press have put my book together. Here are some sample pages so you can have a taste

Clare Island

Calf Rock

A special one for me, my white collie Quisha on the helicopter pad at Fanad

My new book is available to pre-order, list price is 19.99 but you can have it for 15.99 euros plus postage by clicking here I will sign and dedicate it for you if you wish.

Took a spin down to Clonakilty Model Village, great to walk round and see the models and railway. Below is a shot of their model of the Fastnet with trains passing by

Roancarrig Lighthouse in Bantry Bay features in the new

Neil Jordan movie 'Ondine' which was shot in the Summer of 2008 and Premiered in Castletownbere March 2010. The movie is about a mermaid, and stars Colin Farrell

February

Proposed Lighthouse Tour starting June 24th. Need 6 people to make up group. If you are interested in coming along please get in touch. Click the Contact Me tab above

January 2010

Here is the cover of my new book, to be published by the Collins Press in May of this year

December 2009

I have been working on the proofs for my new lighthouse book ‘Ireland’s Lighthouses – a photo essay by John Eagle’ for much of November. The way Collins Press of Cork have put my book together has got me very excited, their graphic designer is absolutely marvellous. My new book covers all the lighthouses of Ireland with lots of new pictures that I have taken over the ten year period since my first book came out in 1999. Hopefully the book will be on sale by May 2010. I am so looking forward to it. I shall have some to sell, but they should be available in all good bookshops everywhere. Book sellers wanting to stock my book will need to get in touch with The Collins Press http://www.collinspress.ie/

Clare Island postcard 86A

Lighthouse Postcard Sets now have 86A in them see below

I made a 20x16 inch canvas print of this shot and was so impressed by the result I have decided to make a postcard from it as well. # 86A is now available replacing #86 which shows the cliffs but not much of the actual lighthouse

August 2009

Extreme Lighthousing

Leaving the Fastnet are from left: Dave and Phyllis Idell, Mary Borkowski, Tommy Hartnett (our bus driver), Tom Chisholm, Darlene Chisholm and Phil Borkowski

My Lighthouse Tour got off to a flying start in Bunratty on July 27th where I performed a slide show of my lighthouse photography to 40 members of the US Lighthouse Society at the Bunratty Castle Hotel. Next day 6 of the members came with me on a tour of the Cork and Kerry lighthouses starting with Beeves Rock and Tarbert on the

Shannon, then Little Samphire Island in Tralee Bay.

The group at Little Samphire Island

left to right: Mary and Phil Borkowski, Phyllis and Dave Idell, Darlene and Tom Chisolm

Later that day we saw Cromwell Point on Valentia Island and spent the night in Cahirciveen.

July 29th saw us visit the Skellig Experience Museum in Port Magee, followed by a boat trip out to the rock.

Photographing Skellig Michael lighthouses old and new

The pilot of the boat took us so we could photograph both the old and present lighthouses of Skellig Michael. The sea was rolling but we didn't mind as we all got great shots.

Dave and Phyllis Idell making their way up Skellig Michael

Afterwards we went on the rock and climbed the steps to the beehive monastery. Later we drove to Eyeries. July 30 we spent on the Beara Peninsula.

Visiting the Bull Rock

We went for an exciting speed boat trip from Castletownbere to the Bull Rock, taking in the Calf Rock on the way,

The Calf Rock

also Ardnakinna and Roancarrig.

Photographing Roancarrig in Bantry Bay

July 31 we visited the Mizen Head Visitor's Centre, with a walk

across the famous suspension bridge.

The Fastnet

We spent the night at The Heron's Cove in Goleen and got up at the crack of dawn August 1st for a boat trip out to the Fastnet where waves were crashing over the rocks and with the dawn light it was a spectacle that will live in our minds for a long time to come.

The Heron's Cove where we stayed and had a fabulous meal

If you would like to come on an Irish Lighthouse tour with me please Click Here

July 2009

I have just signed a new publishing contract with Collins Press of Cork to write a new book on Irish Lighthouses. The book will be published in the Spring 2010

Canvas prints, no need for a frame, just hang 'em on the wall

Special Offer

A2 canvas print (24x16 inches) €100 plus postage

A3 canvas print (16x12) €80 plus postage

Available on any picture on my website. No need for a frame, just hang it on the wall. Makes for an affordable present for that special occasion that will be greatly appreciated. Just tell me which picture of mine you would like made into a canvas print

Specially signed Irish lighthouse postcards now available, click here for more details

June 2009

Took this shot of Inishtearaght June 3rd with my Canon EOS 5D mk2. I have longed to do this because my 30A shot of Inishtearaght was cut off on the right side see below which I took 1996. I love this Blasket Isle location. My thanks to The Commissioners of Irish Lights and Capt. Peter Hodges. Please click here for more pictures

I also re-shot Cromwell Point, see below

More pictures of Cromwell Point click here

April 2009

The Irish Lights tender Granuaile visiting Berehaven. She is seen here moored between Bere Island and Dinish Island

I will be releasing two new lighthouse postcards towards the end of this month, 2F and 3C. This is with the very kind assistance of Sue Hill at The Herons Cove in Goleen and will have the Mizen sponsorship on them. To see both click here 2 F is below

Flew down to the Fastnet lighthouse on the 2nd to get myself some fresh pictures of this fabulous lighthouse. Also took in Crookhaven, Mizen, Sheeps Head and Ardnakinna.

My thanks to The Commissioners of Irish Lights for letting me go there and to Capt. Colm Martyn for flying me in the new Irish Helicopters Eurocopter 135

Fastnet Lighthouse

Crookhaven

Mizen Bridge

Sheeps Head

Ardnakinna

March 2009

Got my first flight in the new Irish Lights helicopter, the Eurocopter 135, on Friday 13th (Lucky for some).

Here seen taking off for a flight to Skellig Michael. A stunningly beautiful machine both inside and out. It came into service in December 2008 and replaces the Bolkow from which I did so many of my aerial shots. On this occasion I flew up the bay to Roancarrig, one of the pictures can be seen below. My thanks to Peter Hodges for flying me.

This and all shots seen here were taken thru the window of the helicopter. Canon EOS 5D mk2 with EF 28m. I had the 24-105L with me, but it was so much easier to use the 28m inside the confines of the helicopter. Being a shorter lens means there is less likelihood of camera shake as well.

Just to the north of Roancarrig lighthouse is this small island famous for its wreck. Weather beaten by constant storms there is not much left of the wreck.

I took the above shot of Castletownbere as we came back to land at the helicopter pad. A dull enough day, got much worse than this after we landed.

Book

If you wish to order a copy of my book from me please let me know if you would like me to sign and dedicate it to someone. Click here to order

Postcards

It never ceases to surprise me how many people are interested in my Irish Lighthouse Series postcards. I am really glad, because they have taken up a considerable part of my life and are something I am truly proud of. Thank you for making me so happy

January 2009

Got a phone call from a production team making a programme about storms at lighthouses for the Discovery Channel. They wanted to ask which lighthouse I would recommend on the Irish coast that would look good during a storm. It was a toss up between Roancarrig and Cromwell Point on Valentia Island. I looked up the weather forcast for the weekend and noted there was a big storm on the way, so I decided to head over to Cromwell Point for some wave action. However leaving Killarney on the Cahirciveen Road soon proved far too dangerous for the likes of me. Branches were being blown down, one narrowly missed my car, so half-way to Killorglin I reluctantly turned the car round and headed back home. I crossed over the Beara Peninsula on the Caha Pass tunnel road and drove down the southern shore of the peninsula. My reward was the picture below of Roancarrig getting a pounding in Bantry Bay. Looks a bit like a mighty submarine about to submerge!

Roancarrig

taken with Canon EOS 5D mk2 + EF 200 2.8