Ireland has the most beautiful skies, the most beautiful light, that I have ever seen. Peter Harbison and
Leslie Conron Carola celebrate Ireland’s light, scenery, history and myth in a stunning book of photographs, Ireland: A Luminous Beauty.

Harbison, an Irish archaeologist, art historian, lecturer and writer, captures the magic of Ireland’s scenery as his words accompany stunning pictures by a number of photographers. He says many of the photos celebrate Ireland’s light, taking pictures at “photographer’s golden hour, the hushed first light of morning or the end of day when the sun streams down tot he sea.” The photos capture the rugged landscape, the vivid greens, the colors of the sea and the sky.

I recognize so many places I fell in love with when I went to Ireland, the Burren region in County Clare, the rocky countryside known for its flowers and butterflies, but also for its dolmens, the monuments to the Stone and Bronze Age dead. The dolmens, meaning stone tables, may be the earliest public sculpture in Europe. There are several photos of the most famous one, Poulnabrone, which I saw at sunset. There are photos of stone circles and the beehive huts built by monks.There are photos of the Cliffs of Moher. But, the book also celebrates the art of the Celtic people, the Book of Kells, the gold jewelry. Although most of the book is filled with photos of the scenery, the authors also show houses and doors in a short section called “The Cultivated World”.

I’ve yet to see the Giant’s Causeway and the Mountains of Mourne. Those mountains, according tot he author, inspired C.S. Lewis’ Narnia.

I am already in love with the Ireland I saw. This gorgeous book, and the poetic words of Peter Harbison, bring it all to life again. Here are Harbison’s words. “Each of our senses is indulged by the natural environment of Ireland: the ever-changing light from dawn to dusk; mysterious shadows, the rocky coastline; the roar of the ocean challenging the ancient cliffs; stretches of golden sand; ancient patterns traced by perfectly angled grey stone walls and hedgerows through the lushest green fields; steely rivers carving through rich river banks; the sweet smell of flowers and salt air; fields of heather under a sunny summer sky complete with puffs of white cloud; mountains in shadowy silhouette proving the artistic background for a gentle world. It’s all here.”

I’m going back someday.

Ireland: A Luminous Beauty by Peter Harbison & Leslie Conron Carola. St. Martin’s Press, 2014. ISBN 9781250056597 (hardcover), 150p.

*****
FTC Full Disclosure – My copy was a gift.