Photography Club launches 2026 Calendar

Kilcullen Photography Club's 2026 Calendar was launched in Woodbine Books last evening, writes Brian Byrne. It’s the eighth such publication by the club, which uses the proceeds for club development and donations to local organisations and charities. To date, some €4,000 has been given to deserving causes.

Club chairperson Sabina Reddy told those present that the main reason for the Calendar is to ‘capture’ Kilcullen, and in that respect, feedback from the many places it goes to has been overwhelmingly positive. She added that, even in the first year, the Calendar was being sent to Kilcullen people, family members, and friends across four continents.

Noting that this year submissions were invited from outside the club, Sabina said there had been a ‘fantastic’ response. She congratulated Noel Dunne (above), whose photo appears on the April calendar, and the runners-up: Celia Travers, PJ Lydon, Elisabeth Kehill (all below), Fr Gary Darby and Rachel O'Sullivan.

The 2026 Calendar will be on sale at next week’s Kilcullen Christmas Market, and is also available in Woodbine Books, Nolan’s Butchers, the Parish Centre, and from club members.

Sabina thanked local businesses for their sponsorship, noting that their generosity made the initiative possible. She also thanked Dawn in Woodbine Books for hosting the launch and her continued support of the club.

She concluded by saying the club always welcomes new members, and offers a range of projects, seminars, outings and exhibitions for them to enjoy. 

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Kilcullen dentist a winner in astrophotography competition

This picture, Aurora above the Golden Fields, won the Back on Earth — Landscape category in the Reach for the Stars 2025 photography competition hosted by the Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies (DIAS), writes Brian Byrne. It was taken at Narraghmore by Raluca Lica during a geomagnetic storm in May last year.

Raluca is a dentist with Kilcullen Dental and has a passion for astrophotography. Her second entry in the competition, Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS at Old Kilcullen Round Tower, has been selected for the public exhibition at DIAS's premises in Burlington Road, Dublin, which will open to the public next Thursday.

More than 170 photographs were submitted for the competition by astrophotographers from around Ireland, with 37 shortlisted for the final round, across five categories.

The DIAS judging panel were astrophysicist Prof Peter Gallagher; president of the Irish Astronomical Society, Michael McCreary; space medicine expert, Dr Lisa McNamee; and Irish Times photographer Alan Betson.

Raluca describes the occasion of taking the Aurora photograph as 'an unbelievable experience'. "There were many moments that night when I couldn't figure out where to point my camera."

The comet picture was taken in October of last year, when it was at its closest to the Earth, some 70 million kilometres away.

All the winning images can be seen on the Irish Times here.

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Wildlife competition for amateur photographers

Image: Irish Deer Society.

All amateur photographers have an opportunity to hone their wildlife photo skills with the Irish Deer Society National Photography Competition 2025, writes Brian Byrne. Entries are now open, with the closing date being 1 October 2025.

Photos of any live insect, bird, or mammal are eligible, with prizes which include a Spypoint LM2 trail camera, hotel and shopping vouchers, IDS polo shirts, and IDS membership.

There are two categories, U16 and Adult, and details of rules and how to enter can be found on the Irish Deer Society website here. An entry fee of €2 applies for each photo submitted, by email, and the photographer retains the copyright of their images. No AI manipulation is allowed, the competition is only for amateur photographers, and U16s must have permission from their parents to enter.

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Local locations in shortlisted astrophotography entries

A photograph of Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS at Old Kilcullen Round Tower is on the Public Choice shortlist in the Reach for the Stars 2025 competition hosted by the Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies (DIAS), writes Brian Byrne. It's one of two shortlisted entries by photographer Raluca Lica, and people can vote for her entries at this link. 

The photos are in the Back on Earth - Landmark category. The comet picture was taken by Raluca in October of last year, when the celestial traveller was at its closest to the Earth, some 70 million kilometres away.  Her other entry is Aurora above the Golden Fields, depicting the Aurora Borealis over rapeseed fields in Narraghmore during the geomagnetic storm in May of last year.

Raluca, a dentist by profession, has a passion for astrophotography and is an award winner for her work. The comet photograph was her first attempt at that kind of subject, taken just after sunset and with the tower light-painted by a bright moon. "I struggled a little to find it in the sky, as the Sun was setting," she says in her commentary. "I only had a short window at it." By contrast, she describes the aurora night as "an unbelievable experience, and there were many moments that night when I couldn't figure where to point my camera."

The DIAS judging panel are astrophysicist Prof Peter Gallagher; president of the Irish Astronomical Society, Michael McCreary; space medicine expert, Dr Lisa McNamee; and Irish Times photographer Alan Betson.

In all, 37 photographs are shortlisted, all of them stunning, and voting in the competition closes at 5pm on 24 July.

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Moon faces the dawn

A nice clear moon over Kilcullen this morning. Photo Brian Byrne.

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Comet and aurora photos at Old Kilcullen

These photographs of the Comet Tsuchinshan–ATLAS, also titled C/2023 A3, were taken on Monday last at Old Kilcullen by local dentist Raluca Dana Lica, writes Brian Byrne. The comet was discovered by the Purple Mountain Observatory in China on 9 January 2023 and independently found by ATLAS South Africa on 22 February 2023.

The comet passed at its nearest distance to the Sun on 27 September 2024, at a distance of 58 million kilometres and around then became visible to the naked eye. Its brightest magnitude from Earth was on 9 October, and the closest approach to Earth was on 12 October 2024, at a distance of 70.31 million kilometres.

Raluca, whose passion is astro-photography, used a Sony a7iii for the comet photos, with a Sony 20mm f/1.8 for the tower picture and a Tamron 70-180mm f/2.8 for the closer version. As the shots were in stacks, the exposures may have varied between 5 and 8 seconds for the first and between 2 and 4 seconds for the other. All were taken using a static tripod, and though the camera is full-frame, the photos are cropped.

Raluca also took some Northern Lights aurora photos at Old Kilcullen, on 10 October, pictured below. She is an award winner for her astrophotography.

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Kilcullen bridge, summer 2024

Just for a drizzly bank holiday Sunday morning, a nice current view of Kilcullen's bridge, on its good side. Pic Brian Byrne, Kilcullen Diary.

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Now, where's that pot of gold?

This image of a full rainbow in Gormanstown was taken by Ciara McSherry.

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Summer Solstice moon

A nice capture last night of a smiling Man in the Moon over Kilashee Hotel for the Summer Solstice, by Herbert Sheehan.

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Full moon over Gilltown

A nice full moon shot taken at Gilltown on Tuesday night by Herbert Sheehan.

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Moon morning

A very clear moon over Kilcullen this morning. Pic: Brian Byrne.

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Kilcullen photographer has the eye, talent, and passion

A Kilcullen man who only got into photography a few years ago is now producing stunning images and has set up his own photographic business, writes Brian Byrne. Stephen Kinsella of Esker Lea was studying graphic design in Carlow IT when he began using a camera as part of the course. "It was only a very small module in the course, but I quickly developed a passion for it," he told the Diary.

A former student at CPC, Stephen graduated with a BA Visual Communications and Design degree at the height of Covid. The restrictions on college placements due to the pandemic meant he lost out on gaining work experience in graphic design, and the only jobs open were in essential retail. He has been working in retail in Newbridge since, which has allowed him to invest in equipment and recently build a website for his photography enterprise.

Stephen has specific skills in portraiture — which has developed a sideline doing professional 'headshots' of friends and work colleagues for their LinkedIn profiles and job applications. Beyond that, his gallery of sample portraits reflects his own aim to have each of his photographs 'tell a story'. As does his work with child and family portraiture and examples of his equine photography. 

But it is in his outdoor landscapes that Stephen's clear eye for spotting artistry in nature really jumps out. Any one of his photographs here, enlarged and framed, would beautifully grace the walls of a home or business premises. "These are the ones I sometimes have printed for myself, or for occasional giveaways on my Instagram — there's nothing like seeing a print of your own photo on A3, and I really believe there should be recognition for photographic prints." 

In these days of everyone being a phone photographer, it is easy to lose sight of the fact that there's more to the craft than just point and shoot. Many millions of those shots will never leave the takers' phones — and probably never should. Talent, though, and the ability to see a photographic story where others will just see a photo snap, is always worth investing in if you want something special to commemorate important life moments and enjoy looking at quality pictures of memorable locations.

In addition to camera and lens equipment Stephen has invested in lighting and a portable studio setup so he can travel to do home family portraits, and he has a number of very affordable plans available to customers depending on what they're looking for.

All images by Stephen Kinsella Photography, website is here. Or phone 083 8404957.

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Jean Kenny Photography, catching family moments

Jean Kenny - back behind the viewfinder.

Kilcullen woman Jean Kenny was walking around Galway last year when a boarded-up window with weeds growing from it caught her eye, writes Brian Byrne. Her first thought was, 'That's beautiful, I must take a picture'. 

"It was the first time in ages I had felt like that," she says, recalling how the moment triggered her to get back into photography after years away from the craft while raising a young family. Now she has built a full studio at her Kilcullen home and is taking commissions for family and portrait photographs.

Jean completed a third level Media course when she was younger and from there had developed a career in wedding and portrait photography. But after getting married herself and the arrival of children, all that was shelved. "I've been in the trenches of family since then," she says with a laugh. "But now the children are at the age where I can give some time to my photography again."

Since building her studio, she has been getting commissions from friends, and hopes to expand her work from there. Even in these times when everyone is a photographer with their phone cameras, she feels there's a viable space for the professional who can provide memories that will live long on family home walls. "For a start, how many of all those thousands of photos taken on phones ever get to be printed? Very rarely, it's kind of sad. And there's always someone missing — the person taking the photograph. If you're marking a family moment, you should be in the picture with your family."

There is something special about a family or special occasion portrait that has been produced by someone who gives the time to take more than a snapshot, especially in the ambience of a studio with proper lighting. Once-in-a-lifetime family events, such as First Communion and Confirmation, also deserve a little more attention than a rushed smartphone image can provide. "I always loved doing Communions, I think they are very special," Jean says, and while her purpose-built studio is an ideal working location, she will also go to people's homes for family occasions, bringing professional lighting equipment to the event.

She has a particular interest in portraiture, in catching the moment of perhaps a fleeting thought that brings personality to the image of her subject. Before taking that long break she had especially enjoyed doing child portraits, and she loves meeting the people who come into focus through her lens.

She says it's good to be back behind the viewfinder, 'being creative again'. "I know a lot of people in Kilcullen, but they mostly know me simply as a fellow parent. For many of them to see me now also as a photographer will be a surprise."

Hold that pose ... and phone 087 6335160.

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