Eyes Open Ireland

It's been a while since the last Eyes Open Ireland posting, this is partly due to me being away at various weddings at the weekends, but also due to the lack of fodder from Etsy Ireland members, so keep those photos of your inspirational homelands coming in! Email them to me at bridgetfarmerprints[at!]hotmail.com.

These photos of Howth, Co. Dublin, were taken by Anne-Marie of byAMOR

"Stuck in the city on a not-so-bright August bank holiday, a friend and I decided to hop on the train to the coast. The fishing village of Howth is a stone’s throw away from the city, about half an hour away on the dart (Dublin Area Rapid Transit). We figured, even if it rained, the fresh seafood washed down with a pint of Guinness in one of the fabulous eateries on the harbour would be worth the trip."

"I’m no photographer, though running an Etsy shop has forced me to do my best. So I brought my camera along to see if I could capture some creative inspiration."

"Even on dull days, vibrant colour can be found."

"A sneak preview of jewellery inspirations for 2011? I think not... I hope not."

"The lighthouse, dating back to 1817 is beautifully maintained. The red against the pale stone got me thinking of possible contrasts for claret garnets and tomato-coloured jaspers."

"Apparently these two critters are regulars at the dock, probably waiting for fish heads and other delicacies from restaurant scrap buckets. Despite an unexpected rush of vertigo, I leaned over the pier with trembling hands to get some sort of a shot. "

"This little fella looked right at me with those soulful eyes.  Or maybe he was just hungry? So were we. Fishcakes and chowder beckoned."