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This tiny lump of rock called Bishop's Island, stuck in the Atlantic ocean just off Ireland's west coast at Loop Head in County Clare, must surely be one of the most unlikely places to build a monastery.
But that's just what happened around the 6th century AD, thanks to a brave monk called St Senan.
Those early Christians must have been a tough bunch, as I could barely stand up to take this photo in the breeze streaming off the ocean, even on a relatively calm day, so what is must have been like living on this rock in a winter storm I shudder to think.
Still, Ireland is full of the most improbable paradoxes, which is part of its charm and one of the reasons why my wife Liz and I keep on coming back here. (That plus our family ties in Limerick, of course.)
Filename - bishops island 01.jpg
Camera - Canon 6D
Lens - 24-105mm zoom @ 65mm
Exposure - 1/30 sec @ f11, ISO100
Location - Loop Head, County Clare, Ireland
This image - 800x533px JPEG
Conversion - Adobe Lightroom
Comments - Polarising filter used to enhance colours.
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