8 November 2017
By Mary Bermingham
mary@TheCork.ie
Dennis Horgan brings Cork City and County landscapes to life in his new book of aerial photographs.
It is an everyday privilege to see the landscape of Cork City and County from the ground, but a rare opportunity to witness all that it has to offer from the air. Aerial photographer Dennis Horgan, however, is opening up our world to us, through his new publication entitled ‘Cork from the Air’.
His hardback collection of aerial photographs of Cork City and County, displays the landscapes’ vast complexities and recognises the local art, culture and beauty of Cork landmarks such as the newly redeveloped Pairc Ui Chaoimh, to Spike Island and Blarney Castle, while casting an eye on locations that even at ground level can be hard to reach, including Kilcrea Abbey in Ovens to Inniscarra Dam and Ballycotton Island Lighthouse.
This collection of new images captures some of Dennis’s favourite views of Cork with its vibrant historic city comprising old and new buildings and the beauty of the county’s landscape. He attempts to capture how its inhabitants interact with the land around them and the impact civilisation has on our natural environment.
Ever since his youth, Dennis has had a passion for two things; photography and aviation. “I have spent many hours aloft capturing images of my native city and county, a place where I have lived all my life. Familiar landmarks or scenes are totally transformed when seen from the skies. On the ground high walls can prevent one from seeing hidden jewels – like the beautiful Italian-style gardens in the grounds of St Francis’ Church in Cork city. I’ve discovered over the years that it is only from above that one can truly appreciate the vast complexities of the Cork landscape in all its glory” he tells us.
“Some of the images were planned but others were not – I was just fortunate to be in the right place at the right time. Aerial photography can be challenging as one is always at the mercy of the weather” he adds.
Dedicated to his brother Pat and in memory of their parents, Dennis’s ‘Cork from the Air’ not only includes text from author and former RTE ‘Seascapes’ presenter Marcus Connaughton, but the foreword within is from none other than Oscar-winning film producer and educator, Lord David Puttnam.
“Dennis’s great talent is not just for framing a shot perfectly, but for finding the elevation that best suits his subject matter – somehow he always makes each image feel ‘just right’. They allow me to better understand the appeal of a childhood train set – it isn’t the trains, or the track, so much as the miniature and secure world they evoke, with their level crossing gates, their signal boxes and guards waving green or red flags. All perfectly to scale in an ordered universe. In this latest book Dennis offers some utterly gob-smacking images” Lord Puttnam says in his foreword.
The ‘Cork from the Air’ book launch is at 18:30 on this Thursday 9th November in Hayfield Manor Cork and is now available to purchase from €25 at Waterstones and Liam Ruiséal in Cork City. The book which will be an ideal gift for friends and family, corporates or even as a keepsake will also be available next week in all major bookshops in towns throughout the county.
For special requests such as signed copies or framed versions of the aerial photographs, contact dennis.horgan@gmail.com.
Mr. Horgan created the publication in association with Cork City Council and Cork County Council, along with the pilots and operation staff at Atlantic Flight Training Academy Cork Airport.
Dennis Horgan’s collection of aerial photographs in his new publication entitled ‘Cork from the Air’ includes 185 breath-taking images of Cork City and County’s landscapes, landmarks and natural beauty including:
1. Ballycotton Island Lighthouse
2. Ballycotton Village
3. Castle Hyde, Fermoy
4. Castle Hyde, Fermoy
5. Midleton Town Centre
6. Harvesting
7. The Galtees
8. Quarry near Carrigtwohill
9. Mallow Garden Festival
10. Kilcrea Abbey, Ovens
11. Kissing the Blarney Stone
12. Blarney Castle and House
13. Gougane Barra
14. Cork Harbour
15. Roche’s Point Lighthouse
16. Waiting for the gun
17. Outward bound
18. Eclipse
19. Water Tower, Cobh
20. Cobh
21. Haulbowline Island
22. Naval Patrol Vessels
23. Spike Island
24. Yachts
25. Ringaskiddy Deepwater Port
26. AIR
27. Yacht Racing in Cork Harbour
28. Crosshaven
29. Myrtleville
30. The Owenabue River
31. Fota Island
32. Dunkathel House
33. Railway Bridge, Fota
34. Blackrock Castle
35. Blackrock Pier and Cork Boat Club
36. Rowers on the River Lee
37. Tennis Courts, Blackrock
38. Cork Bonded Warehouses and Port of Cork City Marina
39. Tivoli Docks Container Terminal
40. Containers at Tivoli Docks
41. Cork Docklands
42. City Quarter
43. The Elysian
44. Cork City Hall
45. Cork looking east
46. The Montenotte Hotel
47. Victorian Garden, Montenotte Hotel
48. Red Abbey
49. Cork City Centre
50. Wake
51. Cork Opera House
52. Mahon Golf Club
53. Mahon
54. Daly’s Bridge
55. Electric, South Mall
56. Looking east from Grand Parade
57. Cork City Gaol Heritage Centre
58. Courtyard CIT
59. Ashton Hockey Pitch
60. Cork City Marathon
61. Belem
62. Working up top
63. Grenville Place and Mercy University Hospital
64. Crawford Art Gallery
65. Elizabeth Fort
66. Apple European Headquarters, Hollyhill
67. Holy Trinity Church
68. One Albert Quay
69. Housing in Hollyhill
70. Live at the Marquee
71. Cork Courthouse
72. Lee Swim
73. Roche’s Buildings, Old Youghal Road
74. Gurranabraher Allotments
75. St Fin Barre’s Cathedral
76. North Gate Bridge and Shandon Street
77. 97 South Mall
78. GPO
79. Lifetime Lab
80. Hayfield Manor Hotel
81. ‘The Quad’
82. The Glucksman
83. University College Cork
84. Tyndall National Institute
85. Devere Hall
86. Mardyke Cricket Grounds
87. Sunday’s Well Boating and Tennis Club
88. Fitzgerald’s Park
89. Sports Day
90. Fitzgerald’s Park
91. Mardyke Bridge
92. Fitzgerald’s Park Playground
93. Fitzgerald’s Park Pond
94. Irish Independent Park
95. St Patrick’s Street
96. Pedestrians on Patrick Street
97. Blackpool Village
98. CIT Cork School of Music
99. Pope’s Quay
100. St Angela’s College, St Patrick’s Hill
101. Heineken Brewery, Leitrim Street
102. Mount St Joseph’s, Blarney Street
103. St Anne’s Church of Ireland, Shandon
104. The Firkin Crane
105. Commuters
106. The Lough
107. Tall Ship Stavros S. Niarchos
108. St Francis’ Church and Gardens
109. St Francis’ Church and Cork Courthouse
110. Jack Lynch Tunnel, South Bore
111. Kinsale Road Roundabout
112. South Link Road
113. Nemo Rangers Hurling and Football Club
114. Páirc Uí Chaoimh
115. Páirc Uí Chaoimh – bird’s-eye view
116. Richard Sainthill’s Queen Anne House
117. St Mary’s, Pope’s Quay
118. Shandon Pedestrian Bridge
119. Grand Parade
120. The Metropole Hotel
121. Rowers on the River Lee
122. The Coal Quay
123. Douglas Golf Club
124. Cityscape
125. City and Suburbs
126. South Mall and Grand Parade
127. Capwell Bus Depot
128. Cork County Hall
129. Lee Fields
130. Rolling Silage at Farmers’ Cross
131. Airside at Cork Airport
132. Atlantic Flight Training Academy, Cork Airport
133. Ready for Take-off
134. Robert’s Cove
135. Oysterhaven
136. Kinsale
137. Astrid
138. Kinsale Waterfront
139. Lusitania Memorial
140. Dinghies near Kinsale
141. Harvest
142. Old Head of Kinsale
143. Sandpit
144. Tractor and Birds
145. Lone Tree near Bandon
146. Timoleague
147. Sandbar at Courtmacsherry Bay
148. Inchydoney
149. Sailboards on Inchydoney Beach
150. Rosscarbery
151. Galley Head Lighthouse
152. St Michael’s Church, Rathbarry
153. Yacht passing Eve Island, Glandore
154. Glandore
155. Drombeg Stone Circle
156. Paramotor
157. Union Hall
158. Castletownshend
159. The League
160. Sail in the Sky
161. Kayaks
162. John Kelly, Artist
163. Dolphins off Reen Point
164. Dragon
165. Skibbereen Town
166. Lough Hyne
167. RIBS at Baltimore Pier
168. Baltimore
169. Baltimore Beacon
170. Fishing off Cape Clear
171. Full Throttle
172. Trawler Wreck near Baltimore
173. Heir Island
174. Sherkin Island
175. Kilcoe Castle
176. Mizen Head Bridge
177. Crookhaven Harbour
178. Oileán Chléire – Cape Clear Island
179. Barley Cove
180. Mizen Head
181. Three Castle Head
182. Castletownberehaven
183. Roancarrig Lighthouse
184. Fastnet Rock Lighthouse
185. Back on Terra Firma
