School's Still Out

Always plenty of activity on the seafront at Bray, Co Wicklow, especially during the extended Christmas holiday, as these girls enjoy a stroll along the beach with the backdrop of a towering and misty Bray Head.

On The Beach

Back on familiar ground after the Christmas break in Dublin, here is the small beach at Blainroe Golf Club. It goes without saying that access is somewhat restricted!

Big Thaw

 

After the big freeze, we now have the big thaw so goodbye for now to all the misery you see above as we attempt to deal with burst water mains and the resulting water rationing!

Misty Time

Dusk, Christmas Day - misty and grainy.

Ice Blue

An ice blue setting on a train trip from Wicklow into Dublin for Christmas holidays.  This is a camera phone view of Dublin Bay at Sandymount.

Par For The Course

We've just experienced the worst winter weather since records began and and we really can't cope.  We rarely have snow in these parts never mind the deluge we've had over these past weeks together with Siberian low temperatures .  All over east Leinster major roads are still treacherous to negotiate and minor roads are almost impassable. So, maybe, in the future, we have to learn some things from our eastern European neighbours who would regard this kind of weather as par for the course.

A Well Earned Rest

This is Rudolph, Dancer and Prancer enjoying a well earned rest in their Christmas stable at the Powerscourt Estate after a long night working with Santa delivering Christmas gifts.  Merry Christmas!

Last Minute

Passing the delightful gate lodge into the Powerscourt Estate near Enniskerry, Co Wicklow, it's time for some last minute Christmas shopping at the Garden Pavilion and maybe a hot toddy in the adjoining Ritz-Carlton.

Last Orders

Yesterday was the last day to visit Santa's Magical Kindom at Wicklow's Historic Gaol in Wicklow Town.

A Frozen Harp

Today we're at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Powerscourt, near Enniskerry, Co Wicklow and it's icy, very icy, even the harp sculpture out front is frozen.

On Frozen Pond

Above, the view from the Arklow Bay Hotel, Arklow, Co Wicklow on the frozen lake of the Arklow Nature Reserve.  Well, almost frozen, looking back towards the hotel below, these birds still occupy a little corner.

The Uke-Guitar Man

Back at the World's Best Bar - Harbour Bar, Bray, Co Wicklow - we are entertained by Will Harrison, looking like Jacques Brel and singing and playing his odd ukelelee-guitar - tuned like a guitar, sounds like a ukelelee.

World's Best Bar

The Lonely Planet Guide recently named The Harbour Bar, Bray, Co Wicklow as the world's best bar in the "Off The Beaten Track" category and we're glad to feature it again here because it's a great favourite of ours too!

An old world bar with nautical references, it has three distinct parts; the old main bar which has a traditional look and often has traditional music nights, the back lounge, a great location for indie bands and the conservatory area. There is also a beer garden located outside for smokers.

Blind Yackety

This is Blind Yackety, the multi-instrumental, multi-vocal and very unusual band playing at the much loved Harbour Bar, Bray, Co Wicklow last weekend.

If Only

Looking out from the beach at Bray, Co Wicklow last weekend you could be forgiven for thinking this is back in that glorious last summer.  But no, its around 2 celcius at the moment, i.e., fairly cold for us natives, and, according to the weather experts, we've more freezing weather approaching from the Arctic!  So, if only!

Winter Welcome

 

This particular house front in Bray, Co Wicklow is always attractive particularly now at Christmas time.

Compare this to their Halloween decoration which I haven't previously published:

Textboarding

This is textboarding, the new sport as practised on the promenade in Bray, Co Wicklow - requires only basic concentration.

Branching Out

Today we see The Happy Pear, Natural Food Market, Greystones, Co Wicklow branching out for the season to dispense Christmas trees to a discerning populace.

Brrrravery

Braving the elements on South Beach, Greystones, Co Wicklow yesterday morning - it looks nice and sunny, but it was so cold - it must be the layers!

The Stone Bridge

 

View of the Stone Bridge across the River Leitrim in Wicklow Town on a wintry afternoon.

All Quiet

All quiet in Wicklow Harbour looking across at the Packet Pier, the deserted North Pier beyond and the backdrop of the snowy hills.

Harbour Lights

A wintry nightime view of the working harbour at Wicklow Town.

'I saw the harbor lights
They only told me, we were parting
Those same old harbor lights
That once brought you to me' 

Jimmy Kennedy and Hugh Williams, 1937.

Camouflage

 

Female mallards nicely camouflaged in a bed of seaweed in the River Leitrim, at Wicklow Town.

Soft Landing

It's a bit frenzied here when food is thrown to the birds at the lakeside Nature Reserve, North Beach, Arklow, Co Wicklow and this gull needs all the help he can get as he avails of a soft landing on the duck's back!

Swanning About

Always a favoured spot for bird lovers, the lakeside Nature Reserve in Arklow, Co Wicklow is home to a variety of wildlife including swans and we can never resist a few shots.  They dine off of aquatic vegetation, insects, tiny fish, tadpoles and of course whatever they're fed by visitors here at the at the lakeside.

Come Fly With Me

 

Well, the last week has been pretty difficult in terms of getting around to bring you the usual selection of pictures from all corners of the county - I don't have a 4 wheel drive so I can't venture into the Wicklow Mountains where I know the winter scenes are surely spectacular so, it's back to the old reliable haunts for  today's feature.  Today, we're next to the Parnell Bridge on the River Leitrim, in Wicklow Town and yes, it's more gulls

Al-Fresco

It would have been nice to stroll around Mount Usher Gardens, Ashford, Co Wicklow after all the snow but they're not open in the winter, so this photo was shot through the window of their Avoca Garden Café which is open all year round although I'm not sure I'd take up their offer of al-fresco dining just at the moment!