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Is this perhaps the most perfect picture of Ireland ever taken?

The Cliffs of Moher and Milky Way combine for a very special image


Moon setting on the Cliffs of Moher, taken 21st September.
Moon setting on the Cliffs of Moher, taken 21st September.
Photo by Damien Stenson

PHOTOS - Spectacular photography of Ireland by Damien Stenson - slideshow

Is this perhaps the most perfect picture of Ireland ever taken?

It is the Cliffs of Moher in County Clare - which featured in the Harry Potter movies - taken at night with the Milky Way resplendent in the night sky.

The eerie but beautiful scene was shot by Irish photographer Damien Stenson, whose specialty is astrophotography.

You can check out more of Damien’s work on his Facebook page which features many other amazing images of the night sky over Ireland.

Do you have a favorite picture from Ireland?

Some facts about the Cliffs of Moher:

The Cliffs of Moher are one of Ireland's top visitor attractions and are a designated UNESCO Geo Park.

The cliffs are 700 feet high at the highest point and range for 5 miles over the Atlantic Ocean on the western seaboard of County Clare.

O'Brien's Tower stands proudly on a headland of the majestic cliffs.

From the cliffs one can see the Aran Islands, Galway Bay, as well as The Twelve Pins, the Maum Turk Mountains in Connemara and Loop Head to the South.

The Cliffs of Moher take their name from a ruined promontory fort “Mothar” which was demolished during the Napoleonic wars to make room for a signal tower.

PHOTOS - Spectacular photography of Ireland by Damien Stenson - slideshow


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27 Comments

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This is truly an amazing picture. Almost terrestial. Bunkerhill
Doesn't do it for me. Now the lakes of Killarney....
Fake, fake!!!!!!!!
very fine!
Smyrnian, there are no Northern Lights in the photo, and it's the moon setting, not the sun. Pay attention.
Wait a minute. This photo is taken looking south (has to be) so how do we get northern lights then and that sunset? I lived in Ireland many a year and never saw the northern lights except in the north! I have also been to the Cliffs of Moher a few times. The angles/directions are all wrong here!
OMG!What an amazing photo.It truly is Heaven on Earth.
It's the moon setting, I read about the photo on Damien Stenson's site. @ Mamaginnty, I've been to Kilkenny. Very nice! Saw the lovely view from the top of St. Canice's tower, and visited beautiful Jerpoint Abbey. Sláinte!
A beautiful pic, so nice to see no bickering or begrudging about Ireland on IC for a change. Carrolover is right though, to many tourist spots are being ruined. Most of us living in Ireland would not bother going to them, we have so much beauty around us, I can walk around my cottage in Co. Kilkenny and it still takes my breath away to see Mt leinster, Blackstairs and Brandon hill looking down at me. At the edge of our village the river Barrow runs past, so many picture postcard area's around me, but the tourist never sees them, they book tours and never see the reaal Irealnd that I love so much.
when one looks all the photo takes in all the elements then one has to give great consideration to the fact its a Photoshop fake.The setting sun and stars visible since when, small highlights along the cliff face. Seems highly suspect. Considering the time required to expose stars along with the difference in time required for the sun setting, Its Not H.D.R. So its a little bit of a few photos all photo shopped together.
Any visitor to Ireland with a bit of an artistic eye and the right kit could take comparable. I've dozens sitting on my hard drive. That's the great thing about Ireland the place is one big Wonder and you'd be hard pressed to take an ugly photo. Any best picture should include some of the people of Ireland as they are 80% of what makes it what it is. Carollover below is right on with comments
Great pic, looks photo-shopped! The beautiful green glow of the aurora borealis can be spotted around the north of Ireland in recent weeks.
I saw Téada a few years back, at a Celtic Christmas concert. They were great! I have to go back to Ireland. It seems I've missed some other beautiful Cliffs!
Damien Stenson is an amazing photographer, and also the Irish Trad group in which he plays, Téada, is also amazing. Téada was our featured music group a few years ago at the Eugene Irish Cultural Festival and everyone loved them.
for Maggie 47. " And brought homosexuality to Ireland "




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