Week 2: Rain, stories, and small wins

Day 8 – Roscommon

The alarm went off early for Sligo, and after it, I had plenty of time to head to Lough Key. By the time I reached the lakeshore, the light was still beautiful—very few clouds and almost zero wind. I had never visited here before, but friends had told me in the past that I would love it, and I fell in love with it almost immediately upon arrival. It has a small, abandoned castle on an island right in the middle of the lake, and this was going to be the subject for my shoot. The drone went up over the castle, and the scene felt calm—no wind, just some very soft ripples on the water.

After packing up, I grabbed a coffee from a small café nearby and took my walk along the forest paths. I even overachieved my goal of 1 km; it was just so nice there. Plus, I was able to have a shower, which was fantastic. I felt great, so I decided to sit by the lakeshore, import all of my images and footage from the previous shoots, and clear my SD cards. It was then that I noticed I had made a big mistake: I had deleted all the images of the castle that I had just taken. Thankfully, I was still on location and was able to reshoot them, albeit not with the exact same compositions. and this time I got 2 shots . My GAA goal came later that morning at a local pitch in Boyle. It was a very picturesque spot, with Boyle Abbey right behind the goal. Thankfully, I scored and didn't risk hitting the glass ceilings that they have erected there. What a fantastic morning overall, and another county ticked off.

Day 9 – Leitrim

Leitrim was a slower day by design. I started with my GAA goal in Carrick-on-Shannon, and thankfully, once again, I scored first time, keeping my streak alive. In the afternoon, I met some friendly locals in a coffee shop in Carrick-on--Shannon, who even gave me my lunch, coffee, and a scone in exchange for a donation on their behalf. Amazing.

Parke's Castle was my main subject, and while there, I spoke to the team who worked at the OPW site. They asked about the project, curious about why I was lugging gear around. They even offered to charge my power banks for me. The afternoon was spent at this idyllic location, editing videos and organizing footage. I was intending to park up overnight and shoot the sunrise here, but the weather had different ideas; it was going to get windy and rainy overnight. So, I opted to shoot the sunset instead. It was then that I met up with Alan, the owner of a tour boat that takes people from there over to Sligo. He was great, and I really enjoyed our chats, plus playing with his dog, Miley.

Day 10 – Fermanagh

Fermanagh greeted me with rain from the moment I woke up. No sunrise, no breaks in the clouds. I had planned a drone shot of a small folly on an island to show just how much water surrounds it here. So, I decided to grab my coffee at 7 a.m. in Enniskillen and take the opportunity to walk around the town as it was waking up. I really enjoy this time of day; it's great to see these places wake from their slumber and see the people do the same.

Next, it was on to get my GAA goal. However, I did have to search for an open field to score in. Thankfully, I found one and hammered it home for 10 in a row. Even though it was raining hard, I headed to my location to get my shot. This wasn't an easy task, as it seemed like I had taken the wrong road, with my GPS sending me down a road that didn't even exist. But I managed to get as close as I could, then took the scramble in the rain through the woods to see if I could get a better access point. I couldn’t, however, so it was going to be a somewhat blind flight once the rain stopped. Late in the day, I got a short weather gap and launched the drone. It wasn’t perfect, but it was enough to tell the story: a small folly sitting on an island surrounded by the many waterways that Fermanagh has. I knew this was the type of shot I wanted to get; I was missing the light, but at least it wasn't raining.

Day 11 – Donegal

I arrived at Lough Derg in the afternoon. My subject was going to be St. Patrick’s, the retreat sitting quietly in the water. I’d hoped for a drone shot, but flights weren’t permitted here, so I made the most of a shoreline vantage point. I was somewhat annoyed that I couldn't fly the drone, as this shot would have been epic, but I had to accept the rules and follow them.

Coffee came from a small roadside mobile coffee shop in Pettigo. This was where I met Sarah and her partner, who restored my faith in humanity again. I really enjoyed the chats and telling them about what I was trying to achieve. I had already done my 1 km walk, which took me around the quiet roads and paths at the lake’s edge. All that remained was my GAA goal. This would come from the GAA pitch in Pettigoe, where I met a very nice man who was busy trimming the hedgerows. He asked if I needed a goalkeeper; I opted to decline, of course, just in case he was a world-class goalkeeper—you never know, after all. Donegal was done, and while the shot was nice, it wasn't what I had envisioned. Plus, I have been to this stunning county so many times before, and I wanted to take the trip to somewhere new.

Day 12 – Tyrone

Onwards we rolled, and it was time to cross back over the border into Tyrone. The drive wasn’t long, but it was new territory for me. By evening, I was standing at Dungannon Park, a place popular with locals taking their walks and enjoying the gap in the rain. The clouds, however, were still present, so it meant that I wasn’t going to get any sunset (again). I knew what I wanted to photograph: a small jetty that stretched into the lake. The symmetry reminded me of Killaloe with DOD—calm, simple, and balanced.

Before that, I’d found a coffee in the park, walked the full loop of the park’s paths, and then, because there was going to be no sunset, I opted to go to a local pitch for the goal. This pitch was O’Neill Park, and upon arrival, I was met by stewards who were controlling traffic. There was a match about to begin. I felt like I wouldn’t get access; however, I couldn't have been more wrong. The steward was so nice. He told me he would let me take my goal on the main stadium pitch, brought me down, introduced me to the club chairman, captain, and team, and off I went with my illustrious audience to get my goal. I was greeted by barriers that are used to protect the surface of the pitch around the goal—an added challenge which I gladly took and once again scored. I was still on a roll. It was a great end to another day, and the people I met made it all the better, as they did before.

Day 13 – Derry

The rain had now returned, so rather than heading into Derry for my next shoot, I decided to take the drive back across the border into Donegal and stayed with my friend Glen in Moville. It was good to have a real bed, a shower, and time to get some editing done, plus hang out with my friend and catch up on his life and share progress on my own.

The drive into Derry was short, but the rain never stopped, so I waited until late morning to head in. Getting into my wet gear and taking the walk through the city, I was amazed at how alive it was and how the locals were also braving the bad weather and walking through it themselves. Some families were also out and about. This reminded me of a statement that my son often says to me: "It's only rain, Dad; I’m not made of sugar." I still shot the Peace Bridge, working the camera between the heavier downpours. Coffee came from a café close to the quays called Hang Ten, and again, it was packed with people all having chats and conversations. This is another reason why I choose to include local-only coffee shops; they are great community hubs for people to talk face to face, which is very important. The walk was across the bridge, along the riverside, and through the city, which gave me over my 1 km goal, an added bonus. And I found a pitch to keep the GAA goal streak alive in the briefest break in the rain. The sun even came out to greet me while I did.

Day 14 – Antrim

Next it was on to Antrim, and the location I wanted to shoot was the Titanic Building right in the heart of Belfast. Now, technically, it's not in Antrim, but I wasn't going to take the journey up to the north coast as the Golf Open was on and it would have been packed. This location would also tie in nicely with my Day 1 video, where I mentioned that Cobh in Cork was the last port of call for the Titanic, so this location would bring it full circle.

Now, a Friday evening in Belfast meant getting to the Titanic building for the photo wouldn't be straightforward. My GPS didn't seem to like the road networks either and sent me off on different circling routes. But I managed to get there in the end. My coffee shop would also be close to my photo destination: Robins Hobby Cafe in the Titanic Quarter. When I arrived and told the barista what I was doing, the owner came out to greet me, having overheard my conversation. He told me that the reason he set up this café was for the exact reason I was mentioning. People can find it hard to socialize, and his daughter, who is 13, has special needs, so he set up this coffee shop as a place for people to meet while playing board games. It's a great idea and one that really breaks the ice.

Time was fading fast, and having just battled the traffic to get here, I realised that finding a GAA pitch at 5:30 p.m. in the city was going to be harder than expected. I tried three, all of which were closed, but I kept searching until I finally found one: a GAA college called Colaiste Feirste. I met a great guy there who told me all about the increase in the Irish language in the area, opened up the pitch for me, and I got the goal scored. Now it was time to battle back on to the Titanic Quarter to get my shot. I hadn't visited here before, just like many of the locations already on this trip, and when I arrived, I noticed that it seemed there would only be one vantage point to get my shot without having cranes or other buildings in the shot. This was right at the front of the building. I got the shot, albeit just, as it was difficult to fit the vastness of the building onto my frame, even at 16 mm. But at least I got it. My 1.8 km walk took me around the historic shipyard area—a good way to close the second week of the challenge.

GAA Goal Streak, lots of rain and Human Connections

This journey was defined by a spirit of resilience and positivity. Despite facing constant challenges—from unpredictable weather to technical mishaps and logistical hurdles—I found enjoyment and success at every turn. What truly stood out was the incredible power of human connection. The kindness of the locals I met, from a generous coffee shop owner in Leitrim to the helpful GAA steward in Tyrone, was a constant source of inspiration. My story isn’t just about the places I visited, but about the determination to overcome obstacles and the invaluable moments shared with people, which ultimately made this trip so much more than a simple travel Vlog.

How These Lessons Will Help Me This Week

This understanding will be invaluable for the week ahead. I'll approach new locations with a mindset of flexibility and open-mindedness, knowing that not everything will go according to plan. Instead of obsessing over a perfect shot or a specific outcome, I'll focus on enjoying the process and the journey itself.

Most importantly, I will actively seek out opportunities to connect with the people I meet. I'll make time to chat with locals, listen to their stories, and engage with the community. By prioritizing these interactions, I know that even if the weather turns or a plan falls through, the experience will still be incredibly rewarding and meaningful.