Clare’s hidden gems in Jewellery Box exhibition

DARAGH Muldowney of Dúlra Photography, who holds regular photography workshops at Loop Head, opened an exhibition and launched a book of shots of rock pools, including some from the Clare coastline, in Dublin this week.

Jewellery Box – Ireland’s Hidden Gems will run in the Back Loft Gallery, Cathedral Studios, Dublin 8 until November 21.
The exhibition and book is a collection of photographs focusing on the elements of nature found in rock pools all around the coast of Ireland, including Clare, in the shape of periwinkles, anemones, urchins and seaweeds of all types. Four of the images in the book are from Clare. Each photograph shows the colours, textures and patterns reflecting the variation of the landscape, geology and life of the coastline, capturing the elements as they present themselves naturally or in an abstract wonder without the use of artificial light or filters.
The photographer said that some of the biggest and amazing rock pools can be found in Clare, which are “teeming with life”. He gives up to three photography workshops at Loop Head every year and finds a wealth of material there to photograph.
“For example, the famous Pollock Holes are three natural rock-enclosed tidal swimming pools, which were great for exploring and kept me entertained for hours,” he commented.
Daragh continued, “All of Clare’s coastline is bountiful with colours, shapes and textures ranging from barnacles that looked like the eyes in one of Picasso’s paintings to the abstract shapes formed by algae found on the limestone rocks. When the tide goes out, it is like lifting a veil exposing some true treasures.”
Since the launch of Dúlra Photography over seven years ago, Daragh has exhibited his range of nature images throughout Europe. He started exhibiting his photography on Stephen’s Green in Dublin and within a short space of time was hailed as “a leading fine art photographer” by Art Ireland.
Daragh’s interest in photography came about as a result of a scuba diving course that he completed in 1992. Shortly after this, he bought a Canon AE-1 program camera, a 30-year-old model he still uses today, and began to learn about photography.