Dún Briste at Downpatrick Head

Downpatrick Head with its imposing sea stack Dún Briste is one of the signature points of the Wild Atlantic Way, a place one should not miss when exploring the route and one of the outstanding highlights of the Irish west coast. For me, the roughly 45-metre-high stack is one of the most spectacular places in all of Ireland. I have visited Downpatrick Head several times. Dún Briste featured in my Wild Atlantic Way illustrated book and currently graces the cover of my Ireland Calendar 2026. When I arrived here in June 2025, however, I was genuinely surprised to discover that twelve years had passed since my last visit.

The scene at the cliffs felt largely unchanged. Beyond that, however, things have moved on. In the past you could walk right up to the edge of an enormous blowhole – if you dared. Today it forms part of a large architectural and landscape installation called “The Crossing”. Stainless steel pipes now frame the blowhole, and a mound has been built around it in the shape of a ring fort. A viewing platform lets you take it all in. That untamed nature and art can go hand in hand like this deserves real respect.

But back to Dún Briste. I always find myself facing the same question here: long exposure or not. The sea stack, sitting out from the coast as it does, is practically made for long exposures. Its exposed position often brings a sharp wind with it, however, which means the tripod needs to be set up with great care. At the same time the stack lends itself equally well to short exposures, which “freeze” the movement in the water. During my visit the pinkies were in bloom, as the Irish call thrift, and I wanted to work them into my compositions as a gentle contrast to the rugged surroundings. It turned into an extended photography session, shooting both long and short exposures, on the tripod and lying at the cliff edge.