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The Guns of Dunree
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I was north this Easter weekend, and I had no idea what to expect when I decided to checkout Dunree Fort.
Dunree fort is about 10 miles from Buncrana, Co Donegal, a Napoleonic outpost of huge historic and geographical significance (as someone put in Wikipedia). Well, to a camera wielding tourist Joe like me, that didn’t mean much – until I actually noticed the ‘guns’, the rotting military camp, and finally the dilapidated fort itself.
What a place it is!! Have you ever fancied going upto Chernobyl and check out how nature is claiming the town back? Well, you don’t need to go that far and the only contamination you have to worry about is from the curious cows on the drive upto the Dunree fort.
The whole place is totally empty, no nosy keepers, not even other tourists – and the abandoned military camp and fort itself is in such a state, you really have to watch your step as floor boards have rotten away, graffiti and other signs of vandalism… The place had such an eery feel to it, it had me amazed and slightly frightened at the same time.
I have uploaded a set to Flickr, called “The Silent Guns of Dunree” – if the photos are not upto the standard, thats all my fault. Someone with talent and skill could come back with a bus load of great shots from there!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/chunangadan/sets/72157600070525483/
Some pictures from the set:
Full set:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/chunangadan/sets/72157600070525483/All critique welcome!
(let me start preparing a list of excuses… uncalibrated display, no mouse, topgear on telly and I was distracted, no salt in tea…)
PS: edit to replace the first pic – I deleted the original first pic from flickr….
wow, sounds like an interesting place alright – had a look through your set – love the shot of the window. I really like the second shot here, did you shoot raw?
You might be able to bring back some of the detail outside? Colour is great and the crop is 100% (boom boom ) :)yeah sounds like an amazing location. Pity I live in the South East, thats a 6 hour or more drive like for me. Im not really up for it to be honest!
I love the last shot in your set. Id like to see it a bit more perpendicular to the window though if ya get me. A bit more straight on kinda.
Thanks Ali, yes I did shoot RAW. Unfortunately my PotatoShop skills are exactly that – RAW! :-( I will try tweaking it with CS2 and see if I can bring up anything there.
Flipflip, thanks, I don’t have a more direct / straight shot of that window unfortunately – I should have been more careful..
Meanwhile, I just realized that the photos I export out of Lightroom are not as bright as they appear in Lightroom. Here I tried increasing the brightness, color, saturation, curves – everything – over the top, is it?
Positron,
It is an eerie place indeed. I have been here many times. There is something quite spooky about this place. Even on the warmest of summer days the buildings are cold and the wind whistles through them.
You’ve photographs have inspired me to visit again.
Andy
Thats brilliant, I am delighted!
Yeah, the decay, solitude, silence, the sound of the wind, over all it did make me a bit nervous, and the first thought that came to my mind was this: ‘Ghost Town, a drive thru Chernobyl’
That place has so much potential, I am looking forward to seeing some fantastic shots!
It is indeed!
Well, guess where I am going to spend the May bank holiday weekend?! Yes, thats right! Well, I am driving up again to for a number of (personal/family) reasons, but would love to use the opportunity to try taking some pictures as well. Anyone know if there there are any other such interesting places, on/off the beaten track, around Lough Swilly?
Positron, did you get up to Dunree?
I paid a visit myself over the bank holiday. I’ve just posted a new thread. Let me know what you think.
There are other forts at Leenan on the other side of mamore gap and also near the pier on Inch Island. But so far Dunree seems to have the most potential.
Don’t forget Urris for landscapes though!!
Andy
I didn’t make it to Dunree again unfortunately – I only had Sunday morning to myself, and I decided to drive around to the other side of Swilly – Rathmullen etc and I ended up driving all the way to Fanad Head. Beautiful beautiful part of the world! :) Walking around ‘Rathmullen Forest’ (I think thats it read at the entrance) was unreal – I haven’t seen such old trees before in Ireland, and with the moss and algae (?) growing on tree trunks making it all bright green – it was straight out of Jurassic Park!!
Really great shots on your Dunree thread – I will comment there! :)
And finally, proof that I drive all the way to Fanad head! :D
PS: When will they start that car ferry across swilly? Someone said end of may? I would have thought they would want to run it with all the people coming up for the bank holiday weekend?
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