Rock Art at Drumsinnot, Co. Louth
Gallery Edition: Limited edition of 75 prints in three sizes, printed on fine art heavyweight archival paper.
Artist Edition: Limited to 15. Large format fine art print float-mounted in wooden tray frame.
This picture has become one of the most recognisable images associated with the ‘Shadows and Stone’ project. It was taken in the winter of 2007 at the rather understated and worn rock art site at Drumsinnot, west of Dundalk.
I had visited this site previously but was intrigued by the description in the Louth Archaeological Inventory of a ‘chequerboard’ pattern to one side which I hand’t noticed when I first visited it. After arriving at the site I called my friend, the late archaeologist Dr. Blaze O’Connor, who had carried out her PhD on the rock art of this area as well as parts of Kerry and Donegal, who talked me through the layout of this heavily eroded and partially overgrown site.
I had first set up my lighting to capture the ‘Atlantic’ cup and ring motifs on the larger, bowed face of the outcrop and Blaze and I were talking our way across the panel in detail by mobile phone to be sure I wouldn’t miss any important carvings. I was so engrossed in our discussion and the details we were looking for that I hadn’t noticed that I had attracted a gang of curious cattle. Most were watching from a cautious distance, except one, who was now standing right above me in utter bemusement. I hung up the call and slowly leaned back as far as I could without unsettling the blonde beast in front of me. For the next minute or so, I captured several images of this extraordinary scene, a blazing sunset, a blonde bullock and some of Ireland’s earliest art just barely surviving on the bare rock face. This particular photograph, with its intense eye-contact, was my favourite.
Note: This photograph has been used on book and magazine covers, individual reproductions for art exhibitions. It was also previously sold in small quantities of special order prints, less than 15 in number. The run of limited editions has been reduced accordingly.