Breath-taking beauty of the mountains and lakes in Killarney

Recently I did a painting of 'Ladies View' in Killarney, as part of my series of paintings on cancer, and it set me thinking about how getting out into the countryside and enjoying the beauty and calm of the landscape is so good for everybody. Luckily our summer weather has been particularly good so far and it gives me a chance to get out in the late evening to walk and enjoy the scenery around Cork and Kerry.
I had the pleasure of going to the Munster football final in Killarney recently. It hit the right spot in every way - a beautiful day in Killarney, magnificent setting of Fitzgerald's Stadium against the backdrop of the Magillacuddy Reeks and Kerry beating their old rivals on home turf. Killarney always draws a big crowd and even Cork supporters enjoy the trip to the Kingdom.
It was such a glorious day and buoyed by the Kerry victory I decided to savour the beauty of my native county. I strolled around the town for a good while after the match, enjoying the atmosphere and chatting to friends at various 'watering holes' in the town.
The long summer evenings give ample opportunity to get out and stretch the legs so I walked into the national park which is on the edge of the Killarney town. It was a beautiful balmy evening and the scenery was spectacular. Even though it was after 9pm there was a perfect view of the mountains and lakes in front of me. The soft fluffy clouds lingered over the pale blue mountains in the distance and the light captured the hollows and undulations of the mountains and valleys in the middle distance.

In the foreground you could see the darkened shapes of the trees and shrubs growing around the lake shore  which was set off by the shimmering light on the water of Lough Leane.  It was a perfect evening in a breath-taking setting and it made me resolve to get out and enjoy such scenes more often.           

Walking for cancer

This series of paintings has developed many different facets and aspects. When I started out on this theme my idea was to paint cancer patients in different settings to show how it affects people of all ages and from all walks of life and also to use scans of various types cancer to give an inner view into how it grows and develops. So far I have completed 11 paintings in the series which has  taken me two and half years to complete. I feel that I have made good progress at one level and yet I feel that I should have a lot more done at this stage. I started with the idea of doing 20 paintings but as I progress I feel that I could do a lot more and I see new perspectives to paint from.
My latest painting in the series is based on a walk that myself and wife did two years ago to help raise funds for cancer research.We walked from Killaney to Kenmare on a beautiful sunny day. It was ideal walking weather and the scenery was spectacular. The pace was challenging but pleasant as it gave time to chat to the people on the way. I met some very interesting people who would lift your spirits with their attitude to life and how to deal with illness.
I was particularly struck by a man named Páidí from Rathmore which is on the Kerry/Cork border. He is a farmer and he had been treated for prostate cancer. Happily he had been diagnosed at an early stage and the treatment was successful. He was walking to raise funds because he had a brother who had died from lung cancer and a young niece who was being treated for breast cancer.
Since his treatment he said that his attitude to life had changed completely and that now he would 'just grab every moment with both hands and squeeze the best out of it' .
On our way back to Killarney in the evening we were brought by bus to 'Ladies View'. The setting was truly spectacular with a perfect view of the mountains and lakes for miles. There was a golden light on the scene which highlighted the amazing yellows, oranges and browns of the landscape. The depth of field meant that you could see blue mountains further in the distance and the soft white line where mountains and horizon merge. The soft blue sky with a few fluffy clouds completed this breath-taking scene.
                                             
Páidí's words summed it up;
' It is so beautiful that you have to be glad to be alive to see it. Nature is fantastic and we can be fantastic too if we can see the beauty all around us make the most of what we have'.
As a Kerryman I fully concur with his reaction to the beauty of 'the Kingdom' and his attitude to life.