I've decided to initiate a new section here at Mythical Ireland devoted to some of the other hobbies and interests I have and other subjects I am very interested in. I hope to be able to provide some useful information here as well as links to websites of interest and which may help to explain my interests better.

PHOTOGRAPHY & CAMERAS

The Nikkormat FTn - built in 1967, but made to last. A great camera.

I've been interested in photography since I was young. My dad was always a good photographer. He still takes plenty of photos. I now own what was once his pride and joy - a 1967 Nikkormat FTn camera, which is a beautiful, solid old SLR 35mm camera. I still use it. The only battery it takes is a small battery for the light metre. I got into photography in a big way after I met my wife, Ann, back in 1994. My first SLR after that was a Pentax P30, which was a very capable camera, followed by a Pentax MZ-50. I moved into the professional sphere in about 1999 with my purchase of a second-hand Nikon F90, a fantastic camera. I liked it so much, I bought a second one about a year later. I moved into the digital domain a couple of years ago with the Nikon Coolpix 4500.

The Nikon D70, my current camera of choice.

Then I went SLR in 2004 with the Nikon D70, a nice and very capable Digital SLR. I traded in one of the Nikon F90s, but I still own one for slide and print photography. There is a huge amount of my work on this website. If you want to get a look, just go and explore - my photos are all over the place, but particularly in the Ancient Sites and Astronomy sections. I've added some galleries of my work too, such as my Ireland gallery and the Winter Solstice gallery. I have recently joined Drogheda Photographic Club, which boasts some of the best photographers in Ireland.

Don't forget, if you like any of the photos on Mythical Ireland taken by me, you can purchase them. Just e-mail me with the details of which photo you want.

AIRPLANES

An Aer Lingus 737-500 series plane with the Moon, taken at Dublin Airport.

I'm only a very occasional air traveller, but for some reason, I just love watching airplanes. I'm fascinated by them - their size, their power, their noise, and the way they defy gravity when taking off. Because I'm a keen photographer, I've also taken up photographing planes. I'm a semi-regular visitor to Dublin Airport. I started taking pictures of planes last year, and since getting my Nikon D70, I've really started to take a lot of pictures of these enormous beasts. I have two ambitions relating to aircraft - one is to fly in the cockpit of a big aeroplane, preferably an Airbus A340 or a Boeing 767 or 747 (something big!). The other is to be ON a runway, under an aeroplane taking photos as it takes off over my head. I know it probably sounds a bit mad, but I'd really love to sense the noise and the power at close range!

Planes are actually a very unlikely subject for Mythical Ireland, I know, but my fascination means I find myself watching Discovery Wings and any programme on Sky Television about aviation. I've never even flown in a big aircraft. I cannot even recognise all the different types of aircraft! Click here for a page containing some photos I have taken of aircraft. I have added a video and a second gallery in recent weeks.

GAMES

The original DOOM - click to see larger screenshot.

I'm not a mad fan of computer games or anything, but since being introduced to the first-player "shoot-em-up" DOOM back in the mid 1990s, I have kept up an occasional interest in this type of game. I found DOOM addictive, so naturally when ID Software progessed to making even better games, I played them too. The highly-successul QUAKE was followed by QUAKE II, which I have to say I didn't like half as much. I may be playing devil's advocate when I say I think generally game players preferred the origiinal QUAKE.

But then there came what I consider to be a revolution in gameplay. Such was the overwhelming response to the multi-player versions of the Quake series, where players could fight against each other either on a network or over the internet, ID brought out QUAKE III ARENA. This was the answer to the dreams of millions of players.

On any given day at any particular time there can be upwards of 2,000 active QUAKE III servers online where people are playing this game against each other. It's great fun. There are a variety of weapons available, including the hugely lethal rocket launcher and the railgun, which usually only needs one accurate blast to "frag" (kill) another player. There are also huge numbers of modifications and additions to Quake III, such as maps, skins, weapons etc.

PainKeep Arena - click to see larger screenshot.

I've recently started playing a Quake III "mission pack" called "PainKeep Arena", which in my opinion adds greatly to the gameplay with additional weapons and new levels. It's also great fun. One humorous addition to the weaponry is the "Bear Trap", which is described thus on the PainKeep website: "Step on it and *SNAP!* The opponent is burdened with this huge trap clamped to their leg. Place them in well travelled areas or around key weapons and power-ups for maximum effect."

There are hundreds of on-line servers where you can play against other humans, but the single player game provides plenty of entertainment for those who are not quite advanced enough for on-line play. Overall this is a significant improvement on the Quake III experience, and will provide hours of entertainment for anyone who's a fan of this genre. PainKeep Arena is for the "Old School" fan of Deathmatch, also known as Hardcore Deathmatchers, according to Robert Waring, one of the creators.

BOOKS

I'm not a bookworm by any means, but I do enjoy reading and I am interested in a broad range of topics and subjects. The vast majority of my reading material is non-fiction. I simply don't have the time to read works of fiction. One great reason I like reading non-fiction is because I can dip in and out of books, and read sections of books. I very rarely read a book from cover to cover. I don't have the attention span. What I would like to do here is talk about some of the books I've read recently and some of those that have left a lasting impression on me.

Red Herrings and White Elephants. Click here.

"Red Herrings and White Elephants - the origins of the phrases we use every day".
This wonderful book by Albert Jack does exactly what it says on the tin, and provides a fascinating and at times amusing glimpse at the origins of phrases which many of us use every day and take for granted. Perfect for the sort of reader who is interested in trivia and titbits, but this book will also appeal to a general audience. However, beware taking everything in this book as gospel - some people have said it contains urban legends or folk tales in place of actual facts. However, it still makes for enjoyable reading.

This book can be purchased online at Amazon.co.uk

Another book I read recently was "Talisman: Sacred Cities, Secret Faith" by Graham Hancock and Robert Bauval. The book essentially suggests that a secretive religion which can be traced back to the Egyptians has been fundamental to the formation of some of the world's greatest powers and cities. Although I was unconvinced on the whole, the book raises some very interesting questions and puzzles. Of particular interest is how cities like Paris and Washington could have a secret, sacred geometry behind their seemingly innocuous designs. There is also a very captivating account of the crusades in France, in which many tens of thousands of Cathars were slaughtered by the Catholic organisation. Interesting reading, but, as I said, a little bit wishy washy on conclusions.

This book can be purchased online at Amazon.co.uk

Click here to read more book recommendations