Donegal beauty spot proves picture perfect

A VIVID early-morning photograph of a frozen Donegal beach has been chosen as winner of an international amateur tourist competition.

The image from Fanad Head entitled Ice Age, was taken last winter by MartinMarcisovsky, a Slovakian living in Ireland.

The picture, featuring ice and snow on the beach, beat thousands of other entrants to win the GoIreland.com Photography Awards.

Gulliver Ireland organised the competition. Marketing manager Lisa Fitzpatrick said the variety and standard of amateur photography was heartening.

“The Eye for Ireland theme inspired so many tourists to share their pictorial take on Ireland and we applaud their creativity and energy,” she said.

“Martin Marcisovsky’s winning photograph is a fantastic example of what awaits visiting and domestic tourists in Ireland.”

The competition, now in its seventh year, called for amateur photographers living in Ireland or visiting to capture a unique and personal view of landscapes in the search for a new iconic image of the country.

Photographs of Cavan’s Lough Ramor, Dublin’s North Wall Quays and Skerries Harbour, Cashel, Co Kerry, Waterford’s Dungarvan harbour and Abbeyside and the Wicklow Mountains all featured among the prizewinners.