Acrylic and mixed media on cradled deep-edge board

The golden hour on the hills of Ireland.

When I was a kid, my friends and I would hike from my house in Tallaght up to the Hellfire Club in the Dublin Mountains. It took hours. The steep hills were brutal at times, we’d be out of breath and have to stop for a rest before pushing on again.

We always brought food, stuffed into a plastic bag, usually a few biscuits, a bag of crisps, and maybe a bottle of diluted orange or water if we were lucky. We’d spend the whole day exploring the hills, and only head home as the evening light dipped low.

Those warm summer evenings are etched into my memory, full of freedom, laughter, and the kind of friendship that feels endless when you’re young. Just good, clean fun. Pure joy.