University College, Cork, Éire

This photo exhibits a distinct problem with photography around Britain and Ireland in those months extending from October through to February: shadows caused by the low position of the sun in the sky. The phenomenon also explains why I chose a detail shot of part of the architecture surrounding the Main Quadrangle in University College, Cork. It is a place well known to me from my student years at the institution and there is a pleasing scene from the roadway leading down to Gaol Cross that I would like to recapture sometime.

The university was founded in 1845 and has a rich history and a beautiful 42-acre wooded campus near the city centre. UCC hosts over 24,000 students, including 4,000 internationals from 138 countries. As one of Ireland's leading research institutes, it houses several centres of excellence like the Tyndall Institute and Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre. UCC achieved full university independence in 1997. With an €350 million investment plan and the first Green Flags from the Foundation for Environmental Education, UCC remains committed to research, sustainability and global engagement, fostering independent thinking and preparing students for modern challenges.