Stunning book of Mayo landscape photos will assist ‘Auryn’s Heroes’ charity
Racing tidal waters, sunlit uplands where lambs are gambolling, snow dusted mountains – all are prime targets for the lens of veteran amateur photographer Tom Higgins.
Tom has long retired from his career as a primary school principal but he’s as energetic as ever when it comes to his (almost) lifelong hobby.
Whatever the season, trusty Nikon 90 in hand, he walks the byroads of Mayo and further afield, poised to click with abandon whenever magical landscape reveals itself.
It might be a snow-capped Neifinn – he prefers the old Irish spelling of place names – or shady woodland beautified by nodding bluebells.
For decades, Tom, a former principal of Breaffy NS, Castlebar, has been faithfully capturing the moods and subtleties of the landscape. He speaks of his beloved pastime in an almost evangelical manner.
“A photograph in itself is not the landscape, but it should stimulate us to look and see at a deeper level, and thus lift up our hearts in praise and wonder.”
Tom, a native of Bekan, Claremorris, has been interested in photography all his working life. “I have had more time for that since my retirement,” he explains.
Landscape not only interests, it energises him. He elaborates: “Ever since I started photography (aged about 30), I have been drawn to landscape and exploring wild places, especially the wild places of Mayo.”
Tom, who lives in Castlebar with his wife, Mary, credits his late mother for his interest in photography.
“My first camera was one she brought from America. She came home and married my father who was a small farmer over in Bekan. She took a whole lot of photos of ourselves when we were growing up on the farm.”
Photographic kit has changed greatly since Tom’s mum brought that inspirational Box Brownie home from the States. Now Tom’s camera of choice is a Nikon 90 which has all the digital bells and whistles.
Tom recently published a selection of his photos in a stunning book entitled ‘Light on the Landscape’. The photos were mostly taken in Mayo.
The proceeds of 200 copies of the book will go to a charity named ‘Auryn’s Heroes’.
This is part of a fundraising project on behalf of Tom’s grandnephew, Auryn, a child who has been receiving treatment for childhood cancer.
Auryn’s parents are Barry and Patricia Phelan. Patricia (nee Gibbons) is a native of Castlebar.
In order to complete his treatment, Auryn’s parents must take him to the Sloan Kettering Memorial Hospital in New York. The funds raised for ‘Auryn’s Heroes’ will help cover expenses at that hospital, together with the cost of travel.
There are 85 to 90 photos in Tom’s book, which is on sale, price €30, in Castle Bookshop, Castlebar, as well as online.