About

 

Hi, I’m Val Robus, I’m a photographer, social media manager and writer.

I’m passionate about Sligo and Ireland. I’m also very interested in travel, adventures, food, exploring and events for both tourists and locals to enjoy hence the new website I’m involved in Sligo Hub.

Awards

Featured on the Accuweather Channel in America, finalist in several RTE weather photo competitions, runner-up in the Camera Club photo competition on Ireland AM.
Winner of the #Tweetiepic award at the Inaugural RaboTweetie awards.
Finalist at the Blog Awards Ireland in 2012 and the Irish Blog Awards in 2010.
Listed in the DailyEdge 25 Irish Instagram Accounts that should be followed in 2015.
Runner-up in the Biodiversity Smartphone Snapper photography competition in 2015 and 2016.
I’ve had my photography featured on National TV and in National Newspapers. I’ve had articles published in Woman’s Way, Go Wild Magazine and Ireland Before You Die.
Sligo Hub is a finalist of the 2018 Blog Awards Ireland.

 

Exhibitions

April 2015 – ‘I Met Spike’ Solo Exhibition – Holborn Street, Sligo

July 2015 – ‘Wild Atlantic Wayfarer’ Solo Exhibition – Hawk’s Well Theatre, Sligo

May 2018 – Art Wall. Permanent Solo Exhibition at St. John’s Community Hospital, Sligo

July 2018 – Part of the Cairde Visual Exhibition at The Model, Sligo

Clients

Photography clients include:

Sligo Tourism, Sligo Arts Services, Sligo Youth Theatre, So Sligo Food Festival, Sligo Food Trail, Sligo Tidy Towns, Taste Leitrim, Sligo Volunteering Centre, Sligo Now Magazine, Sligo PPN, Cairde Arts Festival, Culture Night Sligo.

 

All images and posts are copyright. If you want to use any of my images please ask.

 

 

 

 

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71 thoughts on “About”

      1. Dear Val,

        I have looked at almost all your pictures on Accuweather. They are so beautiful. I am taking the time to write to you and let you know I believe you should be in the top ten. I will have to write people I know to vote for you.

        Keep the great work going. You have a gift.

  3. You left a very kind comment on my blog which I have only just seen
    I am so sorry for your loss and please use me as a listening ear for your memories or to rage or whatever. You now have my email. Take very good care of yourself in this difficult period. I have to say I love your Dad’s face. Hope you see it reflected in your children

    Reply

  4. Hello Val.

    What a delightful and sensitive blog you write and so far, I haven’t seen any ramblings at all. Thank you for visiting my blog and posting a kind comment. Like you I’m new to this and it can get very emotional and I now firmly believe that it can be a good cathartic exercise.

    Your photographs are wonderfully composed and full of lovely colour. By sheer coincidence I am reading a superb novel set mainly in Sligo and is the narrative tale of a lady in an asylum and her psychiatrist who is caring for her, it’s called The Secret Scripture by Sebastian Barry – recommended.

    May I wish you luck with your blog and good luck for the future.

    Steve

    Reply

    1. Hello Steve,

      Thanks for your kind comment. I agree with the blog being cathartic.

      I have heard of The Secret Scripture….I really should read it.

      Take care,
      Val

      Reply

  6. Hey there,
    I came accross your Food Glorious food set on Flicker, yummy! Fab photos. I love your writings on your blog too. Keep up the good work!

    Reply

  10. Hi Val – it was lovely to chat to you on twitter – and I just love your pictures. The colours and the titles that you give them. I just wish I was good at photography – maybe one day!!!! Have voted for you on facebook – looking good. Good luck.

    Reply

  11. Hi,
    I Like your photos,but, I’m intrigued by your association with the Jersey Bar!
    My grandfather owned it and My Mother used to live upstairs in it!! I have relations in sligo and coolaney,If you know anymore about the pub could you let me know!!!

    Reply

  12. Hey Val,

    Just wanted to say that I really love your blog, and your flickr is brilliant 🙂

    I was just wondering if you could drop me an email? Just wanted to pass something by you 🙂

    Thanks!

    Reply

  13. Hi Val, just said I’d write a few lines to say hello! And thanks for the comment on my blog (re: giveaway) It is great to meet other bloggers here in Ireland, and I’m looking forward to a “good ‘aul read” of your posts!!
    Hope you are well, and keeping warm! Emily X

    Reply
  14. Pingback: 2010 in review « Magnumlady's Blog

  15. Hello! I just happened to search Sligo in google and your blog came across!
    I wanted to tell you that your blog is very nice, keep on the good work!

    Greetings from Mexico 😉

    Reply

  18. Hello there! I LOVE your photos, you have a fabulous eye for what will look good through the lens of a camera. I have a page on Facebook; my main aim being to promote Ireland as a tourist destination and I am always looking for beautiful photos of Ireland for that purpose. I used one of yours recently (found it on Google Images, apologies if I used it without permission, it said nothing about copyright). It was of an empty bench, in Autumn, beside what looks like a lake, taken in October 2007 (I think the same day you took a photo of your son running through Autumn leaves). A follower has asked me what the place is called and where it is … can you help me on this? Also, would it be OK with you if I use your beautiful photos in the future. They are certainly a perfect incentive for prospective visitors to Ireland. I look forward to hearing from you.

    Reply

    1. Hello, thanks for your message. Google has a bad habit of putting up my images without me knowing it. I had one end up in a National paper recently without my permission. I’m so glad you like the photos. I’d be grateful if you could let me know your Facebook page, I always hope that tourists might look at my photos and be inspired to come to Ireland. I’m pretty sure the photo is in Hazelwood Forest, Sligo but I won’t know for sure until I see it.

      Reply

  20. I came across your blog when I check weather conditions, maps and photos in Accuweather regularly. Your photos are very nice and usually colourful. Thanks so much for sharing them with the world. Now I know a bit more about daily life (food, pets, family) in Ireland. Someone told me to start one, since I do some writing I am a mature person and even the internet is a new deal for me, but I seem to be able to surf and learn new things all the time. Bye, from Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

    Reply

  21. Dear MagnumLady / Val ,

    I was startled to learn of someone else — your son Jono — who has both Aspergers Syndrome and advanced kyphosis. Do you know of any professional literature which addresses this comorbidity? I’ve not been able to find any, but I have long thought it could be more than coincidence that these two pathologies would overlap in any one person. Thanks for any insight you can give, and may your son thrive and prosper.

    (I don’t know that it has any bearing, but I have Irish ancestry.)

    Respectfully yours,

    Dean

    Reply

    1. Dear Dean,

      Thanks for your message. I have never heard of anyone with Asperger’s and Kyphosis so I really don’t know if it’s connected or not. We didn’t really get an answer about what caused Jono’s kyphosis, although his sister has mild scoliosis (Jono also has scoliosis). So I’m guessing it’s hereditary.

      I hope you are doing well. Jono is doing very well at the moment. He was really pleased to get his surgery as he was in severe pain before it. He still suffers with pain but at least he can breath OK now.

      Kind regards,
      Val

      Reply

  22. I am send Christmas and New Year’s Greetings to you and your family in Sligo from out in Alberta, Canada. It been so warm lately, will be plus 8 on Christmas Day, so there is NO snow this year. Usually, its -20 or worse by now. Haven’t seen any good weather photos from you in Accuweather, but since Ireland is ususally gray and misty this time of year, I can understand. Rocket is so nice and that photo of the man by the bridge (John) with the dog and rabbit really touched me. Thanks for that posting. Talk later in 2012.

    Reply

  23. Hi Val,

    I had to wish you and your family a jolly, happy St Patricks Day!
    The grass is still brown, but at least it not snowing today, but lots of folks wearing green, including myself. Office and bank workers did it yesterday already. Yes, they do have “green” beer and green shakes at McDonalds.

    John Berry

    Reply

  26. Hi Val, I am FilbertSheep from IG and found your blog while looking up information on Sligo. Your photos are terrific and I am enjoying your “waffling.” I am moving from Oregon to Ireland in March & am searching for a place to settle. All the best, Marianne

    Reply

  27. Hello

    I have looked at the picture of the village store you took in Dunmoran as detailed below
    This photo was taken on January 16, 2009 using a Panasonic DMC-FZ30.

    I am researching my ancestry, and was so pleased to find this picture. My mothers dad’s father William Breheney was born in Yorkshire, but his father Patrick BREHENEY either lived there, or his brother did, or both at one point. Patrick obvioulsy left to live in Yorkshire, and his brother stayed behind to run the shop. Records show two fishing boats still registered in the BREHENEY name in the area up until 2007.

    I don’t suppose you know any history on the shop, or the Breheneys.

    Also I would like to ask whether you do any paid work, as you seem to like to take pictures of derelict building.

    On my mothers maternal side, the GAVAN’s in Sligo, there is a derelict family home I can only see from a rough track on google street view, and want to get a proper picture of the derelict house. If you do, I could email you the map for its exact loacation, but would need an email address

    Your thoughts

    Mark

    Reply

    2. Hi Mark,
      my name is Rainer, I live in Skreen and I pass every wek a derelict house that used to be a shop of Peter Breheney. It is the first house on the road to Dunmoran Strand. After the property tax was released someone took away the sign with the name from the frontdoor.
      I think, i have a photo of that.
      Rainer

      Reply

  29. Its St Patricks Day, again–tomorrow. Are you and the family doing anything special? I have noticed so many recipes for soda bread, cabbage, corned beef and, of course, green beer. Thats about the only thing green out here–with temeratures around -12 Celsius for a high. Have a great day in Sligo, and good luck. JB

    Reply

    1. Thanks JB. I’m going to the Sligo parade, that’s about it. No one in Ireland actually eats corned beef and cabbage, it’s bacon and cabbage here. I’m not a fan though so we’ll have something else 🙂 Hope you have a good day, Val

      Reply

  32. Just letting you know that you can update any events around Sligo that are happening onto the http://www.discoversligo.ie website by just clicking on Events on the right hand corner of the page. Well done with the blog and keep it coming 🙂 From: Discover Sligo Magazine

    Reply

  33. Hi Val
    Read your Aerial Photography blog just now & just loved it. Totally buy into your enthusiasm for the aerial view……so exciting. Great blog & look forward to reading more

    Reply

  34. Hi Val,

    your blog is one of my favourites! 🙂
    As you have already visited my blog, you may have seen the recurring topic 10 Statements. Here is a link to my post covering Amanda Staley’s 10 Statements. http://mytrainofthoughtson.wordpress.com/2013/11/30/10-statements-amanda-staley/
    You can send me as many photos as you like, provide a brief bio, your personal motto, and – complete the 10 statements.
    If you are interested, I would love to publish your 10 Statements.

    Reply

  36. Hi Val. Great work on covering the local Saint Patrick’s Day Parades, you captured the spirit well. Well done ! Jim.

    Reply

  38. Hi,
    I am only after coming across your blog & spent she’s going through each of the categories… It’s brilliant, really love it.
    I am living in Sligo too for the past five years & am an art teacher/columnist & artist. Iv started blogging but mainly on Facebook as a hobby, my page is http://www.facebook.com/zaramcdaidart if you’d like to check it out.
    Keep up the great work & I look forward to reading more 🙂 xo

    Reply

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