A sun beam bathes the lush Irish countryside

For a moment, there was brilliance. A beam of golden sunlight bathed the green and verdant earth, and where there had been shade there was now a transformed scene. It was as if the grass and trees had become animated, dancing with delight at this newfound vibrance, and in that moment there was an extraordinary vitality. Then, as quickly as that gap in the clouds had opened up, it shut again, like a manhole lid had been put back in its place, covering a magical aperture to a mysterious and ancient world below.

I could stand at that spot on Slieve na Calliagh, Loughcrew, County Meath, for 365 days of the year, and for several years in a row and never see that scene repeated – not exactly like that, with all those elements or components or visual treats that came together for a fleeting moment to create something glorious.