Kildare photographer's latest calendar benefits children's charity

A County Kildare man has released his latest calendar, with all proceeds going towards a well-known children's charity.

For the last six years, Prosperous resident Daniel J O'Neill has sold calendars featuring his photography in order to raise funds for different local charities, including St Vincent de Paul and Little Way Cancer Support in Clane.

This year, he released a calendar to help raise funds for Barretstown Children's Camp.

Explaining his decision to the Leinster Leader, Daniel said: "Barretstown does incredible work supporting children and families going through serious illness, and they do it with such warmth, positivity, and fun.

"It’s a charity that resonates with many people, and I felt it was a very worthy cause to support this year."

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When asked about the origin of his venture, Daniel responded: "It began as a simple idea — combining my love of photography and the Kildare countryside with a way of giving something back to local charities.

"I was already out photographing Kildare regularly, so instead of letting those images sit on a hard drive gathering digital dust, I thought they could do some good.

"When I floated the idea of a calendar with friends and family, the response was very positive — people loved the idea of enjoying a beautiful local image each month, with enough space to jot down everyday life like birthdays and appointments."

According to Daniel, he always had an interest in photography, but he only started to take photography more seriously just before the Covid-19 pandemic.

"What started as a hobby gradually grew into something much more meaningful; winning a few national photography competitions along the way gave me a real boost and encouraged me to keep going.

"Now that I’m retired, I have more time to devote to it — and I still get the same buzz I did at the start, just with heavier lenses and more expensive cameras!"

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As for the kind of photographs featured in his calendars, Daniel said that they "showcase a mix of Kildare landscapes, equine scenes (being Kildare, of course), local forests, popular walkways, nature, and familiar places people instantly recognise".

He added: "The aim is to capture the county at its very best across all seasons — images that make people pause for a moment and say, 'That’s home'."

Daniel also revealed where people can find his calendars: "They are available through local shops and businesses, as well as directly from me.

"They’re priced at €10 — a price that has remained unchanged since the beginning.

"As we’re almost into February, there are only a limited number of 2026 calendars still available directly from me.

"However, next year's calendar will be widely available again next November in many Kildare shops, hardware stores, and garden centres."

Lastly, Daniel offered a message of gratitude to the "continued support" he has received: "From individuals, local shops, and businesses who buy the calendars year after year for their staff; the fact that they now hang in homes not just around Ireland, but even in places as far away as Greenland, still makes me smile.

"That sense of community support is what keeps the project going."

An example of a photograph from Daniel. Photograph provided by Daniel J O'Neill

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