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MIXED MESSAGES.

Using signs, advertisements and messages as the inspiration for observation and comment - enlightened and otherwise

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Remembering A Private Census – Cobblers

1/4/2020

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​In Goreybridge in Wexford, between 1862 and 1867, the landlord’s agent kept detailed records of the occupants of the dwellings, names, ages, relationship to tenant, occupation – all of which are recorded on the modern census.
 
I learned of this from Dr. Rachel Murphy in January when I attended the Irish Modern Urban History Group Symposium in Limerick, when she spoke on ‘The Goreybridge Censuses, 1862-7’. A significant proportion of the houses were occupied by one trade, Cobblers (if I remember correctly). There were only a small number of houses – 13-15 from memory – but shoemaking/cobblers was the trade of quite a number of houses, making the percentage significant. 
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I was in Belfast a few weeks later and spotted this plaque on a modern building on North St. This is definitely my type of plaque – small history, local information. A visit to census information is calling out to me as to whether the Belfast shoe-makes on North St were shops or whether they lived there too. A 2m distant conversation with my father is also calling to discuss whether others who worked with his father in the Lee Boot Co lived near him growing up – whether there was, decades later, a tradition of living near you work/trade colleagues.
 
 If I only took better notes on the Goreybridge talk, I might be better placed to join some dots ……

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A Right To Protest

31/3/2020

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Over the past couple of days, I have spotted a number of graffiti and stencil messages around the city suggesting disobeying the guidelines on Covid 19 – at least that is my reading of them.
 
If I had a choice of not entering a room and staying alive, or entering a room in which 6 of the 100 people would die, I am happy to avoid the room.
 
Just because it is the government doesn’t make it objectionable all of the time 

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Remembering Those Of This Community

30/3/2020

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Last Summer, on a trip to The Maharees of the Dingle peninsula, I spotted a plaque the likes of which I had not seen before – a plaque listing and remembering those of the locality who left for farms elsewhere as part of the Irish Land Commission.
 
It might answer the question as to why the Shally family moved to Tulsk – an investigation for another day.

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Fahamore, Maharees, Co. Kerry
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Williamstown, Co. Galway
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Behold - the Conjun Box

29/3/2020

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​I blogged some years back about the conjun-box which was a connection between my grandfather and each of his early crop of grandchildren – he being the guardian on our bank accounts and who would bring us to the Cork Savings Bank for our box to be opened and monies transferred into our account.
 
Last November, there was a box-lot at Woodwards auction. I was tempted but there were too many other things to drive the price up.
 
The remote for the car acted up over Christmas and I ended up at ADM Locksmiths on Tramore where a conjun-box is on display. The owner, Morgan, told me that the conjun-box was his and that his interest in locks and his career as locksmith started when trying to pick the conjun-box open – a feat successfully completed.
 
Oh! Where I might be now if I had preserved with my efforts.



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Woodwards Auction - Lot 3 - Nov 2019
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Woody

28/3/2020

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​Another blog post inspired by the builders’ vans on Prince’s Street a few months back.
 
The attachment to the rear bumper caused a smile as I walked past.
 
It demanded a few minutes of escapism when filing away my photographs now.
 
Enjoy……..
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Legs Eleven

27/3/2020

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A smile came upon my face driving through Ballyphehane a while back.
 
I really like the house number sign.
 
It brought me back many years to when it was a treat to be allowed go with my grandfather to the Bingo at The Barrs. Grandad was one of the callers, so I was given a few cards and allowed play. Keys of the Door and Two Fat Ladies were first imprinted on my mind in the hall of St Finbarr’s Hurling & Football Club on a Friday night before we got the special Bingo bus home.
 
The whistles that accompanied Legs Eleven made it even more impressive, more deserving of questions seeking explanation over milk and biscuits when safely back in St. Brigid’s St on a Friday night.
 
I don’t know how long the number sign has been on the house but it brought me back decades.

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Know Your Market

26/3/2020

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​Better Painted by Kerry Painters

​This by-line, catchphrase or ‘Unique Selling Point’ may well work in Co. Kerry.
 
I spotted the van last October on Prince’s Street in Cork.
 
I suspect that the branding message did not result in many enquiries from the locals, but maybe that is just me.
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Valued Valuables

21/3/2020

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A tweet this morning from Stan Carey on the matter of eggcorns prompted a return to the blog. Samples of eggcorns that he cites include ‘hare’s breath’ and ‘mute point’. His full blog article can be enjoyed HERE.
 
I spotted this sign on Opera Lane earlier and was wondering if marketing had yielded to an openness that primarily considered the customers' money extracting potential – but may be it is an eggcorn.
 
Or maybe both.

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    From Cork.

    Old enough to have more sense - theoretically at least.

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