Blog Archives - Reading the Signs

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A Cannon Bath?

30/6/2016

Upto last week I had never heard of a ‘cannon bath’.

I was very envious when JV showed me this in his garden. I have been on the lookout for disused cast iron water tanks that may be coming out of old buildings exactly for the use here – probably different plants but definite same use (beauty, eye, beholder and all that).

This cast iron tank is stamped BO (Board of Ordnance) 1836 and was found at Murphy Barracks in Ballincollig after it was sold and undergoing development.

Taking Stock

29/6/2016

‘Stocktake’ had been filed away in my vocabulary as one word, not two ‘Stock Take’.

A few months back, Golden Discs questioned my understanding. Once again, the online dictionaries are not totally at one.

Collins is definite as to one word, ‘stocktake’. If there are two words, it is ‘take stock’. Chambers does not like either – no listing for ‘stock take’ or ‘stocktake’. Macmillan is similar but does have an entry for ‘stocktaking’.

Once again, proof that words and their usage are forever changing…

Concern for Patrick's Street Little Gem

28/6/2016

I look at the dog water trough every time I pass – always with a smile. The smile may be internal but it is still there.

I think it is a quirky aspect of the city, one that makes the city different from others.

I would have thought it warranted inclusion in the list of protected structures (listed buildings, as regularly known), but it does not appear to be.
I do not think it has been filled with water for many years but that does not diminish its attraction – to me anyway.

I spotted that a planning application has been submitted for a new shopfront. However, the drawings for application 1636914 do not show the trough in the exisiting or proposed elevations.

This could be interpreted in a number of different ways, depending upon your perspective. The innocent version would be that there is no intention to adjust the dog water trough and so no change is shown.

The not-so-innocent version is that, should planning permission be granted, there is no dog trough shown so it is not to be retained.

I hope that this possible interpretation is clarified and also that the sculpture is retained.

I am on a bit of a hunt for Seamus Murphy work at the moment. In Midleton recently, I went looking for Seamus Murphy piercaps but they are no longer on the one remaining pier. I also think a headstone was also removed when replaced with a different stone.

Seamus Murphy is so connected with Cork that it would be very sad day if the City Council, unintentionally or otherwise, allowed the removal of the water trough.

I would also reduce the time I spend smiling – and some may say that that is very short already.

Specsavers – Should have gone to consistency class

27/6/2016

I spotted this sign recently on Cook Street.

I stopped and considered. I would have used ‘have moved’ as I had filed Specsavers as plural. Thinking about it, I assumed the word ‘Specsavers’ was being treated as a singular ending in ‘s’ – fair enough….. for a while.

I believe that being consistent is an admirable quality – I have mentioned this more than once hereabouts.

Seemingly, this does not apply to Specsavers.

The Specsavers website has many references to the singular – Specsavers was; Specsavers was thrilled. It also has a few to the plural – Specsavers Ireland are proud; Specsavers announced that they; and, at Specsavers we.

One webpage even combines both – “Specsavers Kilkenny is thrilled” and “Specsavers Kilkenny have always supported”.

Establishing if you are singular or plural does not appear to be one of the reasons you should have gone to Specsavers…

For the avoidance of doubt - DRINK

26/6/2016

I smiled when I spotted this in Tralee a while back.

I got to thinking that the pub was happy to advertise its food (bia) and music (ceol) but definitely wanted a bit of emphasis on its prime activity, drink (ól).

I thought the capitalising of such a short word was a much understated marketing strategy – but it worked on this reader.

All this assumes that it was a marketing strategy and not a typesetting oversight……

Remembering Rocky & Cookie

26/6/2016

I do not recall seeing a plaque with such a message before.

I do keep my eye out for plaques and messages but it was by chance that I was on the inside of the footpath and dogs were on road-side that allowed me to spot this memorial – it is on house side of a front garden wall, a reminder every time leaving the house.

There are many headstones that I have read that do not have as much affection and emotion….

Shandon Street Renewal Project – Phase 2

25/6/2016

June 216

This week I spotted and admire the street art installation on the concrete wall towards the bottom of Shandon Street.

It is a definite improvement. I suspect that it was not supported by the National Development Plan.

I do wish that the sign for Phase 1 (NDP 2000 to 2006) had been removed – maybe there is a concerted effort by someone to have the most out of date sign n display.

June 2016

Sept 2015

Sept 2015

Kerb Envy

23/6/2016

Kerbs, to misquote Frank Sinatra, I’ve seen a few.

Many years of construction site visits has provided sight of precast concrete, timber sleepers, in-situ concrete with formwork edge and limestone kerbs. I have seen brick edgings and even plywood. Rubble stonework has also been used.

In Ironbridge, appropriately enough, I spotted a kerb made from a material that I had not seen used before – cast iron.

I like the thin depth of the kerb profile and the toothed effect. It looks like it stands up to tyre wheel impact better than concrete.

I like. I do like.

A Moveable Road in Co. Cork

22/6/2016

A Local Hero - Sonia - cast

21/6/2016

“All I knew was that I intended to be famous and have a statue put up to me near that of Father Matthew, in Patrick Street. Father Matthew was called the Apostle of Temperance, but I didn’t think much of temperance. So far our town hadn’t a proper genius and I intended to supply the deficiency’

Frank O’Connor – the Genius (from My Oedipus Complex & Other Stories)

Frank O’Connor’s books of short stories are all about. They could be at work, bedside, in car, or, best of all, occupying inside pocket. The short stories are visited in coffee shops, on bus or just chilling.

A while back, I was reading ‘The Genius’ and the comment desiring to be remembered in a statue got ingrained upstairs as I could not recall any recent commemorative statue in Cork city to anyone still alive at the time.

The following week, watching the Late Late Show, Sonia O’Sullivan admitted (at 0:18:30) to glancing at the statue by James McLoughlin in Cobh when on early morning runs.

I appear to be on an athletic theme at present so reasons enough to share the statue in Cobh.

Enjoy.

All Round Gaelic Champion of Ireland - 1895 & 1896

20/6/2016

ALL ROUND GAELIC CHAMPION OF IRELAND 1895

Not for the first time, a trip to the cemetery has led to learning and connecting of historical dots of information.

The cemetery in question is at St Bartholomew’s Church in Kinneigh, Co Cork – the location of the only round tower with an hexagonal base, as well as headstone commemorating O’Mahony Mór.

E.M.B. - April 1816

19/6/2016

There is a bridge at Faha.

As there are at least 9 places called Faha in the country, there is likely to be more than one bridge in Faha. I can confidently say ‘at least’ as the three listed on Logainm in Co. Kerry exclude Faha on the R563 from Killarney to Milltown (or on to Dingle) -the one that has been in and out of my thoughts for over a year.

I stopped to photograph the postbox and noted this plaque on the bridge with three letters and a date – E.M.B. April 1816.

I admit failure. Since April, 2015 I have been unable to even find one suggestion for E.M.B..

I am hoping that the expression ‘a problem shared is a problem halved’ may extend to riddles and puzzles…..

The Way of Moss

18/6/2016

MacMillan prefers Mossy to Mossey, which is does not list. Microsoft Word also objects to Mossey.

Chambers and Collins, similarly list Mossy but do not have an entry for Mossey.

Mossie or Moss, or even Mossy, have been met as shortenings of Maurice.

Until I was in Telford last month, I had never read of ‘Mossey’ but even now I am unsure if it is an adjective or whether it refers to a Mr. Green….

The Healthy Option at Breakfast

17/6/2016

It has been a while since I attended the Cardiac Rehabilitation classes – so some of the details may have faded over time.

Even with a restricted recollection, I am fairly certain that they did not recommend a breakfast as healthy when consisting of grilled bacon and sausages; waffle; hash browns; poached egg; beans; tomato; toast or bread & butter; and, tea or coffee.

Maybe the grilling and poaching makes things healthy.

Or maybe it is healthy in comparison to the others at Midway.

The Alternatives

Midway Truckstop

Isn't she lovely?

16/6/2016

Jostles planted the seed. The cherub made sure that it grew.

Mary Kearns has written on the Jostle Stones in Ennis. Two years ago, I met Mary and learned the name. I knew what they were but had not had reason to put a name on them before.

Since then, I have been photographing the Jostle Stones around Cork that I have seen on my travels – for future uploading.

Then last January, this lovely casting came into view and I was beset with yet another collecting bug – cast iron protectors, or wheelguards.

To date, I have found and uploaded 10 locations. They can be viewed HERE.

Tom Spalding wrote in 2009 that there were 29 so there are still quite a few to be found. A summer of cycling and walking beckons.

“Wheelguards
The ‘wheelguard’ is a close cousin of the bollard, but intended to protect vulnerable masonry on a corner, especially by an arch, by deflecting coach wheels. They are quite rare; 29 cast iron, 22 limestone and a single red sandstone example were recorded in the survey. Unfortunately, the types of building that feature these objects, former industrial buildings, warehouses, stabling yards and so on, are particularly likely to be re-developed and/or demolished, with the result that the wheelguards get lost in the process.”
Cork City: A Field Guide to its Street Furniture – Tom Spalding