Blog Archives - Reading the Signs

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Hopper Envy

16/7/2015

If you drop in here regularly, you have probably read of my interest or obsession with hoppers. I have written once or twice – or maybe even more.

A house down the road from us is being renovated and I asked the builder if he was removing the hoppers, I would be very grateful to receive them. He hasn’t advanced the works that far yet.

Shortly after that conversation, I saw on Anne Street how a hopper can be reused to create once of the best wall planters that I have ever seen.

LIKE SNOW THAT DOESN'T KNOW IF IT BELONGS TO THE EARTH OR THE AIR

15/7/2015

Another reminder of the extent of poetry and arts on public display in Galway.

This mural and poem is on a large gable wall facing the Newtownsmith car park – what was a very bland gable.

The return on investment for the painting of the wall and placing the words of the poem is huge in terms of (this) public appreciation.

Thinking of all the suitable bland and graffiti-marked locations in Cork does disappoint – personally and with the inactions of Cork City Council.

“HOME

I lived at the edge of the town
Like a streetlamp whose light bulb
no one ever replaces.
Cobwebs held the walls together,
and sweat our clasped hands.
I hid my teddy bear
in holes in crudely built stone walls
saving him from dreams.

Day and night I made the threshold come alive
returning like a bee that
always returns to the previous flower.
It was a time of peace when I left home:

the bitten apple was not bruised,
on the letter a stamp with an old abandoned house.

From birth I’ve migrated to quiet places
and voids have clung beneath me
like snow that doesn’t know if it belongs
to the earth or to the air”

Nikola Madzirov

(Translated by Peggy Reid, Magdalena Horvat & Adam Reed)

A Spoonful of Irish

14/7/2015

Anne Bonney

13/7/2015

How many Irish women pirates do you know of?

I had heard of Grace O’Malley or Granuaile – but until I saw this plaque at Garretstown, just before The Speckled Door, I had not heard of Anne Bonney.

Once again, the web helps to educate. I now know a bit more of Anne Bonney and John ‘Calico Jack’ Rackkam.

Stress - Compliments of Bus Éireann

13/7/2015

It is just the way that I am wired, but spelling and grammatical issues in advertisements and notices do bother me. Maybe for just a while - until I can rabbit on about them here.

When I saw the back of the bus trying to promote stress free, it had the opposite effect on me.

Why is there a fada/accent over the ‘E’? It made absolutely no sense – until I spotted another bus trying to encourage me to be brave.

I presume that there is a rebranding campaign imminent and Bus Éireann will be adopting BÉ – which is a new nod to Irish spelling which had not existed with C.I.E.

Coillte Come Home

11/7/2015

I left college in 1987 and was one of only two who stayed in the country. Most of the others left for the London construction boom.

During those college years, I shared houses with a few lads from Mayo. Maybe because of them, the buses home from the Quays at the weekends, the impending emigration, or for whatever reason, the name of the Coillte Come Home Festival took up some shelf space in my mind and has remained since.

It is said that Kiltimagh gave its name to the expression ‘Culchie’.

This sculpture in Kiltimagh brought that memory back to the fore when I saw it last year.

I did mention that there would be more from Kiltimagh

Lovers

10/7/2015

Die Happy or Live Unhappy - Who wins and who loses?

We had a very enjoyable evening at the opening night of Lovers at the Everyman Palace on Tuesday. We had never seen this play before so did not know what to expect. What we got left us very satisfied and gave a sensation of great value for money.

The actors were so believable as the characters that they represented. If one cannot believe what one is seeing might be real, a play must fail – this did not. Mary Lou McCarthy and Ciaran Bermingham in particular excelled in believability – their lines helped, but so did their delivery of words, expression and actions.

The live music was a welcome addition to the different moods.

Reading about the play, it was written in 1967. It so captures what I understand existed in the Ireland of that time – unmarried pregnancy; the daily rosary; level of ambition; the difference between what one says and what one might like to say.

It so much captures the difference between ‘someone in pursuit’ and ‘someone in possession’.

Our 15 year old niece went with her aunt the following night and also raved about it – it was she who was observant enough to make the connection of happiness and unhappiness.

It is on for two more weeks.

Treat yourself to a great night out.

Swan & Cygnet

9/7/2015

Earlier, I spotted on Photos of Cork, an old photograph of the Swan & Cygnet at the start of Patrick’s Street.

It reminded me of the old signage for the bar which still hangs in Cork – a bit distant from the original location.

Dervla Murphy in Cork

8/7/2015

I would love to be there tonight.

I have only read one Dervla Murphy book, so far. Wheels within Wheels was very much enjoyed – a recollection of a time and place past, of independence, of growing up.

I spotted that she is in Waterstones, Patrick’s Street tonight but my Wednesday conversational Irish walk will have me elsewhere.

Jasper Winn’s book, I did enjoy but was frustrated with the mistakes. Among the notes I made in the margin was the correct name of the restaurant in Dingle that is not Into The Blue. There were a good few other notes which may have affected JB’s enjoyment when I passed on the book.

Autoglass Repair, Autoglass Replace – Autoglass Confuse

7/7/2015

Our nine year old will sing along to the jingle – it is that engrained.

Stuck in traffic, I was reading the message on their van and was definely left with more questions than answers.

How does a chip crack?

If a chip cracks, would that not be better for your windscreen?

Do they repair the chip on the windscreen?

I think I need a holiday…..

A Fitting Memorial

6/7/2015

Another from my recent walk around St. Finnbarr’s Cemetery.

I thought it a work of pure craftsmanship and so appropriate.

It calls out to be touched.

Reading the Western People

5/7/2015

Did you spot the Pioneer Pin?

This time last year, I was in Mayo for NM’s funeral.

I took the opportunity to spin around and ended up for the first time in my life in Kiltimagh. This weekend, I was catching up on John Spillane – An Fánaí on TG4 Player when he visited Kiltimagh.

He reminded me of this sculpture, so well positioned on the Main Street – it could so easily be real.

Expect a few more over the coming weeks.

A Pillar of the Spelling Community

4/7/2015

PILLERS BUILT ......?

No Such Thing as Bad Publicity - Chapter 24

They may well build perfect pillars but I am not sure I would trust their spelling enough to ask them to engrave it.

It appears that they are specialists in only one wall – if this wall is already built, not a lot of comfort for a new customer.

Gone Courting, Love Mam

3/7/2015

A while back I commented on the painted door on North Main St..

This week, Twitter provided details of the artists – CODAC – Cork Oldtown District Action Committee.

So today I was out and about spotting their recent work.

Unfortunately, their workload is rather large but as the saying goes, ‘The only way to eat an elephant, is one bite at a time’.

So if interested in helping….

Now

Then

Dam

2/7/2015

Inniscarra Dam

A departure from the norm – no printed sign or notice.

Last night, we were out for our walk ‘as Gaeilge’ and for the first time ever, I saw the dam close up and it was discharging water.

Just thought that I’d share it.

If one of your first thoughts is ‘wouldn’t that be a great slide?’ – you are not alone..