Category: Accuracy - Reading the Signs

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Set in Stone

25/3/2018

I didn’t make it back to the West Cork Stone Symposium. It was on this weekend but time, and life, didn’t allow me a spare day. I did order my chisels from TabulaRasa – I write that more as a rebuke and reminder to self, rather than a piece of information for readers.

When visiting Paris in November 2016, I spotted this engraver adding to the writings on stone surrounding a grave. I could have spent an hour or more just watching. Disneyland was calling for a ten year old so I did not have that luxury, but in the few minutes that I stood and admired, I was struck by the difficulty in the stance of the craftsman; his patience; and, the peace of the cemetery.

Leaving Cimetiére de Montmartre that morning, I remembered when, less than two weeks previous, on another lovely morning, we took time out of the Bank Holiday weekend to visit another cemetery – in Crosshaven when I left puzzled as to the correction made in a headstone.

I have blogged previously as to some stone engraving that might be considered less than perfect. Unlike the headstone at St. Bartholomew’s in Kinneigh, I did not for a moment consider this to be the work of a family relative.

I have on a few occasions pondered why the correction was made and allowed stand. I would have thought that many would have erected a new stone.

Maybe Mr. Porteous was a bit of a joker and wanted the last laugh at those left behind.

Maybe, it was deliberate to prompt passers-by, such as yours truly, to pause a while longer and think of Joseph McNeil Porteous – if so, it worked.

The tweets earlier today on other headstone corrections reminded me again of Joseph Porteous and prompted this rambling.

Accepting with Age - maybe.....

23/12/2017

This was on the noticeboard of the city library a few weeks back.

I did wonder as to the survey…..

Whether one of the questions was how to spell ‘P-A-R-T-I-C-I-P-A-T-E’……

Whether one of the objectives was to measure tolerance for spelling and grammatical issues as one aged – may be there is hope for me yet

Taking the Abbey out of Abbey Street

7/12/2017

Often, when I asked people the riddle as to the two five-way junctions in Cork, many thought that Douglas St went from Summerhill South all the way to Evergreen Street. But it does not. Abbey Street runs from that junction down to the junction with Mary Street, when Douglas Street starts.

I lived off Abbey Street for a few years but think I knew of the demarcation line for many years before then.

The SHARE houses are on Abbey Street. The National Inventory of Architectural Heritage includes details of the Ursuline Convent which it says was on Abbey Street. It was actually the Presentation Sisters but I agree that it was Abbey Street.

Even the map outside the Main Entrance to the Nano Nagle Centre advises the reader that they are at Abbey Street.

So why, why, why is the address of the Nano Nagle Centre listed as Douglas Street?

Douglas Street used to be Cove Lane. Maybe some perceive a value to be associated with Douglas Street.

Me – it is and always will be on Abbey Street.

Cork – Down Under

26/4/2017

Bunratty Folk Park

This may look like many other postboxes – V.R. insignia, made by H & C Smith in Cork – but it has a very unusual feature – a feature that I have not seen on any other postbox, and I have photographed over 850 boxes – new, old, disused, red, green, or many different manufacturers.

There have been more than a few blogs hereabout on various matters relating to postboxes – alternatives use; additional insignia; Queen Elizabeth; old; older; and, oldest.

This postbox, as manufactured in Cork, is likely to have seen service in Ireland. It currently resides in the Bunratty Folk Park where we spent a very pleasant and pleasurable afternoon on Easter Saturday. I do recommend a visit.

There is a second box in the village section of Bunratty – another red box; Victoria Regina; but a Penfolds postbox, similar to Skibbereen.

Bunratty Folk Park

Sbibbereen, Co. Cork

Stealing The Eye Out Of Your Head

13/4/2017

Or should I say, ‘Stealing the ‘I’ from your alarm system’.

I spotted this van this morning on the way for my coffee fix.

I first wondered if ‘NTRUDER’ was a branded alarm system. Then I noted that ‘INTRUDER’ was printed elsewhere on the vehicle.

I walked on smiling in admiration at the person who stole from a security company.

Going, Going, Gone

11/4/2017

I took this photograph at lunchtime today, 11th April.

I was somewhat puzzled at the message on what was obviously a vacated premises.

It appears that the ‘move’ has already started – but may not be finished with new premises.

Is ‘will re-open at new premises on 25th April’ more correct.

Does ‘We are moving’ not have a connotation that they will be remaining until that date, 25th April?

Maybe I need to learn all of the possible uses of the verb, ‘move’.

Maybe, just like ‘Hearing’, it is an advanced notice.

Or maybe I need to learn to ignore some signs…..

Stone Never Refused Paint

20/10/2016

BG21nH7100 De le W21 2412120 – Do you know what this might mean?

Discriminating Against Irish Speakers

23/9/2016

It may not be as important or as news-worthy as Cormac Ó Bruic’s departure from The Flying Enterprise or Na Piarsaigh football team bein g instructed to speak English.

No doubt it is human error and an oversight but arguably it is discrimination nonetheless.

English speakers can park in the Loading Bay on Woods Street on Saturdays and Sundays – they being outside the prohibited periods on Monday to Friday.

Those communicating through Irish are prohibited on Saturday – Dé Sathrain.

Awfully Offaly

18/8/2016

I wonder if I have spent too much time looking at signs. I did not spot anything wrong with this when photographing, admittedly from the other side of the road – that happened only when reviewing the photographs from my trip to Tullamore recently.

I like the script for the streetnames as gaeilge but there appeared to be a fada missing - Uíbh Fhailí.

I did check with logainm.ie who confirmed that they have no record of an Offally St but do have for Offaly St. – which does translate as Sráid Uíbh Fhailí.

I cannot be the first person to have spotted this particular spelling.

I wonder if there is a story to its name or maybe the signmaker may have wished to be a BIFFO…

Paul’s Barber Shop

22/7/2016

Maybe I am not alone.

Paul’s Barber Shop is at Dillon’s Cross in Cork. The telephone number on the shopfront has only six digits – we have had seven digits for many years now.

This gives me to suspect that the branding on the shop window post-dates the shopfront.

I wonder if there is another northside pedant out there and if he who pointed out the lack of the apostrophe. I wonder if he mentioned it before or after a haircut…..

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……

A Moveable Road in Co. Cork

22/6/2016

Fuller than Full

10/6/2016

I had always understood that one could receive Full Planning Permission (fully detailed plans) or Outline Planning Permission (scheme in principle but further details to be subject to later application).

These would regularly have been shortened to F.P.P and O.P.P. . These acronyms would have been regularly spotted in advertising and sitesigns. I have seen them regularly.

What I had not seen upto recently was ‘Full F.P.P.’.

Similar to blog on hair, I am lost as to how a planning permission can be fuller than full.

A Closed Conversation

29/5/2016

I do think that the building trade has contributed more than any other to this blog.

There have been multiple extentions, roof’s, some slabing, and even a piller.

Last October, I spotted a stop issue as Gaeilge.

Heading to Blackrock Village for lunch recently, I spotted Ward & Burke’s deliberate effort to provoke discussion as to the standard of Irish spelling. They must have definitely ordered the sign with both ‘bóthar’ and ‘bothar’.

Over coffee, how many have discussed how they thought it should be ‘Bóthar Dúnta’?

Any other than me?