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Irish Water's Contribution To The Public Realm

13/3/2022

Is this really gold-standard communication – I think not….

In the last few months, I have spotted these white plaques having been fixed to buildings. As you can see from the photographs, many buildings have multiple plaques identifying the diameter and distance of water pipes– one building on Devonshire Street has nine new white plaques to go with the one yellow Fire Hydrant locator.

With current technology, are these multiple messages absolutely necessary or are they an assault on our senses, a disregard for the public realm, a novel form graffiti? I think the latter.

Wellington Road - Cork

Fundraising in a Time of War

13/3/2022

I write this at early o’clock, just after returning home from dropping our fifteen-year-old at a swimming pool. As part of a fund-raising drive, the club members are swimming the distance from Cork to Dublin and back – all within the confines of a 25m pool.

The group that entered the pool at 04:30 are scheduled to complete the return to Cork at 07:00 but if stuck at the toll plaza at Watergrasshill, it may go on a bit longer.

Printing off the sponsorship card earlier this week, and also in conversations with others, I did wonder as to whether, at this time, it is appropriate to be fundraising for anything but Ukraine ………………………….

Recognising The Craft

14/11/2021

At the start of our conversational Irish walk this morning, there was a brief discussion of the Irish word for Blacksmith (Gabha) and the name Smith (MacGabhann). On our way back, we passed Smithgrove Terrace.

This brought to might a recent tweet from Christy Cunniffe about a headstone at Gallen, Ferbane, Co. Offaly with carvings of blacksmith’s tools.

This reminded me of a similar carving at Kilgobbin, Camp, Co. Kerry. References to Blacksmiths and Forges have long received nods of appreciation and respect when spotted by my eyes.

These co-incidences are enough to remember Thimothy Riordan who ceased being a craftsman in 1825.

Written in Stone

13/11/2021

A while back, I mentioned the carved correction on the headstone in Crosshaven.

I have spotted some more corrections – so have put them together.

100 Not Out

12/11/2021

Thomas Franklin - d. 16 June 1766 - Aged 104 Yrs

Kilmurry, Limerick

Even with people living longer in current times, it is not very common to read of people reaching 100 years of age.

In the last year or so, I have encountered the graves of a few centurions. Reaching 100 years is remarkable in itself but to do so in 1868, 1853 or even 1762 would, I expect, have been not very common at all.

Dun Bolg, Carrignavar, Co. Cork

Sacred

To The Memory Of

ELIZABETH DONOVAN

Who Died 1 May 1854

Aged 101 Years

Kate Mulcahy - d. 1878 - Aged 110 yrs

Kilgobbin, Camp, Co. Kerry

To Kill

11/11/2021

Kilgobbin, Camp, Co. Kerry

MURPHY (Glennagalt, Camp, Co. Kerry) – June 15, 1953, in London (as a result of an accident), Frank Murphy; deeply regretted by his wife and children and all his relatives, and a large circle of friends. Remains arriving Camp to-morrow (Tuesday) evening. Funeral on Wednesday to Kilgobbin Cemetery at 1 o’c. (O.T.). R.I.P.”
Irish Press – p. 13 – Monday June 22, 1953

MURPHY – On June 15, 1953 (as a result of an accident), Frank Murphy, late of Glenagalt, Camp, Co. Kerry, and beloved husband of Mary (née Dempsey), formerly of Burlea, Glandore, Co. Cork. Deeply regretted by his sorrowing wife and children R.I.P. Funeral leaving Paddington on to-day (Monday) at 3.45 o’clock for Tralee.
The Cork Examiner – p.1 – Monday June 22, 1953

More than once, I have pondered the use of the word ‘killed’ as opposed to’died’ on cemetery headstones – John Flanagan and Breda O’Connell both are remembered as having been killed. When walking through Kilgobbin Cemetery in Camp, Co. Kerry, I spotted another headstone using the word ‘Killed’.

The death notices in the Irish Press and Cork Examiner of Monday 22nd June, 1935 notes that Frank Murphy died as a result of an accident. The headstone reads that he was ‘killed at work in England’.

Chambers Dictionary may define to ‘kill’ as to ‘cause the death of (an animal or person)’ but the classification system in my brain has difficulty with accidental killing. Accidental death, I can understand but I have not yet learned to accept the logic of accidental killing.

Equal In Death – But Not In Remembrance

8/6/2021

Whether you take inspiration from Christy Moore, John Donne or the Bible, the guiding principle is that we are all equal upon death

That may be true for whatever afterlife awaits but it does not appear true regarding the memory left behind.

A large plot inside the old gates to Drumcliffe Cemetery in Ennis contains the remains of 28 people who died when a Pan-Am airplane crashed on approach to Shannon in April 1948. The names are listed in three columns.

The first two columns are in alphabetical order. The third is not which was a bit puzzling to this reader.

Bernadine M. Feller is the last name on the headstone. Her FindAGrave entry answered the puzzle. The first two columns were passengers. The third column is for staff who are listed in order of seniority.

‘Death comes equally to us all, and makes us all equal when it comes. The ashes of an oak in a chimney are no epitaph of that, to tell me how high or how large that was; it tells me not what flocks it sheltered while it stood, nor what men it hurt when it fell. The dust of great persons’ graves is speechless, too; it says nothing, it distinguishes nothing.’

John Donne

‘The rich and poor meet together: the LORD is the maker of them all.’

King James Bible

‘When the elections are all over
We’ll all be pushing up clover
And everyone in the graveyard votes the same’

Christy Moore

‘ Frank Carl Jakel, aged 35, Captain Pilot, married, from New Hyde Park, New York
Carlton Monroe Henson Jr., aged 27, First Officer Pilot, from Forest Hills, Long Island, New York
Everette G. Wallace, aged 28, Second Officer, married, from New York
Hector R. LeBlanc, aged 29, Third Officer, married, from New York
Stanley J. Frank, aged 31, Assistant Aero Engineer, married, from New York
James Victor Sexton, aged 31, Radio Operator, married, from New York
Bruce J. Nevers, aged 32, Assistant Radio Operator, married, from New York
John J. Hoffmeier, aged 40, Purser/Chief Steward, married, from New York,
Bernadine Marie Feller, aged 23, Stewardess, from New York, and Victor, Iowa’

FindAGrave

Recognising The Craftsman

7/6/2021

It was only earlier this year that twitter educated that some of the cast iron grave markers have the name of the manufacturer moulded on the marker – I went to write ‘headstone’ but it did not appear correct when not of stone.

The old cemetery at Drumcliffe in Ennis provider my first experience.

I have seen the work Shannon Foundry underfoot in a variety of iron covers, but their work to remember James Grady was a first for me.

Jane Brigdale d. 20th C

6/6/2021

Corrovorrin Cemetery in Ennis was subject of a short visit – a small cemetery off Kevin Barry Avenue.

I have seen many headstones with year of death (with and without age); with year of birth and year of death; with no year or death. Until my trip to Corrovorrin, I do not think I have seen a headstone with just century of death.

Jane Brigdale is the first.

Looking Down - and Smiling

5/6/2021

This afternoon, walking up O’Connell Street in Ennis, I was surprised to see street art underfoot, pleasantly surprised.

The incorporation of the utility covers into the street art was a thing of beauty.

When we turned around the corner, another art installation combining a road gulley with paint was absolutely brilliant, if showing signs of wear and tear.

Enjoy

Cork – Remembering the R.I.C. and the British Army

22/5/2021

There is an exhibition running at the Crawford Art Gallery in Cork in which the artist, Dara McGrath, has returned to the locations where people died in the Republican War, or Revolutionary Period, one hundred years ago. The exhibition concerns itself with the period 1919 to 1921 – the War of Independence.

The artist returns to the scene of death a century later and records the current aspect – regularly with people in the photograph who are quite likely oblivious to the past events, such events not being commemorated by a plaque or other memorial.

To promote the exhibition, billboards around Cork city were used with details of the person deceased, how they died, as well as photograph of the location.

Mind the Gap

5/1/2021

Cork - August 2020

There can be benefits of proof-reading.

It helps avoid confusion with a swell as well.

Roastery

4/1/2021

“Words are in dictionaries because they exist – they do not exist because they are in dictionaries” Máire Nic Mhaoláin

I have used the above quotation in more than a few previous blog posts when I have come across a word and wondered as to its use and origin.

‘Roastery’ is the latest word that appears to have a campaign for inclusion in a dictionary because it is in use.

Macmillan Dictionary, Chambers Dictionary and Merriam Webster Dictionary all do not have an entry for the word ‘Roastery’. Cambridge Dictionary and Collins Dictionary appears ahead of its rivals and advises that a ‘Roastery’ is a place where coffee beans are roasted.

Her Name Was Mary

3/1/2021

I have been recording roadside memorials for many years – hopefully I will get the map up-to-date at some point.

Some memorials do impact greater than others.

Maybe two days before Christmas Day had an effect on this agnostic.

Maybe it was the clear photograph and simple message.

Maybe it brought to mind the memorial to Jonathan Corrie.

Maybe it was because I recognised Mary from the streets of the city centre for more than a few years and never knew her name.

Powerful Memorial.

A Hare On A Night Out

2/1/2021

A few years back, I wrote a blog about a peacock that I spotted at 6:40 one morning walking home, crossing the main Tralee to Dingle road as if he owned it.

DK texted me shortly afterwards to say that it is a sad case that a bird cannot go out for a night without photographs appearing on social media.

Yesterday, on Pine Street, I spotted a hare complete with cigarette and bottle of (what I took to be) vodka, after what looked like a similar long night, but a possibly different outcome.

If the objective of street art is to raise a smile, this was a complete success.