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The Craft Of The Mason

8/8/2023

It has been a while since I blogged on the subject of the spelling of those involved in the construction trade, but there have been quite a few in the past.

Masonary was definitely a new variety for me when I spotted over the weekend.

As ever, one does not retain the services of a craftsman based upon their spelling or proof-reading…..

Not A Ghost Of A Chance

7/8/2023

There I was, a month ago, walking down Patrick’s Street. The builder’s hoarding was still up at the former Eason’s premises. I got to wondering if the clock might become a ghostsign; and, might survive the occupation of the building by the new traders.

A tweet from CorkBeo confirmed that the reference to Eason had been removed – gone before it could become a ghostsign.

Birds Got To Fly

6/8/2023

Was introduced to a new message on a gravestone last week while taking some pleasant time out at Loch Salach Cemetery in Clonee.

Fish Got To Swim…..
Birds Got To Fly……..

A variation on ‘A man’s gotta do what a man’s gotta do…..’

I was intrigued as to Loch Salach which did look like it derived from Dirty Lake but logainm.ie does not appear to mention dirty about the Clonee Lough Salach. The Donegal Loughsallagh does have reference to dirty: as does Loughsallaghclogher in Co Galway – dirty lake of the stoney place.

Clonee and the Kerry variety appear to have been cleaned up in the logainm records.

The Thin (Tidal) Line Between Waste and Industrial Archaeology

5/8/2023

With apologies to Ballyheigue which I called Blennerville

It was a very low spring tide that revealed the remnants of scallop or mussel farming in the past. No longer functional, they are submerged and hidden for the majority of the time.

They were fully in view yesterday and did get me wondering as to when they may be reclassified from waste to Industrial Archaeology – if ever.

Reminded me of Jeff Wayne’s musical version of War of the Worlds – from way back when…..

Commemorative Stones

4/8/2023

It was only recently that I discovered the difference between a headstone and a gravestone – a headstone being at foot of grave and gravestone being at head of grave.

Walking Kilshannig Cemetery, I got to wondering as to what commemorative stones for those who have been cremated are called, or will be called.

Ten years ago, in Derrynane, was when I first realised that stone memorials were erected to those who have been cremated. Somewhat reminiscent of cillín burials, the memorials were just outside the cemetery with a lovely view over the bay.

A few years back, I noted, with a smile, the memorial to Josephine Deane built into the boundary wall of the cemetery. This week, a return visit brought me to a new stone inserted into the wall remembering Pat Crowley / Pádraig Ó Crualaoch.

I have mentally filed these as commemorative stones, until told otherwise……..

Another stone in wall - not of the type of the wall construction

Be Buddies Not Bullies

12/7/2023

I noticed this sticker on a pole on the Dingle peninsula while the younger generation were pier-jumping.

I had not seen this sticker before. I cannot recall having seen that message. I had not a recollection of hearing of the life, death or inquest of Eden Heaslip, who took his own life in September 2021, two weeks after his 18th birthday.

When I spotted a similar sticker on a car in a church car park a few weeks back, that was enough reason for this blog post.

Guard Dog

11/7/2023

St. Patrick's Cemetery, Coronea, Skibbereen

Maybe it was a memory of the story of Greyfriars Bobby ………

Maybe I remembered the funeral, during pandemic restrictions, of Margo Magan in Co. Longford where the image of her dog following the hearse went viral, in a good way….

Maybe I liked and remembered the story told of the previous owner of the Lota Beg in Tivoli who was so thankful of his Irish wolfhound rescuing him from drowning that he had a statue of the dog placed over the entrance.

I did look for the name of the person buried but could not find it. The name of the dog, likewise, evaded my detection.

I did not rub the dog’s nose but did give it a friendly pat on the head – he brought a definite smile and helped me forget, for a little while, that my socks were wet through my shoes.

Carved In Stone

11/7/2023

St. Martins, Templemartin

My inclination would be to spell the name as JOHANNA. In 1811, maybe JOHANA was a variation in use. But JOHAXA just looks wrong.

Maybe that was her name.

Maybe it was a correction of a mirrored N – similar to Liscleary – but one would expect removal of the incorrect diagonal if that were the case.

If a correction was to be done, I would have expected IHS to have been transformed into HIS.

The Devil Is In The Detail

10/7/2023

There I was, on MacCurtain St, walking at speed after a van that was not travelling fast in the traffic. I had arranged to meet CC for a coffee and he was slightly perplexed as I went past the café in chase of a moving van.

The driver of the vehicle behind was equally perplexed when he saw me taking a photograph.

Even when I asked him to look at the spelling of the final word, he did not get it. I had to point out that DETAILING does not end in NIG.

I am unsure as to what ‘Mobile Detailing’ might entail but am fairly sure that it should not be spelled as ‘Mobile Detailnig’.

And, after that, we still had time for the coffee……

Opercula - Is Its Time Up?

9/7/2023

Predicting More Cork Heritage To Be Removed

Then

Now

Following on from the post about the benchmark at the bottom of St Patricks’s Hill, it looks suspiciously like more aspects of Cork Heritage may not be compatible with current public realm design.

These iron covers on the lower section of St Patrick’s Hill are not manhole covers. They most probably have not been used for very many years. These are remnants of a time past when coal was delivered and the large houses had a coal bunker, generally under the footpath. Coal was delivered into the coal bunker through these coal plates.

Many of the bunkers have been blocked up so most of these coal plates remain as just a visible record off times past. They are non-functioning but is that a reason to strip them out and replace them with the bland palate of our public realm designers?

I do like reminders of past work practices and of how people lived. These coal plates could easily be retained and incorporated into a street design but as it is Cork City Council, I am not hopeful.

Opercula, the plural of Operculum, is the name used for the structure to cover an opening. Christopher Howse on twitter has photographed over a thousand London coal plates – many of which are decorative, as are some in Dublin. A book by Shephard Taylor called Opercula: London Coal Plates was published in 1929.

I have encountered coal plates in Cork on Lover’s Walk, Montenotte Road, Patrick’s Hill, Summerhill, Wellington Road, and Upper John St.. Most are not very decorative.

If this is meant to be the Victorian Quarter, I would have thought that this was an opportunity to incorporate into a tourist trail of how things were done, but I do not hold out much hope.

p.s. The response from Cork City Council to the now Lord Mayor about the benchmark was:
“it is not possible to retain the benchmark in its current location; it is to be incorporated into the new public realm enhancements in the vicinity”

J. O’Dell’s Work

8/7/2023

Another piece of architectural heritage from the childhood neighbourhood – this one on O’Mahony’s Avenue

Another name marked into ironwork that I did not see until recently

J. O’Dell does not have the same internet profile as MacFarlane Castings so has gone onto my own To Find Out More List

A Railway Gate

7/7/2023

I think it was from James Dillon on twitter that I learn of a design for gates used by railways company/companies

Last Saturday, I was on the wrong side of the tracks for the Knocklong Rescue plaque but was very happy to be rewarded with a meeting with a railway gate.

On other side of Limerick-Limerick Junction rail line

MacFarlane Castings

6/7/2023

I have blogged previously as to the attraction and admiration of the Blacksmith and his forge – and not just once or twice.

It does bring a smile every time I see a maker or foundry name marked into a iron railings; road gulley; manhole cover; bridges; or, as in this instance, a gate.

This gate was on my way to secondary school and I have walked past in the decades since but it was only recently that I spotted that the name of MacFarlane Castings

David Mitchell on twitter educates that Walter MacFarlane, born in 1818, created what became ‘the largest architectural ironfounding firm of its kind in the world’ – you could do worse than spend a few minutes scrolling there

Planning permission was recently granted for adaption of the building. The applicant and the architect do give home that I will be seeing MacFarlane Castings for some time

Another Benchmark

5/7/2023

Unlike St Patrick’s Hill, this one is still in-situ

A few weeks back, spotted a benchmark on top of the key wall at Camden Quay.

I have walked this way more than once or twice but only noticed it a few weeks ago.

Hidden in plain sight

What is rare is beautiful…..

14/6/2023

Seamus Murphy headstones are beautiful examples of stone carving, to these eyes at least. An encounter with an uncatalogued Seamus Murphy headstone is even more so.

There is the anticipation as you spot the thickness and shape of the stone from a distance. The serrated grooves to the edge face and return raise expectation. Getting nearer, the lettering (particularly if red) will have you nearly convinced.

After standing back to admire, then the search for the letter cutter’s signature is the confirmation that life is good. It is time to stand back, enjoy and appreciate – and then, just like those two early evening pints with a long lost friend who you just bumped into on the way home, leave happier and in a better space.

I have seen a few headstones by Seamus Murphy not in the Crawford Art Gallery book of his work, so they do exist. It was just that last Sunday morning, taking some me time strolling around Douglas Cemetery, I was not expecting to see such a headstone.

Just like pints – the unplanned meetings with headstones can be the best.