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MIXED MESSAGES.

Using signs, advertisements and messages as the inspiration for observation and comment - enlightened and otherwise

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A Headstone Jigsaw

9/12/2022

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​Written In Stone ≠ Forever

​Last Sunday, a trip to west Clare, brought me face to face with a phenomenon new to me.
 
In the Church of Ireland cemetery in Kilrush, many of the headstones appear to be of local Liscannor stone, a lovely, dark and grooved stone. I am familiar with its use for hearths and paving. My graveyard rambles have not extended often to County Clare so I cannot recall seeing many headstones using this stone. Its proximity and availability most probably accounts for the number encountered last Sunday.
 
The main purpose of my visit was to view the Famine Memorial and shortly after, I stopped.
 
Initially it looked like pieces of stone were dumped on top of a flat headstone. More investigation suggested that a layer of the stone had delaminated. In doing so, the thin layer had broken into many pieces.
I really enjoyed Jean Sprackland’s book a few years ago. My copy has many hand-written notes – marginalia of sorts, being located in the blank end pages. One of these notes refer to the quoted piece which seriously impacted when I read it.
 
Jigsaws were me growing up. They allowed escape from participation and conversation.
 
I would so love the time and permission to assemble the stones – to ensure that the headstone is read, even for just one more time.

​

​‘The surface of this headstone is breaking up into large, thin flakes, peeling away and exposing the softer layer beneath. In the damp fissure between the two, black mould has found lodging. The texture of the spalling stone is so unusual that I can’t resist reaching out and touching it lightly with my fingertips, and to my horror the phrase Loving Memory falls off in one piece onto the grass.
 
Sandstone is particularly prone to this kind of weathering, where moisture seeps between the layers; either rising, wicked up, from the earth beneath like drink through a straw, or hurled at the face of the stone as rain, freighted with windborne salt or acid. Sometimes the entire surface is sloughed in a single sheet, the stone underneath still bearing the shape of the letters and images carved through from above. A bad case of spalling can erase the inscription, like an attack of total amnesia.’
 
Jean Sprackland – These Silent Mansions: A Life in Graveyards
​‘There are three deaths. The first when the body ceases to function. The second when the body is consigned to the grave. The third is that moment, sometime in the future, when your name is spoken for the last time’
 
David Eagleman -  Sum: Forty Tales From The Afterlives


​I read this quote first on a tweet by Louvain Rees . The book has been purchased and well thumbed. The quote more than once used in cards of sympathy. It also made it into the Examiner for my mother’s anniversary message. The quote definitely hit a home here…. 
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Patrick Morrissey – Died Playing Marbles

2/8/2022

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Memorials to Innocent Victims of the War of Independence and Civil War are proportionally significantly lower than I.R.A. dead.
 
A few weeks back, parking my car off The Market in Ennis, I spotted this plaque to a young boy playing in the wrong place at the wrong time. The screws definitely suggest that the plaque is recent.
 
I wonder if there is more resonance  and sympathy with an innocent victim going about their normal activities rather than a soldier combatant – and even more sore with a child. Quite likely if the success of Joe Duffy’s book on 1916 children is anything to go by.


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Equal In Death – But Not In Remembrance

8/6/2021

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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
​
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Recognising The Craftsman

7/6/2021

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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.

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Jane Brigdale d. 20th C

6/6/2021

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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.

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Looking Down - and Smiling

5/6/2021

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​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.
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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

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Resisting Everything Except Temptation

11/7/2019

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My bookshelves are not absolutely full – but they are not far off.
 
At my current pace of reading, it is quite possible that I have more unread books than I will read in the remainder of my lifetime – without even considering library visits.
 
It looks like full capacity may be approaching.
 
Last weekend, we were in Ennis. This child’s sweetshop was actually Scéal Eile, Lahinch Bookshop and Bookstop Ennis. I was disappointed to see that Scéal Eile have removed a section of their older history books for online sales only. That was one of the joys of my irregular visits, and I am not yet a full convert to online book purchases. I cannot recall an impulsive unplanned online book purchase, preferring to touch and read which had led to many of those books as yet unread.

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Lying Well Back – Striving To Be Overweight

1/9/2018

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Today, I was reminded of my one-time challenge to self to become overweight.
 
In checking the internet for this particular rambling, it seems that the term ‘morbidly obese’ has appeared to have changed, or been dumbed down, to Obese II or even ‘very obese’. Even (most of ) the websites of the weight loss clinics have dispensed with ‘morbidly’ in favour of ‘extremely obese’, or just ‘obese’. In April 2005, my visit to I.C.U. did prompt a desire to become, just, overweight. ‘Morbidly’ does carry some import and effect.
 
As with many good intentions, that lasted a while and in the intervening period, I have moved closer to ‘morbidly obese’ than overweight. Maybe putting this in words may act as an incentive.
 
Today, a spare hour around Ennis before heading to Thomond Park brought me to Kilraghtis Cemetery where I encountered a few things never met before.
 
Before I even got to the cemetery, I was attacked. To open the gate to the track to the cemetery, I had to disturb some bees, or maybe wasps, that appeared to have taken up residence in the hole used to accommodate the gate lock. One of them head-butted me on my neck but no sting – strange. Exiting, I climbed the gate – lesson learned.

 
Within the cemetery, I learned of the diet of rabbit and pike of George Marlborough – such a diet and such a cause of death I had never seen on a headstone before.
 
Driving back, I wondered how long it had been since I stood on weighing scales – this ostrich preferring not to know how close the classification of ‘morbidly obese’ is becoming. It would be great to say that that was a second lesson learned – it would be, but….

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Cork – Down Under

26/4/2017

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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.
​

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Bunratty Folk Park
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Sbibbereen, Co. Cork

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Cow’s Head

14/4/2017

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We often visit Ennis – you might have gathered that from the number of blog posts.

Our butcher of choice in Ennis is Kelly’s in The Market – absolutely lovely beef. I have been in the shop a few times a year for many years. I have walked past very much more frequently – regularly on the way to Scéal Eile.
​

It was only today that I noticed the fascia on the shopfront.

Maybe it is new. Maybe it has only recently been redecorated. Ot maybe those heads passed me by for so long.

Regardless of the reason why I didn’t see them before, I do like.
​
I think they are great.
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Remembering Thomas Russell

27/3/2017

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When looking back through my photographs from Kilmalkader Cemetery for the dramatic masks, I saw that on this day 99 years ago Thomas Russell died. It demanded some web searching.

There is some confusion as to the date of death - Wikipedia says his death was 18th March, 1918; BMH record says 24th March. Both differ from the headstone saying 27th March. He is mentioned in The Clare War Dead by Tom Burnell.

He was teaching Irish at the Sinn Féin Club at Carrigaholt, Co. Clare. He was stabbed and died later that night.
​
A new name committed to the memory bank.

On 24th March 1918, the usual weekly meeting of the Carrigaholt Sinn Fein Club was in progress. I was there and I was standing at the door. About noon, a knock came to the door which I opened. A British military officer was outside along with some soldiers carrying fixed bayonets. He asked me if I was in charge and I said "Yes". He then inquired if Michael Keane was inside. I again said "Yes". He then asked for Keane who went out to him. The officer then said to me: "You must clear this hall". I asked him what he meant by this action and said that this was a meeting of the Sinn Fein Club which we had a perfect right to hold, that we had been holding meetings Sunday without interference. He thereupon shouted an order to his men to charge and, simultaneously, soldiers with fixed bayonets burst in through the door and formed up into a square in the centre of the room. A military sergeant gave orders to clear the room.
​
Some of the members got out by the back door. I was still at the front door trying to keep it open as the soldiers had begun to lunge with their bayonets and our people began to stampede. I next felt a bayonet stab in the back which caused me to let go the door, and in a rush out of the building the crowd swept me out into the street. Outside, I heard that Dr. Studdart was in Behan's Hotel and went up to see him. I found him attending to Thomas Russell, a Kerryman who was employed by the Gaelic League as an Irish teacher. Russell had been severely wounded by a bayonet thrust while at the Sinn Fein meeting. Dr. Studdert treated my wound and also those of two others who also had been bayoneted. Russell was -10-S removed to Kilrush Hospital the following morning but died that night. He was buried in Kerry.

​
BMH Statement of Eamonn Fennell
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​UPDATE 2018.03.24

Following some recent messages which can be viewed below, you may be interested in the following links:

Radio Kerry has details of the exhibition at Dingle Library which continues until 8th April
​
An Saol ó Dheas has a piece, as Gaeilge, about Thomas Russell and the commemoration on Easter Saturday 31st March, 2018

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A Moveable Road in Co. Cork

22/6/2016

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All Round Gaelic Champion of Ireland - 1895 & 1896

20/6/2016

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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.


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Love – A Charity Fundraiser

8/6/2016

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I have blogged about the love locks on Shandon Bridge in Cork and those subjected to sea spry at Lahinch.

Last month, we spotted a section of the quay wall in the Docks Museum area which has become a Love Locks zone. But when in Co. Clare, I spotted a new twist on the Love Locks.

In Ennistymon, the metal mesh protecting the shop window has been designated a Love Locks zone – but subject to payment to charity.

I suspect that my make-up dictates that I am not the target audience – even for the free option.



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Boxes, boxes

7/6/2016

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The
ReimagineCork
crew were out a short while back adding to the range of messages on utility boxes.


There are five locations where one can learn of some Cork words. A few years back, I posted an
Evening Echo calendar to the UK with a similar message for each month.


For those wishing to improve their Cork vocabulary
, there is a book.


I decided to put a slideshow together of the many utility boxes that I have spotted. Enjoy.




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    From Cork.

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