Category: Humour - Reading the Signs

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Hello! Sex?

13/2/2018

The longer I reside on this planet, the more I become convinced that my mind will never become in tune with the mind of those involved in Marketing and Branding. They have provided many items that have provoked blog posts hereabouts.

Sunday morning in Dunshaughlin, I spotted this van and stopped for a while to consider how many ways there might be to pronounce it. No matter how I tried, I could not get past ‘HOW. SEX.’

For those of a certain vintage raised on movies of Cowboys and Indians, ‘HOW’ was a greeting repeated during streetgames and elsewhere. Raise one’s hand, palm facing away, say ‘HOW’ – was as good as ‘HELLO’ for most to whom it was addressed.

Today, I learned that ‘HAU’ was a term of greeting used by some American Indian tribes only. The movies did not distinguish and it was used by all – Sioux, Choctaw, Apache, and many more.

The pronunciation has rolled around my brain since Sunday morning and the best I can come up with is a speed dating type scenario – ‘HOW! SEX?’

I am not sure that is what SHOMERA or HOUSX intended. I suspect that would like their garden rooms to have many possible functions.

The website address on the van does not exist and is available to buy. The CIRI Register has a different website to the van.

Maybe the branding is a devious ploy for pedantic bloggers to spread the name – if so, it worked.

Here’s Looking at You Kid

3/2/2017

Two weeks ago I spotted this in Limerick, near King John’s Castle.

The art installation did bring a smile to this observer.

On Twitter yesterday, I learned that I had only had a preview.

The final version combined art with some guerrilla gardening. It now appears complete.

Cue, bigger smile hereabouts.

Photograph from LimerickWalkingTours on Twitter

A Mouse Cast

19/1/2017

I suspect that most people who go to Disneyland Paris get the biggest smile from one of the rides; the parade; or, even the fireworks display.

Maybe the display of amazement or excitement on the faces of others is the source.

For me, on a cold and slightly wet November Monday, none of the above was the cause.

It was something that I have never seen before and do not expect to see anywhere else.

It was something that recognised the worker.

I expect that it will bring a smile to many.

Surfer Humour

8/7/2016

Thanks to Tadhg who took this photograph on his holidays – at Sandy Bay in The Maharees.

The modification to the message is very well done.

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……

Modern Art Crossing The Line…

6/5/2016

Five-Man Pedersen

If you are looking for any expertise in what defines Art, modern or otherwise, the screen in front of you now is definitely not the correct place.

I am no expert in what defines Modern Art but I did understand it to be work that went beyond what had become the norm; work of a style that challenged the viewer as to interpretation and meaning; work that went beyond the limits of acceptability. A quick web trawl gave me comfort that I was not very wrong with my understanding as to Modern Art.

Terms that come to mind include ‘stepping outside a comfort zone’; ‘challenging the norm’; and, ‘pushing boundaries’.

On Tuesday, I smiled when at the Tate in Liverpool. Of all the places to discourage ‘crossing the line’, the Tate was not top of the list in my mind.

I watched many others pass the art installation. Not one smiled. No one appeared to see any humour in the message on the floor.

I did mention that I was far from an art expert.

Simon Starling

May The Art Be With You

4/5/2016

Having spotted quite a references today recognising it as Star Wars Day, ‘May the 4th be with you’, I thought it a good day to mention the advertising campaign of the ItMustBeDingle Art Gallery.

It brought a definite smile to this face when I came across them a while back with the site of the new film being set up in the background.

Enjoy.

Micheál Martin's Head

19/2/2016

There I was heading over town for lunch earlier. Looking up, an unusual looking Micheál Martin was smiling down on me.

For a few years now, my eyes have been open to many forms of Street-Art – painting; stencil art; mosaic; poetry and even full installations. This is a definite first for me.

I have also seen some election poster graffiti – in person and online. Again another first.

This mind is unsure as to the intent of the artist - a suggestion to Micheál Martin as to a possible hair colour; deference to his magnetism; a reference to loose screws,;or maybe something else entirely….

Ballyhooley Road, Cork

Half Moon Street, Cork

HE ALWAYS TOLD ME HE WAS ILL

3/11/2015

‘Dead Funny’ was one of my purchases on my most recent visit to An Café Liteartha when west of Dingle for the Bank Holiday.

I smiled on page 2 at ‘I told you’s I was sick’.

I definitely did not expect to see something similar only a week later – in Curraghkippane.

But I did.

Dingle Street Art - Artist Unknown

26/10/2015

In Praise of the Unknown Artist

Red Riding Hood ???

Tuk Sum Duin

16/10/2015

Did you manage to translate?

Luas Warning To Irish-Speakers

15/9/2015

Luas Station, Beechwood

OPTION 1

The Irish-speaker has reason to be paranoid.

Maybe he needs to learn from the Godfather and keep his friend close and his enemies closer.

Maybe the Irish speaker just has to keep his back to the wall.

Maybe looking in two directions is not enough – he has to do a full 360 to look in all directions.

“Both - two similarly

an dá
araon

I left both the windows open - d'fhág mé an dá fhuinneog ar oscailt”
Foclóir.ie

OPTION 2

The typesetter decided that:

‘Féach i dhá treoanna’ - (my best effort at translation)

would not fit – and hoped that many would not care or even notice.

Teenage Kicks

14/9/2015

Mark's Lane, Dublin 2

I tweeted a photograph of this sign when I was in Dublin on Friday.

When I saw the name, I was immediately brought back in time to teenage years, to when it was fun to make play on names.

Days when it was a laugh to call a house and ask for John Wall, and then Mary Wall and when told they were not there to ask if any of the Walls were there. When answer was in the negative, the obvious question was how the roof was staying up. Easily amused.

Annette Curtin was a name used to liken something to see through – it gets worse.

About ten years ago, I was working on a project and copied on some emails from Mike Hunt – that name also brought me straight back to teenage humour and discussions as to why not Michael Hunt or Mickey Hunt.

Hugh Jarse was another such name to bring a smile back then – and now in memory.

And to think that Hugh Jordan remains in big painted letters. It should really be a protected structure to bring a smile to those of us wishing to be brought back to teenage years.

Rosary & Pints

5/8/2015

Dún Ṁuire, Grand Parade - Legion of Mary

Premises on cover owned by proprietors of The Albert

Did the Legion of Mary operate out of a pub? Can you imagine what D’Unbelievables would have done with such a scenario?

Or is there a glitch between the printing and the cover page of the first Sean O’Faolain book that I have read – which was enjoyed.

Maybe the edition for Ireland had a different cover but the acknowledgement to The Albert may not have been changed.

It gets curiouser when one checks Google images for the book and none appear to be of The Albert.

So maybe it was a prediction and Taylor Walker are about to enter the Irish pub market

The building in 2015

Dún Mhuire

‘... photograph, c. 1960, shows the attractive building at the riverside end of the Grand Parade, then known as Dún Mhuire. Originally called Daly’s Clubhouse and later the City Club, it dates from around 1787, but was extensively altered and refaced to the design of Sir John Benson. In 1952, the City Club having amalgamated with the County Club at the latter’s South Mall premises, this building was purchased at auction for £9,125 by the Legion of Mary for use as a Diocesan headquarters. It was officially opened as Dún Mhuire on 7 December 1952. In more recent times, it has become a financial business premises.’

CORK In Old Photographs – Tim Cadogan (2003 Gill & Macmillan Ltd)

Dispensing Justice

4/8/2015

I had never had need to think of who might be the patron saint for lawyers. It was just one of those things that had never been needed or even contemplated.

Having spotted this on the wall of the offices of Pierse McCarthy Lucey in Tralee, I am unlikely to forget Saint Yves and his appropriate compensation.