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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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Use It …………………………..Or…………………..Lose It

10/9/2022

1 Comment

 
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A few weeks back, I learnt from Eoin’s tweet that his uncle’s butchers stall in The English Market was to close. I spotted the closed stall today and it confirmed once again that not all progress is good.
 
Stealing some me-time on our holidays, which started with lovely steaks from McCarthy’s of Kanturk,  I did receive the task to get some chops for the dinner. I walked the main shopping streets in Tralee but could I see a butchers – not one. This is not surprising as in Cork, outside of the English market, there is only one butchers shop trading in the city centre.
 
Calling to the workplace of a friend, I received directions to a small butchers shop on the North Circular Road – Waddings. The only regret with the chops purchased was that I didn’t buy enough.
 
That morning, I got chatting with the two butchers on duty and explained that I did not want a prepacked meat. I wanted meat that was recently carved and open to view on all sides. I learned that, similar to Cork, the number of butchers shops had significantly reduced – trade lost to the supermarkets. 

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The Butcher's apostrophe
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Waddings, Tralee
A few years back, walking on the slopes of Baurtegaum on the Dingle peninsula and meeting a sheep farmer, he told of times past when his family would have had animals ready for killing, a message was sent to the butcher who would collect the animal, cut and sell in their shop. Regulation has done away with many of the butcher/abattoirs but that morning I learned that Waddings believed that they were the only butchers shop in Tralee still buying full beef carcass and doing the butchery themselves – many others buying the joints and cutting them in the shop.
 
Local shops and newsagents have significantly reduced from when I was younger. I don’t think there is a tobacconist in Cork and only a couple of cobblers. Post Offices are closing. Recently, a chat with a few friends revealed that the many different insurance and life assurance brokers that we all used had all been taken over and subsumed into larger entities and contact is now with a call-centre-type set-up; personal contact and connection is gone.
 
Last year, an article in the Irish Times reported that ‘ It is one of Ireland’s great culinary treasures to have such a wealth of independent meat shops. And apparently it is a treasure that a new generation of shoppers is rediscovering.’ I do hope that the article spoke the truth. We do enjoy the fare from O’Mahony’s of the English Market but I do fear the future of mass produced sameness and blandness driven by the supermarkets, the mass producers and the regulators.
 
I do hope we take a turn on the road to the Brave New World………………

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One of Cork's last Victuallers
P.S. Bresnan’s is likely to be the end of reference in Cork to Victualler???
1 Comment

Location, Location, Location……..

31/7/2022

0 Comments

 

​Real estate matters   -   even in burial

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​I have spotted a couple of signs at cemeteries, recently, giving notice of upcoming Mass for the Dead. My recollection is that elsewhere these were held in October/November close to All Souls Day.
 
I have blogged before as to Cillíní throughout the country being recognised.
 
The Radio Kerry Saturday Supplement from last year  visited the Cillín at Derrymore and it was said that there is an annual mass for those buried in the Cillín (05:20 minutes in) but this is the only reference that I have seen so far to such remembrances, the majority of Cillín are not recognised, let alone commemorated with a mass………. So far.

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​P.S.
 
The number of Cillíní on my To Visit list is increasing:
Annaghdown, Co. Galway

Clontallagh, Co. Donegal

Coomnakilla, Co. Kerry
​

Dumhnach na Leanbh, Co. Galway

Lackan, Co. Wicklow
Lislevane, Co. Cork

Lisselton, Co. Kerry

Loch Con Aontha, Co. Galway

Oileán na Marbh, Co. Donegal
​

Quilty, Co. Clare


Would be delighted to hear of any more Cillín - marked or unmarked - please do contact
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Recognising The Craft

14/11/2021

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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.


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Written in Stone

13/11/2021

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A while back, I mentioned the carved correction on the headstone in Crosshaven.
 
I have spotted some more corrections – so have put them together.

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100 Not Out

12/11/2021

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


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Dun Bolg, Carrignavar, Co. Cork



Sacred


To The Memory Of


ELIZABETH DONOVAN


Who Died 1 May 1854

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Aged 101 Years
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Kate Mulcahy - d. 1878 - Aged 110 yrs
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Kilgobbin, Camp, Co. Kerry
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To Kill

11/11/2021

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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.

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The Gun Runner, The Hermit of The Glen & The Priest’s Car

21/4/2020

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Today, there were a number of tweets to remember that on this day in 1916, Roger Casement landed at Banna Strand in Co. Kerry having travelled on The Aud with arms for the planned rebellion of Easter 1916. He was arrested shortly after landing and became the last of the ’16 Men Dead’ when executed in Pentonville Prison in August.
 
This reminded me of the remnannts of an old and very small cottage that I spotted when travelling the roads around Ballymacelligott, a few years ago. I saw a fingerpost sign for the Captain Monteith 1916 Memorial and went searching.


Read More
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Remembering Those Of This Community

30/3/2020

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Last Summer, on a trip to The Maharees of the Dingle peninsula, I spotted a plaque the likes of which I had not seen before – a plaque listing and remembering those of the locality who left for farms elsewhere as part of the Irish Land Commission.
 
It might answer the question as to why the Shally family moved to Tulsk – an investigation for another day.

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Fahamore, Maharees, Co. Kerry
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Williamstown, Co. Galway
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An Appropriate Memorial to Edward Duggan

26/8/2019

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My recording of Roadside Memorials came in handy a few months back when I had to submit an essay for the Local & Regional Studies Course I am attending. The essay was about the uses of Roadsides and Waysides for burial and commemoration.
 
During a tea break during a lecture one evening, LH commented that she had spotted an unusual memorial on the road from Farranfore to Killarney. This was as good an excuse as any to travel a road different to normal on my trip to the Dingle Peninsula earlier this month.
 
LH was not wrong. I have not seen a memorial like it before. Beautiful. And appropriate.
 
Nearly four years after the death of Edward Duggan while cycling, the memorial is clean and very well maintained. It has fresh flowers and solar powered lights.
For many years now, I have been photographing and recording the many Roadside Memorials that I have seen around the country. They are substantially for victims of Road Traffic Collisions, but there are memorials for drownings, train crashes, and others.


The uploading of each of the memorials to the blog is a work in progress, as is the plotting of the memorials on Google Maps. 
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A Pillow Stone

24/8/2019

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Another first spotted at Killiney Cemetery in Castlegregory, Co. Kerry.
 
I cannot recall before seeing a headstone in the shape of a pillow – caused me to stop for a while and smile.
 
Sleep well, Timmy O’Connor

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Stone Art

12/8/2019

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Having spent our holidays on the Dingle peninsula over the past years, we are well used to the Irish summer weather. We have had to have distractions and other activities for the not-so-great days.
 
Collecting sea glass and making art pieces has been a form of entertainment. Another has been Stone Art – where stones collected on the beach (on a marginally better day) are then painted.
 
This summer, in both Kilshannig and Killiney Cemeteries, near Castlegregory, I noted painted stones. It appears that the weather may not be restricted to the summer months and others have some mindfulness with StoneArt.
 
A selection of images of the painted stones:

0 Comments

A Cure For Seasickness

10/8/2019

0 Comments

 
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I do not think that many consider the purpose of a headstone is to bring a smile – it looks like Josephine Deane held the minority view, thankfully.
 
KIlshannig Cemetery must have one of the best aspects of any graveyard that I have visited and Jospehine’s headstone occupies prime real estate.
 
So the visitor gets a smile and a view.

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Well Done, Rita Donnellan – I like

9/8/2019

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​In Killiney Cemetery in Castlegregory, it took me a few seconds to spot the headstone. At first I just saw grass and the bush.
 
The oval shaped stone was then spotted. It could easily be a stone from the neighbouring beaches, repurposed to accommodate the essential information of name and date – Rita Donnellan, 27 – 11 – 1986.
 
I like this on so many fronts – using materials that are near to hand, and free; the understated nature; the fact that someone thought of this 33 years ago; and, the skill of carving on a carving on a curve. 
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Fancy That, In Tralee

8/8/2019

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It is not just in Liscannor that they have ‘Fancy Goods’. They have also been spotted in Knock, and Fancy Cakes were in Amiens St in Dublin. Mallow had a warehouse full.
 
Recently in Tralee, I was delighted to see ‘Fancy Goods’ still written big on the face of a shop.
 
I wonder if, in the cyclical nature of things, whether there might be some marketing type person wondering if the time has come to re-introduce the lucky bag imagery of ‘Fancy Goods’.
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A Ghost Detail

7/8/2019

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Yesterday, in Tralee, I asked the three teenagers with us if they knew what the building was before it was a hairdresser. They all missed the ghostsign on the pelmet detail of the shopfront.
 
They were looking face on and did not see the cross on the end faces – that was their excuse. Once the mortar and pestle was ponted out, they knew it had been a chemist.
 
I cannot recall many such ghostsigns.
 
I wonder how much longer it might stay.
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