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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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If a Book Could Only Talk

24/12/2017

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​This book was recently taken down from an attic in Ennis where it resided for probably close to 50 years. It is assumed that it belonged to the man who built the house but he was educated in Partry, Co. Mayo where he was born in 1918.
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The web educates that fifth edition of the book was  published in 1910. There is nothing to say whether this copy is a first or later edition.
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Among those thanked in the Preface is an tAthair Pearar Ó Laoghaire, who died in 1920 and is buried in Castlelyons where Thomas Kent was reinterred in 2016. Seán Ó Catháin and Diarmaid Ó Foghludha are also thanked and, if I found the correct men, they died in 1937 and 1924 respectively, and were involved in Irish education.
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sJames Griffin of Main Street in Dingle has his name written in the book. The 1911 Census reveals that there was only one James Griffin in Main Street, Dingle, the then youngest of ten children living with shopkeeper Michael and his wife, Kate. Their house was at 33 Main Street.

Having gone up and down the street on Google, very few premises have numbers on their doors. Even fewer appear to have the building number on their website or on weblistings. My best guess is that the south side (Foxy John’s; Benners) have odd numbers and the north side (Currans; St James’ Church) have the even numbers.

Number 33 would appear to be in or around McKenna’s . My mind supposes that young James Griffin, as one who had no problem with writing his name in many locations, was more interested in playing around the corner on Dykegate Street rather than perfecting the art of Irish Composition. The fact that at 4 his parents did not consider him able to speak either Irish or English, adds to that image.
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​I can understand how the book travelled from Partry to Ennis and why it resided in an attic for 50 years but am intrigued as to who Pat Carroll was; was he the second of three owners of the book; where was he living.
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How the book got from Dingle to Partry is another riddle remaining unsolved.
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I don’t think I have ever before enjoyed a book so much without reading it.
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Erasing The Full Monty

24/5/2016

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Chester


A few years back, I admired the carved stonework on Patrick St. recording
Montague Buton as a Tailor of Taste
. I regularly look up when passing on way to the English Market and smile in appreciation.


A few weeks back, we were in Chester, a city with an amount of heritage and historic buildings. I was surprised to spot that a similar carved stone feature was cut back to create a smooth surface. I would have thought that such carvings were part of the heritage to be retained.


I suspect that, as a ghostsign, Mr. Burton will be visible for some years yet.


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Patrick St., Cork
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Patrick St., Cork
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What was a ‘Boot Factor’?

17/4/2016

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I am supposing that it was not a ‘Boot Factory’ – primarily for reasons of layout in that an additional letter would have brought the word a bit too close to Walsh.

If a Motor Factor sells car parts and equipment, did a ‘Boot Factor’ sell parts for boots, or the full pair of boots?

I spotted this ghostsign a few weeks back in Roscommon town. I cannot recall ever seeing reference to a ‘Boot Factor’ prior to this. Chambers does confirm that to factor is to act on someone’s behalf, but that does not really help.

Was ‘factor’ used in times past instead of ‘shop’?

Today, once again, is a day for question, not answer.

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Revealing a Ghost

4/3/2016

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Today, I spotted the old shop front revealed on Pine Street.

Its replacement, Out of Afrikai, can be seen in my montage of Derelict Cork.

I noted some building work being carried out so maybe C. Johnson & Co may not be around for very long.

I really need to get my head straight with regard to old signs, ghost signs, and signs of the previous occupant. I think this is an old sign – not a ghost sign. My head is inclining towards restricting a ghostsign to one that remains after the business moves on a new business operates from the building.


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Bringing a Ghost to Life

10/2/2016

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Sráid Chaeimghein or Sraid Chaoimhín

An Old Sign or a Ghostsign?

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When in Dublin on Saturday, I spotted this old sign on Kevin Street. It was so very much highlighted by the modern An Post signage elsewhere on the façade.

Checking the web, there are photographs with modern green signage on the shopfront –
Indy Kev ;and,  Irish Mirror in August 2015.

To my understanding, it is not a ghostsign if the business still trades from the premises so there may need to be another classification to deal with signs that come back into appropriate use.

Another question to self with no answer.



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Oh for a real fancy cake……

1/2/2016

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PictureAmiens Street, Dublin
Previously, I commented on the use of the word ‘Fancy’ in old shopfronts in Liscannor and Mallow.

In Amiens Street in Dublin last week, I spotted a reference to ‘Fancy Cakes’.

Maybe it is a sign of getting old when those cakes that were once fancy and exotic are now plain and everyday; cakes that were once a treat are now on par with a scone; cakes that contained cream that tasted a luxury rather than homogenised or fake.


Beam me back, Scottie

Oh for a real fancy cake……


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Amiens Street, Dublin
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Amiens Street, Dublin
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Knock, Co. Mayo
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Is the Public House no longer the Church of the People?

12/1/2016

1 Comment

 
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I have seen former churches converted into Museum/Display Centre use, Houses, Hotels and Concert Venues among other uses.  In Mary St, Dublin a church was converted to a bar and restaurant.

I have heard of many pubs closing down. I think that I had only seen the buildings turned into shops or residential but I had never seen a pub converted to a church– until my recent trip to Co. Roscommon, that is.


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Google Maps shows a Guinness sign in 2011 – where the Grace Community Church sign now hangs.
1 Comment

Thompson's Bakery

4/9/2015

2 Comments

 
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A few weeks back, I was reminiscing on the smell of freshly baked bread from the Thompson’s bread van that used to call during the afternoon when I was growing up. I am not sure when they stopped but my recollection is that they were still on the road in the mid to late seventies.

Today, I received a reply from Gary Morris in Canada and it reminded me of this plaque I spotted some months ago. Upto then it was internal behind some windows but when replacement works were carried out, a recess was provided for the door and the plaque was revealed once again.

Having traded for 150 years when the plaque was erected, it appears that the business only survived another eight years.

Over thirty years have passed since it closed but its name is still strong in my memory – helping the argument that the effect of something on a child’s memory may be greater than an adult’s.


2 Comments

Cork Ghostsigns

16/8/2015

1 Comment

 
Wikipedia defines a ‘ghostsign’ as an old hand-painted advertising sign that has been preserved on a building for an extended period of time. The sign may be kept for its nostalgic appeal, or simply indifference by the owner.

Last week I saw some tweets about ghostsigns in Cork and elsewhere so it prompted me to create a tab  for ghostgigns on the blog and go back through all old blog posts to add the tag where appropriate – here.

I have extended my tag definition to include old signs of plaster and other material on buildings which no longer have the use or ownership advertised.

This prompted me to upload some ghostsigns from Cork that I have not shown previously.


1 Comment

Swan & Cygnet

9/7/2015

3 Comments

 
Earlier, I spotted on Photos of Cork, an old photograph of the Swan & Cygnet at the start of Patrick’s Street.

It reminded me of the old signage for the bar which still hangs in Cork – a bit distant from the original location.


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For Good People in Hard Times

10/2/2015

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Ian’s blog introduced me to this street art installation.


Yesterday, on my trip
to Dublin, I stole some me-time and headed for Richmond Street/Richmond Place to photograph this myself.


So simple but so effective.


I have complimented all on the installation at Singer’s Corner but there are so many other deteriorated corners that could do with a facelift as simple as a few words to lift spirits and pose some thought.


Times are still hard so any feelgood time is to be encouraged.


“Seamus Heaney's last words 'Noli timere' – 'Don't be afraid.'
Painted this for Good people in Hard times.
— with Natasha Copeland, Ramiro Ropero Morell, Mariana Morell Navarro, Viva and Gareth Kelly at South Richmond Street, Dublin 2.”
MaserArt
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Operator. Number Please.

25/1/2015

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Last week, I was in a house in Cork and was very pleasantly surprised to come across this little sign on the back of the hot press door.

It brought a number of thoughts.

That there was a time when three digits were sufficient to uniquely identify all the telephones in Cork – so no more than 999 telephone lines, and that property on Merchant’s Quay was one.

That the plumber must have been one of the first to leave his number in the hot press as a marketing reminder for when there might be a problem.

That Merchants Quay as in the photograph hanging in Dan Lowry’s was a much nicer streetscape then rather than now.



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Then
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Now
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Repository

20/1/2015

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Cecil Street, Limerick
This evening, I had to look up the dictionary for ‘repository’.

Earlier today, in Limerick, I came across the term ‘Horse Repository’ for the first time. A lovely old sign. A delight to see still existing. 

Long may it survive.


repository noun (repositories) 1 a place or container where things may be stored. 2 a a place where things are stored for exhibition; b a museum. 3 a warehouse. 4 someone or something thought of as a store of information, knowledge, etc. 5 a trusted person to whom one can confide secrets. 6 a tomb; a place of burial.
ETYMOLOGY: 15c: from Latin repositorium, from reponere, repositum to replace, to store up.

Chambers Dictionary

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Dangers of Rebranding - Ch. 5 - Brown Thomas

21/3/2014

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PictureMaylor St
That small part of me that might be considered romantic hopes that the plaque was left as a reminder of the history of the city and the very many who lived with and purchased in Cash’s.

That part with a concern for building conservation has a slight suspicion that its removal may have damaged the stonework and so it was retained for pragmatic reasons.

The cynical part, a not insubstantial part, is convinced that someone made a mistake……

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Looking Up at Those Looking Down

25/2/2014

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“Still, a man hears what he wants to hear
And disregards the rest.”


Simon & Garfunkel – The Boxer

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Many years ago, I took photographs of the upper floors of buildings in Cork and asked people to identify the building.

Few achieved a pass mark.

Many would identify a shopfront or a shop window but above those levels, I think that many do not take in what is there.

These heads are all on one building in Cork city centre.
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