Category: Religion - Reading the Signs

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Statue Protection – Irish-Style

13/6/2020

During the past day, I have seen images of the statue of Winston Churchill in London’s Parliament Square boarded up to protect it ahead of a planned protest.

It reminded me of a different statue in Co. Limerick.

A few weeks back, I spotted similar protection was offered to the statue of the Sacred Heart at Croom Hospital to avoid damage….

….. from building activities.

Exquisite Pain

23/2/2018

Letter to Heaven

25/3/2017

In Clooneyquinn, in Co. Roscommon, they have created the impression of a telephone line to heaven.

West Cork, in typical laid-back and chill-out West Cork style, appears to prefer the old snail-mail.

I have seen and photographed many grottos on my travels but this is the first in a post-box. I have also photographed very many postboxes – including quite a number of disused boxes – but this use is a first. As a positive use of old street furniture, it is definitely the best use of a disused postbox that I have seen.

Yesterday was a great day in Ahakista. I spotted this as I left for home – adding to the smile and satisfaction of the day.

A selection of disused/decommissioned postboxes

Unique in Drimoleague – Beautiful

3/10/2016

Last Christmas, I spotted a notice in the window of the Irish Examiner advertising Unique Gifts. I was definitely not in agreement – if it can be repeated, can it be unique? I still believe that unique means a one-off, not repeated previously or repeatable in the future.

Working in construction, it is rare than one will see something novel. Every material and component now needs certification. Such certification process costs money and so it does not encourage bespoke, unique or special components. There are some, but they are rare.

The uniformity of construction materials falls in step with this age of mass production – this age when the new buildings and even a street in Cork city could be uprooted to or from many English cities. There are many chainstores selling the same products as in Birmingham or Manchester, quite likely in a building that is so similar to the new street or buildings in Cork.

It is as if we are reverting to restricted choice, back to the days of Henry Ford – any colour you want so long as it’s black.

I have a recollection of hearing a radio piece many years ago where the design by Frank Murphy of the Church of All Saints in Drimoleague in 1956 was complimented – quite possibly Alf McCarhy & Gerard Kennedy, but I cannot find online now. A few weeks back, I travelled to the church to photograph the plaque by Seamus Murphy. I did not expect to be there long.

I was there quite a while, appreciating what I saw.

I then remembered the radio documentary. I loved almost every detail and the choice of materials.

It is regularly mentioned on building sites that some issue does not matter as it will be covered by the plaster. Frank Murphy did not have that luxury as there was no plaster – at least not until they (subsequently, I presume) added a toilet block.

The finish on the blocks with quartz -like exposed aggregate is definitely not widely available. I suspect that the blocks and the special shaped blocks at window reveals were manufactured specifically for this project. The external blocks are different to the internal blocks.

What is unique anymore?

Plaque by Seamus Murphy

Plastering - all aspects covered. So true.

Still Unsure

12/6/2016

In Ballydehob, I thought there was religious veneration.

This, we spotted on the Naas Road and, while not definite, think that it is very probably a public display of religious admiration.

The recent tweet from Irish Garrison Towns as to the smiling Jesus at the Calvary at Ringaskiddy brought me back to Inchicore.

It may bring a smile to you – or maybe not…..

Naas Road, Dublin

Ringaskiddy, Co. Cork

Thomas M. Ashe - More Church & State

2/5/2016

The longer I am at this blog, the more I realise that I will never have a complete collection of the eclectic things that keep me distracted.
The last month of centenary commemorations means that the percentage of plaque that I have photographed has decreased substantially – there being that many new plaques unveiled.

A while back, I was aware of two stained glass windows in Catholic churches commemorating Republican fighters who died prior to 1924.

Last weekend, driving back from my Conversational Irish break, I stopped to enter the church at Lispoole and found another.

The grotto outside the church is dedicated to Thomas Ashe who died by force-feeding while on hunger strike in 1917. The centre window behind the altar is dedicated to Thomas M. Ashe.

St Brigid's Well, Kildimo

30/3/2016

There are benefits to being the designated driver – not many, but some.

With the rest of the house still in a slumber fuelled by drinking into the early hours, I was up and out in the Limerick countryside early on a bright sharp Saturday morning. The rural location and time of day conspired to restrict the number of other road users that I came across to just one.

We had passed the sign to St. Brigit’s Well on a few occasions when travelling to friends, but we had never stopped and paid a visit. That box was ticked firmly that Saturday, just me and nature.

The Well is a bit of a walk from the road – up and over the field; down a wooded passageway beyond the electric fence; across another field; then another glade opens up to reveal the Well site. The site is enclosed by a stone wall with a solitary gate. The well itself has a concrete surround with the statue above.

There is an old donation box in the wall which appears to be rusted shut. There were a small few memorial cards adjacent to the statue – nowhere near the amount left with St Bridget in Co Clare.

There are two Rag Trees, one adjacent to the well; the other on the final wooded pathway before the Well site.

Driving away, I spotted that there was a Lenten Walk later that day, including a visit to the well. As we were making our way home that morning, we spotted some on the walk and it brought some thoughts to the fore.

The walk organisers had arranged for Stations of the Cross along the route for the participants.

There were quite a few walkers that morning – more than one might observe leaving a city church after a Saturday morning mass.

With Pilgrim Walks and Pattern Days, I do think that any increase in catholic religious observance may involve old traditions – but this agnostic may not be the best judge of such matters.

Even with my religious persuasion, a very pleasant twenty minutes were enjoyed that morning.

Is the Public House no longer the Church of the People?

12/1/2016

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.

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

St. Patrick's Well, Nassau Street

16/9/2015

‘Be Prepared’ is a motto – unfortunately I was not.

Sráid Thobar Phádraig - Patrick's Well Street

Last Friday, making my way back towards the train home, I was walking along Nassau Street. A bell in my head went off.

Sometime recently, someone had mentioned something about Nassau Street that had been filed away under ‘unusual and worth checking out when next there’. But could I remember the sometime, the something or even the someone – could I hell.

God Has No Country

21/8/2015

I added to my bookshelf this week.

There have been a number of dots joined in one year because eighteen months ago I would not have known who Monsignor Hugh O’Flaherty was. That was my thought when I read of a talk in Dingle that had happened prior to our holidays.

Shortly after, his name cropped up when I was trying to find information on Delia Murphy. Then I spotted the statue in Killarney and had an item on the To Do list for the blog.

This summer the murals in Tralee and Killarney were spotted and have prompted today’s blog – now to get around to reading the book…..

A glimpse of the past

15/8/2015

Today I saw a lot of the past - We were looking through boxes (upon boxes) of photographs by SOK’s grandfather which appeared to start in 1920 – an absolute treasure trove.

These photographs were taken in October 1955 at St Gobnait’s Well and Pilgrim site in Baile Mhuirne.

My photographs below were taken earlier this year.

There has been some improvements works to cater for the pilgrim and religious tourist – as well as the plain curious, like me.

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)

Interesting Gable Art

31/7/2015

Have you seen these tile mosaics?

I spotted them on the gable of a building earlier this week.

On what type of building would you expect to see them placed?

Gortaneidin

19/6/2015

A first – for me anyway.

As those who stop by here regularly probably realise, I stop and photograph every grotto that I pass on my travels. I have even been known to alter my travel path so that I might find another grotto.

Last week, heading to West Cork, I spotted this grotto at Gortaneidin, outside Inchigeela. Speaking with CC, he said that the statue was seen as moving which prompted a web search.

For the first time, I came across a website about a grotto.

A direct line to God...

1/6/2015

Those of you who frequent this part of cyberspace are probably aware of my curiosity regarding things on display in public places.

These include grottoes and telephone boxes.

Upto yesterday, in Co. Roscommon between Boyle and Tulsk, I had never seen these combined – a first time for everything.