| I had never heard of the Vacant Building Appreciation Society, that was until I spotted this notice on the former McKenzies building on Camden Place. VacantBuildings.ie appears to be a newish site. I think I will be stopping by occasionally. |  |
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We were in South Mayo over the weekend. Having passed through Shrule on the Galway to Castlebar road, I was a bit puzzled when I saw the signs for HundredAcres. I was expecting something along the lines of Céad Acra – but no,the signs says Creagán na Abhla. I did not see any apple tree as we passed the edge of HundredAcres but was intrigued somewhat as to the name.  Logainm.ie does have its Irish translation as Céad Acra but notes that the area only became known as Hundred Acres around 1827. Prior to this, and back to 1617, it was known by various names similar in spelling to the 1617 version – Creggannehawly, which is not too dissimilar to Creagán na Abhla. We were speaking with JH from the area who had been told the story that there was a local land agent called Duncan who possibly worked for the same landlord as Captain Boycott. Captain Boycott worked for the 3rd Earl Erne, who would have held the title when the name came into use in 1827. Duncan was asked by his employer to put together a parcel of land. He gathered 350 acres near Kilmaine and this was then gifted to him by the landlord. Upon his death, Duncan left 150 acres to his son and 100 acres to each of his daughters, which is what is locally believed to have led to the name of the area. Subsequently, the son and one daughter moved away and the one remaining daughter purchased the lands to put the 350 acres back together again. Another visit will be required to try to establish more information and when, and why, the original Rocky Outcrop of the Apple Tree was re-introduced in the Irish version.  Cattle in the spotlight !!!!
 
It was the mosaic that first caught my attention – a thing of beauty, especially in this plastic age. The mosaic prompted a trip across the street to capture the mosaic. And then I spotted the sign in the window that they were closed during lunchtime. Just like McLaughlin’s, they continue to trade – their regular customers are probably well aware of the opening hours. One little blow against the continuing global demand for immediate access and response. I hope that the lunch was very tasty.  When the road traffic signs were converted from miles-per-hour to kilometres-per-hour, they were almost universally rounded to the nearest ten 70 MPH on motorway converts as 112Km/Hr, but rounded up to 120Km/Hr. 60MPH was the limit for most roads converts as 96Km/Hr, but has been converted to 100Km/Hr. The access road to Mountjoy Prison apparently had a speed limit of 10miles/hour, but the officials seemingly could not agree on a rounding policy - and so we ended up with a, possibly unique, limit of 16 Km/Hr.   Last month, we spent a few days in a friends’ house near Phibsboro – the location of a number of my student flats in times past. I took a couple of walks about the place to places known and also on roads not previously travelled. I walked down towards Mountjoy. I have been in three active prisons as well as Cork Gaol and Kilmainham but Mountjoy was the first where there was #StreetArt to welcome visitors on what was the main gate. I left smiling.
Last month, I was at a meeting in the Clayton, although I continue to consider and call it the Clarion. On the connecting structure between the Clayton building and the City Quarter building, where the Clayton function and meeting rooms are located, they have placed cut out manifestation, or decal if you prefer, outlining a number of buildings in Cork. It was a pleasant way to spend a few minutes during the break trying to identify each of them. I failed on the image with the half moon over the assumed circular clock. All suggestions welcome.
I was walking down Princes Street today and saw that the builders working on the former Clancy’s Bar had formed holes in the timber shopfront to partially reveal what looks like a very decorative old sign. My guess as to the words revealed was ‘Wholesale’ and ‘Shop’. The Guys Directory of 1916 (p. 503) notes that Edward Geary, Wine Merchant operated from 15 & 16 Princess St. – so maybe that is the ghostsign to be revealed. I hope that Paul Montgomery retains the old sign in his redevelopment of the building.
 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: I had spotted on Twitter a while ago of utility boxes in Blackrock being painted in the colours of Blackrock Hurling Club.
Today, driving up to Mayfield, I noted that Brian Dillons have taken up a similar marketing strategy on the northside, with three utility boxes spotted at St. Lukes Cross, Dillons Cross, and Old Youghal Road. A welcome introduction.  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.  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.   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’.   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.
 Without the ampersand, I might have suspected Átha Cliath Gas Company, a bi-lingual possibility for early form of Dublin Gas Company. With the ampersand, I am clueless. And the internet has not provided the answer. Sometimes it is more rewarding when the puzzle beats google and lingers unsolved for a time. This iron cover was spotted a week back on Monck Place in Phibsboro. Inspiration as to meaning still awaited.  |
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