Blog Posts

The Dove is Never Free

2/1/2019

I saw this mural on Sunday through the open gate to a car park and was immediately humming Leonard Cohen’s Anthem.

“The birds they sang
at the break of day
Start again
I seem to hear them say
Do not dwell on what
has passed away
or what is yet to be.
Ah the wars they will
be fought again
The holy dove
She will be caught again
bought and sold
and bought again
the dove is never free.
Ring the bells that still can ring
Forget your perfect offering
There is a crack
A crack in everything
That's how the light gets in.”
Leonard Cohen

This mural is in a car park off Talbot St in Belfast. The gable end of the building accommodates the commemoration to the 1913 Lockout which was the street art uploaded on the first day of 2019. These are the Street Art photos uploaded for day 2 of 2019.

I was so impressed with the image, particularly the imagery on the feathers of the arrow

Enjoy the art – and the humming.

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Eating the Elephant

1/1/2019

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Summerhill, Cork

Limerick

Bruff, Co. Limerick

It is nearly six years since I started photographing and recording many of the different things that are on display in the public realm.

It started with Grottos; Republican Memorials; Roadside Memorials and Postboxes.

This list extended to Old Ads; Ghostsigns; Street Art; Wheel Guards and Jostle Stones; and, IHS tiles. Added to that would be old covers and gratings, bootscrapers ; and, even hoppers. And that does not end the list.

The task of creating a list/database of each of the items; uploading the photographs; and, plotting on a Google Map became more daunting and off-putting the larger the list.

DOT has a lovely expression – ‘There is only one way to eat an elephant – one bite at a time’.

I have adopted that for now and hope to update one Roadside Memorial; one Ghostsign; one Postbox; and, one piece of Street Art each day – starting today. The other groupings may need to wait until 2020.

I was never one for resolutions so this is not a resolution – just a means of eating my way to the end.

O'Connell St., Dublin

Co. Waterford

Birr, Co. Offaly

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A Ghost Pig

5/11/2018

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I cannot remember seeing a ghost pig previously.

There is a first time for everything.

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James Daly – d. 2 Nov, 1920

2/11/2018

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“My dearest Mother, I take this opportunity of writing to you to let you know the dreadful news, that I am to be shot on Tuesday morning, the 1st of November. What harm, it is all for Ireland. I am not afraid to die, but it thinking of you I am. That is all: if you will be happy on earth I will be happy in Heaven. I am ready to meet my doom. The priest is with me when needed so you need not worry over me… I am the only one of 62 of us to be put out of this World, but I am ready to die”
Private Jim Daly, leader of the Mutiny
Mutiny For The Cause – Sam Pollock (1969)

The day after Kevin Barry was executed, James Daly met a similar fate.

Growing up I would have learned of Kevin Barry, the former Belvedere student who was due to sit an exam as part of his U.C.D. Medical Studies but participated in an I.R.A. attack, was captured, court-martialled and hanged. Years ago, I would have heard the song sung by Paul Robeson, Leonard Cohen and others.

It was much more recently that I learned of James Daly.

He was a member of the Connaught Rangers who refused to soldier when they heard of the treatment of Irish men and women at the hands of the Black & Tans. Patrick McGrath, a colleague of his from India, lies in Castlehyde Cemetery. His headstone prompted my reading of the Indian Mutiny.

James Daly led a group of the Connaught Rangers in an attempt to regain their guns which they had handed over. Two soldiers died. As leader, James Daly was court-martialled and executed.

Last month, I had to travel from Dublin to Roscommon so I availed of the opportunity to travel the old main road west and make a visit to Tyrellspass and leave one of my stones on the grave of James Daly.

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The Cup, The Ram & The Gutter

17/9/2018

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and this is not about a Derby County player inebriated after a successful cup final.

I am making best guess that this is a ram. The face is definitely more mouse like but given a choice of bull, goat, ram or wildebeest, I’ll stick with ram.

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The Highest Standards – but not of Proofreading

16/9/2018

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Canopies – with a Kinsale accent

I remember reading that it was the writer’s responsibility as to spelling. The sub-editor’s responsibility did not extend that far.

Last week, I showed a printer of commercial signs some of the errors that gave rise to blog pages hereabout. As well as smiles and even a laugh, I did receive a response that the proof is always sent to the customer to check.

Just like builders, dry cleaners and barbers, it is the skill of the seamstress or garment maker rather than their proofreading ability that concerns most…….

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Flowers Are Grey, Young Man

15/9/2018

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I always liked the plaster detail on this building on Anglesea Street. I passed it regularly and it did lift the spirits more than once or twice.

But that was then.

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The Bug Is In The Detail

12/9/2018

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If I only had time to write all the blog posts that are rattling around my brain. There are so many photographs foldered on the drive, just awaiting some words to be uploaded here.

These bugs and creepy crawlies were not even in the foldered category this morning. There were in the large grouping or of 250 days of photographs in the ‘To Be Foldered’ folder – but no longer, thanks to a tweet.

This morning, Look UpLondon’s post was about the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. When I saw the images, it reminded me of the building I went past last December.

The blog post reminded me of everything that impressed at the time and which was photographed:

The entrance door and carved logo over
The metalwork railings adorned with specimens
The names carved in stone at top of façade

I even liked the font and style of the streetname.

To learn about the building, take thyself off to LookUpLondon – it will be time well spent.

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The Five Alley

2/9/2018

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This afternoon, I had an ‘I Wonder’ moment.

These sometimes convert into ‘Eureka’ moments when one goes back to research and check. Often, the moment is merely a joining of curious connections.

It is probably over 25 years since I was in the Five Alley premises, on the Limerick Road, just outside Nenagh. The first time I heard the name, my mind processed ‘Fivelly’ – only when I arrived at the premises, I learned the true spelling.

I cannot recall if I did ask of the landlady family as to whether there were five handball alleys, but that is how I had the pub and area filed away – until that ‘I wonder’ moment today.

On our walk in the Regional Park in Ballincollig, I saw the bilingual sign for Beech Walk. I pronounced the translation of beech in my head and wondered – Five Alley – Fáibhilí.

Logainm does not have a listing for Five Alley in Tipperary. There is one in Co. Offaly, north of Birr and the literal translation of its name in Irish is The Court and the notes do refer to Handball Courts or alleys – but none in Tipperary or anywhere else in the country.

The extent of Beech trees outside Nenagh is yet to be investigated. It may only be a curious co-incidence, or I may have been right to wonder…..

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Closing the Gates on the Irish Language

2/9/2018

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This morning I spotted a tweet about the closing time at the Regional Park in Ballincollig being brought back an hour with the start of September.

My Irish vocabulary is not huge but the use of ‘geatí’ did look odd. The web confirmed that it was incorrect – ‘geataí’ being the plural of ‘geata’.

In my real life, as opposed to this virtual life, I have spoken with the official translator at Cork County Council, so am aware that she exists, or at least existed. I was very very surprised to read that only a month ago the Irish Examiner revealed that Cork County Council used Google Translate as a translation service – definitely not fit for that purpose I would have thought.

The dogs needed a walk this afternoon so we headed to the Powdermills so that I could take my own photograph of ‘Geatí’.

Within yards of the closing time sign, there is another notice regarding the locking of the gates. This uses ‘Geataí’ – curiouser and curiouser…..

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Little Fort of the Plundered Cattle

2/9/2018

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Yet again, a word in Irish brings joy.

I had never stopped to think that there might be a word for rustled cattle, stolen cows, plundered bovine. My geographical and timeline placings did not put me near cattle, or plundering forays.

This morning, reading an email with latest blog post from West Cork History introduced me to Lisheenacreagh – Lisín na Creiche – Little Fort of the Cattle Spoil. The word ‘spoil’ had me intrigued.

Logainm has the spelling as Lisheennacreagh and a suggested history of ‘little fort of the prey or plunders’. WestCorkHistory has details of house being burned down in War of Independence.

‘Creach’ has now entered my vocabulary of Irish words. I cannot see it getting an outing in a sentence too often.

No photograph of a sign today – but will go looking on my next trip to West Cork if a townland plaque does exist for the safe house for the stolen cattle.

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Lying Well Back – Striving To Be Overweight

1/9/2018

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Today, I was reminded of my one-time challenge to self to become overweight.

In checking the internet for this particular rambling, it seems that the term ‘morbidly obese’ has appeared to have changed, or been dumbed down, to Obese II or even ‘very obese’. Even (most of ) the websites of the weight loss clinics have dispensed with ‘morbidly’ in favour of ‘extremely obese’, or just ‘obese’. In April 2005, my visit to I.C.U. did prompt a desire to become, just, overweight. ‘Morbidly’ does carry some import and effect.

As with many good intentions, that lasted a while and in the intervening period, I have moved closer to ‘morbidly obese’ than overweight. Maybe putting this in words may act as an incentive.

Today, a spare hour around Ennis before heading to Thomond Park brought me to Kilraghtis Cemetery where I encountered a few things never met before.

Before I even got to the cemetery, I was attacked. To open the gate to the track to the cemetery, I had to disturb some bees, or maybe wasps, that appeared to have taken up residence in the hole used to accommodate the gate lock. One of them head-butted me on my neck but no sting – strange. Exiting, I climbed the gate – lesson learned.

Within the cemetery, I learned of the diet of rabbit and pike of George Marlborough – such a diet and such a cause of death I had never seen on a headstone before.

Driving back, I wondered how long it had been since I stood on weighing scales – this ostrich preferring not to know how close the classification of ‘morbidly obese’ is becoming. It would be great to say that that was a second lesson learned – it would be, but….

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The Pope In Ireland

22/8/2018

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In 2014, we spotted the vinyl record of the visit of Pope John Paul II on the walls of Ard Bia restaurant in Galway. It led to a discussion among friends and colleagues as to 1979 being a very different time.

As a teenager then, I was brought to Limerick. I remember walking back to my uncle’s house afterwards and it was as if everyone in Limerick had been at the racecourse – the roads were so quiet on way back.

My cousin went to Dublin and Galway. A neighbour of similar vintage was on a coach to Galway with a sing-song the whole way up.

I am contemplating travelling to the vigil at Tuam this Sunday. The Dublin vigil looks like it will be very well supported.

I do not know of any one person attending Knock or Phoenix Park this weekend – definitely different times.

I was very surprised to recently see reference to the visit of Pope John Paul II on a headstone at Kilbannivane Cemetery, Castleisland. I will be so much more surprised if a see in the future a reference on a headstone to the visit of Pope Francis – these are very different times.

Ard Bia, Galway - 2014

Kilbannivane Cemetery, Castleisland

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Eventbrite – Not Very

21/8/2018

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The photograph above was taken on 12th June from my car stuck in traffic on the bridge.

I was absolutely amazed at the branding applied to the limestone columns of such a historic and prominent building.

The photograph below was taken less than 24 hours later.

I don’t know whether someone from Cork City Council had a word; or, if Eventbrite themselves decided that it probably wasn’t the brightest of ideas; or, even if someone removed without Eventbrite knowledge.

I do know that, to me, the building looks must better with limestone columns rather than orange columns.

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Everybody Hurts Sometimes

21/8/2018

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I spotted some street art on Reed’s Square a short while back.

It definitely brought a smile to this reader – and a quick visit to YouTube to listen to the entire once again.

The web revealed that it was voted saddest song of all times – lies, damned lies and statistics methinks.

Everybody Hurts

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MIXED MESSAGES.

The Dove is Never Free

Eating the Elephant

A Ghost Pig

James Daly – d. 2 Nov, 1920

The Cup, The Ram & The Gutter

and this is not about a Derby County player inebriated after a successful cup final.

The Highest Standards – but not of Proofreading

Flowers Are Grey, Young Man

The Bug Is In The Detail

The Five Alley

Closing the Gates on the Irish Language

Little Fort of the Plundered Cattle

Lying Well Back – Striving To Be Overweight

The Pope In Ireland

Eventbrite – Not Very

Everybody Hurts Sometimes

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MIXED MESSAGES.

​and this is not about a Derby County player inebriated after a successful cup final.

Author

Archives

Categories

Blogs I Read & Links

and this is not about a Derby County player inebriated after a successful cup final.