Infomatique

Geometric Snail Mural By Dan Leo – A Work In Progress 12 August 2026

September 24, 2026 by infomatique

I used a Sony 7RVI with a Sony 24-105mm F4 lens.

It took me two days to locate this as the directions that i had been supplied with were incorrect and on the second day i came across the mural by accident. Unfortunately, the work was not completed before I returned to Dublin.

Artist: Dan Leo
Artwork: Geometric Snail Mural
Festival & Setting: Created for the Waterford Walls International Street Art Festival in Waterford, Ireland (located in the Farran Park / Outer Ring Road area).

The Artist and Their Work

Dan Leo is a prominent London-born, Ireland-based contemporary muralist and illustrator recognised as a staple of the Irish street art movement.
Signature Style: Leo’s visual language is deeply rooted in comic, graffiti, and graphic design traditions. His work is known for bold, heavy black contour line-work, sharp geometric divisions, and hyper-saturated, contrasting colour palettes.

Subject Matter: Wildlife and nature dominate Leo’s oeuvre. He frequently depicts animals—ranging from urban foxes, tropical birds, and cats to smaller fauna like this snail—reinterpreting organic forms through rigid facets, angular planes, and graphic patterns.

Interaction with Architecture: In this piece, Leo cleverly incorporates the residential structure’s architectural elements directly into the composition. The central second-floor window forms the core spiral axis of the snail’s shell, blending physical building infrastructure with flat, two-dimensional geometric abstraction.

TRAMORE THE BIG BEACH COUNTY WATERFORD

August 17, 2025 by infomatique

AUGUST 2025 VISIT

I had a few hours to spare so I decided to visit Tramore and it took me much less than an hour to get there from the Granville Hotel in Waterford. I had intended to revisit the town on the following day in order to search for and photograph examples of street-art and also visit the Metal Man but I got distracted by events and did not re-visit.

Getting to Tramore from Waterford City

Travelling to Tramore from Waterford City is very straightforward and easy. The two towns are located just 12 kilometres apart, and there is a frequent and direct bus service operated by Bus Éireann (Route 360) that connects them. The journey is short, taking approximately 18-20 minutes, with buses running every 30 minutes throughout the day. This makes it a very convenient and reliable option for commuters and visitors alike.

History and Origin of Tramore

Tramore, which translates from the Irish ‘Trá Mhór’ to ‘big beach’, was originally a small fishing village. Its transformation began in the late 18th century when it was discovered as a “pleasant retreat” for the citizens of Waterford seeking the benefits of “salt water”. The town’s growth as a tourist destination was significantly boosted by the opening of a unique, isolated railway line from Waterford City in 1853. This railway was integral to the town’s development until its closure in 1961.

A key event in the town’s history is the “Sea Horse tragedy” of 1816, when a military transport ship carrying soldiers, women, and children was wrecked in the bay, leading to the loss of over 360 lives. This event led to the erection of the famous “Metal Man” statues on the headlands in 1823, funded by Lloyd’s of London, to warn seafarers of the dangerous waters. The seahorse also became a symbol of the town and was later adopted as the logo for Waterford Crystal.

In recent decades, Tramore has evolved into a “dormitory town” for Waterford City, with a large portion of its population commuting for work. The town council is now focused on promoting a more self-sustaining local economy.

Peak Season and All-Year Community

While Tramore has always been a popular tourist destination, it has developed into a settled, all-year community rather than solely a seasonal resort. Its population was recorded at over 11,000 in the 2022 census, making it the second-largest town in County Waterford.

The peak season for tourism is undoubtedly from Easter through to September, with July and August being the busiest months. During this time, the town’s amusement park, beach, and other attractions are in full swing, and a large number of local and international visitors arrive. Surfing and water sports are particularly popular, and the town hosts a long-running annual horse-racing festival in August.

However, the town does not shut down in the winter. Its large community ensures that local businesses, schools, and services remain active all year round. The off-season also offers a different type of experience, with the beach still being a draw for surfers and walkers, and the cliff walks providing a rugged, scenic alternative to the summer crowds.

Street Art and Murals

While Tramore may not have the same concentration of street art as nearby Waterford City, which is known for its annual “Waterford Walls” festival, it has been included in the festival’s expansion. The Waterford Walls festival has brought large-scale mural artwork to various locations within the county, including Tramore. Therefore, it is possible to find street art in the town, with pieces often commissioned to beautify urban spaces and engage with the local community.

THE MARIAN GROTTO AT FERRY BANK NEAR WATERFORD CITY

August 16, 2025 by infomatique

PHOTOGRAPHED AUGUST 2025

The Marian Grotto at Ferrybank near Waterford City

Confusion often arises between the large Marian Grotto in Ferrybank and the Our Lady of the Wayside Grotto on Cork Road in Waterford City. During my recent visit, both were photographed, and a third site, a statue in Roanmore Park, was also discovered and photographed. This statue is a different type of monument and is a more recent addition, erected in July 1973. The Our Lady of the Wayside Grotto on Cork Road is a traditional grotto, but the one in Roanmore Park is a statue on a plinth.

The Grotto in Ferrybank is a significant local landmark with a history rooted in the Marian Year of 1954. Following the global Catholic devotion to the Virgin Mary, a local committee in Ferrybank, with the full support of then-parish priest Canon James Ryan, initiated a project to build the Grotto.

The Grotto’s construction involved using large conglomerate stones sourced from local quarries in Ballinamona and Slieverue. A piece of rock from the Grotto in Lourdes was also incorporated into the structure. On Sunday, 20th May 1956, the Grotto was officially unveiled and blessed before a large gathering of people from Ferrybank and the surrounding areas. A time capsule containing newspapers and coins from the era was also built into the Grotto.

The Grotto remains a focal point for the community, lovingly tended to by a dedicated local resident for many years. It serves as a place of pilgrimage and prayer, and in 2024, a special event marked the 70th anniversary of the Marian Year.

THIS CONE SHAPED OPJECT CAN BE SEEN AT HENNESSEY’S ROAD IN WATERFORD

August 16, 2025 by infomatique

I COULD NOT ESTABLISH IF IT IS A SCULPTURE

I first photographed this large cone many years ago and could not determine if it was a work of art or if it served some other purpose. A year ago I saw a photograph of it online and it was described as follows: “This monument was completed in 2008 by Waterford City Council. Allegedly it is to commemorate the old City Boundary.”

The cone-shaped monument on Hennessy’s Road is a compelling piece of public art with a clear, likely purpose. My follow up research confirms that its location aligns with a historical boundary of the County Borough of Waterford. The sculpture’s powerful and symbolic form, particularly the deliberate vertical split, serves as a fitting visual metaphor for a line of division, strengthening the argument that it is a monument commemorating this specific civic boundary.

However, the claims regarding its commissioning by Waterford City Council and its installation date of 2008 could not be verified. The absence of documentation in the records of known public art commissioning bodies suggests that the sculpture’s origin may be a private or unique project, rather than a standard municipal commission. The 2008 date is likely a point of local lore.

A TALE OF TWO FOLLIES PLUS THE CHURCH OF THE MOST SACRED HEART

August 16, 2025 by infomatique

LOCAL HISTORY OF WATERFORD AUGUST 2025

While exploring the area near the modern Church of the Most Sacred Heart in Waterford, I was intrigued to discover two roads named “The Folly” and “Richardson’s Folly.” This was particularly surprising as I had just photographed the much older Church of the Most Holy Trinity in nearby Ballybricken. The juxtaposition of an ancient churchyard, with its 19th-century memorials, and a striking 20th-century building perfectly encapsulates the complex and evolving history of faith in Waterford.

I was due to take a guided walking tour of the Waterford Walls Murals and didn’t have time to photograph the interior of the Sacred Heart Church, a notable example of modern ecclesiastical architecture. Built between 1970 and 1975 to serve the expanding population of the new Sacred Heart Parish, the church was designed by architect C. Harvey Jacob. Its unique octagonal plan and extensive use of poured concrete reflected a major shift in architectural trends that followed the Second Vatican Council. The innovative design was a deliberate move away from traditional forms and was praised at the time as a stimulus for using modern materials in church construction.

The Origin of “Folly” in Waterford’s Street Names

The names “The Folly” and “Richardson’s Folly” are rooted in a historical practice of building decorative, non-functional structures known as “follies.” The use of “folly” in this context is a perfect example of how local lore can evolve into a permanent place name.

The Folly

The name “The Folly” most likely originated from a folly tower that once stood in the area. In architectural terms, a folly is a building—often a tower or a mock ruin—constructed for purely decorative purposes, with no practical use.

Historical Context: Local accounts and historical records suggest a tower once stood on a hill here. It may have been a pleasure building or, as some speculate, part of a semaphore system used to signal the arrival of ships.

A Lasting Legacy: Over time, the name of the decorative tower became the name for the entire district and the main road running through it. The tower is long gone, but its nickname remains as the official name of the area.

Richardson’s Folly

This name has a more specific and colourful local history, tied to a prominent local figure. According to local folklore, “Richardson’s Folly” was a road built by a wealthy individual who was perceived to have “more money than sense.” The road was supposedly constructed at great expense but led nowhere in particular or simply didn’t serve a practical purpose at the time, hence the name. The Richardson family was prominent in the area, and their house was situated on this road. The phrase “Richardson’s Folly” became the common, tongue-in-cheek title that stuck.

In essence, both names reflect a time when the area was on the rural outskirts of the city. The landscape was marked by whimsical, aristocratic building projects often viewed by locals with a mixture of awe and gentle mockery.