THE 2016 PHOTO BLOG

Street Photography By Infomatique

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CONNOLLY RAILWAY STATION

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THE BUSIEST IN IRELAND

Connolly Station or Dublin Connolly is one of the busiest railway stations in Dublin and Ireland, and is a focal point in the Irish route network. On the North side of the River Liffey, it provides InterCity, Enterprise and commuter services to the north, north-west, south-east and south-west. The north–south Dublin Area Rapid Transit (DART) and Luas red line light rail services also pass through the station. The station offices are the headquarters of Irish Rail, Iarnród Éireann.

Opened in 1844 as Dublin Station, the ornate facade has a distinctive Italianate tower at its centre. The station was renamed in 1919 after James Connolly, a leader of the 1916 Easter Rising.

Here are some additional facts about Connolly Station:

  • The station has seven platforms.
  • The station is wheelchair accessible.
  • There is a car park at the station.
  • There are a number of shops and cafes at the station.
  • The station is open 24 hours a day.

TWISTED AND DISTORTED TREES AT ST ANNE’S PARK

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AS THEY WERE BACK IN APRIL 2016

When I visited the park in April 2016 I had to shelter for about three hours as the rain was so intense but I was able to devote time to photographing the trees.

One of the most distinctive characteristics of St Anne’s Park in Raheny are the avenues of fine trees, which originally framed the main house. Notably the long and wide East/West Avenue is planted with Holm oaks (Quercus ilex), Monterey pines (Pinus radiata) and Austrian Pines (Pinus nigra). There are several other avenues framed with yews (Taxus baccata), horse chestnuts (Aesculus hippocatanum), Holm oaks or Monterey pines. Another feature of St. Anne’s Park is the extensive planting of holm oak. This species, resistant to sea wind, was selected by the Guinness family to act as a shelter belt along its coastal boundary and along the boundary of the park. It was also Lord Ardilaun’s favourite tree.

The Naniken River flows through the park and its banks are dominated by large and mature beech (Fagus sylvatica). Adjacent woodlands contain Holm oak, Monterey cypress, yew, and horse chestnut, as well as self-seeded trees, including wych elm (Ulmus glabra), ash trees and sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus).

Woodland species, such as wild garlic (Allium ursinum), Hart’s-tongue (Asplenium scolopendrium), lords and ladies (Arum maculatum), lesser celandines (Ficaria verna) and primroses (Primula vulgaris) can be found in the field layer during springtime.

THE YEW CIRCLE AT ST ANNE’S IN APRIL 2016

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WHEN THERE WAS STILL A WATER FEATURE

Please be aware that these photographs were taken on the 16th April 2016 and that the circle has been restored but the water feature has been infilled. I plan to publish more recent photographs later in July or August [2023].

Back in 2015 I was getting more than worried about the future of the “follies” in St. Anne’s park as most, if not all of them were in very poor condition.

When I visited in April 2016 there was still a basin at the Park, minus its central statue however the hedges were no longer in an overgrown state.

An account from 1873 (W. Heale, 1873) describes the yew circle in detail: “On the east side of this [Dutch style flower] garden is an amphitheatre some 150 feet in circumference; the outer portion is a well-kept Yew hedge with five entrances; equidistant from each entrance are four marble statues representing Europe, Asia, Africa and America; Australia is not yet represented. The centre is a costly marble basin with fountain and stocked with gold and silver fish.‟

In a quarter of the walled garden was a circular yew hedge with alcoves and arches in which stood allegorical Italian statues representing the five continents. These statues were reflected in the great circular marble basin which occupied the centre (Malins and Bowe, 1980). The 1939 auction catalogue included these statues: “Lot 1471 – 4 carved stone figures representing the continents, on square bases with carved mouldings‟ (Adam, 1939).

The description below refers to the Yew Circle as it was prior to my visit in April as it was anything but overgrown when I had visited in April of that year. The yew trees had been cut back to what appeared to be to an extreme degree.

The Yew Circle at St Anne’s Park in Dublin was created in the 1830s by Benjamin Lee Guinness, a member of the famous brewing family. The circle is made up of a circular yew hedge that was originally planted with five alcoves, each of which contained an Italian statue representing one of the five continents. In the centre of the circle was a fountain, which is now no longer extant.

The Yew Circle was part of the formal gardens that were once located at St Anne’s House, the Guinness family’s mansion on the site. The gardens were designed in the Italianate style, and they included a number of other follies, such as a Roman-style viewing tower and a cast-iron floral temple.

The Yew Circle fell into disrepair after St Anne’s House was demolished in 1939. However, it was restored in the 1980s, and it is now one of the most popular attractions in St Anne’s Park. The circle is still overgrown, but the five alcoves and the fountain base are still visible.

The Yew Circle is a fascinating example of 19th-century garden design. It is a reminder of the time when St Anne’s House was a grand estate, and it is a popular spot for visitors to the park today.

Here are some additional details [that no longer apply] about the Yew Circle:

The yew hedge is about 100 feet in diameter.
The five alcoves are each about 6 feet wide and 4 feet deep.
The fountain base is about 10 feet in diameter.
The statues in the alcoves represent the continents of Europe, Asia, Africa, America, and Australia.
The Yew Circle is located in the northeastern part of St Anne’s Park.

TREE STUMPS AT ST ANNE’S PARK IN APRIL 2016

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DID SOMEONE GET A NEW CHAINSAW

When I visited in April 2016 the one thing that I noticed was that many trees had been cut down and in many cases the wood was red or there was red sawdust on the ground. I assume that trees had to be removed because of various tree diseases such as Beech Dieback.

In recent years, there have been concerns about the health of some of the trees in St. Anne’s Park. This is due to a number of factors, including climate change, pests, and diseases. However, the park’s management is working to address these issues, and they are confident that the trees in St. Anne’s Park will continue to thrive for many years to come.

Beech dieback is a mysterious disease that is killing beech trees in Ireland and other parts of the world. The disease was first identified in Ireland in 2014, and it has since spread to other countries, including the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Belgium.

The disease is characterised by a number of symptoms, including:

Dark staining on the leaves
Shrivelled, leathery leaves
Dead buds
Dead branches
Dead trees
The cause of beech dieback is unknown, but it is thought to be caused by a pathogen, such as a virus, bacteria, or fungus. The pathogen is thought to be spread by insects or by windblown spores.

There is no known cure for beech dieback, and trees that are infected with the disease will eventually die. However, there are some steps that can be taken to slow the spread of the disease, such as:

Removing infected trees
Planting resistant beech trees
Maintaining healthy woodlands

The impact of beech dieback on Irish woodlands is still being assessed, but it is likely to be significant. Beech trees are a common and important part of the Irish landscape, and they provide a valuable habitat for wildlife. The loss of beech trees could have a negative impact on biodiversity and on the quality of the environment.

In the meantime, there is a lot of research being done to try to understand the cause of beech dieback and to develop ways to prevent it. It is hoped that a cure will be found in the future, but for now, the best way to protect beech trees is to plant resistant varieties and to maintain healthy woodlands.

THE ROMAN TEMPLE AT ST ANNE’S PARK

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AND PLENTY OF RED SAWDUST

The Roman Temple (Herculanean House) is situated near what was originally the northwestern corner of the walled garden near the house. It was a perfect replica in classical Roman style, with a courtyard and interior paved with tiles copied from a design found during the excavations of the original Herculaneum. During recent restoration work these original courtyard mosaic tiles were unexpectedly unearthed and found to be remarkably intact and in very good condition. Works to the dome structure involved reinstating the stone parapet, reinstating the marble tiles and installing new stainless steel railings to the six bays. Works to the courtyard involved repointing and consolidating the surrounding brickwork and installing a new column at the entrance to match the existing.

Here are some additional facts about the Roman Temple:

It is made of limestone and granite.
It is 20 feet high and 15 feet wide.
The courtyard is paved with 2,000 square feet of mosaic tiles.
The temple was restored in 2016-2017.

The one thing that I stood out was the red sawdust so [in July 2023] I asked Google Bard AI about it and got the following response: Both red cedar and European redwood are relatively rare in Ireland, so you are not likely to see them very often. However, if you do see a tree with red sawdust, you can be sure that it is one of these two species.

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