Dublin

RINGSEND LIBRARY IS AN ART DECO BUILDING DESIGNED BY ROBERT SORLEY LAWRIE

August 25, 2023 by infomatique

PHOTOGRAPHED 25 AUGUST 2023

Ringsend Public Library is an art deco style public library in Ringsend, Dublin designed by Robert Sorley Lawrie working in the city architect’s office under Horace O’Rourke.

This building was one of four similar libraries built by Dublin Corporation between 1935 and 1940 in the Dublin suburbs of Phibsborough, Ringsend, Drumcondra and Inchicore.

THE CONCRETE SHELTER IN PHOENIX PARK

August 12, 2023 by infomatique

LOCATED IN THE PEOPLE’S FLOWER GARDENS

Unfortunately, when I search for information about this shelter all that I find are photographs that I have taken over the years so I must conclude that it is not considered to be of any real importance but I must admit that I like it so I will continue to photograph it.

The People’s Flower Gardens are a 9-hectare section of the Phoenix Park in Dublin, Ireland. They were laid out in the mid-19th century and opened to the public in 1864. The gardens are a prime example of Victorian horticulture, with a large ornamental lake, children’s playground, picnic areas, and Victorian bedding schemes.

A TRIBUTE TO SINEAD

August 12, 2023 by infomatique

A MEMORIAL AT A THE BANDSTAND IN PHOENIX PARK

Sinéad O’Connor was a truly unique and iconic artist, and her death is a great loss to the world. In her memory there have been a number of memorials.

I visited Phoenix Park on Friday and at the bandstand near the Zoo I came across what I would describe as an impromptu memorial to Sinéad O’Connor … sorry about the quality of the photographs but my camera was giving me problems and I did not want to reposition any of the items.

Impromptu memorials to the deceased have become a common feature of the national and international landscape and they have greatly increased in frequency here in Ireland and especially in Dublin. They take many forms and represent various types of deaths; nonetheless, they have in common the expression of mourning for the deceased, regardless of whether or not the mourner personally knew the deceased. The site of the impromptu memorial may be located by the roadside, as in the case of a motor vehicle fatality, or outside a building associated with the deceased. In this instance it was a bandstand which may have been chosen as Sinead was a very popular musician.

The Bandstand at Phoenix Park is a freestanding octagonal-plan cast-iron bandstand, built c. 1890. It is located in the Hollow, a natural amphitheatre in the park, near the People’s Garden. The bandstand was manufactured by Musgrave & Co. of Belfast, as marked with an ornamental escutcheon on one of the pillars flanking the steps. It is surrounded by tarmcadam hard standings, with grass and mature trees beyond.

The bandstand was originally used for military bands, but it is now used for a variety of events, including concerts, recitals, and dance performances. It is also a popular spot for weddings and photo shoots.

The bandstand is a beautiful and historic landmark in Phoenix Park. It is a reminder of the park’s rich history of music and entertainment. It is also a popular spot for people to relax and enjoy the outdoors.

THE WEATHER WAS DISAPPOINTING THIS AUGUST BANK HOLIDAY WEEKEND

August 7, 2023 by infomatique

CAPEL STREET AND BOLTON STREET HAD A POSITIVE VIBE DESPITE THE RAIN

The blackboard notice on Capel Street said “Positive Vibes Only It Is Only A Bit Of Rain” and to be honest everyone including those who had been soaked were in good humour.

According to Met Éireann, we were in for ‘mixed conditions’ over the weekend. Saturday was going to remain blustery in the morning and the southern and eastern parts of the country ere due to be hit by strong winds in parts. They were correct … many parts of Dublin were flooded on Saturday and to a lesser extent on Sunday.

I was awakened early on Sunday morning by the noise created by a sporting event at Henrietta Flats so I decided leave the area and get a bus to St Anne’s park in Raheny. At about lunch time there was a really intense rain storm and a path that I was walking along became a stream. I was lucky as I found shelter under a group of really large trees.

When the rain stopped I walked to the bus shelter at Doyle’s lane and as soon as I arrived at the shelter it began to rain and while I was there two large dogs arrived as, like me, they were seeking shelter from the rain. An hour later I arrived in the city centre but while walking along Abbey street I had to seek shelter from another intense rain storm and there was much flooding to be seen along Abbey Street, Capel street and Bolton Street.

ACCORDING TO GOOGLE BARD IT IS HOME TO 100 BIRDHOUSES

July 14, 2023 by infomatique

BIRD AVENUE IN DUBLIN

I think that we, in Ireland, refer to them as nest boxes rather than birdhouses.

I asked Google BARD AI for an essay describing Bird Avenue and the result is more than a little confused.

I am unaware of a new shopping centre.
I would have thought that the really large church building that dominates the area should have been mentioned.
I cannot find any information relating to the bird houses but it could be true that birdhouses were installed and I really hope that it is true.
The restaurants are clustered at either end of the road rather than along the road or nearby rather than being on the road. What I am saying is that I would not suggest Bird Avenue for shopping or dining out.
I would describe the bus service as unreliable. I use the 17 bus service four times a week and often have to wait more than 4o minutes even the service frequency is supposed to be 20 minutes. According to locals the problem is due to staff shortages. The 11 bus service has a frequency of thirty minutes but is frequently full. My advice is to walk to the tram stop at Windy Arbour.

Sure, here is an essay about Bird Avenue in Dublin, Ireland:

Bird Avenue is a short street in the suburb of Dundrum, Dublin, Ireland. It is located just off the Dundrum Road, and is home to a variety of businesses and residential properties. The avenue is named after the Bird family, who were once the owners of the land.

Bird Avenue was originally developed in the early 1900s, and was primarily residential. However, in recent years, the avenue has seen a number of commercial developments, including a new shopping center and a number of office buildings.

One of the most notable features of Bird Avenue is its birdhouses. There are over 100 birdhouses on the avenue, and they are home to a variety of birds, including sparrows, robins, and bluebirds. The birdhouses were installed in the 1980s by the Dundrum Tidy Towns Committee, and they have become a popular attraction for visitors.

Bird Avenue is a well-maintained and attractive street. The trees that line the avenue provide shade in the summer, and the flowers that bloom in the spring and summer add to the beauty of the street. Bird Avenue is a popular place for walking, jogging, and cycling, and it is also a convenient location for getting to other parts of Dublin.

The following are some of the things that you can do on Bird Avenue:

Visit the Bird Avenue birdhouses.
Go shopping at the new shopping center.
Visit the Dundrum Town Centre.
Have a meal at one of the many restaurants on the avenue.
Take a walk or bike ride along the avenue.
Enjoy the beauty of the trees and flowers.
Bird Avenue is a charming and inviting street in Dublin. It is a great place to live, work, or visit. If you are ever in Dublin, be sure to check it out.

Here are some additional facts about Bird Avenue:

The avenue is approximately 0.2 kilometers long.
There are approximately 100 birdhouses on the avenue.
The birdhouses were installed in the 1980s by the Dundrum Tidy Towns Committee.
The avenue is home to a variety of businesses, including shops, restaurants, and offices.
The avenue is also home to a number of residential properties.
Bird Avenue is a popular place for walking, jogging, and cycling.
The avenue is a convenient location for getting to other parts of Dublin.

I hope this essay has given you a better understanding of Bird Avenue in Dublin, Ireland.

Bard is a conversational generative artificial intelligence chatbot developed by Google, based initially on the LaMDA family of large language models (LLMs) and later the PaLM LLM. It was developed as a direct response to the rise of OpenAI’s ChatGPT, and was released in a limited capacity in March 2023 to lukewarm responses, before expanding to other countries in May.

Google opened up early access for Bard on March 21 in a limited capacity, allowing users in the U.S. and UK to join a waitlist. Unlike Microsoft’s approach with Bing, Bard was launched as a standalone web application featuring a text box and a disclaimer that the chatbot “may display inaccurate or offensive information that doesn’t represent Google’s views”. Three responses are then provided to each question, with users prompted to submit feedback on the usefulness of each answer. Google vice presidents Sissie Hsiao and Eli Collins framed Bard as a complement to Google Search and stated that the company had not determined how to make the service profitable. Among those granted early access were those enrolled in Google’s “Pixel Superfans” loyalty program, users of its Pixel and Nest devices, and Google One subscribers.

Bard is trained by third-party contractors hired by Google, including Appen and Accenture workers, whom Business Insider and Bloomberg News reported were placed under extreme pressure, overworked, and underpaid. Shortly after Bard’s initial launch, Google reorganised the team behind Google Assistant, the company’s virtual assistant, to focus on Bard instead. Google researcher Jacob Devlin resigned from the company after claiming that Bard had surreptitiously leveraged data from ChatGPT; Google denied the allegations. Pichai revealed on March 31 that the company intended to “upgrade” Bard by basing it on PaLM, a newer and more powerful LLM from Google, rather than LaMDA. The same day, Krawczyk announced that Google had added “math and logic capabilities” to Bard. Bard gained the ability to assist in coding in April, being compatible with more than 20 programming languages at launch. Microsoft also began running advertisements in the address bar of a developer build of the Edge browser urging users to try Bing whenever they visit the Bard web app. Google is working to integrate Bard into its ChromeOS operating system and Pixel devices.

During the annual Google I/O keynote in May 2023, Pichai and Hsiao announced a series of updates to Bard, including the adoption of PaLM 2, integration with other Google products and third-party services, expansion to 180 countries, support for additional languages, and new features. The expanded rollout did not include any nations in the European Union (EU), possibly reflecting concerns about compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation. Those with Google Workspace accounts also gained access to the service. Google attempted to launch Bard in the EU in June, but was blocked by the Irish Data Protection Commission, who requested for a “data protection impact assessment” from the company. In July, Google launched Bard in the EU and Brazil, added support for dozens of new languages, and introduced multiple new personalisation and productivity features.