INDEX
2
22 JANUARY 2018 VISIT TO HOWTHA few years ago I published a collection of photographs claiming that they were from my 2009 visit to Howth and that I had used a Sigma DP2 camera but the story… 22 JANUARY 2018 VISIT TO HOWTHA few years ago I published a collection of photographs claiming that they were from my 2009 visit to Howth and that I had used a Sigma DP2 camera but the story…
3
30 CHURCH STREET IN HOWTHI had planned to have lunch at this restaurant in Howth today but I was unaware that they are closed on Mondays and Tuesdays so I gave up on the lunch idea and…
9
9 JANUARY 2009 VISIT TO HOWTH HARBOURAs I've been working my way through my back catalogue, I'm excited to share a remastered collection from my 2009 visit to Howth. However, as I've been…
A
AFTER TWO FIRESDiscover the fascinating history of Dublin’s "Project Ash" site. Located between Upper Abbey Street and Great Strand Street, this former film distribution hub… 
ANDERSONS CAFE CEASED TRADINGThe premises at 1A Carlingford Road in Drumcondra, formerly the popular Andersons Creperie, has seen significant changes. Following the café's closure, it was… 
AN ISOLATED LETTERBOXThis is only metres away from the "Hungry Tree" at Kings Inns. Now, it faces the street, a silent, metallic smile. It was no longer a way in. It was just a way… 
ANNIE LEE BRIDGE AT ST ANNESThe Annie Lee Bridge—often referred to as the Annie Lee Tower and Bridge—was built in 1837–1838 by Benjamin Lee Guinness. It was commissioned to celebrate the… 
ARBOUR HILL MEMORIALSDiscover the poignant memorials at Arbour Hill, Dublin, the final resting place of 14 executed leaders of the 1916 Easter Rising. Managed by the Department of… 
A VISIT TO KINGS INNS 6 NOVEMBER 2025King's Inns is a key historical, educational, and architectural landmark in Dublin. It is Ireland's oldest school of law, founded in 1541, and serves as the…
B
BLACKHORSE AVENUEDiscover the history of Blackhorse Avenue, Dublin 7. From the medieval 'Blackhorse Inn' to the architectural splendour of McKee Barracks and the 1875 stone… 
BOATING ALONG THE COAST - MALAHIDE AND…A discussion of boating and yachting in the Malahide and Portmarnock area of North County Dublin centres predominantly around Malahide, which is a significant… 
BOLTON STREET AREA OF DUBLINI chose the area around Bolton Street and Henrietta Place as my initial proving ground. This Dublin Northside district is an ideal test location because it… 
BOTANIC AVENUE AND PARKIt is important to distinguish between the two. The lower, flat section of Botanic Avenue is synonymous with the River Tolka flood risk. In contrast, the… 
BOTANIC GARDENS 22 JULY 2009The National Botanic Gardens in Glasnevin, Dublin, remain one of Ireland’s premier botanical institutions and historic designed landscapes. Spanning nearly 20… 
BOTANIC OFFICE EQUIPMENTMany locals and passers-by often mistake it for a "typewriter museum," a perceptive but slightly misidentified observation. 
BRENDAN BEHAN SCULPTUREDiscover the history of the Brendan Behan sculpture at Binns Bridge on Dublin's Royal Canal. Created by sculptor John Coll in 2003, this life-sized bronze… 
BROADSTONE 17 NOVEMBER 2025Broadstone is perhaps most famously associated with the former Broadstone Station, which has a rich history as a major railway terminus and subsequently as a…
C
CAVENDISH FOUNTAINA photographer’s journal on the Cavendish Row fountain outside Dublin's Gate Theatre. Often mistaken for a simple horse trough, this 1790s landmark features a… 
CHARLMONT BEACH 8-9 JANUARY 2009Claremont Beach is a sandy, gently sloping beach located on the north side of the Howth peninsula. It sits in the shadow of the main harbour, separated from the… 
CLONSILLA TRAIN STATIONExplore the history and navigational quirks of Clonsilla Train Station. From its 1848 opening to its role as a vital junction for the Maynooth and M3 Parkway…
D
DONALDSON MURAL AT CROSS GUNS BRIDGEThe artwork directly references current political and legal developments in Northern Ireland. PSNI Chief Constable Jon Boutcher has issued warnings against… 
DORSET STREETDiscover the transformation of Dublin 1 with the massive Dorset Street & St. Mary's Place Regeneration and the new Bolton Hotel. Read about the history of the… 
DUBLIN MURALxplore the story behind the colourful "DUBLIN" hoardings on O'Connell Street. This feature examines how commissioned street art by artists like Holly Pereira is…
E
ELLIOTS BAKERYThe Story Behind the "Graffiti" Logo. The bold, messy, graffiti-like script of "ELLIOT'S" scrawled across the black shopfront is actually a special design… 
EXTENSION AT MOUNT BERNARD PARKAfter years of planning, the extension to Mount Bernard Park in Phibsborough is finally ready! During a recent visit, I was able to walk the entire perimeter of…
F
FAMINE STATUES - BRONZE SHOESThe inspiration for the bronze shoe sculptures came from a remarkable discovery: a pair of nineteenth-century bound children's shoes found in the roof of a… 
FOUNTAIN DESIGNED BY JOHN ENSORThe fountain in question is situated at a key location in Dublin's urban landscape: the northern apex of Parnell Square, where it meets the top of O'Connell…
G
GETTING READY FOR CHRISTMASIn Ireland, the Christmas season is the most significant retail event of the year. While Americans have Thanksgiving to bridge the gap, Irish shoppers are often… 
GRANBY LANE AND GRANBY PLACEExplore the history of Granby Lane and Granby Place in Dublin 1. Connecting Lower Dominick Street to Granby Row, this area has transformed from a notorious… 
GRANBY ROW AND PARNELL SQUARE NORTHUpdates on the Parnell Square Cultural Quarter and the restoration of No. 28 Granby Row. Discover the history of Granby Sausages and the Plaza Cinema, the… 
GRANGEGORMAN CAMPUSDiscover how the TU Dublin Grangegorman campus is transforming Dublin 7 into a university quarter rivalling the scale of Queen's Belfast. We explore the… 
GREY HERON AT CROSS GUNS BRIDGEDiscover why Grey Herons are thriving along Dublin's canals, featuring a striking encounter at Cross Guns Bridge that highlights a vital summer water safety…
H
HALLOWEEN HOLIDAY WEEKENDAs Ireland settles into the October Bank Holiday weekend, a common point of confusion arises: why is the "Halloween holiday" this Monday, when Halloween itself… 
HERMIT'S CAVE AT ST ANNE'S PARKIn 19th-century estate planning, a clear line was drawn between a grotto (a decorative alcove, such as the one beside the Annie Lee Bridge) and a hermitage (a… 
I
IRISH VOLUNTEER MONUMENTExplore the history of the Irish Volunteer Monument at Blaquiere Bridge in Phibsborough. Sculpted by Leo Broe, this landmark commemorates the Dublin Brigade's… 
J
JUNE 2009 VISIT TO HOWTHBy June 2009 I had lost confidence in my Canon 1Ds MkIII and I began to realise that there was something wrong with the camera. When I returned home Howth I…
L
LEGACY HOWTH 2018My first visit in 2018 was in January but many of my my photographs were date-stamped 09-01-2009 
LEGACY MALAHIDE AND PORTMARNOCK 2018The point where Malahide ends and Portmarnock begins along the coast is generally considered to be in the vicinity of Robswall Park and the Martello Tower that… 
LINDSAY ROAD SCHOOL AND NEARBYMany Dublin locations have stories attached to them, but these are often based on half-truths rather than facts. A classic example is the persistent local… 
LOCK 7 ON THE ROYAL CANALLock 7, or the 7th Lock, is a significant historical and architectural structure on the Royal Canal in Dublin, located in the Tolkapark area of Dublin 7, near… 
LOCK SIX ON THE ROYAL CANALThe 6th Lock is situated on the Royal Canal, near where the Shandon Mill used to be, close to the Glasnevin Junction and Crossguns Bridge. 
LOWER DOMINICK STREETDiscover the latest on the Lower Dominick Street redevelopment in Dublin 1. This article explores the completed 72-unit social housing project at Dominick Hall,… 
LOWER GRANGEGORMANDiscover how Grangegorman is being transformed from an institutional stronghold into a vibrant "University City." This article explores the impact of the TU…
M
MIAMI SHOWBAND MEMORIALThe Miami Showband Memorial on North Parnell Square, Dublin, commemorates the three musicians murdered in the 1975 massacre by the UVF. The monument is set to… 
MOVEMBER COTTAGE UPPER GRANGEGORMANThis particular cottage, a lovely example of Dublin's red-brick architecture, has been taken over by a spectacularly ambitious climbing plant. This is no…
N
NEAR THE WATERFRONT 3 MAY 2018The Marina is a focal point, with its flotilla of boats bobbing gently in the water, offering a serene view that stretches out over the Malahide Estuary. It's… 
NEAR THOR PLACEViking Roots and Modern Shadows: The Changing Face of Stoneybatter Description: Explore the history of Dublin’s Oxmantown, from Viking street names and secret… 
NORTH CITY CENTRE NOVEMBER 2025The area of North Central Dublin near the Old Markets, specifically the area encompassing Green Street to Chancery Street, is a designated focus for significant…
O
O'CONNELL STREETDiscover O’Connell Street, the historic heart of Dublin. Explore its transformation from Sackville Street to a symbol of Irish independence, featuring iconic… 
O'DEVANEY GARDENSA review of the transformation of O'Devaney Gardens in Dublin 7, documenting the shift from a 1950s social housing complex to a massive high-rise development.… 
O'DEVANEY GARDENS 2021A photographic comparison of the O'Devaney Gardens area in Dublin 7, contrasting the eerie COVID-19 lockdown silence of February 2021 with the massive "canyon…
P
PETER HARBISON RIPDr. Peter Desmond Harbison (14 January 1939 – 30 May 2023) was a highly distinguished Irish archaeologist, art historian, and author, who made a profound… 
PRE HALLOWEEN SUNLIGHTOctober in Dublin is famous for its "four seasons in one day." You get fast-moving clouds and frequent, short rain showers. PUBLISHED IN 2026All photographs have been supplied by William Murphy and processed by The Urban Cartographer
R
RESTAURANT ON CHURCH STREET FOR SALEThe address 30 Church Street in Howth has long been a fixture of the village's dining scene, but its identity has been famously fluid. For many years, locals… 
ROBSWALL CASTLE ON THE COAST ROADThe primary structure, Robswall Castle, is a 15th-century rubble stone tower house , a historically significant defensive monument that once commanded the… 
ROYAL CANAL WAYDiscover the history and recent upgrades of the Royal Canal Way along Whitworth Road in Dublin. This guide covers the transformation of the Phase 3 Greenway,… 
ROY BAKER III RNLI LIFEBOATThe boat is Trent-class all-weather lifeboat 14-33 Roy Barker III. It is stationed at Howth in the Republic of Ireland, where it has been on service since 2002.
S
SECONDARY CIRCLE OF VAULTS IN GLASNEVINGlasnevin Cemetery, a sprawling and historically significant necropolis in Dublin, was established in 1832. Among its most architecturally and historically… 
SMITHFIELDDiscover Smithfield, Dublin’s historic market turned vibrant cultural quarter. Explore the iconic Smithfield Plaza, visit the world-famous Jameson Distillery,… 
ST MARY'S ABBEYThe present ruins of St. Mary's, perched dramatically above Howth village, mostly date back to the late 14th or early 15th century, though a church has stood on… 
ST MARY'S ABBEY 9 JANUARY 2009Finding those Canon files brought the memory of that specific 2009 trip flooding back. I remembered it being a bad day. The Canon's autofocus (AF) had failed,… 
ST MARY'S CHURCHExplore the rich history of St Mary’s Church of Ireland, Clonsilla. From its medieval roots and 19th-century architecture to the infamous legends of the stolen… 
SWORDS CASTLE 2023Discover the transformation of Swords Castle from 2023 to 2026. Learn about the €60 million Swords Cultural Quarter project, including the new Culture House,…
T
TEAPOT MEMORIAL IN GLASNEVINThe distinctive gravestone for Thomas (Tommy) Thompson, located in Glasnevin Cemetery, has been noted in discussions about the site; however, this was my first… 
THE CHQ AND THE EPICThe building housing the EPIC Museum, known as the CHQ Building, has a rich and varied history, marking a dramatic transformation from 19th-century industry to… THE GRAVEYARD AT MAYNOOTH COLLEGEWhen I visited the graveyard at St Patrick's College, 9 May 2025, in Maynooth an elderly gentleman that I met there told me that there was a very strong… 
TheNewWildParkNearTheCabraTramStopDiscover how Dublin’s Mount Bernard Park extension at the Cabra Luas stop transformed a contaminated industrial brownfield site into a thriving, wild urban… 
THE RAILWAY STATION IN MAYNOOTHThe station has two platforms connected by a pedestrian footbridge (which was famously relocated from Dublin's Lansdowne Road station). The current station… 
THE SMITHFIELD UTAH TEAPOTThe most fascinating aspect of this sculpture is its name and origin. It is not just a random teapot; it is a direct, physical representation of one of the most… 
THE TOWN OF SWORDSRevisit Swords, County Dublin, through the lens of a classic Canon 5D Mark III. Discover how the town has evolved since 2023 and learn how DxO PureRAW 6 can… 
THIS IS THE HUNGRY TREEThe "Hungry Tree" at King's Inns is a London plane tree in Dublin, famous for appearing to "eat" a cast-iron bench that was placed too close to its trunk. The… 
TWO SWANS A THE 6th LOCKThe 6th Lock is situated on the Royal Canal, near where the Shandon Mill used to be, close to the Glasnevin Junction and Crossguns Bridge.
U
UNIVERSITY CAMPUS GRANGEGORMANToday I walked from Broadstone through part of the Technological University (TU) Dublin Grangegorman Campus and then via Lower Grangegorman and Upper…
W
WHY ARE THE TREES SO DEFORMEDAn analysis of the distinctive woodland geometry in St Anne’s Park, Raheny. Discover how 19th-century Guinness estate landscape engineering, shallow coastal…
INDEX