Parks And Gardens

LITTLE BOY TRYING TO RECOVER HIS BALL

June 21, 2023 by infomatique

BOTANIC GARDENS 21 JUNE 2023

I cannot find any information relating to this sculpture near the main entrance to the Botanic Gardens in Glasnevin. This sculpture is on permanent display and I have photographed it a number of times because I like it.

THE DUBLIN UNESCO CITY OF LITERATURE SHOW GARDEN IS IN BETTER CONDITION THAN IT WAS LAST YEAR

April 19, 2023 by infomatique

PHIBSBORO PUBLIC LIBRARY

Back in 2014 when I first photographed this garden I commented as follows: ‘I must admit that I was somewhat unimpressed if not totally disappointed by this garden now located in the grounds of Phibsboro Public Library. In my opinion the setting is not at all suitable and elements [the pool to name but one] appear to be missing from the prize winning garden. I suspect that little of this will remain in two or three years due to lack of maintenance and appropriate attention. Note: The water pump may need a service as it appears to be rather noisy.’

Today, 19 April 2023, it was in an acceptable condition but the water elements have been removed which is a pity especially as the garden is named ‘River Run’

ST STEPHEN’S GREEN 15 APRIL 2023

April 15, 2023 by infomatique

SONY NEX7 CAMERA AND 18-105MM LENS

Cared for by the Office of Public Works, the park is an important public resource in the area, and provides an oasis of green calm in the middle of a bustling city. Its four centuries of history are eventful and complex, involving such important figures as Arthur Guinness, 1st Baron Ardilaun, and Countess Constance Markievicz. The park itself hosts a large number of important sculptural monuments to Irish history. Many species of birds and plants also call the park their home. Public facilities at St Stephen’s Green Park include a playground and a garden for the visually impaired.

A few days ago I discovered that I had a Sony E PZ 18-105mm F4 G OSS lens which I do not remember buying and what is even more confusing is that I do not purchase anything other than full-frame lenses. Sony describes the lens as follows: This G Lens for E-mount cameras delivers stunning still or movie imagery with the flexibility of 6x power zoom. Maximum aperture is a constant F4 from 18mm wide angle to 105mm medium telephoto, with excellent resolution and contrast throughout. A lever and ring on the lens barrel allow zoom speed to be freely adjusted as required while maintaining a sure, stable grip.

When I used the 18-105mm lens with my FX-30 camera [APS-C sensor] I was very disappointed with the results as many of the images had focus issues or suffered from motion blur. I could not decide if the lens was the problem or if there was something wrong with the camera body so I used a Sigma 14mm lens yesterday and the results were more than acceptable. However, before concluding that the lens was substandard I decided to try it with my very old NEX-7 body [purchased Christmas 2011].

The Sony α NEX-7 is a digital camera announced 24 August 2011 by Sony. It is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera and as such inherits a smaller body form factor than a traditional digital single-lens reflex camera, while still retaining the sensor size and features of an APS-C-sized model. It is targeted at experienced users, enthusiasts and professionals. It is replaced by the ILCE-6000 (α6000). At the time of its release, the Sony Alpha NEX-7 had the best image quality among any mirrorless interchangeable-lens compact camera which had been tested by DxO Labs and also the best APS-C Sensor camera from Sony. Sony α65, Sony α77 and NEX-7 have similar sensors and received DxOMark Overall Scores of 74, 78, and 81, respectively. The image quality of NEX-7 can be comparable with Nikon D7000 (score 80) and Pentax K-5 (score 82).

I failed to reach a conclusion but I do like using the NEX-7 even though I need to bring at least four spare batteries with me.

HALLIDAY SQUARE

April 13, 2023 by infomatique

ARBOUR HILL 13 APRIL 2023

Halliday Square is a little sliver of parkland at Arbour Hill, populated by ornamental trees and shrubs and surrounded by terraces of both old and new red-brick houses.

Arbour Hill is an area of Dublin within the inner city on the Northside of the River Liffey, in the Dublin 7 postal district. Arbour Hill, the road of the same name, runs west from Blackhall Place in Stoneybatter, and separates Collins Barracks, now hosting part of the National Museum of Ireland, to the south from Arbour Hill Prison to the north, whose graveyard includes the burial plot of the signatories of the Easter Proclamation that began the 1916 Rising. St Bricin’s Military Hospital, formerly the King George V Hospital, is also located in Arbour Hill.

Arbour Hill is derived from the Irish Cnoc an Arbhair which means “corn hill”. The area was owned by Christ Church Cathedral during the medieval period and was used to store corn. The area first appears on a map in 1603 as “Earber-hill”.

As part of his commissioned symphonic work “Irishmen and Irishwomen”, the composer Vincent Kennedy included a movement titled “Arbour Hill”. This movement is a tribute to the Easter Rising participants buried at Arbour Hill.

WATER FEATURES

February 11, 2023 by infomatique

IVEAGH GARDENS IN FEBRUARY 2023

The Iveagh Gardens are among the finest and least known of Dublin’s parks and gardens. Designed in 1863 they include a rustic grotto, cascade, fountains, maze, rosarium, archery grounds, and woodlands.