THE BLINKS SCULPTURE

24/03/2022

Blinks on Queens Road Titanic Quarter Belfast was designed by a group of former shipyard welders together with Peter Nelson. According to my research  Blinks refers to a medical problem suffered from watching the arc of the weld with the naked eye. 

Queen's Road runs through what is now known as the Titanic Quarter in East Belfast. In 1941, Luftwaffe bombs rained down on the shipyard area in the Belfast Blitz.

Peter Nelson is a visual artist, researcher and creative technologist. Originally trained in painting and drawing, he works across 3D animation, AR, VR, 3D printing, and various interactive formats.

22/03/2022

I read that the Rotterdam Bar had reopened as the American Bar but I photographed the America Bar at a slightly different location.

The Rotterdam Bar on Pilot Street which sits back-to-back with Pat's Bar was famous for alternative musical talent in Belfast and beyond. According to many accounts it was one of the oldest bars in the city having being established the 1800s. The bar closed down in the 2000s and my understanding is that there is a plan to demolish the buildings revamp the public space, Barrow Square, next to the bars. Barrow Square – an area of unused sunken ground would feature raised lawns and planters to soften its appearance and make it less forbidding according to a brochure by planning consultants O’Toole & Starkey. 

The proposal is for a development of 195 apartments over 30 storeys – two storeys higher than the Obel, which is currently the tallest building in Ireland with 29 floors.

21/03/2022

Late last year some people expressed the opinion that Writers Square in Belfast needs to be protected as a publicly owned and accessible space especially as it is the larges public space in the Cathedral Quarter area of the city. There is currently a threat to the future use of Writers’ Square as a public space due to the plans of developers behind the Tribeca project.

The Tribeca Belfast development, formerly known as North East Quarter and previously Royal Exchange, is a planned £500 million development based in the north east of Belfast City Centre. It is a major mixed-use regeneration scheme, with a total area of 1.5 million sq ft (0.14 million m2) as of 2018. The development has generated controversy since its inception in 2003. Over the years, opposition has been levelled against its lack of care towards existing important built heritage, lack of integration with local small businesses and arts organisations and even its brand name, and much of its existence so far has been in the context of an arson attack on one of the existing buildings in 2004, while under the ownership of the developers.

St Anne's Cathedral, also known as Belfast Cathedral, is a Church of Ireland cathedral in Donegall Street, Belfast, Northern Ireland. 

The first architect was Sir Thomas Drew, the foundation stone being laid on 6 September 1899 by the Countess of Shaftesbury. The old parish church of St Anne by Francis Hiorne of 1776 had continued in use, up until 31 December 1903, while the new cathedral was constructed around it; the old church was then demolished. The Good Samaritan window, to be seen in the sanctuary, is the only feature of the old church to be retained in the cathedral. Initially, only the nave of the cathedral was built, and this was consecrated on 2 June 1904.

In 1924 it was decided to build the west front of the cathedral as a memorial to the Ulstermen and women who had served and died in the Great War. The foundation stone for this was laid by The 3rd Duke of Abercorn, Governor of Northern Ireland, on 2 June 1925 and the completed facade, to an amended design by the architect Sir Charles Archibald Nicholson, was dedicated in June 1927.

In the meantime, the central crossing, in which the choir sits, was built between 1922 and 1924. The Baptistery, to plans drawn up by the late W.H. Lynn, who had assisted Sir Thomas Drew, was dedicated in 1928, and the Chapel of the Holy Spirit, with its beautiful mosaics depicting Saint Patrick, was dedicated on 5 July 1932, the 1500th anniversary of the arrival of St Patrick in Ireland.

Edward, Lord Carson, the leader of the Unionist cause at the time of the Home Rule Crisis, was buried  in the south aisle of the cathedral in 1935. In 1941 the cathedral was almost destroyed by a German bomb, which caused extensive damage to surrounding properties. In 1955 work began on the construction of the ambulatory, at the east end of the cathedral. This work was dedicated in 1959, but it was not for another ten years that it was possible to begin work on the north and south transepts. The Troubles and inflation led to long delays and major problems with the financing of this work.

The south transept, containing the Chapel of Unity, and with the organ loft above, was dedicated in 1974, and the north transept, with the large Celtic cross designed by John MacGeagh on the exterior, and housing the Chapel of the Royal Irish Rifles, was completed in 1981.

In April 2007 a 40-metre stainless steel spire was installed on top of the cathedral. Named the "Spire of Hope", the structure is illuminated at night and is part of a wider redevelopment planned for the Cathedral Quarter. The base section of the spire protrudes through a glass platform in the cathedral's roof directly above the choir stalls, allowing visitors to view it from the nave.

RED K6 PHONE KIOSK NORTH STREET BELFAST

26/03/2019

This phone kiosk, on North Street in Belfast, is an example of a 1936 K6 'Jubilee Box' and it is listed which makes one wonder why it is not better maintained.

When I first photographed the phone kiosk in May 2015 it was in good condition and appeared to be well maintained and there was a new Belfast Bikes docking station beside it.  

By  March 2019  the kiosk was in very poor condition and eventually the Belfast Bikes docking station had been relocated.

The red telephone box, a telephone kiosk for a public telephone designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott, is a familiar sight on the streets of the United Kingdom, Malta, Bermuda and Gibraltar.

Despite a reduction in their numbers in recent years, the traditional British red telephone kiosk can still be seen in many places throughout the UK, and in current or former British colonies around the world. The colour red was chosen to make them easy to spot.

From 1926 onwards, the fascias of the kiosks were emblazoned with a prominent crown, representing the British government. The red phone box is often seen as a British cultural icon throughout the world. In 2006 the K2 telephone box was voted one of Britain's top 10 design icons, which included the Mini, Supermarine Spitfire, London tube map, World Wide Web, Concorde and the AEC Routemaster bus. Although production of the traditional boxes ended with the advent of the KX series in 1985, many still stand in Britain.

In 1935 the K6 (kiosk number six) was designed to commemorate the Silver Jubilee of George V. It was consequently sometimes known as the "Jubilee" kiosk. It went into production in 1936. The K6 was the first red telephone kiosk to be extensively used outside London, and many thousands were deployed in virtually every town and city, replacing most of the existing kiosks and establishing thousands of new sites. In 1935 there had been 19,000 public telephones in the UK: by 1940, thanks to the K6, there were 35,000.

The design was again by Scott, and was essentially a smaller and more streamlined version of the K2, intended to be produced at a considerably cheaper cost, and to occupy less pavement space. The principal differences between the two designs were:

Size. The K6 was 8 feet 3 inches (2.51 m) tall and weighed 13.5 cwt (0.69 tonnes). This compared with 9 feet 3 inches (2.82 m) and 1.25 tons (1.27 tonnes) for the K2.

Elements of the design were simplified and streamlined, in keeping with the "moderne" aesthetics of the 1930s. The Grecian fluting was removed from the door and window surrounds, and the previously separate pediment and frieze were merged.

The Crown motif, which had previously been pierced through the ironwork to give ventilation, was now embossed in bas-relief. A new, separate ventilation slot was provided.

A new glazing pattern was introduced. The door and two glazed sides of the K2 each had 18 equal-sized panes of glass arranged in 6 rows of 3. In the K6 the number of rows was increased to 8, and the central column of panes was made considerably wider than those to either side. This improved visibility, and gave a more horizontal appearance to the windows, again in keeping with "moderne" principles.

The K6 has since become a British icon, but it was not universally loved at the start. The red colour caused particular local difficulties and there were many requests for less visible colours. The Post Office was forced into allowing a less strident grey with red glazing bars scheme for areas of natural and architectural beauty. Ironically, some of these areas that have preserved their telephone boxes have now painted them red. The paint colour used most widely today is known as "currant red" and is defined by a British Standard, BS381C-Red539.  This slightly brighter red was introduced with the K8 model in 1968, but went on to be used across the estate on previous models too. Hence, for complete historical accuracy, any kiosks in pre-1968 settings should really be painted in the previous, and slightly darker, shade BS381C-Red538.

RED K6 PHONE KIOSK NORTH STREET BELFAST 1

26/03/2019

This phone kiosk, on North Street in Belfast, is an example of a 1936 K6 'Jubilee Box' and it is listed which makes one wonder why it is not better maintained.

When I first photographed the phone kiosk in May 2015 it was in good condition and appeared to be well maintained and there was a new Belfast Bikes docking station beside it.  

By  March 2019  the kiosk was in very poor condition and eventually the Belfast Bikes docking station had been relocated.

The red telephone box, a telephone kiosk for a public telephone designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott, is a familiar sight on the streets of the United Kingdom, Malta, Bermuda and Gibraltar.

Despite a reduction in their numbers in recent years, the traditional British red telephone kiosk can still be seen in many places throughout the UK, and in current or former British colonies around the world. The colour red was chosen to make them easy to spot.

From 1926 onwards, the fascias of the kiosks were emblazoned with a prominent crown, representing the British government. The red phone box is often seen as a British cultural icon throughout the world. In 2006 the K2 telephone box was voted one of Britain's top 10 design icons, which included the Mini, Supermarine Spitfire, London tube map, World Wide Web, Concorde and the AEC Routemaster bus. Although production of the traditional boxes ended with the advent of the KX series in 1985, many still stand in Britain.

In 1935 the K6 (kiosk number six) was designed to commemorate the Silver Jubilee of George V. It was consequently sometimes known as the "Jubilee" kiosk. It went into production in 1936. The K6 was the first red telephone kiosk to be extensively used outside London, and many thousands were deployed in virtually every town and city, replacing most of the existing kiosks and establishing thousands of new sites. In 1935 there had been 19,000 public telephones in the UK: by 1940, thanks to the K6, there were 35,000.

The design was again by Scott, and was essentially a smaller and more streamlined version of the K2, intended to be produced at a considerably cheaper cost, and to occupy less pavement space. The principal differences between the two designs were:

Size. The K6 was 8 feet 3 inches (2.51 m) tall and weighed 13.5 cwt (0.69 tonnes). This compared with 9 feet 3 inches (2.82 m) and 1.25 tons (1.27 tonnes) for the K2.

Elements of the design were simplified and streamlined, in keeping with the "moderne" aesthetics of the 1930s. The Grecian fluting was removed from the door and window surrounds, and the previously separate pediment and frieze were merged.

The Crown motif, which had previously been pierced through the ironwork to give ventilation, was now embossed in bas-relief. A new, separate ventilation slot was provided.

A new glazing pattern was introduced. The door and two glazed sides of the K2 each had 18 equal-sized panes of glass arranged in 6 rows of 3. In the K6 the number of rows was increased to 8, and the central column of panes was made considerably wider than those to either side. This improved visibility, and gave a more horizontal appearance to the windows, again in keeping with "moderne" principles.

The K6 has since become a British icon, but it was not universally loved at the start. The red colour caused particular local difficulties and there were many requests for less visible colours. The Post Office was forced into allowing a less strident grey with red glazing bars scheme for areas of natural and architectural beauty. Ironically, some of these areas that have preserved their telephone boxes have now painted them red. The paint colour used most widely today is known as "currant red" and is defined by a British Standard, BS381C-Red539.  This slightly brighter red was introduced with the K8 model in 1968, but went on to be used across the estate on previous models too. Hence, for complete historical accuracy, any kiosks in pre-1968 settings should really be painted in the previous, and slightly darker, shade BS381C-Red538.

RED K6 PHONE KIOSK NORTH STREET BELFAST 2

26/03/2019

This phone kiosk, on North Street in Belfast, is an example of a 1936 K6 'Jubilee Box' and it is listed which makes one wonder why it is not better maintained.

When I first photographed the phone kiosk in May 2015 it was in good condition and appeared to be well maintained and there was a new Belfast Bikes docking station beside it.  

By  March 2019  the kiosk was in very poor condition and eventually the Belfast Bikes docking station had been relocated.

The red telephone box, a telephone kiosk for a public telephone designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott, is a familiar sight on the streets of the United Kingdom, Malta, Bermuda and Gibraltar.

Despite a reduction in their numbers in recent years, the traditional British red telephone kiosk can still be seen in many places throughout the UK, and in current or former British colonies around the world. The colour red was chosen to make them easy to spot.

From 1926 onwards, the fascias of the kiosks were emblazoned with a prominent crown, representing the British government. The red phone box is often seen as a British cultural icon throughout the world. In 2006 the K2 telephone box was voted one of Britain's top 10 design icons, which included the Mini, Supermarine Spitfire, London tube map, World Wide Web, Concorde and the AEC Routemaster bus. Although production of the traditional boxes ended with the advent of the KX series in 1985, many still stand in Britain.

In 1935 the K6 (kiosk number six) was designed to commemorate the Silver Jubilee of George V. It was consequently sometimes known as the "Jubilee" kiosk. It went into production in 1936. The K6 was the first red telephone kiosk to be extensively used outside London, and many thousands were deployed in virtually every town and city, replacing most of the existing kiosks and establishing thousands of new sites. In 1935 there had been 19,000 public telephones in the UK: by 1940, thanks to the K6, there were 35,000.

The design was again by Scott, and was essentially a smaller and more streamlined version of the K2, intended to be produced at a considerably cheaper cost, and to occupy less pavement space. The principal differences between the two designs were:

Size. The K6 was 8 feet 3 inches (2.51 m) tall and weighed 13.5 cwt (0.69 tonnes). This compared with 9 feet 3 inches (2.82 m) and 1.25 tons (1.27 tonnes) for the K2.

Elements of the design were simplified and streamlined, in keeping with the "moderne" aesthetics of the 1930s. The Grecian fluting was removed from the door and window surrounds, and the previously separate pediment and frieze were merged.

The Crown motif, which had previously been pierced through the ironwork to give ventilation, was now embossed in bas-relief. A new, separate ventilation slot was provided.

A new glazing pattern was introduced. The door and two glazed sides of the K2 each had 18 equal-sized panes of glass arranged in 6 rows of 3. In the K6 the number of rows was increased to 8, and the central column of panes was made considerably wider than those to either side. This improved visibility, and gave a more horizontal appearance to the windows, again in keeping with "moderne" principles.

The K6 has since become a British icon, but it was not universally loved at the start. The red colour caused particular local difficulties and there were many requests for less visible colours. The Post Office was forced into allowing a less strident grey with red glazing bars scheme for areas of natural and architectural beauty. Ironically, some of these areas that have preserved their telephone boxes have now painted them red. The paint colour used most widely today is known as "currant red" and is defined by a British Standard, BS381C-Red539.  This slightly brighter red was introduced with the K8 model in 1968, but went on to be used across the estate on previous models too. Hence, for complete historical accuracy, any kiosks in pre-1968 settings should really be painted in the previous, and slightly darker, shade BS381C-Red538.

RED K6 PHONE KIOSK NORTH STREET BELFAST 3

26/03/2019

This phone kiosk, on North Street in Belfast, is an example of a 1936 K6 'Jubilee Box' and it is listed which makes one wonder why it is not better maintained.

When I first photographed the phone kiosk in May 2015 it was in good condition and appeared to be well maintained and there was a new Belfast Bikes docking station beside it.  

By  March 2019  the kiosk was in very poor condition and eventually the Belfast Bikes docking station had been relocated.

The red telephone box, a telephone kiosk for a public telephone designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott, is a familiar sight on the streets of the United Kingdom, Malta, Bermuda and Gibraltar.

Despite a reduction in their numbers in recent years, the traditional British red telephone kiosk can still be seen in many places throughout the UK, and in current or former British colonies around the world. The colour red was chosen to make them easy to spot.

From 1926 onwards, the fascias of the kiosks were emblazoned with a prominent crown, representing the British government. The red phone box is often seen as a British cultural icon throughout the world. In 2006 the K2 telephone box was voted one of Britain's top 10 design icons, which included the Mini, Supermarine Spitfire, London tube map, World Wide Web, Concorde and the AEC Routemaster bus. Although production of the traditional boxes ended with the advent of the KX series in 1985, many still stand in Britain.

In 1935 the K6 (kiosk number six) was designed to commemorate the Silver Jubilee of George V. It was consequently sometimes known as the "Jubilee" kiosk. It went into production in 1936. The K6 was the first red telephone kiosk to be extensively used outside London, and many thousands were deployed in virtually every town and city, replacing most of the existing kiosks and establishing thousands of new sites. In 1935 there had been 19,000 public telephones in the UK: by 1940, thanks to the K6, there were 35,000.

The design was again by Scott, and was essentially a smaller and more streamlined version of the K2, intended to be produced at a considerably cheaper cost, and to occupy less pavement space. The principal differences between the two designs were:

Size. The K6 was 8 feet 3 inches (2.51 m) tall and weighed 13.5 cwt (0.69 tonnes). This compared with 9 feet 3 inches (2.82 m) and 1.25 tons (1.27 tonnes) for the K2.

Elements of the design were simplified and streamlined, in keeping with the "moderne" aesthetics of the 1930s. The Grecian fluting was removed from the door and window surrounds, and the previously separate pediment and frieze were merged.

The Crown motif, which had previously been pierced through the ironwork to give ventilation, was now embossed in bas-relief. A new, separate ventilation slot was provided.

A new glazing pattern was introduced. The door and two glazed sides of the K2 each had 18 equal-sized panes of glass arranged in 6 rows of 3. In the K6 the number of rows was increased to 8, and the central column of panes was made considerably wider than those to either side. This improved visibility, and gave a more horizontal appearance to the windows, again in keeping with "moderne" principles.

The K6 has since become a British icon, but it was not universally loved at the start. The red colour caused particular local difficulties and there were many requests for less visible colours. The Post Office was forced into allowing a less strident grey with red glazing bars scheme for areas of natural and architectural beauty. Ironically, some of these areas that have preserved their telephone boxes have now painted them red. The paint colour used most widely today is known as "currant red" and is defined by a British Standard, BS381C-Red539.  This slightly brighter red was introduced with the K8 model in 1968, but went on to be used across the estate on previous models too. Hence, for complete historical accuracy, any kiosks in pre-1968 settings should really be painted in the previous, and slightly darker, shade BS381C-Red538.

COLIEMORE HARBOUR AND THE BIG ROCK

30/04/2016

Some time I came across the following story: Saint Patrick was sitting on a rock on Dalkey Hill preaching. The devil appeared to St Patrick and invited him to turn against God. Saint Patrick refused and  picked up a big rock which he hurled it at the devil. The rock hit the devil but the rock did not stop until it reached Coliemore harbour. I know that the story is true because I photographed the rock on the last day of April in 2026 and I checked again on the 6th July 2022 and it is still there.

There are several small harbours on the coast of Dalkey. Bulloch Harbour is the biggest; it is towards the northern part of Dalkey at Harbour Road and is a declared seal sanctuary. Coliemore Harbour is smaller and in the southern part of Dalkey at Coliemore Road. In the Middle Ages, Coliemore was the main harbour for Dublin City. Bulloch Harbour is still a working harbour with boats that fish for lobster and crab, and mackerel in season. It is also used by locals and tourists who hire boats for nearby fishing, sightseeing and getting to Dalkey Island.

RAILWAY STATION IN DALKEY

30/04/2016

Years ago when I worked for Ericsson in Dun Laoghaire I would get the train [DART] to Dalkey for lunch as there were some really great restaurants available. However I now only visit the village about one a year but as my brother now there I hope to visit at least once a month.

The station was opened on 10 July 1854 and was closed for goods traffic on 30 March 1964. It was preceded by Dalkey Atmospheric Railway station which opened on 29 March 1844 and closed on 12 April 1854. The ticket office is open between 07:00-10:00 AM, Monday to Friday.

CHURCH TOWER ON HILL STREET

30/04/2016

I am working my way through my catalogue of photographs and in many cases repairing or reprocessing them. This series of images date from 30 April 2016.

The Old Church of St. George, commonly called "Little George's" in Hill Street (formerly Temple Street Lower) Parish of St. Mary, Dublin was built in 1668 by the Eccles family for their workmen and also as a chapel-of-ease to a nearby St. Mary's Church. However, that St. Mary's Church was not St. Mary's Church, Dublin as that church’s foundation stone was laid in 1700, and it was not St. Mary's Abbey, Dublin as that was dissolved in 1539. Therefore St George's church, Hill Street, may have been a Chapel-of-Ease to St. Michan's Church in Church Street. The main body of the church, with the exception of the tower, was demolished in 1894.

Following the decision to build a new chapel the congregation moved to a temporary chapel on Whitworth Road 1793 before the new St. George's Church, Dublin was built on Hardwick Place, (Upper) Temple Street. The Old St. George, St. George's Chapel, sometimes called Little St. Georges was used as an Episcopal Chapel for a time.

The tower of the church is now classed as a "Protected Structure".[ The entrance was below an old square steeple or tower, about 40 feet in height. The interior of the tower is small and was adorned with a few monuments. The communion-table was in a recess at the eastern end lit by a large circular-headed window, with a monument to the memory of Lady Galbraith on its south side. In the west over the entrance was a small, badly lit gallery.

PEOPLE OF THE CITY

22/04/2016

MUINTIR NA CATHRACH BY KATIE LYONS 

This example of Paint-A-Box street art was located on Rathmines Road between 2015 and 2017 and  I photographed in in April 2016.

Artwork description: Sometimes it's easy to go about your day without really seeing life around us. This piece celebrates the faces that surround us daily and create our city's unique character. (Translated to English, the title reads "City Dwellers" / "The People of the City".

HOLD ME CLOSE BY ANNA DORAN

22/04/2016

This street art by Anna Doran was located [2015 - 2017] on Rathmines Road.

As described by the artist: New York artist Stephen Powers aka ESPO has always been a great inspiration to me and to many street artists. My 'Hold me Close' traffic light box is a take on his famous works. I wanted to give the traffic light box some attention and a Stephen Power's hug. I hope it reminds passers by how powerful and healing a hug can be and how they can erase and heal worries.

MOUNT ARGUS CHURCH AND MONASTERY

22/04/2016

I lived close to one of the entrances to this church and did not know that it is  St Paul Of The Cross Church as everyone that I know referred to it as Mount Argus.

This series of photographs date from 2016 and there has been a lot of [re]development activity since then. Early in 2019 the Marlet Property Group  sold the monastery building for much more than the €3.5 million guide price. There was  planning permission in place to convert the 19th century monastery into 32 duplexes and apartments.

Mount Argus was the official home of Saint Charles of Mount Argus who was a well known Passionist priest in 19th-century Ireland, mentioned as a miracle worker in the book Ulysses, Circe chapter. It also has long-established links with the Garda Síochána and it was officially the church of the Dublin Metropolitan Police. The first Rector of Mount Argus was Fr. Paul Mary Pakenham who was the son of the Earl of Longford and nephew of Kitty Pakenham (Duchess of Wellington). His first mass took place in a house at the time on 15 August 1856. Irish architect J.J. McCarthy was commissioned to design the new monastery.

2016 VISIT TO MOUNT JEROME

22/04/2016

My Grandparents on my father's side of the family are buried here as are are some other members of the extended family. When I returned to Dublin  from the USA in the 1980s I lived beside the cemetery for an extended period and unfortunately the cemetery was in very condition and was being vandalised on a daily basis. In 1998 the cemetery was acquired by Masseys and they undertook major  renovation programme which has produced excellent results. In 2000 they reported that  about 4,000 new and unused plots have been identified and according to manager of Mount Jerome, Alan Massey, it represented up to 20 years supply.

Mount Jerome Cemetery & Crematorium is situated in Harold's Cross on the south side of Dublin, Ireland.  Since its foundation in 1836, it has witnessed over 300,000 burials. Originally an exclusively Protestant cemetery, Roman Catholics have also been buried there since the 1920s.

The name of the cemetery comes from an estate established there by the Reverend Stephen Jerome, who in 1639 was vicar of St. Kevin's Parish. At that time, Harold's Cross was part of St. Kevin's Parish. In the latter half of the 17th century, the land passed into the ownership of the Earl of Meath, who in turn leased plots to prominent Dublin families. A house, Mount Jerome House, was constructed in one of these plots, and leased to John Keogh. In 1834, after an aborted attempt to set up a cemetery in the Phoenix Park, the General Cemetery Company of Dublin bought the Mount Jerome property, "for establishing a general cemetery in the neighbourhood of the city of Dublin".

The first official burial happened on the 19th of September 1836. The buried deceased were the infant twins of Matthew Pollock.

The cemetery initially started with a landmass of 26 acres and grew to a size of 48 acres in 1874.

In 1984, burial numbers were falling, thus the Cemetery was losing revenue and began to deteriorate. A crematorium was needed to regain revenue and deal with plant overgrowth on the estate.

The Funerary Chapel in the cemetery was the first Puginian Gothic church in Dublin. It was designed by William Atkins.

In 2000, Mount Jerome Cemetery established its own crematorium on the site. Recently I attended a number of humanist funerals at MountJerome and I must admit that I was impressed by the services and the overall process.

A humanist funeral is a ceremony that celebrates the life of someone who's died, without mentioning religion or a god. Humanist funeral services are usually led by a celebrant, who guides guests through the readings and music much like a priest/vicar would in a Christian service.

SWORDS CASTLE

21/04/2016

This series of images dates from 21 April 2016 and I have visited a number of times since then.

Swords Castle was built as the manorial residence of the Archbishops of Dublin around 1200 or a little later in Swords, just north of Dublin. I visited a number of times since but because of Covid-19 restrictions I could not gain access to view the results of a recent restoration programme. I hope to visit again within a few weeks.

It was never strong in the military sense, but covers a large pentagonal walled area of nearly 1.5 acres (6,000 m²) with a tower on the north, probably the Constable's residence, and an impressive gateway complex on the south. The warder may have occupied the quarters to the left of the gate, while to the right was the janitor's room with the priest's room overhead. The adjoining chapel, built in the late thirteenth century, was probably used as the Archbishop's private oratory.

Other buildings, recorded for an inquisition in 1326, have now vanished, including the great hall on the east side of the enclosure. The Archbishop abandoned Swords once a new palace was built at Tallaght in 1324 - a move no doubt encouraged by damage sustained during Bruce's campaign of 1317. The stepped battlements suggest some form of occupancy during the fifteenth century, but by 1583, when briefly occupied by Dutch Protestants, it was described as "the quite spoiled old castle". It was used as a garden in the nineteenth century and sold after the Church of Ireland was disestablished.

The newly renovated castle was used as a film location for the production of TV series The Tudors in spring 2010.

Since 2013 a multi-disciplinary team of conservation engineers, archaeologists and architects have been carrying out conservation works under National Monument Ministerial Consent 450.

One of the major conservations challenges was the consolidation of the East Tower. The overall stability of the ruins was a matter of concern considering the pronounced lean on the tower, extensive cracking, and surface erosion of the Dublin calp limestone. Following the removal of vegetation temporary propping was installed. The permanent solution was developed and implemented in the most recent works phase.

The unique design solution the team devised combined modern methods alongside traditional to conserved as much of the medieval fabric as possible. An honestly-expressed, functional concrete plate ties the three remaining walls together and a traditional lime-based shelter coat protects the vulnerable masonry. The visual impact is striking, clearly differentiating the new insertion from the original as well as being respectful of the historic setting.

At the Engineers Ireland Excellence Awards 2019, The Architects Department received the Heritage and Conservation award for this innovative work on the Castle.

ST COLUMBA'S CHURCH AND ROUND TOWER

21/04/2016

The parish of St Colmcille’s Swords, has an interesting history extending right back to the 6th century. It was St Colmcille who brought Christianity to the area circa 560 AD. 

The current Church building on Church Road was constructed in 1827 at a cost of £ 1,820.

The  Round Tower dates from the 9th century and marks the site of an old monastery founded by St. Colmcille in the year 560 A.D. St. Colmcille blessed the local well of clear water, thus giving the town it's name 'Sord' meaning clear or pure. The Tower is reputed to have held the remains of Brian Boru after the battle of Clontarf (1014 A.D.) before he was taken to Armagh to be buried.The tower is 73 feet high, 52 feet in circumference, with walls four feet thick. It originally contained five floors. The current entrance at ground level, is of more modern construction, as well as the roof and upper story. The original doorway is/was twenty feet from the ground, and but four feet high. The cross at the top of the tower was placed there in the late 17th century to let people know that it was a Christian Tower [as if they would be unaware].

The square clock tower  dates back to the 14th century and added to the ancient abbey. There's an engraving which dates from 1791 which shows the belfry tower and the remains of the medieval church walls. These walls were taken down in 1830 when St. Columba's Church was being rebuilt.

St. Columba's Church Lodge was build in 1870 costing £140.

Back in 2016 when I took these photographs I was told, by a local visiting the graveyard, that although previously in good condition the church building required repairs. There were signs of increasing conservation problems. There was no immediate danger of collapse but condition is such that unless urgent remedial works were carried out the building would quickly deteriorate. The community had vacated the structure following loose plaster which fell into area over font. Complex remedial works was required required. 

Now in July 2022 I am unaware of the status of the building but to the best of my knowledge the church is now operational on Sundays. I hope to visit Swords again within the next few weeks.

HOLY WELL ON WELL ROAD IN SWORDS

21/04/2016

I am a bit worried that this well will not survive.

About sixty or fifty years ago my father suggested that there were at least 3,000 holy wells in Ireland and he claims to have seen most of them. I should mention that because of his job my father had visited almost every town and village in Ireland and during the summer holidays he would bring us along with him and I should mention that my youngest brother was a world class "are we there yet" expert. My brother is still the same. It should be noted that, according to my father, we had holy wells and in the US they had alien abductions and Area 51 but at the time we had no idea as to what he meant and, to be honest, we did not care as many of the places we visited were less than interesting.

St. Colmcille is said to have founded the Holy Well on the Well Road in Swords. Legend has it that he took a Giant Step from the Round Tower and landed at the spot to where the Well is. 

It had many uses for the people of Swords before the steel door was closed and a gate leading to the steps were placed there many years ago.  It was said that the water was holy so people took small amounts home to bless their houses. Another use was when the water pumps ran dry during the summer months the local people  went to the well with their buckets and brought the water home. As with most wells the water was chrystal clear and ice cold to drink.

PAINT-A-BOX STREET ART - CITY FOX

26/02/2016

This work is long gone. It was beside the Phone Kiosk , which has been replaced, and the Dublinbikes docking station on Bolton Street. To the best of my knowledge the artwork was on display from 2025 to 2017.

Dublin Canvas is an inclusive public art project. To date, they have had a collection of artists from all age groups - students to retirees, from all walks of life - barristers to baristas, a mixture of nationalities and a variety of art disciplines. Graphic designers, illustrators, stencil artists street artists and landscape artists to name but a few. 

Artist: Bridget Ni Dhuinn Belcher

Description: "Being originally from the countryside foxes have always been a common sight for me. When I first moved to Dublin I couldn't get over the number of foxes everywhere. I was so used to seeing them in the fields and amongst nature that I couldn't get used to their appearance roaming through the streets of Dublin. At first, it made me sad to see such a beautiful animal away from its natural habitat but at the same time isn't it fascinating to see an animal adapt and evolve to suit a whole new type of environment? As a result, I have dedicated my design to the City Foxes. In hope that people may appreciate the beautiful animal that shares Dublin City with us."