LADY SPRING BY PAWEL JASINSKI

26/08/2022

Pawel Jasinski, artist and designer, was born in Poland and works in Dublin. He has exhibited his paintings in several European countries including Poland, Ireland, Latvia and England. One of his works - portrait of Paul Brady, has been printed at the side of The Icon Factory Gallery in Temple Bar, Dublin.

In December 2017, The Hunt Museum in Limerick recognised his painting "Woman at Temple Bar" as the picture of the month. Pawel also exhibited his works in the legendary place of Polish culture - Piwnica pod Baranami in Krakow.

MOUNT JEROME CEMETERY 26 AUGUST 2022

26/08/2022

Today I experimented hoping to produce images that differed in style from what I normally publish online. I used a Canon 1Ds MkIII which is about 15 years old and I used a Voigtlander 40mm f/2.0 Ultron SL II Aspherical Lens. https://dustinabbott.net/2017/05/voigtlander-ultron-40mm-f2-sl-ii-review/

I underexposed and then processed the images through DX0 PureRAW in order to reduce noise. The resulting files were then processed using Adobe Lightroom Classic.

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.

PARISH CHURCH IN BLANCHARDSTOWN VILLAGE

25/08/2022

The foundation stone for St. Brigid’s Church was laid on 13th October 1835 and the first Mass was celebrated there on 29th October 1837. The construction of the Church, tower and spire was finally completed in 1863.  The spire, which is 189 feet high, is of a distinctive and unusual design, said to be Flemish – similar type spires can be found on the continent.

Due to a  sharp rise in population, the size of the Church became inadequate for the needs of the Parish. However, rather than build a new Church it was decided to retain the old Church but to add on a modern extension. This extension is designed so that it can be closed off from the main Church and it is used for meetings, school concerts etc. Its vibrant stained glass window was designed by Phyllis Burke and installed in 1978. The central panel of the window depicts a story told about St. Brigid; legend has it that the King of Leinster told Brigid that he would give her as much land as her cloak would cover. Brigid spread her cloak on the ground and it spread until it covered the entire hillside.  The first Mass was celebrated there at midnight on December 24th 1977.

SIGNS OF THE TIME

25/08/2022

To the best of my knowledge the shop is known as Justin's and originally it was a galvanised tin shop, run by Justin, a well-known local shopkeeper. Back in 2019 the site was on the market with an asking price guiding a price of between €3m and €3.5m. Previously there as a rumour that the site had been acquired by Aldi.

Today I decided to travel the new N4 bus route from the Point Village via Collins Avenue to Blanchardstown the N6, another new route, travel between FInglas and Howth Junction by way of Beaumont Hospital. The new routes will replaced the 17a and 31d bus routes.

I got off the bus in order to explore Blanchardstown Village and returned from the bus stop at Justin's to the city using the 38 bus service. The bus stop [1840] many be new as it is not shown on Google Maps.

EXPLORING THE NORTH WALL

24/08/2022

In reality I only photographed North Wall Quay rather than the whole area.

North Wall is an area east of the inner north side of Dublin, along the River Liffey. It contains the entire north side of Dublin Docklands and includes the International Financial Services Centre, Spencer Dock, and further east the main part of Dublin Port.

The area is dominated by a combination of older housing, dockland activities and new development through the Docklands Strategic Development Zone Planning Scheme, including extensive construction of new retail, residential and office spaces.

Transport in the area includes the Dublin Area Rapid Transit (Docklands railway station on Sheriff Street), the LUAS (red line stations George's Dock, Mayor Square, Spencer Dock, and The Point, and 8 dublinbikes stations (at Custom House Quay, City Quay, Excise Walk, Lime Street, Guild Street, Convention Centre, New Central Bank, and The Point).

FAMINE MEMORIAL ON CUSTOM HOUSE QUAY

24/08/2022

In case you are wondering the people did apologise for intruding into my photographs but as my interest is street photography I decide to leave the images as they were.

The memorial was created by Rowan Gillespie and presented to the city of Dublin in 1997. The sculpture features six lifesize figures dressed in rags, clutching onto their belongings and children. In 2007, similar figures were unveiled in Toronto, Canada's Ireland Park. The two memorials to show emigrants leaving famished Ireland for a new life.

The Great Famine, also known as the Great Hunger, the Famine (mostly within Ireland) or the Irish Potato Famine (mostly outside Ireland) was a period of mass starvation and disease in Ireland from 1845 to 1849, which constituted a historical social crisis which had a major impact on Irish society and history as a whole. With the most severely affected areas in the west and south of Ireland, where the Irish language was dominant, the period was contemporaneously known in Irish as an Drochshaol, loosely translated as "the hard times" (or literally "the bad life"). The worst year of the period was 1847, known as "Black '47".

During the Great Hunger, roughly a million people died and more than a million fled the country, causing the country's population to fall by 20–25%, in some towns falling as much as 67% between 1841 and 1871. Between 1845 and 1855, no fewer than 2.1 million people left Ireland, primarily on packet ships but also steamboats and barque—one of the greatest exoduses from a single island in history.

CAPEL STREET 22 AUGUST 2022

23/08/2022

As I was walking along the street a couple approached me complaining that they could not purchase a parking ticket as they could not find a ticket machine. They got really annoyed when I explained that it was a pedestrian only zone. They explained in no uncertain terms that they will never again to Dublin to shop.

If you are walking along the street a degree of caution is advise because bicycles and electric scooters are permitted to use the street and there are so many of them that they a rapidly becoming a safety issue. Note: I am not sure if electric scooters are actually legal but there are many of them.

With a 400m pedestrian and cycle area stretching from Parnell Street and Ryder’s Row at its northern end, to Strand Street in the south, Capel Street’s traffic exclusion zone exceeds both Henry Street and Grafton Street in length.

The council implemented pedestrianisation trial on Capel Street banning traffic from the street from 6.30pm to 11.30pm at weekends. More than 7,000 submissions were made to a subsequent consultation process, the largest number of submissions the council has ever received to a public consultation. 

About 80 per cent were in favour of pedestrianising Capel Street on a permanent basis with about 90 per cent seeking some traffic-free measures.

Key elements of the plan were:

Permanent closure at Parnell Street extending from Jervis Lane to remove through traffic on Capel Street.

Delivery access will be available between 6am and 11am. 

Car parking spaces will be  converted to loading bays. 

There will be all day loading provided at a number of side streets.

Mary’s Abbey traffic flow direction will be reversed and residents existing from Abbey Street will exit via Mary’s Abbey.

Mary Street between Capel Street and Jervis Lane will be reversed.

Strand Street Little and Strand Street Great will remain open to traffic all day.

Initial street improvements including seating and greening are to be provided.

DAVID AND GOLIATH BY JAM SUTTON

22/08/2022

Jam Sutton is a British artist exploring the space between technology and antiquity. Utilising 3d scanning, augmented reality, 3d printing and AI, Jam creates sculptures exploring identity and representations of the body in the digital age.

The Office of Public Works commissioned Jam Sutton, a multi-disciplined British artist, to produce a large 3D printed version of his sculpture ‘David and Goliath’ which featured in the ‘On a Pedestal’ exhibition in Dublin Castle. 

The original piece ‘David and Goliath’ which Jam produced in 2015 was made from Carrara marble, 45 x 23 x 26cm.

The exhibition of classical busts in Dublin Castle brought together works from an international group of contemporary artists who explored the genre of the portrait bust in a variety of media: from wood to stone, from marble to ceramics, from stainless steel to more ephemeral materials such as sugar. 

The gardens, where this sculpture is now on display[August 2022] are situated immediately south of the Chapel Royal and the State Apartments within an enclosing stone wall. The gardens are entered through wrought-iron gates of Celtic-inspired spirals.

Beyond a ‘four seasons’ garden lie four smaller gardens, one at each corner of the site. All contain specially commissioned works of sculpture. Three of these have since been designated as memorial gardens. One is dedicated to the memory of investigative journalist Veronica Guerin. Another contains a bronze sculpture commemorating the Special Olympics held in Ireland in 2003, with the names of the 30,000 volunteers who contributed to the games inscribed on plaques.

The third and largest of these corner gardens is the sheltered Garda Memorial Garden, redesigned and completed in 2009. In this garden the names of all members of the Gardaí (Irish Police) killed in the line of duty are inscribed on a roll of honour. Several sculptural works are also incorporated into the layout. These works and the overall design of the garden are intended to reflect how the premature deaths of loved ones leave a trace or imprint, like ripples in a pool, on the lives of those left behind.

At the heart of the gardens is the grassy sward of the Dubh Linn Garden, where patterns representing sea serpents are cut into the lawn. This lawn is on or near the site of the original dubh linn or ‘black pool’, where the Vikings harboured their ships and set up a trading base. It was this pool that gave its name to the city: Dublin.

The Castle Gardens are immensely popular with visitors and the citizens of Dublin alike. On sunny summer days the gardens are crowded with people enjoying the beautiful surroundings of this special place.

ROSS STREET PLAY AREA

22/08/2022

Dublin City Council manages over 125 playgrounds in parks and housing complexes.

I have noticed this play area until today even though I know the area reasonably well.

According to some locals that I spoke to there was once a playground here, however it was demolished approximately by the early 90’s and remained as a derelict site until it was again brought to the attention of Dublin City Council  by local residents as a potential site for a ‘play’. 

Given that there are 2 key city Parks and playgrounds in close proximity albeit requiring adult supervision for appropriate age group, it was agreed between DCC and local residents to develop the site in order to compensate for the lack of open space for street play and ‘free play’ activities for children as this flat complex is in the heart of Christchurch and subject to a high volume of busy city vehicle and tourist traffic. 

By October 2017 a new and innovative ‘play space’ had also been developed at Ross Road. This site was officially opened in May 2018.

The Ross Road Flats form part of the most significant renewal scheme undertaken in Dublin during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. 

Developed for Dublin Corporation and designed by C. J. McCarthy, these purpose-built apartment blocks provided improved quality housing for hundreds of families. Often referred to as tenement blocks, this simply refers to their form, with several apartments accessed by one staircase. The residential blocks on Ross Road are relatively plain, though they are enlivened by the the curved gables and central breakfronts, motifs also seen in the facades of the nearby Iveagh Buildings. The variety in the window design, and particularly the sill types, provides architectural detail to the front facades.

FRANCIS STREET 22 AUGUST 2022

22/08/2022

The eagerly awaited refurbishment of Francis Street in The Liberties is still a work in progress which is a bit disappointing.  In July 2021 it was indicated that the project would be completed within ten months however more recent statements claim that the work will be completed by Autumn 2022. I will be surprised if the project will be completed before Christmas.

In June 2017 Dublin City Council announced a proposal to undertake a public realm improvement plan for Francis Street, Hanover Lane and Dean Street, Dublin 8. The proposal comprised improvements to the public realm along the full length of Francis Street, Hanover Lane and part of Dean Street to include kerb buildouts along with footway repaving, raised junction plateaus, kerb buildouts to formalise parallel parking and loading bays, landscaping, bicycle stands, carriageway resurfacing, raised pedestrian crossings and ramps, public lighting improvements and all associated ancillary works.

When finished the street will be paved largely with a mix of the existing antique granite kerbs (which will be realligned) and concrete flagstones. Two higher finish areas to the front of Iveagh Market and St Nicholas de Myra Church will be completed with granite setts.  20 new Gleditsia triacanthos (honey locust) trees will be planted and a number of low-level planted areas are also planned, bringing greenery to the street. A number of sustainable urban drainage (SUDs) measures are being incorporated into the street including areas of permeable carriageway.  

PARLIAMENT STREET AND NEARBY

22/08/2022

Essex Street was established in 1674, and named after Arthur Capel, the Earl of Essex and Lord Lieutenant of Ireland at the time.

Exchange Street [originally Chequer Street]  Upper and Lower were named due to the fact that they led on to the Royal Exchange, now the City Hall, and were formerly known as Blind Quay Upper and Lower

Parliament Street was created in the early 1760s by the Wide Streets Commission to open up a direct route to Dublin Castle with retail buildings on either side. It was the first project to be undertaken by the Commission, created after an Act of Parliament, and was the origin of the name. The Act allowed for the land and associated houses to be purchased for £12,000 to create the new street.

DROP DEAD TWICE ON FRANCIS STREET

22/08/2022

Kelly O'Malley, one of the co-founders of Drop Dead Twice, has launched a Go Fund Me campaign in order to  rebuild and reopen the popular Dublin bar, following last month's fire. I hope that the campaign is a success.

Five units of Dublin Fire Brigade responded to the fire at Drop Dead Twice on Francis Street on Monday 11th July. The emergency services were alerted by an automatic fire alarm and smoke was also seen coming from the premises at around 4.30am. According to local media and other reports a well-developed fire had taken hold on the ground floor and a full evacuation of an adjoining property was necessary. 

Here is a comment that I made in January 2018: 'This was the Backstage or the Tivoli Backstage but more recently it was renamed Stage 19. Upstairs is [or was] Drop Dead Twice where you bring your own bottles of alcohol to be used by the bar staff to create wonderful cocktails [Euro 20 fee]. I do not visit pubs on a regular basis so I do not know is my description is currently accurate.'

VERONICA GUERIN MEMORIAL

22/08/2022

Today I used a Canon 1Ds III which I obtained in 2007 and about a year later I realised that autofocus was defective I returned the camera a number of times for repair but the problem remained. 

Later I began to notice overheating issues and that the images were noisy. Recently I had the option to obtain a number of suitable manual lenses at a very good price so I decided to see if the camera was usable in manual mode and I have been reasonably happy but today my close up shots of the Veronica Guerin bust at Dublin Castle were disappointing.

On the evening of 25 June 1996, Gilligan drug gang members Charles Bowden, Brian Meehan, Kieran 'Muscles' Concannon, Peter Mitchell and Paul Ward met at their distribution premises on the Greenmount Industrial Estate. Bowden, the gang's distributor and ammunition quartermaster, supplied the three with a Colt Python revolver loaded with .357 Magnum semiwadcutter bullets. On 26 June 1996, while driving her red Opel Calibra, Guerin stopped at a red traffic light on the Naas Dual Carriageway near Newlands Cross, on the outskirts of Dublin, unaware she was being followed. She was shot six times, fatally, by one of two men sitting on a motorcycle.

About an hour after Guerin was murdered, a meeting took place in Moore Street, Dublin, between Bowden, Meehan, and Mitchell. Bowden later denied under oath in court that the purpose of the meeting was the disposal of the weapon but rather that it was an excuse to appear in a public setting to place them away from the incident.

At the time of her murder, Traynor was seeking a High Court order against Guerin to prevent her from publishing a book about his involvement in organised crime. Guerin was killed two days before she was due to speak at a Freedom Forum conference in London. The topic of her segment was "Dying to Tell the Story: Journalists at Risk."

Her funeral service, on 29 June 1996 at a church in Dublin Airport, was attended by Ireland's Taoiseach John Bruton, and the head of the armed forces. It was covered live by Raidió Teilifís Éireann. On 4 July, labour unions across Ireland called for a moment of silence in her memory, which was duly observed by people around the country. Guerin is buried in Dardistown Cemetery, County Dublin.

THE WRITING IS ON THE WALL

21/08/2022

If you say that the writing is on the wall, you mean that there are clear signs that a situation is going to become very difficult or unpleasant. However, I have decided to be optimistic, how about you?

TU CAMPUS AT GRANGEGORMAN

21/08/2022

CANON 1Ds MkIII WITH VOIGTLANDER 40MM PANCAKE LENS

I had planned to travel to Waterford and spend a week there but for various reasons had to cancel the trip. So I had some time to spare and decided that it would be a good idea to see how well my very old Canon 1Ds works, assuming that it still works. 

I had a bit of a scare as it would not switch on even though I tried three fully charged batteries but after cleaning the contacts in the battery compartment it began to work. I selected a manual Voigtlander pancake 40mm lens.

As I managed to underexpose all images I pre-processed them using DX0 PRO RAW in order to reduce noise.

The new campus at Grangegorman, which is the largest investment in Higher Education in Ireland, brings together many of activities in one vibrant, cutting-edge campus, providing  students with an incomparable educational experience. Together with the campuses in Aungier Street, Bolton Street, Blanchardstown, and Tallaght, Grangegorman provides a welcoming working environment where students and staff can explore their abilities and reach their full potential.

The current development phase at Grangegorman saw the East Quad open in late 2020 while the Central Quad began welcoming students in April 2021. The buildings are now fully operational and accommodate 10,000 students. Further to this, three existing buildings have been significantly upgraded and refurbished to offer a range of facilities and services to both students and staff  - Lower House, Rathdown House, and Park House.

Grangegorman has beautifully restored a historic part of Dublin City. In keeping with their conservation efforts, TU Dublin is committed to promoting sustainable modes of transport. The Campus is fully pedestrianised, and they encourage using public transport to access the campus.

MODULAR ENERGY CENTRE

21/08/2022

Alternative Heat were engaged by Grangegorman Development Agency to design, fabricate, install and commission an Energy Centre at the former St Brendan's Hospital in central Dublin, to provide full LTHW provision through a DHN to the redeveloped 73-acre site, with uses including residential, commercial and a new campus for Tecnological University Dublin.

Alternative Heat's in-house design team undertook full responsibility for all structural, mechanical and electrical calculations, with integrated heat load, emissions and fuel requirement modelling to derive the optimum package for the site-specific operational conditions, ensuring full compliance with local building control regulations.

RANDOM IMAGES - ST ANNE'S PARK

15/08/2022

St. Anne’s Park is the second largest public park in Dublin. It covers just over 240 acres and is a very popular place for city dwellers to stretch their legs and walk their dogs.

The park contains many interesting features, including a walled garden, the grand avenue and twelve follies. In the last few decades, a rose garden, walking trails and the Millennium Arboretum have been added, which contain over 1000 varied trees.

The loop trail at St. Anne’s is a highly recommended walk. To the best of my knowledge it is about 6km long. 

THE POND IN ST ANNE'S PARK

15/08/2022

The park is bisected by the small Naniken River and features an artificial pond and a number of follies, a rose garden, a Chinese garden, a fine collection of trees with walks, including an arboretum, a playground, cafe, and recreational facilities including extensive GAA and soccer playing fields, tennis courts and a par-3 golf course.