THE SHAPE IS ORGANIC IN OUTLINE

17/07/2023

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Blackrock Park is a pleasant green area overlooking Dublin Bay, in Blackrock County Dublin, and boasts a well equipped children's playground, cycle path and trees.


The lake is the dominant feature within the park. The shape is organic in outline punctuated with a tree covered island. A pump house disguised as a historic folly is nestled amongst the vegetation. This unique saline lake features a rusticated edge and is enclosed by a perimeter pathway. The most unusual aspect of the lake is the circular island stage at the northern end. This feature is part of a grass amphitheatre that encloses the northern end of the lake. Its bank rises sharply in level from the lake to the Rock Road. A path runs along this bank ramping up to provide access with the Phoenix Terrace carpark. A utility box and a commemorative seat are incongruously located along this path. A historic stone structure which resembles a lookout post sits inconspicuously below the Rock Road amongst the trees. This may have served as a changing facility before the construction of the railway line. On the other side of the lake, along the eastern edge, the path doubles as a cycle path. It is the main access route through the park and acts as a link in a broader commuter corridor.


There are 63 parks and 337 open spaces identified within the urban area of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County. These range in size from large suburban public parks to local pocket parks and squares. There is also a hierarchy of open spaces from regional parks, district parks, local parks, amenity open space and civic open space. Regional parks currently include Marlay Park, The People’s Park and Newtownsmith, Killiney Hill Park, Cabinteely Park and Blackrock Park. These provide multifunctional benefits and form an important tapestry of green infrastructure in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County.

Within DLR, Blackrock Park is in a key location for introducing the coastal route and connecting with the intra urban and rural corridors. This corridor extends into surrounding counties; Dublin City to the north and Wicklow County Council to the south.


The area defined as Blackrock extends from the Punchbowl pub and Booterstown Road in the north, to Monkstown & Kill Lane in the South and the N11 marks the boundary on the western edge. The land rises steadily from the coastline to its highest point of approx. 87m above sea level which is at the junction between the N11 and Newtownpark Avenue at White’s cross.


29/05/2023

17/07/2023

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It has taken me many months to find any information relating to this metal sculpture but a few months ago I discovered that it is  "Cut Out People' by Dan MacCarthy.


Danny McCarthy is a founding director of the National Sculpture Factory and of Triskel Arts Centre and is a director the Sirius Arts Centre, Cobh. He has also curated numerous exhibitions and projects including Sound Out (with David Toop), Bend It Like Beckett, Sonic Vigil, Just Listen plus many more.


PHOTOGRAPHED  IN MAY 2023

29/05/2023

17/07/2023

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Today I got the DART [Dublin Area Rapid Transit] to Booterstown and I then walked to Blackrock. The trains were packed and there were many visitors from the UK because it is a major holiday in the UK. I had intended to get a train from Blackrock to Dun Laoghaire but changed my mind as the last of my four batteries was at 20% [this is one of the major problems with the Sigma DP3 Quattro].


The area is home to Booterstown marsh, a bird sanctuary which has been leased for many years by An Taisce, who have worked to protect it. Species seen regularly include mallard, Eurasian teal, common moorhen, water rail, grey heron, little egret, common redshank, greenshank, Eurasian curlew, common snipe, Eurasian oystercatcher, bar-tailed godwit, common kingfisher, sedge warbler and dunlin.


The Catholic Church of the Assumption is a focal point of the area along Booterstown Avenue.


Booterstown has a dedicated Circus Field located along the Rock Road, where both Tom Duffy's Circus (June/July) and Fossett's Circus (October) are set up once a year.


The Old Punch Bowl pub, which stands at the bottom of Booterstown Avenue, was established in 1779.


Merrion Cemetery is an old cemetery that was used from the 13th century to 1866 and is located at Bellevue between Booterstown and Merrion off the Rock Road.


Booterstown was recorded in 1488 as one of the locations for the boundary of The Pale ... "He's out there ... totally beyond the Pale of any acceptable human conduct." That's how the U.S. Army describes Marlon Brando's rogue colonel, Kurtz, in the movie Apocalypse Now.



Railway, Beach, Marsh, Train Station, Railway Station, Booterstown, DART, Sigma, DP3, Quattro, bird sanctuary, The Pale, mallard, Eurasian teal, common moorhen, water rail, grey heron, little egret, common redshank, greenshank, Eurasian curlew, common snipe, Eurasian oystercatcher, bar-tailed godwit, common kingfisher, sedge warbler,dunlin, William Murphy, Infomatique, Fotonique, Sigma, Quattro, DP3, Ireland,