Saturday 25 December 2010
Wednesday 24 November 2010
Monday 20 September 2010
Imelda May - Fallin In Love With You Again
Imelda May is a fabulous Dublin singer/songwriter who has recently made a breakthrough on the International music scene. Her music style is Rockabilly/Blues and this song which she also wrote, is dedicated to her husband (who plays guitar in her band) and to her parents who recently celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary.
Bialystok, Polska
No, I was not run over by a bus...
apologies to all my blog friends, I have been "off the air" recently and have not blogged or even logged in to blogspot. But I will be back sometime in the near future and I promise to catch up on all your wonderful blogs!
The reason for my absence? I am undertaking a major project in my life which involves a lot of time-consuming hard work. All will be revealed later!
In the meantime I will leave you with this wonderful, wonderful panoramic image of Bialystok, a city in eastern Poland which was sent to me by my good friend Maja who hails from there. You'll also find Maja (& Emily) at Majmilys.
apologies to all my blog friends, I have been "off the air" recently and have not blogged or even logged in to blogspot. But I will be back sometime in the near future and I promise to catch up on all your wonderful blogs!
The reason for my absence? I am undertaking a major project in my life which involves a lot of time-consuming hard work. All will be revealed later!
In the meantime I will leave you with this wonderful, wonderful panoramic image of Bialystok, a city in eastern Poland which was sent to me by my good friend Maja who hails from there. You'll also find Maja (& Emily) at Majmilys.
Friday 10 September 2010
Citroen 2CV
I spotted this cute little 1983 Citroen in Tullamore. The 2cv was produced by the French auto company from 1948 to 1990 and although it took on many guises the basic shape and mechanics changed little over 42 years of production. Pierre-Jules Boulanger's early 1930s design brief, (after a pioneering market research survey done by Jacques Duclos), was to be astonishingly radical for the time, was for a low-priced, rugged "umbrella on four wheels" that would enable two peasants to drive 100 kg (220 lb) of farm goods to market at 60 km/h (37 mph), in clogs and across muddy unpaved roads if necessary. France at that time had a very large rural population, who had not yet adopted the automobile, due to its cost. The car would use no more than 3 L of gasoline to travel 100 km (78 MPG). Most famously, it would be able to drive across a ploughed field without breaking the eggs it was carrying.
Boulanger later also had the roof raised to allow him to drive while wearing a hat.
Call me crazy - but if I had a choice between the brand new Seat (parked behind) or the 2CV ... I would choose the 2CV without any hesitation!
Wednesday 8 September 2010
Saturday 4 September 2010
Thursday 2 September 2010
Wednesday 1 September 2010
Tuesday 31 August 2010
Love is ...
While visiting Charleville Castle Park today I heard a little voice saying, 'Mammy, hold my hand'.
Later as I sat in my car outside a Shopping Centre reading a book a mother returned to her car laden with shopping and with her little daughter in tow. She put the tiny toddler into the back of the car first then started loading groceries into the boot (in the U.S. - 'trunk'). Then I overheard her telling her two year old, 'Sarah, you wait a minute until I get organized! I know you think you're the most important thing in the world - and you are, but sometimes you have to wait'.
Two moments of beauty to light up my life today!
Later as I sat in my car outside a Shopping Centre reading a book a mother returned to her car laden with shopping and with her little daughter in tow. She put the tiny toddler into the back of the car first then started loading groceries into the boot (in the U.S. - 'trunk'). Then I overheard her telling her two year old, 'Sarah, you wait a minute until I get organized! I know you think you're the most important thing in the world - and you are, but sometimes you have to wait'.
Two moments of beauty to light up my life today!
Sunday 29 August 2010
Wednesday 25 August 2010
Sunday 22 August 2010
Saturday 21 August 2010
Thursday 19 August 2010
Patrick Kavanagh, Poet (1904 - 1967)
"Leafy-with-love banks and the green waters of the canal
Pouring redemption for me"
This sculpture of Patrick Kavanagh is on the banks of the Grand Canal between Leeson Street and Baggot Street bridges. It is my favourite Dublin sculpture. The poet is sitting on a bench facing the canal and he did indeed spend a lot of time here, undoubtably getting inspiration from this wonderful peaceful setting. The hustle and bustle of the city is all around yet there is a tranquility here that is hard to explain. The sculpture is by John Coll and not only is it life-sized but the bench is an actual proper bench you can sit on. I often had my lunch here alfresco in the 1990's sitting on the bench beside Paddy, but eventually I had to find an alternative spot because tourists were constantly appearing with cameras. And you had to (a) pose with the poet: then; (b) take a snap of said tourist sitting beside the bard of Inniskeen.
Kavanagh wrote the ballad "Raglan Road" featured in my blog on Tuesday.
Pouring redemption for me"
This sculpture of Patrick Kavanagh is on the banks of the Grand Canal between Leeson Street and Baggot Street bridges. It is my favourite Dublin sculpture. The poet is sitting on a bench facing the canal and he did indeed spend a lot of time here, undoubtably getting inspiration from this wonderful peaceful setting. The hustle and bustle of the city is all around yet there is a tranquility here that is hard to explain. The sculpture is by John Coll and not only is it life-sized but the bench is an actual proper bench you can sit on. I often had my lunch here alfresco in the 1990's sitting on the bench beside Paddy, but eventually I had to find an alternative spot because tourists were constantly appearing with cameras. And you had to (a) pose with the poet: then; (b) take a snap of said tourist sitting beside the bard of Inniskeen.
Kavanagh wrote the ballad "Raglan Road" featured in my blog on Tuesday.
Wednesday 18 August 2010
Rambles Around Leeson Street
My good Blog friend Gaelikaa a Dubliner who is married and living in India commented on my blog on Sunday that she used to work in Leeson Park many years ago. So when I found myself in that part of the city this morning with half an hour to spare I decided to take some photos. These are in the Lower Leeson Street area, a stones throw from Leeson Park. Ironically I was based in this area myself when I came to Dublin in 1991 and the Kiosk in my collage holds particularly fond memories for me (and yes Gaelikaa the same man - a little greyer of course, is still there running that business, I spotted him this morning).
In my collage
Top left: The Grand Canal looking west from Leeson Bridge.
Top right: The Bank Building.
Bottom right: Lower Leeson Street looking towards Stephen's Green.
Bottom left: The Kiosk at Leeson Bridge.
In my collage
Top left: The Grand Canal looking west from Leeson Bridge.
Top right: The Bank Building.
Bottom right: Lower Leeson Street looking towards Stephen's Green.
Bottom left: The Kiosk at Leeson Bridge.
Tuesday 17 August 2010
Raglan Road
My walk through Grafton Street on Sunday reminded me of a lovely ballad called Raglan Road. It was written by one of our best known poets Patrick Kavanagh and is sung here by the late Luke Kelly who was a member of The Dubliner's folk group. It is one of my favourite ballads.
Monday 16 August 2010
The Ha'penny Bridge - Aga Szot
On Saturday I discovered some artists exhibiting their work on the Liffey Boardwalk (see post) and yesterday I went back to have another look. I bought some delightful postcards from young Polish artist Aga Szot and I am reproducing her "Ha'penny Bridge" card here with her permission. Some of the artists, including Aga who is from a small town near Krakow are setting up a studio in Temple Bar which I hope to visit shortly.
In the meantime if you want to contact her or purchase some of her work her email address is:
aguszot@gmail.com
In the meantime if you want to contact her or purchase some of her work her email address is:
aguszot@gmail.com
Sunday 15 August 2010
"This could be Rotterdam (or anywhere), Liverpool or Rome.."*
But it's Dublin on a hot August Sunday afternoon.
* Rotterdam(or anywhere) - The Beautiful South(1996)
But it's Dublin on a hot August Sunday afternoon.
* Rotterdam(or anywhere) - The Beautiful South(1996)
Saturday 14 August 2010
Shapes (no comment necessary)
Today I had a Newton moment (but without the apple)! I was just coming from the Bank via Smithfield when I looked up and saw triangles and squares and semi-circles and ..
My photographs are sometimes ( just sometimes?) eccentric, so don't feel you need to comment.
But I was wondering? Did the architects plan this? Or was it by chance?
My photographs are sometimes ( just sometimes?) eccentric, so don't feel you need to comment.
But I was wondering? Did the architects plan this? Or was it by chance?
Wednesday 11 August 2010
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