Adi Roche in the 2004 St. Patrick’s Day Parade

Adi Roche, the founder and voluntary CEO of Chernobyl Children International, was a prominent figure in Irish media for many years, tirelessly advocating for children affected by the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster. Her passionate commitment to this cause left an indelible mark on countless Irish people, including myself when she visited my school in the early 1990s. Her presence was inspiring, leaving us all in awe of her dedication and humanitarian spirit.

In 2004 I photographed her on a float during the St. Patrick’s Day parade in Cork. She may have been the Marshall that year, perhaps?


Apertureƒ/4.5
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Focal length45.2mm
ISO100
Shutter speed1/500s

The water under our feet

In this image, there are several construction vehicles, including an excavator, working on the site. The area is fenced off, and there are various pipes and construction materials scattered around. Traffic is visible in the background, with cars lined up along the street.

Some people were surprised to find there was a large covered over tunnel below Grand Parade when the Cork Main Drainage Scheme dug up the road near Daunt Square in 2005. The street used to be part of the river, so I guess the water had to go somewhere, but it also highlights just how vulnerable the city is to high tides and climate change.


Apertureƒ/2.5
CameraCYBERSHOT
Focal length9.7mm
ISO100
Shutter speed1/125s

HNLMS Dolfijn Visits Cork

In 2003, the Dutch submarine, Dolfijn, or Dulfun, visited Cork for a few days. I happened to be around town and spotted it from Kennedy Quay where I’d been photographing the ships, buildings and machinery.

When it left Cork, it headed to Mallorca. September in Cork is nice, but I wouldn’t mind a few days there in October!


Apertureƒ/6.3
CameraCYBERSHOT
Focal length11.3mm
ISO100
Shutter speed1/500s

The Chicago Board of Trade

In 2003, there wasn’t much vegetation to see on La Salle Street, but I found it at N 120 La Salle N Street according to Google Maps. The most recent photos on Google Maps show the red flowers are long gone.

You’ve probably seen the Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) building in movies, such as Transformers: Dark of the Moon, Batman Begins, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, and The Dark Knight.


Apertureƒ/4
CameraCYBERSHOT
Focal length27.3mm
ISO100
Shutter speed1/400s

Chicago Apple Store

The genius bar in this Apple store in Chicago.

An Apple Store in Chicago, in 2003. I wandered in here while I was in the city, curious about what it would look like, as I didn’t use any Apple products at the time.

Check out those CRTs at the back of the second photo!


Apertureƒ/2.2
CameraCYBERSHOT
Focal length9.7mm
ISO100
Shutter speed1/125s

The John Hancock Center in 2003

Right, as I have been reliably informed in the comments, this is the John Hancock Center in Chicago. Ah well. I haven’t been there in twenty years.

The Sears Tower rises above all nearby buildings in Chicago in 2003.

It was renamed the Willis Tower in 2009, but when I took this photo from a nearby building in 2003, it was still the Sears Tower.

Although Sears’ naming rights expired in 2003, the building continued to be called the Sears Tower for several years, despite multiple changes in ownership. In March 2009, London-based insurance broker Willis Group Holdings agreed to lease a portion of the building and obtained the naming rights. On July 16, 2009, the building was officially renamed the Willis Tower.

Wikipedia

Apertureƒ/4
CameraCYBERSHOT
Focal length48.5mm
ISO100
Shutter speed1/125s