Not so long ago these metal edifices defined the skyline in Cork and other Irish cities. They’re all gone in Cork now, but there’s still one left in Killarney, County Kerry. I hear tourists are taking photos of them now..

Flash back to 2005 if you will. Ireland is in the grip of the Celtic Tiger boom. Cork is undergoing a transformation. The city’s streets were dug up and remolded with apparently improved drainage (didn’t help recently unfortunately) and the revamping of the city centre was in full swing. Here’s the construction on Daunt Square,…

Heineken. ’nuff said!

The side gate to SS Peter and Paul’s Church in Cork City remains open during the day.

St Mary’s Cathedral, Killarney in the background. We walked around the town a few weeks back but I didn’t have time to get down to the Cathedral this time. Still impressive, even from this distance. I wonder if “Tim O’Brien & Sons Furniture Carpets” is online anywhere?

The bike park on Patrick’s Street, Cork.

First of all Virgin Megastore was sold off to Zavvi and shortly afterwards they had a liquidation sale and went under. Now Director’s Cut are in there and it’s a depressing store. There’s no piped music to liven the dead atmosphere, oh dear!

The Woodford on Patrick’s Street Cork closed some time ago. Shame really as it was a nice pub.

The Historic C.O.D Ranch outside Oracle in Arizona where Automattic held a meetup in January 2008. Winter in the desert is mostly pleasant, during the day. At night it was freezing!

Irish countryside through the clouds.

I always the this bridge as “The Viaduct”, but it’s actually named the Chetwynd Viaduct. Here’s the view from a my flight home a few weeks as it came in to land at Cork Airport.

It’s wonderful how some of the old buildings in Cork are preserved while all around them their neighbours are demolished and shiny new edifices rise. This one is of course on Emmett Place.