When you’ve been to the shops, it’s nice to sit down with a friend for a chat.
| Aperture | ƒ/1.8 |
| Camera | SM-G998B |
| Focal length | 6.7mm |
| ISO | 639 |
| Shutter speed | 1/500s |
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The Social Side of Shopping
Fediverse reactions
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A Solitary Figure in Birmingham
Walking along Corporation Street, I was watching out for interesting people to photograph when I saw a man watching people walking past. We’d just come out of Grand Central Shopping Centre, the sun was shining, and I quickly walked over to the shaded part of the street. It was too warm for me. Might have been the same for this gentleman.
Aperture ƒ/6.3 Camera ILCE-7M3 Focal length 16mm ISO 320 Shutter speed 1/500s Fediverse reactions
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Cork’s Social Life Spills Onto the Street
The Long Valley Bar is always busy, and I love seeing interesting characters sitting at the tables outside.
The Long Valley Bar has been serving Cork since 1842 and is famous for its traditional “combination” sandwiches – hence the “Plain Comb” on the menu board. These legendary sandwiches typically contain a hearty mix of meats, cheese, and pickles, and have remained virtually unchanged in recipe for over a century. The pub’s sandwiches have achieved almost mythical status among Cork locals and visitors alike, with many considering them the best pub grub in Ireland. The establishment has retained its original Victorian fittings and atmosphere, making it not just a place to eat, but a living piece of Cork’s social history.
Aperture ƒ/3.5 Camera ILCE-7M3 Focal length 24mm ISO 400 Shutter speed 1/500s -
Cork’s Bell Tower from the Steepest Street
Shandon Bells as seen from the top of Patrick’s Hill, from the wall surrounding Bells Field.
The eight bells of Shandon Bells were cast in Gloucester, England, in 1750 and shipped to Cork. They’re tuned to play in the key of D major, and each bell has inscriptions including biblical verses and the names of local dignitaries from the time. Read More.
Aperture ƒ/8 Camera ILCE-7M3 Focal length 113mm ISO 100 Shutter speed 1/160s Fediverse reactions
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Fire in the Sky at Sunset
The sun sets behind a hill on the Dingle Peninsula, Kerry, back in 2021.
Aperture ƒ/8 Camera ILCE-7M3 Focal length 240mm ISO 100 Shutter speed 1/1000s Fediverse reactions
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The Sherkin Island Fishing Boat
A fishing boat with the registration code C353P sits moored in the low-tide mud in Sherkin Island. It sits opposite the island library and has been a feature of the island for as long as I remember. However, it was missing during a visit in 2017, and this gallery of Sherkin Island photos shows an empty space where the boat should be! A blog post here from 2016 shows the boat back in place, so maybe someone took the boat out during my visit in 2017?
Now I would like to know more about this boat. Who owns it? Does anyone take it out for a spin any more?
You’ll also find photos of this boat elsewhere, including this article about a Ukrainian family who settled on the island. It’s also featured in a painting created in 2012, but it’s sitting on a dock somewhere, possibly local.
Aperture ƒ/8 Camera ILCE-7RM5 Focal length 24mm ISO 100 Shutter speed 1/250s Fediverse reactions
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Clouds swirl over North Main Street
Whispy cirrus clouds were visible over Cork a few months ago.
The building in the background used to be a Catholic Young Men’s Society hall. These societies were established across Ireland in the late 19th and early 20th centuries as part of a movement to provide educational, social, and recreational facilities for young Catholic men, often serving as alternatives to public houses and promoting temperance alongside community engagement.
Aperture ƒ/3.5 Camera ILCE-7M3 Focal length 24mm ISO 100 Shutter speed 1/1600s Fediverse reactions
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Chickens at the market
Chickens, and what looks like a duck, in cages at the Bantry market a few years ago.
Aperture ƒ/3.5 Camera ILCE-7M3 Focal length 50mm ISO 100 Shutter speed 1/2000s Fediverse reactions
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It’s difficult to TOP West Cork
When the weather is as nice as it is now, there’s nowhere like West Cork. Rolling hills and beautiful countryside, trees heavy with leaves and flowers in bloom, friendly people, and loads of things to do.
One way is Bantry, Ballydehob is the other way. We were headed to Ballydehob when I stopped for a few quick photos.
Aperture ƒ/6.3 Camera ILCE-7RM5 Focal length 24mm ISO 100 Shutter speed 1/400s -
A Hidden Retreat on Sherkin Island
An old van sits in the driveway of a house on Sherkin Island, Co Cork. The barrier blocking the way is apparently used extensively on the islands off the Irish coast and in other rural areas, but I’m more familiar with seeing them in WWII films or war zones!
Aperture ƒ/8 Camera ILCE-7M3 Focal length 103mm ISO 320 Shutter speed 1/125s Fediverse reactions
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McCarthy’s: the pink garage
The derelict McCarthy’s Garage as it was in 2021 in Schull, Co Cork. The building today is very different, but it’s still pink! I have a few photos of the old petrol pumps that stood outside the building somewhere on this site, going further back in time.
The slate roof visible on the McCarthy’s building is typical of traditional Irish architecture. Irish slate was quarried extensively in counties like Valentia Island in Kerry and was prized for its durability and weather resistance, often lasting well over 100 years when properly maintained, which explains why so many original slate roofs still grace Irish buildings today.
Aperture ƒ/4 Camera ILCE-7M3 Focal length 16mm ISO 160 Shutter speed 1/500s Fediverse reactions
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Kitte Kat On The Prowl
Kitte Kat stares out from the bushes at us as she contemplates making friends, or enemies. She chose the former and walked out after myself and my dog, Diego. She allowed me to rub her head before wandering off into the garden again at Carbery Guest Lodge on Sheep’s Head, Co Cork.
She was raised by the family dog, Sisken, from an early age and thinks she’s a dog, but sometimes they get confused when she doesn’t run from them!
Aperture ƒ/8 Camera ILCE-7RM5 Focal length 240mm ISO 1250 Shutter speed 1/250s Fediverse reactions
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Parked Bikes (2006)
Panoramic Traffic Lights (2007)- The new Bibble Labs 4.9.5 is out with support for
Traffic by the Elysian (2008)
Lounge (2009)
Streets of Cork (2016)
Will this do? (2017)
Incredulous (2018)
Who’d love some winter sun? (2021)
The hurler and the buses (2022)
JD Sports Coming Soon! (2025)