Outside the Vicarstown Bar, a man in a suit pauses at the threshold, engrossed in his newspaper before stepping fully inside. The chalkboard out front boasts a tempting “3 for 10 Handsum IPA” offer, hinting at the lively sessions that await within.
| Aperture | ƒ/4 |
| Camera | ILCE-7M3 |
| Focal length | 16mm |
| ISO | 160 |
| Shutter speed | 1/500s |
At the PolskaEire Slavic Festival in Cork yesterday, owls were part of the festival, with kids getting a chance to hold one, much to their delight.
The tawny owl, featured prominently in the foreground, is known for its distinctive “twit-twoo” call, which is actually a duet between a male and female—one calls “twit” and the other replies “twoo.”
| Aperture | ƒ/6.3 |
| Camera | ILCE-7RM5 |
| Focal length | 240mm |
| ISO | 1000 |
| Shutter speed | 1/500s |
In 2019, Cork’s riverside scene took on a rare and almost surreal quality as the beloved Shakey Bridge, or Daly’s Bridge, vanished for the first time since 1927. Locals strolling along the Lee were greeted not by the familiar wobbly walkway, but by its ornate white tower standing alone, flanked by colourful houses and lush gardens. The river, ever calm, mirrored the absence and the anticipation, while the city buzzed with stories of the bridge’s famous shake and the engineers’ promise to bring it back just as lively as ever.
The bridge is back now, and we visited recently. It still has its famous shake!
It’s the only suspension bridge in Cork City and the only surviving pedestrian suspension bridge of its kind and age in Ireland.
| Aperture | ƒ/8 |
| Camera | ILCE-7M3 |
| Focal length | 57mm |
| ISO | 125 |
| Shutter speed | 1/125s |
We went to see Madness play in Virgin Media Park last night. They were supported by Cork band, The Frank and Walters, and Ocean Colour Scene.
We arrived early because we wanted to see The Frank and Walters, and it was great to get in before the place filled up. The support bands were great and we really enjoyed their music.
Madness? Maybe I was expecting too much, or built it up in my head because they have some cracking tunes? I thought they could have been better. We danced to their hits, but they had a lot of deep cuts that had the crowd wondering what was going on. There was a lot of banter which didn’t always hit home with the crowd.
I did appreciate them mentioning Queen. I thought we’d get a short cover of one of their songs, but it wasn’t to be!
I paid for my ticket. Apparently, they had to give away a good bunch of them. 🙁
| Aperture | ƒ/4.9 |
| Camera | Galaxy S23 Ultra |
| Focal length | 27.2mm |
| ISO | 64 |
| Shutter speed | 1/50s |
Well, Elvis works at a barber shop now.
| Aperture | ƒ/2.8 |
| Camera | ILCE-7RM5 |
| Focal length | 24mm |
| ISO | 125 |
| Shutter speed | 1/500s |
Selling art at the farmer’s market in Skibbereen a few years ago.
| Aperture | ƒ/4 |
| Camera | ILCE-7M3 |
| Focal length | 16mm |
| ISO | 160 |
| Shutter speed | 1/500s |
The girls of the Joan Denise Moriarty School of Dance on the Grand Parade, Cork at the end of the Family Shenanigans parade last Sunday. What fabulous performers they all are!
| Aperture | ƒ/11 |
| Camera | ILCE-7RM5 |
| Focal length | 24mm |
| ISO | 1250 |
| Shutter speed | 1/1000s |
A few more photos of The Family Shenanigans on Sunday. One more post tomorrow!
| Aperture | ƒ/5 |
| Camera | ILCE-7RM5 |
| Focal length | 48mm |
| ISO | 320 |
| Shutter speed | 1/1000s |
A few more photos from The Family Shenanigans in Cork on Sunday!
| Aperture | ƒ/8 |
| Camera | ILCE-7RM5 |
| Focal length | 144mm |
| ISO | 400 |
| Shutter speed | 1/1000s |
The Family Shenanigans parade organised by Cork Community Art Link took place today in Cork and what a blast it was! There was so much energy, happiness and laughter!
This is only a small selection of the photos from today. More to come tomorrow.
| Aperture | ƒ/10 |
| Camera | ILCE-7RM5 |
| Focal length | 24mm |
| ISO | 4000 |
| Shutter speed | 1/1000s |
This year marks the 30th anniversary of the passing of Rory Gallagher, a legend in rock and roll, at a relatively young age.
Today in Fitzgerald Park we were treated to a great music session on a beautiful, sunny day as the city celebrates Rory’s music and life. Here are a few photos from the gig. You can watch the entire thing on YouTube below. Watch carefully. You’ll spot me there a few times!
| Aperture | ƒ/8 |
| Camera | ILCE-7RM5 |
| Focal length | 146mm |
| ISO | 1000 |
| Shutter speed | 1/320s |
Step inside St Fin Barre’s Cathedral this week, and you’ll be greeted not just by the soaring Gothic arches and intricate stained-glass, but by a blazing sun right in the heart of Cork. The Helios exhibition, a six-metre-wide glowing sculpture by UK artist Luke Jerram, has transformed the cathedral’s nave into a cosmic spectacle for the Cork Midsummer Festival. The installation is more than just a visual treat. It’s a full sensory experience, with detailed solar imagery and a soundtrack of real NASA recordings of the sun. It’s a surreal and awe-inspiring blend of old and new: the ancient spirit of the cathedral meets the cutting edge of contemporary art, inviting visitors to reflect on the power and presence of the sun in a truly unique setting.
The Helios sculpture is built to scale, with each centimetre representing 2,300 km of the real sun’s surface, and features detailed representations of sunspots and solar flares, all accompanied by a soundtrack of live NASA recordings of the sun.
| Aperture | ƒ/2.2 |
| Camera | Galaxy S23 Ultra |
| Focal length | 2.2mm |
| ISO | 1250 |
| Shutter speed | 1/25s |
