Construction in the old warehouse

This is the ground floor of the old warehouse on Father Mathew Quay in Cork. For years it lay rotting away, an eyesore just behind the South Mall, but it’s being developed now. I guess there are apartments going in there, but I recall seeing only tiny windows on the upper floors. Anyone know?

Aperture ƒ/4
Camera Canon EOS 20D
Focal length 10mm
ISO 800
Shutter speed 1/100s

Santa & Cole in Cork

Santa came to Cork early this year, sort of. This metal work is from somewhere on the Grand Parade in Cork. It’s designed by the firm of Santa & Cole, obviously, and seems to be a perfect place for people to throw their litter unfortunately.

Aperture ƒ/4
Camera Canon EOS 20D
Focal length 10mm
ISO 200
Shutter speed 1/400s

Fitzgerald’s Park Reflection

Clouds in the sky reflect off the water of the pond in Fitzgerald’s Park in Cork.

Aperture ƒ/5
Camera Canon EOS 20D
Focal length 10mm
ISO 100
Shutter speed 1/100s

The house in the bushes

This is the side of the small gatehouse in Fitzgerald’s Park, Cork.

Aperture ƒ/10
Camera Canon EOS 20D
Focal length 10mm
ISO 100
Shutter speed 1/200s

Sometimes I just miss talking to you

A sticker on the back of a STOP sign reads, “Sometimes I just miss talking to you” and is signed “The 508”. A message of love for someone missing, or mindless graffiti? What makes the image for me is the couple walking by at the bottom of the frame. The sticker could be a speech bubble above their heads.

Shot on Oliver Plunkett Street a few month’s back while walking around Cork City.

PS. Welcome all from Creative Ireland!

Aperture ƒ/4
Camera Canon EOS 20D
Focal length 10mm
ISO 100
Shutter speed 1/60s

Engarde! Construction continues in Cork

Will the construction work in Cork ever end? They just finished digging up the end of Washington Street and Grande Parade when they dig up that busy corner again.

Not quite as bad as the ESB or Bord Gais running a trench through brand new tarmac and leaving a broken road surface behind.

This shot is from the Grand Parade where brickwork is being laid into the ground around the original fountain that was recently restored there. Pics of that to follow!

Aperture ƒ/6.3
Camera Canon EOS 20D
Focal length 10mm
ISO 200
Shutter speed 1/80s

YIELD! Right of way

A slightly damaged sign that should read, "Yield Right of Way" in Wilton in front of the CUMH.

Looks like someone took a bite out of it. Are there large animals in Wilton?

Aperture ƒ/8
Camera Canon EOS 20D
Focal length 13mm
ISO 200
Shutter speed 1/100s

Sunlight in the city

The sun hides behind the buildings and street furniture of Patrick’s Street in Cork.

Aperture ƒ/18
Camera Canon EOS 20D
Focal length 10mm
ISO 200
Shutter speed 1/640s

The Elysian will be so wonderful

If you’ve driven around Cork over the past year you can’t fail to miss the huge 17 storey tower going up in the south of the City. It’s called the Elysian and when it’s finished it will I think be the tallest building in the Republic of Ireland.

Now, compare that with the 60 storey skyscraper being built in San Francisco just a few blocks from Matt’s apartment. The top of it seems to be perpetually in fog.

Anyway, the Irish developers of the Elysian have all this positive advertising with people looking to heaven and wondrous slogans to get the positive vibe going about this massive building, when in fact it’s only a middling little building when compared with what the rest of the world has done.

Way back in 2005 this is what the building site looked like, and a year later, check out the huge crane.

I guess I’m glad that we don’t have the population density that makes huge buildings necessary, not yet anyway.

Aperture ƒ/4
Camera Canon EOS 20D
Focal length 10mm
ISO 100
Shutter speed 1/160s

Bus stop on Mardyke Parade

The bus stop on the Mardyke Parade outside the old Erinville Hospital is on a bus lane, just outside a school. Every single school morning the bus lane is jammed with cars dropping children off.

Aperture ƒ/7.1
Camera Canon EOS 20D
Focal length 10mm
ISO 100
Shutter speed 1/125s

Finbarr House, Cork

Finbarr House is situated right next to University College Cork (UCC) on the Western Road.

What’s strange is that it is a rundown building in the perfect location for renting to students: right in front of the University. Who knew there was an Irish property owner who didn’t want to make a few Euro on the side?

Aperture ƒ/10
Camera Canon EOS 20D
Focal length 10mm
ISO 200
Shutter speed 1/200s

The Erinville Maternity Hospital, Cork

The Erinville Hospital in Cork is one of the old maternity hospitals that were shutdown earlier this year and facilities moved to the Cork University Maternity Hospital.

My wife Jacinta and I made the short journey here from Blarney many times during her pregnancy, sometimes at ungodly hours in the morning but staff were always helpful, kind and sympathetic.

Aperture ƒ/10
Camera Canon EOS 20D
Focal length 10mm
ISO 100
Shutter speed 1/200s