I was there too
In the middle of July when Ireland was moderately warm and the sea was, if not warm, ok to swim in for a few minutes at a time. A bunch of lads were jumping off the pier at Ardmore Boat Cove, but when we walked by, they were playing football and I think one team had scored a goal a moment before. 🙂
| Aperture | ƒ/4.9 |
| Camera | Galaxy S23 Ultra |
| Focal length | 27.2mm |
| ISO | 100 |
| Shutter speed | 1/100s |
When the sun is shining, it’s nice to have portable shade in the form of an umbrella. In Athens on the day this photo was taken it was a hot day!
The Basilica of Megali Panagia (which translates to “Great Virgin Mary”) was an early Christian basilica built in Athens during the 5th century AD. What makes this site particularly fascinating is that it represents the transition period when Athens was shifting from its ancient pagan identity to becoming a Christian Byzantine city. The basilica was constructed using materials salvaged from older classical buildings, a common practice called “spolia”, meaning those stone blocks you see in the photograph might originally have been part of temples or structures from Athens’ classical golden age, essentially recycled into a Christian church. The site reveals multiple layers of Athenian history literally built on top of each other. Athens during summer regularly reaches temperatures of 35-40°C (95-104°F), which explains why that blue umbrella is essential equipment for archaeological site visits. Many ancient sites in Greece now restrict visiting hours during the hottest parts of the day to protect both visitors and the monuments themselves from heat damage!
| Aperture | ƒ/4.9 |
| Camera | Galaxy S23 Ultra |
| Focal length | 27.2mm |
| ISO | 50 |
| Shutter speed | 1/380s |
An estimated 100,000 people joined the Trans+ Pride event yesterday in London as they marched from near BBC Broadcasting House, past Downing Street, and on to Westminster Palace to Parliament Square Gardens. It was spectacular & emotional to watch.
“The message was clear: we will not be erased. Our existence is natural, historic, and enduring. You can try to take away our rights, but you will never remove us from society. We are a part of humanity, and the public will not stand by while harm is done to our community.”
Lewis G Burton, one of the founding members of London Trans+ Pride
More coverage from the Guardian & BBC and elsewhere.
| Aperture | ƒ/4 |
| Camera | ILCE-7RM5 |
| Focal length | 24mm |
| ISO | 125 |
| Shutter speed | 1/500s |
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 |
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 |
While wandering around a market in Athens, I saw this man sitting on the ground outside his tool-filled shop. He seemed very relaxed and was chatting to a nearby man. I hope that beer was nice and cold as it was quite a warm day!
The Areti beer seen in the photo is a Greek pale lager produced by Zotos Ltd., known for its light body and low alcohol content (3.5% ABV), making it a popular choice for casual daytime drinking in Greece
| Aperture | ƒ/1.7 |
| Camera | Galaxy S23 Ultra |
| Focal length | 6.3mm |
| ISO | 1250 |
| Shutter speed | 1/500s |
A little dog looks out of a window of his home on Barrack Street, Cork. He must be very used to passing foot traffic. He never barked once!
| Aperture | ƒ/1.7 |
| Camera | Galaxy S23 Ultra |
| Focal length | 6.3mm |
| ISO | 10 |
| Shutter speed | 1/390s |
The Galeón Andalucía, a replica of a 16th-17th century Spanish galleon docked in Cork a few days ago for the European Maritime Days to Play, on yesterday and today.
I wandered down the quays where there were a number of other boats. A nice day out for school kids who got a few hours out of the classroom too!
| Aperture | ƒ/2.2 |
| Camera | Galaxy S23 Ultra |
| Focal length | 2.2mm |
| ISO | 50 |
| Shutter speed | 1/3800s |
Two young men decorate the underpass on the Line in Blackrock this evening with spray paint. There are fabulous murals on both walls of the underpass!
Fun fact: spray paint, the tool of choice here, was invented in 1949 by Edward Seymour, on the suggestion of his wife, Bonnie.
| Aperture | ƒ/1.7 |
| Camera | Galaxy S23 Ultra |
| Focal length | 6.3mm |
| ISO | 100 |
| Shutter speed | 1/60s |
Joey Neville entertained a small audience in Cork City Library this afternoon with a selection of his own compositions, and other tunes. He was later joined by Eileen Healy on violin.
| Aperture | ƒ/4.9 |
| Camera | Galaxy S23 Ultra |
| Focal length | 27.2mm |
| ISO | 400 |
| Shutter speed | 1/35s |
Off to the side of Monastiraki Square, near the train station entrance is a Flormar store, and I when I saw what you see above I had to get a photo.
If you go there now, you might see that man. He was attending to a local stall and stepped away for a moment.
| Aperture | ƒ/1.7 |
| Camera | Galaxy S23 Ultra |
| Focal length | 6.3mm |
| ISO | 32 |
| Shutter speed | 1/500s |
I was lucky he didn’t spot me taking this candid photo.
| Aperture | ƒ/2.2 |
| Camera | Galaxy S23 Ultra |
| Focal length | 2.2mm |
| ISO | 500 |
| Shutter speed | 1/35s |
