The Rebirth of Páirc Uí Chaoimh

On this day when Tipperary beat Cork in the All Ireland Hurling Final I thought it appropriate to show these old photos of Páirc Uí Chaoimh in 2016 and 2017 when it was being rebuilt. The only time I’ve been to the new stadium was to see Bruce Springsteen play there, which just goes to show you how much interest I have in sports. Since I grew up close by I was always interested in the redevelopment of the place. Above you can see the Blackrock end of the stadium, with the skeleton of the building visible.

Almost a year later, in early 2017, there had been a lot of progress. The main stand is complete, and the Blackrock side is being filled in.

The reconstruction of Páirc Uí Chaoimh was one of the most expensive GAA stadium projects ever undertaken, with costs eventually reaching over €100 million. The new stadium was designed to hold 45,000 spectators, making it the second-largest GAA stadium in Ireland after Croke Park. The rebuild incorporated cutting-edge engineering techniques, including a unique cantilever roof design that allows unobstructed views from every seat. The project faced significant delays and cost overruns, leading to considerable controversy, but when completed in 2017, it featured Ireland’s largest covered terrace and became a flagship venue for Munster GAA, hosting its first All-Ireland semi-final in 2018.

The panorama images are displayed using my new panoramic block plugin for WordPress. It’s still early days yet, and it’s simple, but I’ve wanted a way to display 3-image panoramas for a while. If you’re looking at this post in a feed, click through to the post for the JavaScript powered panorama viewer.


Apertureƒ/8
CameraCanon EOS 6D
Focal length24mm
ISO100
Shutter speed1/500s

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.


Apertureƒ/4
CameraILCE-7M3
Focal length16mm
ISO160
Shutter speed1/500s

Last Stand of R&H Hall

It’s not every day you get to capture a piece of Cork’s history before it disappears forever. The R&H Hall building is now gone, and even Google Maps have updated their streetview so this same view of Victoria Road is now quite different.

The R&H Hall grain silo towers, built in 1934 and 1954, stood at 33 metres tall and were visible from many parts of Cork, making them one of the city’s most recognisable industrial landmarks for over 80 years. Hopefully, the new developments going up there will be as impactful.


Apertureƒ/1.8
CameraSM-G998B
Focal length6.7mm
ISO50
Shutter speed1/1000s