The Shakey Bridge is Gone!

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.


Apertureƒ/8
CameraILCE-7M3
Focal length57mm
ISO125
Shutter speed1/125s

Eggs for Sale

A visit to the market in Skibbereen in 2019 was productive. I’ve posted a number of photos from that hour or so on here over the years, and there are still a few more to go.

August 2019 feels like a lifetime ago.


Apertureƒ/4
CameraILCE-7M3
Focal length16mm
ISO320
Shutter speed1/500s

Fresh Fruits and Fortune

I went out one morning to photograph Palafrugell, walking around the town, exploring the streets. It’s a small town with narrow roads and tall buildings, with a few public squares dotted around. Near one is a vegetable market where I spotted a man buying a lottery card.

The ONCE lottery, seen in the photo, is unique in Spain for being operated by the Organización Nacional de Ciegos Españoles, an organisation founded in 1938 to support the blind and visually impaired. Many of the lottery vendors, like the one pictured, are themselves visually impaired, making each ticket sale a contribution to social inclusion and support for people with disabilities.


Apertureƒ/8
CameraILCE-7M3
Focal length35mm
ISO1600
Shutter speed1/500s

A Striped Antelope at Valencia Zoo

A young antelope stands in water at Bioparc Valencia, Spain.

The animal in the photo is a sitatunga, a type of antelope known for its semiaquatic lifestyle. Its splayed hooves help it walk easily through marshy and swampy habitats.


Apertureƒ/6.3
CameraILCE-7M3
Focal length205mm
ISO250
Shutter speed1/1000s

The Glorious Banners of St. Giles, Edinburgh

The interior of St. Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh on a bright, sunny day in July, 2018. I visited again recently but these are from my first visit.

I visited the cathedral with the aim to photograph it, but I forgot to bring my tripod! It was sitting in my suitcase in my hotel room. I did my best, using tables and benches and the floor instead to hold my camera steady.


Apertureƒ/8
CameraILCE-7M3
Focal length24mm
ISO100
Shutter speed1/30s

A Sunlit Stroll in Athens

It was a blisteringly hot day in Athens when we were walking around the ruins of the old city when I saw this woman in a bright yellow jumpsuit approach.

That yellow colour jumped out at me, but it was only later I noticed the man behind her carrying her bag. Is that a charging cable going from her phone to the bag? Nice to have someone else carry your bag on a hot day, with a battery for your phone too! 🙂


Apertureƒ/8
CameraILCE-7M3
Focal length16mm
ISO100
Shutter speed1/500s

The Sandal Seller of Athens

Off Monastiraki Square, Athens, along a narrow street filled with small shops, I found a man leaning on the door of his shoe shop.


Apertureƒ/2.8
CameraILCE-7M3
Focal length24mm
ISO800
Shutter speed1/500s

The world in reflection

On a cold December night in 2018, I was taking photographs of reflected light in the puddles of the Docklands in Cork along with others from Blarney Photography Club.

Henry would have been on the light stick, and I’m sure I’ve posted other photos from the night, over the years as the lights are striking.


Apertureƒ/8
CameraILCE-7M3
Focal length17mm
ISO50
Shutter speed30s

Streetwise Cat of Athens

A cat we found in Athens, just cleaning himself in the middle of a car park, without a care in the world on a warm May afternoon last year.


Apertureƒ/8
CameraILCE-7M3
Focal length240mm
ISO1250
Shutter speed1/1000s

Architectural Waves by the Sea

It’s been a few years since I’ve been in Malaga. This one is from November 2018 on a lovely sunny day. I love the “Palmeral de las Sorpresas” pergola is an eye-catching structure along the promenade.


Apertureƒ/9
CameraILCE-7M3
Focal length24mm
ISO125
Shutter speed1/400s

Cycling Through Evergreen Street

These days, it’s so unusual to see a cyclist who isn’t a delivery person on the roads in Cork City that this man caught me by surprise as he turned into Industry Street from Evergreen Street.

Luckily I had my camera out, as I was walking down to Nano Nagle Place for their photography exhibit where I had a number of photos on display. Can’t believe that was in 2019.


Apertureƒ/4
CameraILCE-7M3
Focal length18mm
ISO100
Shutter speed1/1000s