I was there too
Big Generator rocked Cobh last August during the Cobh People’s Regatta. They played in the band stand in the park and even later in the evening after the fireworks there was a large crowd dancing and enjoying the music! Look out for them as they play around the country.
| Aperture | ƒ/6.3 |
| Camera | ILCE-7RM5 |
| Focal length | 124mm |
| ISO | 12800 |
| Shutter speed | 1/80s |
Two visitors to the Natural History Museum in London admire the huge skeleton in the main hall.
The Natural History Museum’s most famous skeleton used to be “Dippy,” a diplodocus that dominated that main hall for 112 years. In 2017, it was replaced with a blue whale skeleton (which is what you see here). Dippy wasn’t actually a real skeleton though; it was a composite cast made from plaster and steel. The irony? For over a century, visitors thought they were seeing an actual dinosaur when they were really looking at a rather elaborate replica.
| Aperture | ƒ/1.8 |
| Camera | SM-G998B |
| Focal length | 6.7mm |
| ISO | 50 |
| Shutter speed | 1/100s |
I have a good reason for photographing this perfectly ordinary scene. Over the years I’ve taken photos of men sitting on that electricity box, and this just adds to that collection.
First there was this photo of Liam Foley, an elderly man enjoying a cigarette. He passed away 2 months after that photo was taken. I was glad I could pass on that photo to his family.
Then a few years later, yet another photo of a man enjoying a cigarette.
And now, many years later, a photo of a man about to roll a cigarette.
I like what they did with the door and the mural. Lovely to see the colour there.
| Aperture | ƒ/5 |
| Camera | ILCE-7M3 |
| Focal length | 62mm |
| ISO | 200 |
| Shutter speed | 1/500s |
A selfie at Cork Pride last August on Kennedy Quay. I wonder if this selfie is on Instagram somewhere?
| Aperture | ƒ/8 |
| Camera | ILCE-7RM5 |
| Focal length | 24mm |
| ISO | 200 |
| Shutter speed | 1/500s |
I’m not a big fan of brown, and there’s a lot of brown in the new Bishop Lucey Park. I do really like what they did with the old wall. That’s the slightly rough-looking grass bit in the second picture of my gallery. The old park had this cut off from the public behind railings, with stagnant water collecting at the bottom. Now, it’s an area where people can sit on steps and walk around.
I love that the old entrance is still there and that they removed the railing running around the outside.
It’s disappointing to see that gravel was used so much. I imagine it has something to do with maintenance, but it would have been nice to see more grass. However, as it is now, there’s huge scope for holding open-air events there that aren’t beholden to the weather and wet grass.
It will look nice in the warmer months when leaves return to the trees. It was a missed opportunity to use more colour. What would a dash of colour do to the mood of the park?
I don’t hate it.
Look for it on Facebook and you’ll find nothing but complaints unfortunately: Echo Live 1, Cork City Parks Sport and Recreation, Cork City Council, Echo Live 2.
| Aperture | ƒ/9 |
| Camera | ILCE-7RM5 |
| Focal length | 16mm |
| ISO | 3200 |
| Shutter speed | 1/125s |
Cork’s newest bridge is a new pedestrian or cycle bridge that spans the River Lee from Wandesford Quay to Lambley’s Lane. You’d be forgiven if you’re not familiar with either area, as they aren’t exactly the most trafficked areas in the city.
If you’re curious, Lambley’s Lane is off to the side of the old Beamish & Crawford brewery, and the bridge is worth a look at night. Henry shared a photo of the bridge a couple of days ago. Thank you, Henry, for pointing out where it was. I had no idea.
If you look carefully, you can see all the way down Tuckey Street to Oliver Plunkett Street. During the day, you might even see down to Parnell Place, maybe?
Here’s the latest news from Cork City Council about the bridge and the newly reopened Bishop Lucey Park. Photos of that to come…
| Aperture | ƒ/8 |
| Camera | ILCE-7RM5 |
| Focal length | 16mm |
| ISO | 100 |
| Shutter speed | 4s |
A slice of life in Spitalfields Market, London, last July. If you want a hat, go to the guy wearing a hat!
| Aperture | ƒ/8 |
| Camera | ILCE-7RM5 |
| Focal length | 24mm |
| ISO | 12800 |
| Shutter speed | 1/500s |
I never imagined I’d see a T-shirt that features The Clash and The Supremes in one sentence, yet here we are in Spitalfields Market in London.
Good coffee at Mamma’s Goodies too!
| Aperture | ƒ/8 |
| Camera | ILCE-7RM5 |
| Focal length | 24mm |
| ISO | 1000 |
| Shutter speed | 1/500s |
This is one of those delightful urban photography moments where colour, context, and coincidence align to create something more interesting than the sum of its parts. A woman in a green T-shirt and shorts, on an Uber bicycle with green basket, cycling in front of a shop bearing the name “VERDE & Co Ltd”. Verde being Spanish/Italian for “green.”
| Aperture | ƒ/8 |
| Camera | ILCE-7RM5 |
| Focal length | 24mm |
| ISO | 250 |
| Shutter speed | 1/500s |
I visited London briefly during the summer with some friends and Piccadilly Square was one of our destinations. There were so many people from all walks of life gathered there it was a rich representation of life in the city.
Tonight at Blarney Photography Club I gave a talk there about the trip with my fellow traveller, Annette. Over the course of an hour we dove through 156 images between us. A grand snapshot of the city.
| Aperture | ƒ/8 |
| Camera | ILCE-7RM5 |
| Focal length | 82mm |
| ISO | 400 |
| Shutter speed | 1/400s |
Do you remember when the Grand Parade had motorcycle parking down the middle of the street? That was twenty years ago! See there’s no mural on the wall behind?
This photo was taken on Christmas Eve 2005.
| Aperture | ƒ/3.5 |
| Camera | Canon EOS 20D |
| Focal length | 18mm |
| ISO | 400 |
| Shutter speed | 1/800s |
Right, so let’s talk about the absolute star of Cork’s Dragon of Shandon parade—the massive skeletal dragon that dominated the streets and created that perfect mix of ancient mythology and contemporary street theatre that defines this extraordinary event.
The parade really is a spectacular event, and the dragon brings up the rear with ominous music and a rider on top. It’s really quite a sight to see!
| Aperture | ƒ/5.6 |
| Camera | ILCE-7RM5 |
| Focal length | 24mm |
| ISO | 1000 |
| Shutter speed | 1/10s |
