URBAN EXPRESSION

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THE NEW PUBLIC PARK AT FOOTBRIDGE STREET – I HAD PROMISED THAT I WOULD REVISIT

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THE NEW PUBLIC PARK AT FOOTBRIDGE STREET – I HAD PROMISED THAT I WOULD REVISIT

Public parks is something that Dublin City Council does really well and they do not receive enough credit for their work’

Tomorrow I am heading off to Cork for a week and I am trying to decide what lenses to bring with me. I purchased a Sigma 24-105 mm lens [Canon mount] a few months ago and it can be mounted on my Sony A7RIV using a Metabones adaptor but I am a bit nervous depending on its performance so I decided to test it today and as a result I am willing to take the risk. However, I suspect that the Sony 24-70 GM is a better lens but it is is somewhat limited.

Dublin City Council has today [4 May 2022] officially opened the city’s newest park to the public.

The Lord Mayor of Dublin, Alison Gilliland, unveiled a plaque this afternoon to mark the occasion, with the opening of Bridgefoot Street Park transforming what was a derelict site into a beautiful landscape of trees with grassed and planted mounds, incorporating a performance area, play spaces, allotments and a community garden.

The Lord Mayor said, “This is a fantastic new amenity for the people of the Liberties and for the city. This park’s design is based upon accessibility and enjoyment for all ages and abilities, encouraging physical activity and supporting ecology, biodiversity, culture and outdoor events.”

Dublin City Council and the local community collaborated in the vision, promotion, planning, design and development of the park and this collaboration will continue in the management and operation which will be key to the success of the park. The park has been under construction since 2020, however the construction program was delayed due to Covid lockdown.

Bridgefoot St Park was designed by Dermot Foley Landscape Architects in collaboration with Dublin City Council Parks, Biodiversity and Landscape Services.

When surveyed in 2015 for the Liberties Greening strategy, the access to public open space within the area was 1.07ha. With the delivery of Weaver Park in 2017 and now Bridgefoot Street Park, Dublin City Council has increased access to public green space by 1.68ha, an increase of 157% for the people of the Liberties.

The new public park is approximately 1 hectare in size and has been developed utilising what would normally be considered waste materials such as calp, concrete, reclaimed stone and brick, as aggregate to create pavements, seating and play spaces.

181 new trees have been planted and the planting consists of a mixture of herbaceous and ground-cover species, with some amenity grass and ornamental hedging but the over-riding emphasis is on native wild-flower seed mix, which will be sown into a mix of soil and recycled aggregate. These seeded areas will germinate, flower, self-seed and develop a naturalistic landscape which will be unique to this park, creating a biodiversity-rich environment for pollinator bees other insects and wildlife in the city.

A new undulating topography has been created using stockpiles of soil, large rocks and boulders together with an estimated 2,000 cubic metres (135 truck loads) of inert material which was imported to the site to create a playful and interesting urban landscape for all ages. Subsoil and topsoil has also been imported for the community gardens, lawns and tree planting. Larch timber seating has been installed as terraces.

Features of the park such as a sculptural piece by the participants of the Probationary Service Bridge Project and bird boxes by the participants of the Liberties Training Centre are exciting elements and will bring an added sense of local ownership and pride in the park.

OUR LADY OF THE ROSARY CHURCH – ACCESS VIA ENNIS ROAD OR NORTH CIRCULAR ROAD LIMERICK

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OUR LADY OF THE ROSARY CHURCH – ACCESS VIA ENNIS ROAD OR NORTH CIRCULAR ROAD LIMERICK

This session did not go well the camera had overheated after about eight hours constant usage and I had problems with lens flare.

I photographed this location just before sunset and could not decide if the building was painted black or dark brown. Having viewed the 2017 photographs I have concluded that it was black back then. Also, I had a look using Google Maps and it had a purple tint and the images were not great.

I first came across this church by accident in 2017 and never had to opportunity to revisit until April 2022.

At first sight I would not have expected this to be a Roman Catholic church but immediately I discovered that it was named Our Lady Of The Rosary there was no doubt.

The second half of the twentieth century saw a break with the historicist approach to church architecture in Ireland. Our Lady of the Rosary’s design is a good example of such a break with tradition, with a bold use of materials that contrasts and yet maintains an Italianate inspired design. The church was designed by Frank Corr and Liam McCormick and the builders were P. Molloy & Sons. Its was innovative in the use of materials as it was decided in 1950 to erect a structure that could be built quickly and, if necessary, dismantled and re-erected to fit in with the shape of the expanding population in the parish. This church and its contents occupy a significant place in the history of Irish ecclesiastical art.

FORMER ARDHU RYAN HOTEL – ARDHU HOUSE AND GATE LODGE ENNIS ROAD IN LIMERICK

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FORMER ARDHU RYAN HOTEL – ARDHU HOUSE AND GATE LODGE ENNIS ROAD IN LIMERICK

I walked a long distance to photograph Ardhu House Gate Lodge but discovered something very different on my arrival and it is a pity that I did not see the following description in advance: The magnificent house was built by Thomas Revington c. 1850. In the 1920s Major Ross Rose lived in the house (and had Rose’s Avenue called after him). Revington Park, of course, is called after the builder of the house. It became a hotel in the early 1960s and was taken over by the Ryan Hotel Group to become known as the Ardhu Ryan Hotel. It ceased operations in 2004. The Gate Lodge opposite was built on Rose’s Avenue and it wasn’t until much later that the Ennis Road entrance was built. The gate lodge has long gone from the landscape.

The, good news was, house remains and it can be seen in two of my photographs [the white building]. It is described as a detached three-bay two-storey Italianate villa style former house, built in 1865, facing east with a return and a three-bay two-storey side wing to north. A further two-bay two-storey building to north and west form a courtyard enclosed to the north by a range of stone buildings.

To the best of my knowledge Limerick Ryan hotel actually closed with a loss of 92 jobs just before Christmas 2003. I do not know, in detail, what happened between 2003 and September 2018 the site was advertised for sale and it was described as follows: The block currently comprises 43 two-bedroom suites and 18 one-bedroom aparthotel suites adjoining the former Ardhu Ryan Hotel (Ardhu House) which is in need of a complete refurbishment, and the adjoining site. Planning has been granted for 55 apartment units in the main building with a further 4 apartments in the former Ardhu House building and 7 detached two storey dwelling houses. I suspect that the hotel may have operated as The Clarion Suites.

I came across the following, published a few weeks before my April 2022 trip to Limerick:

The contents of the Ardhu Bar, Ennis Road Limerick will be auctioned off on line at 12 noon this Sunday March 13. Viewing will take place on Friday 11th and Saturday 12th on the premises between 11am to 4pm. Collection of items on Monday and Tuesday. Items in this auction include 45’ bespoke mahogany bar counter complete, outdoor benches, whiskey Barrells(sic), Parasols, Outdoor heaters, bottle crushers, kitchen equipment, Tv’s, Speakers, Cold Room, Bar furniture, Old Photographs, mirrors, glasses and lots more.

Here is how the venue was once described:

The Ardhú & The Munster Bar is a brand new development situated on the grounds of The Clarion Suites on the Ennis road in Limerick. Only yards from the Gaelic Grounds, a 5 minute walk from the Legendary Thomond Park and 10 minutes from the city centre it is ideally located for all major sporting and entertainment events.

The Ardhú consists of two bars (The Ardhú & The Munster Bar) and an adjoining courtyard which is entirely enclosed and fully heated so you can enjoy that alfresco feeling all year round.

The Venue attracts a diverse range of clientele and is family friendly, so weather you’re after a quiet pint in The Munster Bar, would like to soak up the sun in our courtyard or enjoy the upbeat friendly atmosphere in The Ardhú Bar we’ve got you covered!

-Two Great Bars One Great Location

  • Limerick’s Best Fully Heated Alfresco Area
  • All Sporting Events Shown On Our Big Screen’s
  • Ideal Location For Your Corporate Or Private Event
  • Serving Breakfast, Lunch & Evening Meals 7 Days A Week
  • Entertainment Provided By Our In House Party DJ’s & Live Bands

EXPLORING A SMALL SECTION OF ENNIS ROAD – IT’S A LONG WAY TO ENNIS

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EXPLORING A SMALL SECTION OF ENNIS ROAD – IT’S A LONG WAY TO ENNIS

I had two reasons for visiting Ennis Road. The first was to photography Our Lady Of The Rosary which is a unique freestanding single-cell timber clad Roman Catholic church, built in 1951, facing east with belfry to northeast. The second reason was to photograph Ardhu Lodge only to discover that it no longer exists. I walked from the city centre to The Gaelic Grounds known, for sponsorship reasons as the TUS Gaelic Grounds, which I did not photograph as my spare battery was not charged [I picked up the wrong one] and the two in the camera grip were exhausted as was I.

I had planned to visit Ennis but the train schedule did not suit me.

The name Ennis comes from the Irish word “Inis”, meaning “island”. This name relates to an island formed between two courses of the River Fergus on which the Franciscan Friary was built. The history of Ennis is closely associated with the O’Brien dynasty, who were descendants of Brian Boru. In the 12th century, the O’Briens, who were Kings of Thomond, left their seat of power in Limerick and built a royal residence at Clonroad on what was then an island. In 1240, King Donnchadh O’Brien ordered the construction of an extensive church which he later donated to the Franciscans. In the centuries that followed there was great activity. The Friary was expanded and students came in great flocks to study at the theological college. The Friars, who were free to move about, met the spiritual needs of the local population. It was a religious centre until the Dissolution of the Monasteries.

A QUICK TOUR OF THE NORTH CIRCULAR ROAD LIMERICK APRIL 2022

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A QUICK TOUR OF THE NORTH CIRCULAR ROAD LIMERICK APRIL 2022

I have photographed many of the locations/features mentioned below and will publish the photographs before the end of April 2022, if I have not already done so]

The North Circular Road , often referred to locally as NCR, is a residential road on the northside of Limerick, Ireland. Historically one of the more sought-after addresses in the city, house prices on the North Circular Road have declined since the Celtic Tiger though it remains one of the more prosperous areas of the city.

The west end of the North Circular Road contains mostly large detached houses. This stretch of the road and its surroundings are among the most affluent areas in Limerick. It is linked to the Ennis Road by Fortmary Park and borders Bracken Gardens and Ashbrook. The east end of the road is predominantly middle class and contains mostly semi-detached houses alongside some apartment blocks. At this end, the North Circular Road is linked to Roses Avenue, the Lower Shelbourne Road and Clanmaurice Avenue.

The Ardhú Bar is [was, as it has closed] the local pub, situated at the top of Roses Avenue near the Ennis Road. Westfield Park is a public park next to the housing estate of the same name which is located off the North Circular Road. The park’s walkways are linked by road crossing to the pathway along the River Shannon. There is a Roman Catholic church, the Church of Our Lady of the Rosary, situated between the North Circular Road and the Ennis Road.

John F. Kennedy Memorial School, a primary school for boys, and Salesian Infant School Fernbank for girls are located on the east side of the North Circular Road, as is the large public secondary school for boys Ardscoil Rís. Salesian Secondary School was a public secondary school for girls previously situated on the North Circular Road. However, in 2015, Salesian merged with St Nessan’s Community College and formed Thomond Community College, based at St Nessan’s former location in Woodview, Caherdavin.

The North Circular Road is also home to Villiers School, a private, Protestant secondary school.