Urban Expression And Depression By Infomatique
ANOTHER VISIT TO THE UNIVERSITY CAMPUS – GRANGEGORMAN
Today was beautiful, even though snow may be on the way (I doubt it), so I decided to use a Voigtlander 15mm lens with my Sony A7RIV.
The lens is manual and can be a bit difficult to use especially because lens flare can be a problem in strong spring sunlight. Here is a review of the lens https://phillipreeve.net/blog/review-voigtlander-15mm-4-5-e-super-wide-heliar/
THE BARLEY MOW PUB HAS BEEN DEMOLISHED 92-93 FRANCIS STREET
The Barley Mow was at the corner of Francis Street and Mark’s Alley West. When I photographed it a few weeks I noted that its condition was getting worse at an increasing rate.
Here is an extract from the planning application: “Demolition of the existing structures and the construction of a four-storey, plus set-back fifth, aparthotel consisting of a ground floor community space/ café with 19 suites above and bin store to the rear.”
The Dublin InQuirer featured a photograph of the building being demolished claiming that “Dublin City Council has refused permission to tear down a derelict building at 92 and 93 Francis Street in Dublin 8 and replace it with an aparthotel”.
A few days ago the same publication featured the following headline “Council Both Refused and Gave Permission for Francis Street Building to Be Torn Down”.
A barley mow is a stack (mow) of barley, especially barley that was cultivated and then harvested. Barley is a grain that is commonly malted for brewing beer.
The Barley Mow is a cumulative song celebrated in the traditions of the folk music of Ireland, England, and Scotland. William Chappell transcribed the lyrics in his two-volume work The Ballad Literature and Popular Music of the Olden Time (1855).
“The Barley Mow” has become a drinking song sung while comrades empty their glasses. In one “Barley Mow” drinking game, any participant who fails to sing the song’s (progressively expanding) refrain in a single breath must drink. In another, participants drink just after singing the second line in each verse (“Good luck to the barley mow”); if one’s glass is not empty by the final verse, one must finish the drink after singing the line.
WHEN WILL I BE ABLE TO WALK ALONE – PROTEST STREET ART
Above the green bin at the left hand side of this black wall there is what is known as a “Sheela na gig” which I am not allowed to publish as my photographs are rated as “family friendly” by Google. A few years ago my Pinterest account was suspended [blocked] because I included photographs of an ancient Sheela na gig I also had problems with Flickr.
I should explain that there is an ongoing project known as Project Sheela paying tribute to sites of significance to women’s rights. To the best of my knowledge the street art project was founded by two Dublin artists celebrating female sexuality in Ireland.
This year, images were placed at seven locations, with one being placed in a location each day during the week of International Women’s Day. Details and stories about the locations were posted on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/projectsheela/
My mother, who will be 101 in May, has always claimed that there is a huge number of men who dislike women and even more who have no respect for women. Until recently I thought that she was exaggerating.
Over the last few years I have begun to realise how badly women have been [are being] treated and I am beginning to realise that it may be a lot worse than I ever believed.
THE IRISH YEAST COMPANY IS SLOWLY FADING AWAY – 29 MARCH 2021
Yesterday I published some photographs that showed the Dublin Yeast Company as it was back in 2007 and I promised that I would revisit and photograph it as it is today, assuming that it is still intact.
The good news is that it is still there but there is no doubting the fact that it is, like an old soldier, slowly fading away.
Early in 2018 the Irish Yeast Company building was placed on the market as John Moreland, who lived above the shop for forty years, had died and as no one was interested in taking over business as a going concern.
The building at 6 College Street sold for €850,000 to Declan Doyle the owner of Doyle’s pub next door to Bowe’s Pub on Fleet Street. The plan was to knock through the wall of Bowe’s pub into the mid-18th century building and combining the site at College Street and Fleet Street.
