I RETURN CORK UNIVERSITY CAMPUS AFTER A YEAR AND THIS TIME I USED SONY A7RM2 WITH 28-135mm LENS

Last year I spent three days in Cork and it rained most of the time and I had to abandon my plans to photograph the University campus because the rain got so heavy that I ended up photographing raindrops.

This year I decided to spend five days in the city assuming that that it was unlikely that it would rain for five days without stop. As you may have guessed, it did rain every day but as there were many extended dry spells the weather did not impact on my photography. I did, however, have have a problem with dust on my sensor. I discovered that there was a large object attached to the sensor and I was unable to remove it but it only obvious under certain conditions. Further investigation leads me to believe that the debris was there since my visit to Belfast.

 Previous years I walked from location I walked from location to location but this year I used the bus service which I found to be good. I got a lot advice from the bus drivers as to what I should photograph and how best to get to the locations in question.

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FRED ZEPPELINS [8 PARLIAMENT STREET CORK]

Fred Zeppelins is a well known Bar and Live Venue located in the centre of Cork City. There has been a pub at this site since 1825 and Fred Zeppelins was established in October 1997.

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IDAHO CAFE [CAROLINE STREET CORK]

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MORE INFORMATION

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STRANGE CLOCK IN CORK - PRIME TIME CLOTHING LIMITED WASHINGTON STREET CORK

I do not know if someone made a mistake and installed [or reinstalled] the clock faces incorrectly. As the business is “Prime Time” Clothing Limited maybe the clock is some form of advertising. Any suggestions?

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KIELYS A MUCH LOVED FISH AND CHIP SHOP [ESTABLISHED IN 1940]

I am currently trying to publish photographs of places that are likely to change or disappear in the near future.

 This was a much loved chip shop in Cork City and it was operated by Matty Kiely. Sadly it closed in 2007.

 According to local media an Italian husband and wife duo Fabio and Fiorella Delicata have acquired the compact take-away on Maylor Street.

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BEFORE I DIE WALL - CORNER OF KYLE STREET AND NORTH STREET IN CORK

In 2014 a group of French girls (Marianne Laugraud, Barbara Lordan, Marie Chandemerle and Anaïs Lhoste) created the Before I Die wall in Cork. The wall is part of a global project started in 2011 by artist Candy Chang in her home town of New Orleans.

Visit http://beforeidie.cc/walls/neworleans-usa.html 

This was photographed 21 July 2015 but I only got around to processing it today 8th. September 2016.

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A MARIAN GROTTO IN CORK AT THE CORNER OF DUNBAR STREET AND MARGARET STREET IN CORK CITY

I do not remember photographing this Marian Grotto during my June 2015 visit to Cork, I don’t even remember being in the area.

 Unfortunately I do not have any information about the statue or the site other than it is located at the corner of Dunbar Street and Margaret Street. It is well maintained.

 Any information would be appreciated

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GABRIEL HOUSE B&B AS SEEN FROM KENT RAILWAY STATION IN CORK

Offering views of the Cork skyline, Gabriel House bed-and-breakfast is about 8 minutes walk from Kent train station and 9 minutes walk from Merchants Quay Shopping Centre.

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GABRIEL HOUSE FOR B&B - CORK CITY

There is no question about it, staying here for a few nights is a wonderful experience and it is impossible not to recommend Gabriel House. If you are booking make sure to include breakfast.

I stay here every time I visit cork and this time I booked four nights rather than my usual two nights and for the first time since 2008 rain was not a problem because if it did rain it did so during the night and did not impact on my photography.

The hotel is described as being on a hill and when they say a hill they are not joking. If you are not fit and fully mobile and you plan to walk around the city you may need to consider elsewhere but the prices are likely to be much higher. This year I found a very good solution in that there is an excellent and frequent bus service with stops beside the hotel. My advice is purchase a LEAP card and use the bus service.

If you need to get to the hotel from the railway station there is a short route described as follows: Come out of the train station onto the Lower Glanmire Road; cross the street and turn left. You will see a series of steps on your right hand side. climb these steps and continue straight ahead to Summerhill North. Turn right and you will see Gabriel House after 200m or so. In the past I have used these steps on a regular basis but this year I avoided the steps as there now appears to be a group of individuals engaged in heavy drinking towards the top of the steps from about 3pm onwards and it can be difficult to get by them especially if you are alone.

I am already planning my City Visits for 2017 and started booking hotels yesterday using booking.com and expedia.ie and already I got a big surprise when I tried to book. This year I paid Euro 59.40 per night in 2015 I paid 110 for two nights so I was expecting to pay about Euro 125 in July 2017. Using expedia.com the price was Euro 216 for two nights [free cancellation] this was much more than I was willing to pay so I decided to try booking.com and found a room at Euro 102 for two nights which was really good but there was a catch in that the terms and conditions had changed since I last booked. Now an up-front part-payment is required and it is no longer possible to cancel without having to pay 70% of the total.

The Euro 102 price is very good, as it includes an excellent breakfast, but I am not willing to book a year in advance, part pay up-front and then not have the option to cancel.

The Metropole Hotel is available at a much higher price [Euro 198] but they are offering free cancellation.

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EXPLORING KENNEDY QUAY - THE PORT OF CORK

During its 400 year history, Kennedy Quay and its associated docklands have been the seat of commerce and trade for the City of Cork however the area has been in decline for many years.

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CORK FIRE AND RESCUE SERVICE - 2014

Cork City Fire Brigade

Central Fire Station, Anglesea Street, Cork, Ireland.
Tel: 021-4966333 Fax: 021-4310745 Email: fireoff@corkcity.ie

Wan Fu Chinese Restaurant In Cobh (County Cork)

Wan Fu Chinese Restaurant In Cobh (County Cork), a photo by infomatique on Flickr.

Cobh (pronounced Cove) dominates Cork Harbour one of the largest natural harbours in the world. This colourful town has experienced invasion, emigration, transportation and a wealth of maritime adventure.

Attractions in the town include St. Colman's Cathedral, a magnificent 19th century Gothic revival and home to the largest Carillon (49-bells), in Ireland and the UK. The Cathedral Spire overlooks the brightly painted town of Cobh and the inner islands of the harbour, Spike Island, renowned for its historical legacy and Fort and Haulbowline Island site of the oldest yacht club in the world, the Royal Cork Yacht Club which was founded in 1720.

Cobh became the country's main emigration port following the Great Famine of 1846 - 1848 Following the visit of Queen Victoria in 1849, the town was renamed Queenstown but in 1921, it reverted to the old name of Cobh.

On the shoreline, a statue memorialises Annie Moore, the first immigrant to disembark at Ellis Island. Coffin and prisoner ships, bound for the southern hemisphere, all embarked from this shoreline. The Titanic's last port of call was Cobh and the ill-fated Lusitania also has a tragic association with the town. Cobh's unique origins are dramatically recalled in the Queenstown Story, on the Titanic Trail and at the Cobh Museum. The Cobh Heritage Centre also offers a Genealogy service

My Favourite Chinese Restaurant In Cork City - The Ambassador

My Favourite Chinese Restaurant In Cork City - The Ambassador, a photo by infomatique on Flickr.

Unfortunately this restaurant ceased trading in June 2014

Hillbilly's Chicken Restaurant - Grand Parade (Cork City)

Hillbilly's Chicken Restaurant - Grand Parade (Cork City), a photo by infomatique on Flickr.

Golden Chopsticks Chinese Restaurant - St. Patrick's Street Cork

Golden Chopsticks Chinese Restaurant - St. Patrick's Street Cork, a photo by infomatique on Flickr.

Tung Sing Chinese Restaurant - St. Patrick's Street

Tung Sing Chinese Restaurant - St. Patrick's Street, a photo by infomatique on Flickr.

Cork Butter Museum - Ireland

Cork Butter Museum - Ireland, a photo by infomatique on Flickr.

Shandon Area of Cork City

Shandon is the area north of the River Lee, right in the center of Cork and well worth a trip across the North Channel by way of the Christy Ring Bridge.

The Church of St Anne in Shandon on Shandon Street is home to the famous Shandon Bells, built in 1720's it is one of Cork's most famous landmarks. The design of the building consists of a square tower surmounted by a lantern, on top of the lantern is a copper dome with a gilded weather vane in the shape of a salmon. Two sides of the tower are made from red sandstone and the other two are made from limestone. The four-faced clock, made by James Mangan of Cork, was erected by Cork Corporation in 1847 and had been known as "The Four Faced Liar" ( also "The Four Liars") as the clocks never agreed. According to tourist guides this problem has been rectified but some of my photographs show that some of the clocks do not agree.

The Cork Butter Museum is a unique institution, celebrating one of the great success stories of Ireland, the butter trade. Located in the historic Shandon area of Cork city, the story begins with the central role of dairy culture in the Island of Saints and Scholars. The Museum goes on to describe the internationally important Butter Exchange in nineteenth century Cork, the traditional craft of home butter making and the modern success of the Kerrygold brand. In the course of this story, the commercial, social, and domestic life of Ireland is recalled.

The Firkin Crane building was designed by Sir John Benson and opened in 1855. The building is a unique rotunda, which formed part of Cork's original Butter Exchange.

This building forms part of an interesting group of related structures with the former butter market buildings in the Shandon area. The butter trade originating from Cork City in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries stretched to Great Britain, Europe, North America, the Caribbean, and the West Indies. Indeed the building's name derives from Danish words pertaining to measures of butter. Firkin is a Danish word meaning quarter barrel and in former times these firkins or casks were tarred and weighed on a balance known as a crane.

The building is also of archaeological significance as it was constructed on the site of medieval Shandon Castle. This site was occupied by the Dominicans, who had a chapel and convent here from 1784 until 1840.

When the Butter Market closed in 1924 James Daly and Sons occupied the building until the 1970’s when they moved their margarine manufacturing business to new premises. The building also housed a hat factory for a time.

The Firkin Crane was completely destroyed by fire in 1982. It reopened in 1992 and is now a bustling centre for dance of all kinds. With four dance studios and two performance spaces, it is a unique building for dance in Ireland. Large scale performances run throughout the year along with a range of regular classes and workshops across a spectrum of dance styles. The Firkin Crane is a permanent base for Cork City Ballet, Crux Dance Theatre and equally home for all the professional and community dance artists in the area.


The Cathedral of St. Mary and St. Anne, known locally as the North Chapel, is located at the top of Shandon Street, in one of the most historic areas of Cork. The Cathedral is the principal church of the diocese of Cork & Ross and is the place where major diocesan celebrations take place. The Cathedral was dedicated in 1808 and celebrated its bicentenary in 2008. The interior was rebuilt by George Richard Pain, in 1828 following a fire. The tower dates from 1862. John Hogan produced the apostles and the saints figures, and the bas relief, "Last Supper" as well as the Bishop Murphy mural monument. Turnerelli produced the bust of Bishop Moylan.

St. Colman’s Cathedral is a Roman Catholic Cathedral located in Cobh, Ireland

St. Colman’s Cathedral is a Roman Catholic Cathedral located in Cobh, Ireland, a photo by infomatique on Flickr.

Cobh cathedral is a neo-gothic cathedral, designed by the architects, Pugin and Ashlin. The cathedral is one of the first sights that many tourists get when they travel to Cobh on one of the many cruise ships that call to our town each summer. It towers over the town of Cobh and Cork Harbour. The cathedral was dedicated to St.Coleman who founded the Diocese of Cloyne in 560AD. Coleman was poet to the King of Munster at Cashel. Influenced by St. Brendan and St. Ita, he left the King to become a priest.

St. Colman’s Cathedral is a Roman Catholic Cathedral located in Cobh, Ireland

St. Colman’s Cathedral is a Roman Catholic Cathedral located in Cobh, Ireland, a photo by infomatique on Flickr.

Cobh cathedral is a neo-gothic cathedral, designed by the architects, Pugin and Ashlin. The cathedral is one of the first sights that many tourists get when they travel to Cobh on one of the many cruise ships that call to our town each summer. It towers over the town of Cobh and Cork Harbour. The cathedral was dedicated to St.Coleman who founded the Diocese of Cloyne in 560AD. Coleman was poet to the King of Munster at Cashel. Influenced by St. Brendan and St. Ita, he left the King to become a priest.

Street Art And Graffiti In Cork

Street Art And Graffiti In Cork, a photo by infomatique on Flickr.