Category: Ireland

Posted on

Ha’penny Bridge Dublin

The iconic bridge crossing the River Liffey in Dublin, Ireland, showcasing the city's blend of history and modernity.

There are over 20 bridges over the River Liffey in Dublin but this is the most famous. As a fan of photographing bridges this was a must on my first evening photoshoot. Ha’Penny Bridge is Dublin’s oldest and busiest pedestrian bridge. Opened in 1816 it replaced seven ferries operated by William Walsh. Walsh choose to build this bridge rather than improve the conditions of his ferries. The name ha’penny comes from the ha’penny toll for anyone crossing the bridge. This toll was eventually dropped in 1919. In 2001 the bridge was renovated and painted its original white colour. I was a little apprehensive about this location in the evening. It is very close to a lot of the bars Dublin is famous for. Even on a Sunday evening there were a lot of drunk people around. In the hour or so I was stood in this location with my camera on the tripod only 2 or 3 people approached me. All were friendly if a little intoxicated. 



Posted on

Molly Malone Statue Dublin

A statue of a woman in a long dress standing behind a cart with three baskets on it. In the background is the stone wall of a building. The photograph is in black and white and one the ground are three plaques of information about the statue.

Molly Malone is a bronze sculpture designed by Jeanne Rynhart and erected in 1988. She was moved to her current location outside the Dublin Tourist Office (formerly St. Andrew’s Church) on Suffolk Street in 2014. This is probably one of the most famous statues in Dublin. The song “Cockles and Mussels” or “In Dublin’s Fair City” is set in Dublin and has become the unofficial anthem. There were dozens of tourist surrounding her when I went to capture this photograph. I waited at least 10 minutes for a gap in people to capture this image. Since 2014 tourists have been rubbing the statue’s bosom area “for luck”. I saw dozens of people including children do this and it made me feel pretty uncomfortable. The statue is a dark brown colour but the chest now has a bright gold glow. The black and white processing has lessened this contrast and enhanced the texture of the overall statue.



Posted on

Herbaceous border at Blarney Gardens

A serene garden pathway leads away from the camera. Framed with vibrant plants and colourful flowers on each side. Showcasing this long and blooming herbaceous border.

Visiting Blarney Castle was high on my list of must see things in County Cork. I nearly skipped the gardens but I’m very glad we didn’t. The highlight of this 60 acres of gardens and arboretums was this herbaceous border. It was in full bloom when we visited in July last year. It’s a 100 metre long double herbaceous border topped with an 80 metre rose pergola. Amazingly we had this area all to ourselves. It seems the hundreds of other tourists on coach trips only had time to queue up to kiss the Blarney Stone. I suspect many of them would have preferred this garden. It is also a wonderful background for portrait photography.



Posted on

Cranes across the Dublin skyline

A panoramic view of the Dublin city skyline from the top of the Guinness Storehouse. Showcasing the changing urban architecture of old and new with over 10 cranes working on new buildings in this growing city.

This is the view from the Gravity Bar looking south east across Dublin city. Perched on top of the Guinness Storehouse the bar offers much more than a dark beer. It is one of the best places in the city to get 360 degree views of the city. It was very crowded but worth it for the views. The tall spire on the left is St Patrick’s Cathedral. This scene caught my eye the most because of the more than 10 cranes we can see. Clearly Dublin is expanding in the areas of Portobello, Ranelagh, Ballsbridge and Sandymount. In the far distance we can see Dublin Bay. Seeing so much construction, makes me wonder how much Dublin’s skyline will change over the coming years?