Trying to keep this out of the Tavern, ’cause there is lots of photos coming in this thread that will benefit everyone.
Ireland has been enjoying an economic prosperity over the past several years for perhaps the first time in the past thousand years or so. As far as I can see, the reasons are partly because they learned to quell much of the violence left over from the middle ages and the centuries of English domination, and the connection to the European economic community which is making low intrest loans to homeowners. Also, they have the youngest average age of any educated, industrialized, population in the world, which is drawing clean industries to build factories there.
We saw construction everywhere we went. Commercial and residential.
most of the homes were modest three bedrooms running around 300K Euros but there were some pretty large homes. I didn’t see any wasteful slap your face McMansions though.
I shot hundreds of photos, half of them of entrances and doorways. I like to study well done entrances and fireplaces, because all the elements of classical construction as combined there.
Proportion
Details
Presentation
These doors are mostly in Dublin, Georgian style, in older places there. They are quite wide, because the ladies wore hooped skirts back then
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Let me try to get some photos of the regular old homes in this post.
You'll notice that there are stone walls everywhere and that most of all their walls are masonry. The new ones I saw being built seemd to be CMUs with no insulation. The wind from the gulf current keeps things moderate without being hot. Our tour guide told me that there are no basements there, and frost level is only a foot or so. I saw an excavation for one that appeared about 18" deep.
Roofs were slate, concrete tiles, and some sort of man-made composition slates, with a few thatched ones still.
I'm hoping somebody living there can tell us what those man-made slates are made of and flesh out my narration here.
Fuel is mostly peat, dug ouit of fields and dried. The smell of it drying or burning is rank, IMO. They even have electric producing facilities near the peat bogs to convert the fuel to electricity.
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CU asked if we have any Irish ancestry which seemed to be a common question the natives asked over there. They are certainly a proud race! BTW, CU, is Logan originating from Erin?A funny story on this score -
We got a chance to go to a concert one night by some singer my wife likes - Daniel o'Donnell. We- or the concierge - scored the last two seats available, but not seated together, up in the nosebleed section.I was seated next to an old couple and we got to visiting abvout many things during intermission. They asked if my wife was Irish, to which I replied that she did have a bit, mixed with her English background. They smiled and nodded, and then asked, "And you, Sir?"I told them that I had a background of mixed German, French, and Welch bloodlines. Immediately, both of them replied in unison, "Oh, don't be feeling too baaad over that. It's what's in your heart that counts, Don't ye know. And you'll find no prejudioce here in Ireland, no matter what your people were." They were so gracious in the warm way they said it, all I could do was to smile.I guess Celtic bloodlines from Wales and the continent are just not quite the same...LOLAfter the concert we visited some more, and the old woman finally unburdened herself of something. She siad, "I want you to know that without America, We Irish wouldn't have much here, and you need to know how much we appreciate it, especially we who are older."Warm feelings
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CU, is Logan originating from Erin?
There are Logans that originate form Ireland, but I am of savage, kilt wearing, haggis eating ancestery.Birth, school, work, death.....................
The black northern hounds that struck fear in the hearts of the Roman Legions, eh?
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Here is a construction detail that you would enjoy having a look at. Mike Smith has often pointed out that only sure way to gaurantee that a masonry chimney won't leak and sufer water damage is to use a through flashing.Many of the old castles were in a state of ruimation, and some are now being rebuilt for the tourist travelors to look at. but here is one that suffered less degradation. See the dark rim in the first photo looking up. Then look at the copper flashing froma closer vantage point.I don't know if this was always there, and the reason why this wall survived well, or if this was already rebuilt many years ago and this flashing was introduced then.
The concept of a cap piece to keep water out of the masonry wall was not unknown. The top of the Blarney castle had very large slabs of paverstones to cap it and form a segemnted walkway with scuppers.
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paul... can't wait to go back.. your pics reminded me all over again
here's the lord of bunratty.. my BIL , Richie
and the crown princess with Phalen's dadMike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
Thanks Mike - for some reason Prospero is not letting me look at pictures this morning, same on another thread - keeps cycling me through the login redirect....maybe later I can see those.I did a couple of other medevil shows in other castles.I could well imagine you and Helen over there a couple of times.
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long story kinda short ...
lost somewhere in the middle of England on a tight, twisty, narrow back road.
I'm driving ... left lane, of course.
road curves tight to the left ... blind curve.
we're tight to the big stone wall .... with overgrown hedges hanging down over ... they're right at about roof level ...
mutter something to Cath like ... "man, this is a tight turn ... just hope there's no big truck around that bend!"
guess what's around that bend!
big old farm truck ... filled to the brim with hay ... wide truck with an even wider load ... and I got a coupla cars right on my tail as I'm cruising at around 40 MPH or so ...
that truck was taking up all of his lane ... and a bit of mine ... with me holding as tight to that wall as possible.
I used "cartoon logic" ...
U know ... in cartoons ... the faster U go ... the longer/thinner the car gets!
Musta worked ... came about 1/2 inch from that wall ... but still had the mirror attached ... just nailed the gas and held that steerting wheel as tight as could be.
After the truck passed and I could breath ... I look to my right ...
and Cath ... who had her window down ...
was covered in hay!
Jeff Buck Construction
Artistry In Carpentry
Pittsburgh Pa
where was your camera when you needed it ?Mike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
that's the same trip where we stopped to take a pic of a goat standing up on a rock ...
Cath had the camera ...
and as I pulled away ... heard a funny little noise?
drive an hour ... stop for more pics .... no camera!
Cath seems to remember setting it on top of the car .... uh, dear!?!
I suddenly remember that litle noise ... sure coulda been an expensive camera rolling off a rental car!
so we turn around ... drive an hour back ... find the same spot ... and look and look and look. Nothing.
pissed ... I get back into the car ... start the car ... pissed ... decide I need something out of the trunk .. walk around ...
and see the camera hanging by it's strap off the antenna!
seems we took it for a 2 hour round trip drive .....
so that's where the camera was!
Jeff Buck Construction
Artistry In Carpentry
Pittsburgh Pa
Yep, sounds like Cathy got your goat
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LOL, nerves of steel won the day!or did Cathy eat you alive for that stunt?
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nerves of steel?
I had no where to go!
just wanted to make the big fire ball news worthy ....
Jeff Buck Construction
Artistry In Carpentry
Pittsburgh Pa
That's a good one buck!
Accelerating actually helps you to maintain your aim. Your instincts were correct.
blue
Looks liike you hada it a little more foggy when you were there. We only had light passing showers one day and another full day of rain. We spent only a third as much time as I'd have liked at the folk park there.
I photographed Carole in that same manor chair, but it looks like my flash didn't go off. All you can see is her eyeglasses like a cat in the dark!Did you do a tour on bus or individualize it? Our tour was CIE heritage. Excellently done.
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we rented a house in Bantry for 10 days , after staying outside Dublin at a B&B
brought my travel agent along.... put about 2000 miles on the rental car
so Dublin to Cork... with side trips to Waterford & Dingle
and , of course... a bunch of golf courses
Mike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
As I remember, there is a golf course out Dingle way, maybe up near Galway, that is the toughest in the world
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this signpost was about in the center of our travels
View Image
and some of the rocky coast .. this is Clougher
Mike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
Edited 10/16/2005 5:26 pm ET by MikeSmith
That signpost reminds me what an interesting language Gaelic is. Caomparing the gaelic spelling to the anglicized pronunciation we know all the time there.In old times, Ard Ri was the high king of all Erin. Ri meaning royalty and Ard the lofty one over all.down through time, Mac in front of a name means grandson of...So "Mac Ard Ri" became McCarthy, Descendent of the most high kings of Ireland.and I told Shredder I didn't take any notes...
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The gates to these places were all intersting, narrow passages made it easier to defend against attackers penetrating the perimeter. Gates had smaller doors in them so a visitor had to stoop and would find it hard to entrer with drawn arms.
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On Dingle, you probably saw the Cliffs of Moher? The wind up there was doing about 60MPH I was afraid the camera wouold not be focused because I was getting buffeted so bad.
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mohr is north of dingle... we didn't get that far.. saved it for the next trip
BTW.. if you want a good tale, and great scenery.. especially Mohr.. rent " Hear My Song"...
a fine movie
Mike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
"Our tour was CIE Heritage."
NOTED! (and to think, I was just about to ask ya that...)
Excellent add'l pics you've posted, and more good info too! (Coming from a non-note-taking tourist, I must say I am impressed with your recall!) ;-)
The Cliffs of Moher look fantastic - I've been wanting to visit Ireland ever since I saw a workmate's office wall adorned with about 30 pictures lined up to show an impressive panoramic view of those same cliffs, and I thought: WOW.
DUM SPIRO SPERO: "While I breathe I hope"
You liked those? Try these for plain old pretty...
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Did you play the Old Head course out past Kinsale? Have a Murphy's at the 1609?
The impoverished earl of Bantry. Did you contribute to his heating fund?
How 'bout them rhodadendrons on the Dingle peninsula?
I love Ireland.
no, on Dingle we played Ceann Sibeal... Dingle Links
here's some from the Dingle..
View Image
Mike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
Edited 10/16/2005 7:16 pm ET by MikeSmith
You might as well know that I'm copying those photos to my folder.;)I'd like to have seen that stone house, thosewere some heavy duty shingles!
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copy away !..
here's our landlady..... her husband.. the four little oshays.. my SIL, Jean petting that nasty pony
and my tour guide in front of the Dingle road map..
the road over Connor Pass..
View Image
and another view of the surf from Ceann Sibeal
Mike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
Edited 10/16/2005 8:02 pm ET by MikeSmith
i think doud has quite a collection , also...Mike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
i think doud has quite a collection , also...
not really - I made the decision not to take away from the trip by serving the camera - I did a lot of enjoying the moment - don't know if it was a good decision or not -
here's a link to Emma's pict from the trip - http://www.edoud.fotopic.net/c164541_1.html
View Image
View Image"there's enough for everyone"
Wow! we were cautioned not to go neaar the edge. 12-16 people get blown over every year, I hear!
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we were cautioned not to go neaar the edge. 12-16 people get blown over every year, I hear!
ya, they us that too - I take it with a grain of salt - another thing that impressed me was the lack of railing/safety conciousness - things that would invite lawsuits over here - here's a pict from Cahir Castle, a very nicely restored museum - you would never see a museum let tourists get into this position in the US - View Image
similarly, at Mohr the fact that you can walk right up to the edge (after jumping over a short rock wall, lol) - - you'd be separated from the edge by chainlink topped by razor wire over here...."there's enough for everyone"
What position? pacifist playing with a canon? LOL
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...pacifist...
not at all - the whole family shoots very well, thank you - we are just very discriminating as to provocation...
and speaking of culture - I think all but maybe one of your photos speak to the English culture imposed on the natives - the experience that most impressed me was the day we spent at the 'Bend in the Boyne' - an area rich in prehistoric/neolithic sites not far from Dublin - 5000 year old earthworks -
Newgrange is a 'restored' (some claim desicrated) hilltop earth/stone chambered ceremonial artifact - a stone roof that hasn't leaked in 5000 years - awsome and inspiring - "there's enough for everyone"
couple more Newgrange photos (pulled off the net)
"there's enough for everyone"
this was one of the beehive settlements that the monks lived in out on the dingle
View Image
Mike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
Edited 10/16/2005 10:55 pm ET by MikeSmith
they sure do have a supply of rocks, don't they?
"there's enough for everyone"
I was kidding you but I did think you were a pacifist too, but I am one of those who don't mind a bit a violence used appropriately.I had read some about Newgrange. That is the one place I didn't see that was on my want list. That is one fantastic shot! I'd really like to understand the real background behind it and the fairy forts
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there were 3 peninsulas ( " heads" ) sticking out into the Atlantic near Bantry
each one was it's own adventure.. this was Sleigh head..
View Image
and we ran into some condo development.. so i poked around and found a guy working.... we had lots in common... guiness, gals, golf, and building
the houses were in various states of completion , so i was able to get a pretty good time-lapse scene in half an hour..
View Image
Mike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
Edited 10/16/2005 9:49 pm ET by MikeSmith
Edited 10/16/2005 9:50 pm ET by MikeSmith
and more of the condo construction..here they used precast lintels and a poured plate
View Image
. no PT lumber... but they used a lot of Cuprinol Green #10 , remember that stuff ?
Mike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
Edited 10/16/2005 10:33 pm ET by MikeSmith
Here is one of the holes at the Old Head, near Kinsale.
View Image
oh yeah, i guess we'll be going back !Mike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
An old Irish neaighbor lady here asked me if I liked it. I said that's like asking a man if he likes sex - would I do it again? you bet!
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Good shots Mike! Those answer my question about their insulation practice. Thanks
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glad you had a good trip, Paul -
did ya hear about the tax deal? you don't pay tax on income from music or horse breeding - priorities about right, IMO -
I was impressed that after several very good economic years, the new construction I observed was modest and well done, I saw very little modern architectual obstentiousness -
celebrated my 50th at 'Richardsons' in Galway surrounded by young people with live music - a good thing indeed - View Image
"there's enough for everyone"
I couldn't get over all the palms and Rhodadendrums there. Gigantic things like we were in a jungle! I asked to be sure - they are not native to Ireland, but htey apparantly found a happy home
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missed kinsale... but probably hit the 1609..
as for the earl....
here's Helen measuring his doors
View Image
and a detail in the Earl's stables....
View Image
and the greenhouse .. and a long view of Bantry House
Mike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
Edited 10/16/2005 10:29 pm ET by MikeSmith
Edited 10/16/2005 10:31 pm ET by MikeSmith
And you'll find no prejudioce here in Ireland
They must be joking!
Edited 10/16/2005 12:39 am ET by Ace
Pif - the entryway pics are terrific (those MUSEUM doors - WOW!) but this anecdote you shared, is just PRECIOUS!!!!!!
"I told them that I had a background of mixed German, French, and Welch bloodlines. Immediately, both of them replied in unison, "Oh, don't be feeling too baaad over that. It's what's in your heart that counts, Don't ye know. And you'll find no prejudioce here in Ireland, no matter what your people were." They were so gracious in the warm way they said it, all I could do was to smile."
ROAR!!!!!!!
DUM SPIRO SPERO: "While I breathe I hope"
yeah, it's like they weren't prejudiced AGAINST anyone, but they were extremely prejudiced IN FAVOUR of the Irish. And theere was a gracefully unspoken, but perceptably felt, feeling towards the English similar to what I saw from southerners toward Yankees back in the sixties and early seventies here in America.anyway, a grand time was had by all.
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And a grand time is being had reading this thread - viewing your pics - and enjoying your anecdotes and snippets of history/cultural background.
THANK YOU!!!
DUM SPIRO SPERO: "While I breathe I hope"
Per request,There is a place right about in the center of Erin that was a crossroads of travel a thousand years ago where a saint built a church and chapel, alongside a castle. This saint issued a promise that anyone who was buried there would have a straight pass to heaven without the stop-over in the Purgatory Vestibule so to speak. Obviously, a lot of high up muckety mucks believed him over the next few hundred years. I think the place was called Clon-Maloise. I didn't take too many notes since I was on vacation and resting my head.The crossroads here was the river Shannon and the bermed up glacial sand/gravel natural highway.A story to go along with here - I have long believeedd that myths are a valid source of historical information if interpreted correctly. The castle photo here shows the defensive groundwork around it still. and the locals had stories that there was a bridge crosssing the river right near it long ago. Intelligent people always scofffed at the idea, but finally somebody did a study from the air and determined where a bridge would most likely be built. Excavations and exploration found a seeries of piers left where they collapsed right in a line across the river and lined up with remnants of a stone ramp leading to it.
Once again, local verbal mythology trumps those whop claimned to know better.
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Fireplaces were interesting and varied.
I'm glad it is not a cold climate.Bunratty castle showed a fire pit in the center of the main floor that I did not photograph. The folk park house I went in had mostly open fireplaces with peat being the fuel. I can't think of a more unpleasent smelling heat source. Buffalo chips in the nebraska and Kansas soddies would be out equivalent. It did give off heat though.We got a tour of the Jameson Distillery wheere we both got certified, but you wouldn't be interested in that?
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Piffin, I find it ironic that you take a jab at "McMansions" and then show us pictures of those ugly old houses.
I'd bulldoze them and build a McMansion sub in a heartbeat!
blue
Thank God that your just one person without the power to do it!!!
Doug
Doug, what did you find so compelling about those houses. I see houses like that everday around here when I drive through government subsidized projects.
You guys tend to romanticize everything that they do in EU and are overly critical of everything we do here.
blue
Blue
I see houses like that everday around here when I drive through government subsidized projects.
I've been to your neck of the woods and I don't think I've seen any buildings like the ones Piff posted.
Why don't you show me some of the places that your talking about. I'm doubting that they are the same, or at least in the same condition.
I don't think you'll ever hear me say that I don't want the McMansions built, hell that's how I make my living. I damn sure don't want to go back to track homes.
So what do you suggest blue, maybe every place that is 50 years old gets torn down!
A little culture wont kill ya blue
Doug
Speaking of culture
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Yeah...they should just rip all those old buildings down and put in subdivisions...
Piffin
Beautiful pictures!!!
I envy you, Ireland is one place that I would love to visit some day.
I named my youngest son Jonah Ryan, Ryan being my mothers maiden name. My sister proceeded to tell me, after I named him, that that was the name of my great great grandfather, the first of my mothers side to come to America from Ireland! I never knew. Well I knew that I was half Irish.
My vote for this being "Thread of the Month"(Taunton will be sending you the prize), and thanks for not posting it in the Tav, I wouldn't have gotten to enjoy it.
BTW, you did say that you had approx 1000 photos right, keep em coming.
Doug
These other guys are keeping em coming pretty darn good. Many of the rest of mine would be boring repitition of things I have already posted.
Couple dozen scenes of countryside flashing past thru the bus window
another hundred of Dublin doorways
Some more castles - a lot with views and angles that aren't all that great. Like seeing somebody elses slide show, it can get boring to see tha bad pictures after awhile
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Doug, I only responded to Piffin because he tossed in a dig at the McMansions, then showed this: http://forums.taunton.com/tp-breaktime/messages?msg=64551.2
The houses on that page are very ugly, in my opinion. Some of the other stuff in here is nice, but the dig at "McMansions" just doesn't make sense.
Can we maybe agree that everything in EU is NOT better than everything in the states?
blue
Blue
Can we maybe agree that everything in EU is NOT better than everything in the states?
Yes, we can agree on that!
I don't have any "romantic" feelings about Europe. I do like the look of old structures a lot more then new ones.
Take the old churches in Italy, I don't see anything today that compares. That silly crystal palace that some TV evangelist has doesn't hold a candle to any of the old churches/cathedrals.
I get to see up close and personal some of the most expensive houses around and IMHO from a purely esthetic standpoint I don't think they stack up.
I understand what your saying blue, not all things old should survive. Nor should age make it something special.
Doug
Those houses and buildings have the appeal that they do because they have been there for oh, maybe almost a thousand years or whatever.
The few we have here that have been around a few hundred also have the same appeal."To preserve liberty, it is essential that the whole body of people always possess arms..."
Richard Henry Lee, 1788First United States Senate
Intrepid, I don't doubt that the houses have been there for a thousand years. But frankly, I'm not impressed with that, unless the house that has been there for a thousand years looks good. Those ugly stacked block, cement houses remind me of something my eccentric grandfather built. He built things to last a long time, but they were ugly!
I'd bulldoze all that junk and put up some Mcmansions. They'd probably sell like hotcakes because I'm sure all the people are tired of looking at decrepid old cement structures with uninteresting flush cornice and dinky windows.
You couldn't give me half of what I saw there. Yes the intricate detailed stuff is amazing, but the rest needs to be leveled, even if it is three thousand years old. They probably don't have the best interior designs either. (I'm willing to bet my entire stash of milkbones.).
Oh yeah, I hate most of Frank Loyd Wrights stuff too.
blue
Oh yeah, I hate most of Frank Loyd Wrights stuff too.
Blue, theres another thing we agree on!!!
Doug
I was not digging at McMansions, I was comparing the idea of plain modest dwellings to elaborately wasteful ostentaciousness that is often done in poor taste and impractical ways, such as adding a multitude of dormers for show that have no dwelling spoace in them and direct water flow to land right over the entry door
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I was not digging at McMansions
Piffin, I don't believe that. YOu are always digging at McMansions. It's okay that you don't like them...I'm just not going to be impressed with something just because it's old or because someone in EU built it.
I happen to like most of the neighborhoods that we have around here and most of them would be considered "McMansions" by the elitists in here.
blue
Believe what you like, but I think you have me mixed up with somebody else. I think this is the seciond time I have even used the word McMansion here at BT.
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Piffin, I'll have to take your word on that. I stand corrected. Sorry.
blue
Thanks.
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You aren't alone. There are a lot of places being dozed to build even uglier commercial buildings
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Very nice. sometime ago a friend of mine had a poster and it was of several beautiful enrance doors to older homes, and it was titled The Doors Of Dublin. quite nice and a cool concept>
LOL, My wife bought me that poster.Story behind it -
She wanted very badly to find some irish lace curtains to buy while we were there, so as we started our free time tour of Dublin, that was first on the list. irish myths are full of stories of quests of one kind or another. This became her quest and I was her knight. We were in a area of small shops and she saw a sign for an alterations shop that advertised we do curtains! Aha! they will know where we can buy curtains, surely. We climbed four flights of stairs (know this was not easy for wife with minor heart problems and bad leg veins) and found a delightfull lady to advise us whjere to go to find thebiggest bargain basement in town that would surely have what we needed.We thought "Fantastic! A real live bargain basement." but alas, after finding our way to it - turned out that the few blocks she described was more like amile and the rain started along the way - they said they never had any lace curtains and directed us another block to another store that would have what we wanted. Gratefull that it wasn't far, we struggled on over there, only to learn that in ireland, a curtain is what we would call drapes here. The frilly lace things she wanted are called netting. Little communications snafu there had us hiking all over the place.
We were amazed that since every residence in the country seemed to have 'netting' there were sop few places to buy it. The people seemed unaware that some of the things we found so intriguing and beautifull were of no intrest or consequence to them.Anyway, we got another name for a store to buy netting which was another two or three blocks away - but what they described as being right on the corner of x&z streets was another block down, but only after wandering around for awhile.Long story, but it captures the frustration of the day. I was a perfect patient husband however, and she got her netting, but bt then, we were worn out, hungry, getting rained on, and day was almost over. So I grabbed a taxi to take us to the museum and a nearby eatery where we regrouped and then we hopped a bus to the hotel, where I left her in the care of the rest of our gang while I told her I was going out for a walk to grab a couple more pictures.She knew how much I wanted the entry photos and felt bad enough that she bought the poster while i was out shooting in the dark - fortunately the rain ceased for an hour or so. I got close to a hundred doorways, and even though some were poor because of the dark and the flsh, the contrasts I got from conditions actually made for some stunning shots too.The irony behind the photos and the poster reminds me of a short story of O'briens where she sold her long hair to buy him a watch chain while he was selling his gold watch to buy her a fine comb for her beautiful hair.
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Good story. Wish I could be there for a bit.
It was O'Henry and the story was "The Gift of The Maji"
Thanks for the correction
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Thanks for the informative tour and all the photos. Just one question...
Erin Go Braugh?Griff
O. Henry, actually. AKA William Sydney Porter.
Piffin,
Great thread!
"To preserve liberty, it is essential that the whole body of people always possess arms..."
Richard Henry Lee, 1788First United States Senate
Ah, didn't know that. Thanks.
I believe the story you refer to is "The Gift of the Magi" by O. Henry...
Did you go to the medieval banquet at Bunratty?
I'm jealous!
Kate
Edited to add: OOps - wrote this before I scrolled down...Oh, well, now you have it from two independent sources...
Edited 10/15/2005 10:32 pm ET by kate
I thought I would make a mention about roads over there. There are a couple places where a hillrow something like a large long sand bar rises up across the country. it was formed by deposits from the receding ice glaciers quite a long time ago. These were the first highways for hundreds of years, but other than that, there were few roads.
Then in the great Hunger of the potatoe virus days around 1839-40, so many young people and men died or left the country that older women were about all left for a workforce. Certain English who ruled the country finallu got around to forming a sort of WPA to provide a working way for the Irish to earn moneyu to buy food with. The info I got is that the women of Ireland were thus put to work to build the roads that wind everywhere.They are not wide roads, except some newer multilane divided ones. and they drive on the wrong side of the road there too, leading to some thrills before you get used to it.We were also told that they call that time a 'hunger' rather than a famine because there was plenty of food in the country, all on the hoof, and under the hens which mostly all belonged to the English landlords who weren't too intereted in sharing until the thousands of deaths finally shamed them into helping. Far too many of the 'criminals' sent to Australia were guilty of petty theft for trying to feed their families or of paoching for hunting on private land. That background of class consciousness goes a long way to explaining why Unions are such a strong part of the Irish culture here and there.
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It looks like an excellent land for a bicycle trip.
Yes and no.The scenery is nice and the roads are not steep, but they are narrow and with rock walls bounding them, no place to get over. I don't recall seeing very many bikes or motorcycles on the roads. There was always a wind too, so you'd want to plan your route to have it at your back.MY BIL was along too, and he stopped in at the Harley dealer there in Dublin. he was disappointed that they only had two models in stock with almost no options available. Reminiscent of the days when we could buy a car here in Ameica in any colour we wanted, as long as we wanted black. LOL. I don't know if that limit if from the HD people here in the states , or a decision made by the dealer here or a cultural choice. We did meet a couple diff guys whose goal was to own a harley someday.personally, I would be scarred to death to ride a bicycle on the roads in Ireland
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Stone exteriors ------ Yeah
no wood!!!!!!!!
The nicest way, i hear, is a 'caravan' - horse-drawn trailer. Clop-clop all day for about 10 miles (after you've caught your horse in the morning), visiting all the pubs. Of course, you'd have to get used to Guiness, so thick you could walk on it.All the best...
To those who know - this may be obvious. To those who don't - I hope I've helped.
My understanding is that the caravans are the domain of the Travelors - irish gypsies not held in high esteem by many there. Various kinds of obtuse terminology profiling them as thiefs of one sort or another was used, with attitude.I found a more pleasant ale called Smithwycks to drink.
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Ah, yes. Travellers. I was in the UK in Sept and the farmers were wont to place farm equipment across their gateways to deter same. However there are several Co's that provide the vacations I described...
And Smithwicks is made by Guiness. Bl**dy nice it is too, and probably more acceptable to N.A. tastes brought up on Bud etc (BTW, N.A. beer is what the Brits would describe - if they found anything positive to say about it - as lager, made with yeast at the bottom. Probably because of the numbers of German and E. European immigrants to the US. Whereas the average Brit beer is flat as ink and as tepid...but then, no-one pulled out of a prairie snowdrift would ask for a 'warm one')All the best...
To those who know - this may be obvious. To those who don't - I hope I've helped.
So was there a pot of gold at the end of that rainbow?
Looks like a great trip. Mom had a chance to go to Ireland at the end of September, but decided not to. I think she would have enjoyed the trip and was sorry she didn't go.
Do you have larger versions of some of the pics? Kilarney Lake, View_ring of Kerry2, Muckross Abbey_h, road.. All would make nice wallpaper :)
On the topic of fortifications... here's a view from an 'archers slit' (pic I took a few years back). Fortunately at the time I was there they didn't have to deal with anything worse than maurading tourists. ;)
jt8
"Real difficulties can be overcome; it is only the imaginary ones that are unconquerable. " --Theodore N. Vail
That was pretty much the size I shot them at. There were maybe a half dozen or so that were larger due to the selector on the camers getting flipped.
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Four years ago my brother in law, who is married to a Wicklow girl, built a house in West Cork. He paid for six members of his extended family including me to come over and work on his house for a couple of weeks. The masonry and plastering work that the contractor had done were beautiful but his carpenters were second rate. The contractor was happy to have us lay the wood floors, hang and trim the doors and do various other carpentry tasks, especially since he was behind schedule with his other work. That sure sounded familiar.
We mixed work with hikes in the West Cork and Kerry hills and nightly trips to the pubs.
Anyone interested in biking in Ireland can have a great time but I would advise you to stay on the back roads. What we would call a one lane road, they use for two lanes and god help you when a truck is coming the other way. You need nerves of steel.
Did that house have any insulation in the walls?
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Yes. Blocks inside and outside with 2" foam between them. The outside wall had stone veneer on the front and cement plaster on the sides and back. The finish was dictated by the county council. Inside wall had a gypsum type plaster. The plastering inside and out was beautiful. The stone work was only so-so. Some of the work was obviously done by an apprentice.
meanwhile.. back at the condos...
here's the fascia /soffit detail
View Image
Mike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
Edited 10/17/2005 9:31 pm ET by MikeSmith
Edited 10/17/2005 9:31 pm ET by MikeSmith
and...met the carpenter ..
View Image
keeps his clubs ready to go.. these are Ping Eye2.. same as mine..
and his tools..
and the carp.
his plaster buddy is working in the next unit
Mike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
Edited 10/17/2005 11:32 pm ET by MikeSmith
here's some of their work vans...
and the skip sheathing for the roofing..
View Image
and framing for a stairwell...
and a finished unit..
Mike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
Edited 10/17/2005 11:39 pm ET by MikeSmith
after all that work..... it was time for lunch
the pub was right down the street....
and the natives were friendly...
View Image
Mike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
Edited 10/17/2005 11:42 pm ET by MikeSmith
here's the Rock of Cashiel..
and Jamison's Distillery....
and the official taster..
View Image
and Dooks Golf Course..
and Dave made us a Black & Tan
Mike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
Edited 10/17/2005 11:54 pm ET by MikeSmith
I see you are certified too. Which of the five did you like best? The Powers got my attention most, but that Jamison is the smoothest I've ever had
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i'm pretty sure i picked the Jamison's..
BTW.. i still have a bottle of Black Bush still sealed in the metal canister..
you and Carole come for a visit, we'll crack the sealMike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
the Irish part has slowed a bit, and I'd like to share a pict of some shingle work I noticed in SE England, where we visited the small town my forebear left to come to the new world - it's not as elegant as Roger's work at Riverfest, but I really like the 'folk-art' feel of it -
View Image"there's enough for everyone"
i'll put that under consideration. I'm sceduled for the cardiac ablation on nov 16 and just yesterday, I found out that the pain in my shoulders is torn rotator cuffs. Between the two, it looks like I'll have some time on my hands to learn to be more of a manager than a carpenter.
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You're gettin' good at this spelling biz PFN...found lots re "cardiac ablation" on first try.
This PDF file from July 2002 of FDA guidance to industry, document, was interesting. Left me wondering if you're talking going the conventional RF catheter route or.........?........(this stuff way outta my area of expertise so I'm just trying to understand what you're gonna be getting done on 11/16)
http://www.fda.gov/cdrh/ode/guidance/1382.pdf#search='cardiac%20ablation'DUM SPIRO SPERO: "While I breathe I hope"
Thanks for that link. I've read dozens and haven't seen that one. My reported success rate of 97% is from the Eropean literature. My own cardiac guy does about 200 per year and has a success rate about 95%Ventricular tachycardia - normal heart - re this document
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I mewant to add that this document is dated 2002 so that may account for the difference of 86% vs 95% success rate as they get better over time.
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
Glad to hear your confidence in the doc and info re his experience. This is GOOD.
Thanks for confirming your particular specifics: "Ventricular tachycardia - normal heart - re this document" as that helps me figure out the applicability of literature I'm reading, so as to be somewhat cognizant of what you're talking about and going through.
Care about ya buddy.
Know ya like to be out on the edge - where (how did you put it? LOL!) oh yeah, where the action is!!!!
;-)DUM SPIRO SPERO: "While I breathe I hope"
Thanks - you too
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Hey - just finished the first coat of paint on the "accent wall" of my living room.
What the heck does this have to do with YOU you ask...
Well for whatever reason, I been listening to Irish bands and jigs all afternoon.
Must be the Cliffs of Moher made me do it!
:-)
DUM SPIRO SPERO: "While I breathe I hope"
That music is great for getting more work out of a tired body
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An Irish carpenter said to another "Paddy, when I'm dead will you pour a bottle of Jamisons on my grave?"
"Sure I will" said Paddy, "But would you mind If I drank it first"
LMAO!
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Wonder where they're getting their lumber (excuse me... timber) from? Canada?
jt8
"Real difficulties can be overcome; it is only the imaginary ones that are unconquerable. " --Theodore N. Vail
Top o the morning toya!,
Glad to hear you enjoyed the trip, puts me in mind of the tourist doing the ring of Kerry trip as follows
Hank and Gertrude doing the ring of Kerry by hertz rent a car, upon climbing up a particularly hazardous stretch of road they see a wee fella with a waistcoat, a pointy hat, a pair of size two shoes and a shilleleagh. All is not well as the wee fella is sitting on a damp rock , hands clasping his knees and moaning, Gertrude being the inquisitive type goes straight over to him and asks
**Sir are you a goblin?**
To which he replies **jaysus no , I just have a splitting headache** lol
The heritage trips are particularly well done here, but to see the real unglossed Ireland its probably best to strike off with a map and a keen sense of economic thrift as in all honesty the tourism industry could double as a sheep shearing organisation such is their ability to fleece lol