River Liffey, Dublin and the Church of the Immaculate Heart of Mary
- Darren McLoughlin
- Category: Guide
Stormy day in Dublin, looking across the River Liffey towards the Church of the Immaculate Heart of Mary and the jigsaw building.
A colourful day in the Irish capital, the River Liffey reflecting some of the colour of the sky and the quayside buildings.
I wrote a few weeks ago about that magical moment on top of Croagh Patrick with a wide open panorama and brocken spectre - an atmospheric phenomenon.
You can read about that here, this was on that same fine climb with the plains of Mayo spread out below, the long stony path leading up into the cloud line and the landscape that awaits beyond.
For me photography is about capturing moments and creating a sense of place - Ireland really is my place, from the western landscapes to urban Dublin.
And with my cancer journey over the past two years it has been places and moments like this that keeps spirits high, sometimes reminiscing and sometimes getting out into the countryside to photograph.
Bad Eddie's Boat, Donegal
- Darren McLoughlin
- Category: Guide
Now little more than half an outline of a shipwrecked boat, the rotting planks that make up Bad Eddie's Boat, marooned on a Donegal beach since 1977, may soon become a more lasting figure if locals can raise enough funds to recreate the tourist attraction as a stainless steel work of art.
Overlooked by the long abandoned Óstán Gweedore, the monolithic hotel perched above the beach in Bunbeg, Bad Eddie's Boat is to be surveyed by a team from Queen's University in Belfast with the intention of recreating the structure as Ireland's first piece of submersed beach sculpture.
Seen here in 2014, the sea has not been kind to Bad Eddie's Boat. Eddie brought the French-built ship ashore here for repairs in 1977 and it has remained here ever since, providing interest to locals, visitors and artists alike.
Bono and Clannad recorded a video here for their famous track In a Lifetime back in 1986.
One of the finest and largest castles in Ireland, Cahir Castle was begun in 1142 and most of what is extant dates to the late 14th century. Situated on the River Suir, Cahir Castle is one of those fairytale castles that could be mistaken for a film set rather than a real castle. It was built by the O'Briens of Thomond.
Indeed it has featured in many films and TV series including Excalibur and The Tudors, now it is being turned into a medieval French chateau for the latest Matt Damon film The Last Duel. Based on a true story of the last official duel fought in France in 1386 between Jean de Carrouges and Jacques Le Gris it is directed by Ridley Scott and in addition to Matt Damon, it stars Adam Driver, Jodie Comer and Ben Affleck. It will film during September at the castle.
Cahir Castle is surrounded on three sides by water and for centuries controlled the crossing of the mighty River Suir, a strategic waterway leading into the interior of Ireland.
The list of people who haven't had a coffee or tea in Dublin's most famous coffee shop, Bewley's on Grafton Street, is short.
For decades it has been a meeting place for visitors to the Irish capital, friends rendezvousing for a coffee, cake and a chat at the central location.
Bewley's has also had real ups and downs in recent years, stuck with incredibly high rents on one of the most expensive streets in the world, with upward only rent reviews even during major economic downturns such as the Global Financial Crisis and COVID-19 and an incredibly uncaring landlord who - rightly or wrongly - wanted to collect all that rent regardless.
It closed in 2015 for a large scale refurbishment that took three years.
So 2020 saw Bewley's close again, for good it seemed back in May, however, late August 2020 saw the famous café reopen to cater to those in Dublin who want something with culture and a tasty coffee; Bewley's roast their own coffee and blend their own teas and for those not in Dublin you can find their beans and ground coffee in supermarkets or online - so for all you English speakers living in the EU looking for good coffee and tea, why not try some of Bewley's finest.
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