Beauty spots Historical buildings of Fingal & N.C.D

LeoB

Some of you may have spotted our Library Camera Group out and about over the last few months. We have had a few outing and the group is very enjoyable. Some sample photographs are here
http://www.flickr.com/groups/1572279@N22/

One of our aims is to try and produce a set of photographs ( of 40+ sites) of beauty spots and historical buildings of North Dublin. Yesterday we visited Skerries mills and have plans for other outings in North Dublin over the next 3 months. Hopefully come June?July we will have enough images to give to Fingal C.C in recognition of their work on our new Library.

Maybe a poll here or vote here on what you consider to be a nice spot around North Dublin or an historical building??????

Rush Library
Howth Head
Newbridge House
Ardgillen
Skerries Mills
Nature/Wildlife
Countryside
Harbours

Any suggestions would be much appreciated.
Maybe you would like to join us some day for an outing. Its a very sociable group with a focus on helping each other

eh i dunno

Round Tower in Lusk?

Corsendonk

Balbriggan Railway Viaduct and Harbour(without the minesweeper)
Lambay Island(it does dominate the coastline)
Ireland Eye
Rockabill
Martello Towers(you have a choice there)
Hampden Round Tower Folly in Portrane
St Ita's Hospital- example of victorian red brick building and social history.
Swords Castle
Royal Canal Blanchardstown
Malahide Train Station- still has the GNR logo in Iron work last time I checked.
Hamilton Momument Skerries
Baldungan Castle(Church)
Howth Castle
Baily Lighthouse
Skerries Islands
Swords Abbey- Round Tower
St Maur Chapel Rush- Whitestown graveyard
Band Stand- remember the one in Rush if you can find one in any condition left in Fingal. Dun Laoghaire/Rathdown have done a brilliant job on the one in Dun Laoghaire harbour and its an example of a lost Victorian age.

The Hill Billy

Views of the Mournes from Skerries or views of the Dublin mountains from Man O' War.

The few remaining thatched cottages anywhere in NCD.

Views of NCD towns from the many islands off shore. (Not many of us get a view from that perspective.)

The 'Stewards' Cottages' at each side of Ardgillan Gates.

LeoB

Corsendonk, you are a gem and the newly elected secretary of our Camera Group:)

Eoineo

Here's some of mine:

Bremore Castle
Balscaddan Church
Balbriggan Mills (the old signs can still be seen) and the chimney stacks nearby
Balbriggan Viaduct
Rush Heritage Centre
Skerries Harbour - particularly the old boats
Any of the many Martello Towers along the coastline. My favourites are Skerries & Malahide - because of the ivy.
Malahide Train Station
The Casino in Malahide - now derelict but beautiful in it's heyday.
Malahide Castle
The museum (cottage) at the entrance to Malahide Castle
Seamus Ennis Centre
Baldungan Castle
Howth Library
Howth Pier
Sutton New Library - I'm a big fan of the contrast between old & new so I also have some new favourites
Father Collins Park
Country Crest
Lady's Stairs
Ardgillan Castle
St Ita's in Portrane - not sure how it would work for access but I do like the buildings out there
The horticultural gardens in both Ardgillan & Malahide Desmesne - you will need to talk to the council about Malahide. Likewise the old church to the rear of Malahide castle. Access is only by prior arrangement and supervision.
Newbridge House
Lambay
Ireland's Eye
The Skerries Rocks - if you can get a boat to take you closeby but not land

Plenty more where that came from. I'm not that familiar with Rush/Lusk/Donabate areas as I'd like to be.

A.Partridge

Not sure where your cut-off point for North County is Leo, but you could do

worse than visit St Anne's Park at Raheny/Clontarf.



Some very nice follies there plus trees and ponds etc:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/seoirseosial/sets/72157625638682359/

pinkypinky

I think the various Carnegie libraries are lovely - Malahide & Swords - is there also one in Balbriggan?

Corsendonk

The Tower in the Naul, not a well know building.

http://www.photographyireland.net/tower-near-the-naul-t28248.html

I be interested if anyone knows anything about it.


The Ultimate Historical List would be FCC Protected Structure List

http://www.fingalcoco.ie/devplan/yourfingal1/Stage4/written_statement/Appendix%20A-Record%20of%20Protected%20Structures%20.pdf

LeoB

Great information there folks and thank you all for your input.

I will bring a list to our group on Thursday evening and we will see where it takes us. We have probably visited some of the sites over the years but to go back as a group and get some decent images will be our challenge.

It would be great if we can produce a nice set of images to showcase what Fingal has to offer, which judging by the suggestions is quite a lot.

Keep your suggestions coming
Thanks again
LeoB

LeoB

Next Thursday night we are doing a night shoot in Balbriggan to kick off our project to Photograph as many historical, interesting and beauty spots around this part of the world.

The Harbour, Viaduct, Mills and maybe a street scene depending on weather, time and light.

We plan to concentrate on approx 10 sites between now and June. When we look at what we have from each site we visit we want to be able to revisit that site to ensure we get the type of images we want.

So far,
Rush ~ Rush Library, Rogerstown estuary, The Harbour, Drummanagh, Whitestown and Kenure graveyards

Skerries ~ Mills and harbour

Balbriggan ~ Ardgillen, Viaduct, Harbour and Mills

Lusk ~ Round Tower

Portrane ~ St Itas

Swords ~ County hall, Castle and broadmeadows

Malahide ~ Castle and grounds Estuary

Howth ~ Harbour, head, Bailey lighthouse

Naul/Ballyboughal/Oldtown & Garristown ~ Various village scenes

Most areas of fingal have some very beautiful spots and these look particularly well during spring and hopefully we will be able to capture it.
There is also substantial bird life around Fingal, (apart from nightclubs) and we hope to get images of as many as possible. There is plenty of top class sport also around Fingal and N.C.D in particular has some top class clubs.

Bluetonic

Make sure you catch the Brent Geese before they head off in the early spring, they are truly amazing birds when you consider what they go through twice a year.

Photos here from Blackrock beach, Balbriggan.



Mixing with some of the locals here, safety in numbers.

Duzzer

Drumanagh is in Loughshinny

What about Loughshinny Bay?

LeoB

Duzzer wrote: »

Drumanagh is in Loughshinny

Parish of Rush

Yeah Loughshinny Bay is a lovely spot and is on our agenda for about 2 weeks time.

We might need a model if you are free? Free to pose that is!! Oh and no fee's

Duzzer

LeoB wrote: »

Parish of Rush

Yeah Loughshinny Bay is a lovely spot and is on our agenda for about 2 weeks time.

We might need a model if you are free? Free to pose that is!! Oh and no fee's

No bother Leo! sure Loughshinny is in the parish of Rush aswell but Drumanagh has always been referred to as being in Lougshinny even from ancient times. Anything North of the Kenure gates at St Catherines is in Loughshinny as far as I know.

Irish Halo

Baldongan Castle?

deelite

Another poster mentioned Irelands Eye is that accessible to the general public or do you need an invite (I think I may be confusing this with another island around the area).

LeoB

We have an outing planned for tonight to Balbriggan but 4 or 5 are sick or working late. So If any of you want to tag along please feel free. We are going to be around the Harbour and Viaduct.We will be the people with tripods shivering at the harbour wall. We will be there from about 7.20 and be in vicinity for about an hour to an hour and a half. Hopefully it will stay dry

LeoB

Balbriggan went ok. biting cold with a N/E wind whipping up along the harbour.

Better day in Howth yesterday

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Bailey Lighthouse H.D.R.

TangyZizzle

Im stickin this request here cos its a pic thread.

Would I be correct in thinking there used to be a stand in St Maurs GAA club? Does anyone have a picture of it?

LeoB

TangyZizzle wrote: »

Im stickin this request here cos its a pic thread.

Would I be correct in thinking there used to be a stand in St Maurs GAA club? Does anyone have a picture of it?

Yeah you would be correct, there were actually 2 stands.

If you are familiar with the grounds of St. Maurs where the ambulance entrance is now is where the gate into the pitch was. About 80yards up along the wall is where the dressing room block was and that had a stand in front of it. Mind you I only remember 2 rows of planks. On the opposite backing on to where Maurice Butterlys Oil is there was a stand, covered area which was a blessing for spectators during the winter especially with a north easterly wind as it gave great shelter. I am sure I have pictures of them but to put my hands on them will difficult. I will have a look during the week and will happily pass them on.

At the time the grounds opened in 1963 the facilities were state of the art. 4 Dressing rooms with showers and toilets, referees room, Ladies and gents toilets, scoreboard and a room for a shop. 99% of the work was volentarily by members in the evenings.

Probably the last big crowd there for a game was in 1983 when Dublin played Tyrone in the All-Ireland junior semi-final with an attendance of over 4,000. In 1980 Man-O-War and Finngallians played there in the Dublin junior championship final and there was a huge crowd at that also, definatley the biggest I have seen. I would say both of these clubs have photos from the day which may include the stands.

TangyZizzle

Cool. I vaguely remember the dressing rooms you speak of from my days in the summer camps as a kid. The scoreboard too. We tried to climb it once, my mates dad caught him by the ankle, dragged him down and gave him a belt. Then I was escorted off to my Mammy so she could do the same :pac:

LeoB

TangyZizzle wrote: »

Cool. I vaguely remember the dressing rooms you speak of from my days in the summer camps as a kid. The scoreboard too. We tried to climb it once, my mates dad caught him by the ankle, dragged him down and gave him a belt. Then I was escorted off to my Mammy so she could do the same :pac:

Around what year did you do summer camps? I used to take the photos for the paper.

There was many a child got a kick or slap in the backside for climbing up on the scoreboard. Great place for a smoke as a child:)

TangyZizzle

Id say around 98-02, that time-frame. Iv got a terrible memory, Im having a hard time separating memories of summer camp in the GAA from the matches I used to play in Gormanstown for the school.

tricky D

deelite wrote: »

Another poster mentioned Irelands Eye is that accessible to the general public or do you need an invite (I think I may be confusing this with another island around the area).

Lambay is the one which you need permission to land on.

Ireland's Eye is open to the public. It's owned by the Gaitsford-St Lawrence family, who are the family of the former Lord Howth and live in Howth Castle. They still own a good bit of Howth.

http://www.islandferries.net/ are the main carrier to the island.

TangyZizzle

Any luck, Leo?

LeoB

TangyZizzle wrote: »

Any luck, Leo?

Iv been out galavanting all week, (not). I looked through a few but didnt come accross one yet, I know I have a few. I have a prety hectic week ahead and am off to Edinburgh next week end for a few days snapping and exploring with my son. When I do come accross one you are welcome to a copy (once there are no kids in it. If you have a copy of the book I done in 2003 there is a photo in that I am pretty sure with the dressing rooms in the background but there is no lean-to at the front that went during or around the time of Hurricane Charlie

I will ask our website manager or you could contact him via our website www.stmaursgaa.ie

flutehook

What was the book you done?

LeoB

flutehook wrote: »

What was the book you done?

It was an updated history of St. Maurs G.A.A club. We had a book out in 1961 and this updated one came out in 2003 to celebrate out 75th anniversary. Would have liked to do a bigger book to include bits about the town at different times during our history with a photo from each decade but finance dictated otherwise.

Each town in Fingal could well produce its own history book.

flutehook

LeoB wrote: »

It was an updated history of St. Maurs G.A.A club. We had a book out in 1961 and this updated one came out in 2003 to celebrate out 75th anniversary. Would have liked to do a bigger book to include bits about the town at different times during our history with a photo from each decade but finance dictated otherwise.

Thanks for that - good club and nice set-up ye have there.

LeoB wrote: »

Each town in Fingal could well produce its own history book.

Indeed - a historic and much-storied area.

Corsendonk

LeoB wrote: »

It was an updated history of St. Maurs G.A.A club. We had a book out in 1961 and this updated one came out in 2003 to celebrate out 75th anniversary. Would have liked to do a bigger book to include bits about the town at different times during our history with a photo from each decade but finance dictated otherwise.

Each town in Fingal could well produce its own history book.

Does Rush Library have a copy? Would be ideal for the local studies section.

LeoB

Corsendonk wrote: »

Does Rush Library have a copy? Would be ideal for the local studies section.

No. We didnt get enough copies printed due to financial restraints but I think we will do an undated version in the next year or two. I wanted it to have a dual purpose. Apart from the history of the club I wanted to have a paralell page on each decade of things of national interest like the price of a loaf of bread in 1928 when the club was formed. Expand on the great storm of 1951 in the week we won the Junior championship, do a seperate piece on Matt Sands and Con Martin stuff along thoes lines.

The project is coming along nicely anyway. We have had numerous outings and each has been quite good but we do plan to revisit each site around Fingal that we have gone to already. We look at what we have done give some gentle c&c and then see if we can improve on our first visit. People have different ideas within the group so instead of focusing on one particular theme we have a good mix. We need another few outings around N.C.D and hopefully that will see us with quite a few decent images which will form the main part of our planned exhibition.

Today the group went to Lusk and it will be amazing the different images 10 people will produce in 1 1/2 hours in a small space.

Anyway there are a good few images on www.flickr.com Type Rush camera Group in the search box for some of the images. Mind you we actually dont have that many of Rush on this page, we are saving them for exhibition.

If anybody wants to come along you cam pm me for details of our next meeting and outing. You dont need a fancy camera, there is No joining up fee or membership fee just plenty of help and encouragment oh and a good bit of banter.