Won’t Be Back

Three boarded up houses on Bohermore, Galway City. I prefer the black and white photo but posted up the colour version as well, which one do you prefer?

This for me is a good example of finding a photograph in something mundane, a scene most would just walk past and not give it a second glance. Some boarded up houses, not very interesting? But looking and thinking as a photographer it’s a different world. Here I saw a reflection of the economy, a pattern in the houses and like the lines (straight lines rock!).

Post title ‘Won’t Be Back’ is a song title from ‘Recovery’ album by Eminem (Marshall Mathers). I think it fits very nicely to this photo as it portrays a broken home and poverty.

This is the coastal town that they forgot to close down

A selection of abandoned houses on a drive from Kilkenny to just outside Galway (150km journey). I’ve often observed old, abandoned buildings when driving along the roads of Ireland. Normally I’m with my family so I don’t have the opportunity to stop multiple times and spend time photographing. Recently I was in Kilkenny for a weekend and drove down on my own. So I took this opportunity to stop and shoot any old building I drove past.

It was quiet a ‘funny’ drive; I’d be driving along keeping an eye out, spot an old house, glance in my mirrors and if the road was clear do a u-turn, pull in (safely somewhere), jump out, snap-snap-snap, jump back in and turn around again and drive on. It was fun for the first hour or so but became quiet repetitive and tedious towards the end of my journey but interesting to see the different states of ruin. Eventually they’ll all end up a bare skeleton of bricks overgrown by greenery.

Post title taken from the timeless classic ‘Everyday is like Sunday’, taken from Morrissey’s debut solo album ‘Viva Hate’.

Blue. Lines. In Galway

I was driving in Galway on a clear day, spotted this stunning building with it’ very sharp, clear lines and pulled in to photograph it. I like the simplicity everywhere in the scene; rich blue complete sky and the apartments with concise straight lines. Kevin McCould, the architect from ‘that house building show’ would love it I’m sure.

Let’s ring out the Liberty Bell (Shandon Bells, Cork)

I was originally going to delete this photo but the more I look at it the more I like it, the view from down a side street. The Shandon Bells (official name Church of St Anne) is the building with the clock in Shandon, Cork City. It’s known locally as the “Four Faced Liar” because each face (four clocks, one on each side of the church) show slightly different times.

Limerick Inner City Life (Goldie)

This was taken from the 7th floor of The Savoy hotel in Limerick City. It’s a view of Limerick (or any city) that most people don’t see or, if they do, pay any attention to. It stands out to me as it’s the unseen side of a city, the ‘behind the scenes’ part without any shiny shopfronts.

On a vaguely related note I always pay attention to the condition of the toilets in any establishment. Sometimes you have an extremelly fancy restaurant/store but the toilets are very basic or even dirty. Which my mum always said to me is a reflection on the establishment overall. If they can’t bother to keep the toilets clean how can you trust them with the hygeine of your food, after sales service etc.
The second photo is just the original cropped and in black and white. I couldn’t decide which I preferred so I posted both.