Macnas Halloween Parade

My head is still reeling from the experience of walking along the streets of Galway city last night, surrounded by the magic and mischief of Macnas and their ever-incredible Halloween Parade.

What sights and sounds, what a wonderous, magical atmosphere; more than 70,000 men, woman and children lined the streets…transfixed by the otherworldly vision passing by, like some dark cloud at the top of The Magic Faraway Tree.

Huge thanks to Lisa Regan for access, and huge thanks to Macnas for such a show. 🙌

I’ll be adding to this post over the next few days.

Yellow hose

In Liam's cow shed. Mullagh, Co. Cavan

Underneath the bridge

The Liffey Rail bridge, to be precise.

Vertical support by Liberty Hall

Through the bridge-hole

Samuel Beckett Bridge - with the Customs House, Liberty Hall and the Spire in the distance

The National Museum

Kildare Street. One of my very favourite places. What amazing treasures lie within.

Bachelor's Way

Off middle Abbey Street.

There's something I love about old laneways. They're a remnant of the past. They open up potential for commercial activity behind the fancy shopfronts on the main streets and help make large city blocks more porous.

Modern large scale urban developments rarely allow for connections through a block. It just doesn't make commercial sense most of the time.

Come to think about it, contrary to their appearance most of the time, they're a luxury...

Ussher Library - Detail

Nassau Street, by McCullough Mulvin Architects. I'm a big fan of this building.

I love the way it's angular forms interact with the streetscape. It's a beautiful piece of work. 

RHA Annual Exhibition

I'm off today to the preview of the RHA Annual Exhibition. I'm delighted that 2 of my Stoneybatter photos will be part of the show. There'll be a little corner of the 'batter hanging proudly on the south side.

The show officially opens tomorrow and runs until the 12th August. 

Viking Place - Stoneybatter

Moira Road - Stoneybatter

Even more happy to find that my pieces are hanging beside Hugh O'Conor's wonderful image. I've been in awe of his work for years. 

Then I came across a piece called Nightshade, by Sergey Talichkin - a view over the city I'm familiar with from Killiney Hill.

I went looking in it for one house in particular that struck me when I was up there...it has it's own spotlight, highlighting it from it's neighbours. 

Sergey noticed it too.

Getting exciting now...

 The Frame Foundry in Stoneybatter are on overdrive, beautifully framing the photos for my "Dublin - From Darkness into Light" exhibition / fundraiser for Pieta House. Exhibition opens this Thursday, the 4th May from 4pm - 7pm and will run until 7pm Friday 5th May.

My photos are in safe hands. Have a look at this little short promo for Frame Foundry

36 selected long exposure images of Dublin will be for sale, in aid of the wonderful work of the good people at Pieta House. Raffle tickets will also be sold, with the prize being a framed print of the winner's choice from the selection on show. 

Hope I see you there! 

Most of the images in the show can be viewed here

St. Stephen's

Otherwise known as the Pepper Cannister, Mount St. Crescent, Dublin, 1824 by George Augustus Herbert.