In and around Dublin, with a camera in my bag. Always. And an unhealthy propensity for easy cynicism. Always.
Grab a stranger on your way to the Ball .Tesco don’t do balls, but if they did… .The Divas of the Night (“that shot is worth a lot of money”) Thanks Lads, the cheque is in the post. ........Hope you get to see this one lads, enjoyed the chat! ...Quick snog on the move.OH. MY. BLURRY. GOD ..More blurry happy people..“We cannot pay!” – I’m the one who should be paying you… .More blurred happiness (The can of Heino is actually quite sharp, the rest was moving. Fast)..Just a sec! Quick tactical puke before heading in. More happy blurry people.Selfie with austere gates backgroundWeary Luas commuters 1 ..Weary Luas commuters 2.Bagman’s Return Orange Selfie .Weary Luas commuters 3...The Confession (“I am so drunk!”) ...More weary Luas commuters… CalvaryPhotobombed… Quick, before the arrival of that Ban Garda sergeant ImpatienceParty Time. Not quite for everyone… Caged PenguinsFree WillySeconds before being bundled off in the back of the Garda vanThe Mother of All Queues (with no portaloos) Like a boss, Gorgeous Baby Orange is the new blackThe Tacticians (heading off for a few more drinks before hitting the Queue)
Not singin’ in the rainNo, not singin’ in the rainNot a glorious feelingNot happy againNot laughing at the cloudsThe sun ain’t in my heart and I ain’t ready for love!I haven’t got a smile on my face!I won’t walk down the laneAnd no happy refrain Just not singin’, not singin’ in the rain!Hey, I ain’t singin’ in the rain,Just not singin’ in the rain,What a dreadful feelingJust not singin’, not singin’ in the rain!
Now that I have a camera that can do colour, I thought it would be worth revisiting Embra without the monochromatic eye… ...Beating the crowds. Almost. (Wedding photos with puffy tired little eyes, they’re all the rage)[Shudder] .The Poo in the skyline MORE TRAM!...Sandy, the camouflage dog ...The very very narrow flat in the middle (very narrow) ....Bear in the Big Blue House ..Analogue Anatoly. He doesn’t believe in digital. Or conversation. Faith in your handbrakeFancy a cone? (Scottish tradition) ..Colourful WonderlandMe and the Fuchsia Lady The Smell of Marijuana (Owen lives near here)Lemon Bonanza.Scottish CuisineColourful characterAnother colourful characterRain tourism is fun! But it looses its appeal after a few days/weeksDrookitBook a Sun Holiday. NOWI Hate Rain Scottish al fresco dining .The Brolly Society September Outing. ..Exactly! Not beating around the bushColourful conversationLike a piss-head in a pod What are the odds?!?! ..Adding insult to injury Maycheelin fine dining? Anyone? Posh haggis with a posh lady (the marrow bone came in handy to discuss osteoporosis) Breakup Beside a Sweet Shop (sweet teenage moments)
Now that I have a camera that can do colour, I thought that I’d attempt to shoot Liverpool in all its colourful glory. This is a declaration of love for the place. Liverpool is its people. Full of colour, of chat, of humour, of self-derision and warmth. This short break reignited the flame that was born when I lived there for the 1991-1992 academic year. The place has changed, and not at all. There is still the same mix of the former glory and present day glorious. The run down and the reinvented. The red brick and the Reds. The accent, oh the accent. And the humour.
Liverpool, it was great to back. Even with a sometimes moody, would-be roadman teenager in tow. In his own words, it was G, like. It doesn’t get much better than tat.
Travelling in style But the older generation can teach him a thing or two about trendy slides.Pocket Square Dan A NT SHRIN Slides sans socks is the way to go The Race Against Time The Monday Shirt The Triumph of Sir Paul on Acid (with Duster)Thong Not In Cheeks That way, BuddyThe Sore Index Finger.The Cavalry to the RescueI Can Smell the Incense From Here or the view from the Airbnb SpikedThe Neighbour with the Extravagant TV Aerial You’ll Never Pray Alone.The Red Car Institute..You’ll Never Pray Alone pt 2 Flat Cat The Index Finger That Still HurtsThe LandladyThe Pool Attendant .The Liver Birds The Fifth BeatleThe Ferryman The Index Finger That Doesn’t Hurt The Index Finger That Still Hurts (but putting a brave face on it) Happiness is a Rod in the Hand It’s a Dog-Eat-Dogfish World Out There Grandpa Was A Mod Lost Earring .Limon & Lime & Amanda The Barbie EffectGeorge! Paul! Ringo! John! Wait For Me to Cross the Road!!! Sing Right Into the Mike, Auntie Sue. Showing His Injured Index Finger to John The Barbie Effect pt 2Zanzibarred The Boy, the Kebab and the Pet Seagull That Cross is Shining Just For Me Shady CharacterHoodie in the Hood Illegally Parked Shite Bag...Tidy Lab Week Failure..T.J. Used Barnes FindNot Just Any BoozeYou’ll Never Wait for the Bus Alone.Clean. Clean. Clean. Cleaner .Because I am a shit stirrer… Special Mo-Ment Where the Magic Happens. Sometimes.That Index Finger Still Acting Up Common! Sing! Sing! Sing the Fong, for Fuck Fake! Local Celeb (I took his word for it) The Everton Library (in much better shape than its football club) .The Barbie Effect pt 3When Two Wongs Make a Right (Colourful Jersey) Dad and Grandpa and Rocking Them Both CavernousAttempted Fellatio on John Lennon’s Statue (we intervened just in time)His Royal Highness Bean the FirstSouvenirs, SouvenirsBin ThereChips Loaded with Attitude Maman les P’tits Bateaux (spoiler alert: oui, ils ont des jambes…) Not a Modern Art FanThe Race is On! Frolicking in the PoolTaking the Kids to the Pool The Barbie Effect – the EndFace Off Fish and Chip .WelcomeClearing… Clearing… Cleared!Refreshment.Contemplating Entering John Lennon (Airport)The Glamorous Ryanair Flight Attendant – THE END
200 meters away, as the crow walksbut we’re all the same, we’ve got to carry each other, carry each other… Marine Contemplation (it beats the shite on satellite television) Bray Head(s) The Rough Junction“Piss off!” “Piss off!” – Visitors Not Welcome Door to Door SalesmanMy Monochromatic FriendGirl with Notionz… The Most Modest Convenience Store in the Whole Wide World The Key to Lucy’s HeartBray Wanderers Fighting Crows The Very Very Large Albino Pigeon Seagull Identifying as a Pigeon (Mutation in Progress) Pay and Display (your seagull) The Face of ConcentrationHello Darkness My Old Friend Afternoon Serenade
First taste – could it be as damp as Dublin?Could it be as industrious?Tower, pleased to have met you Uphill struggleSafeInvestment.comWas worried I had landed in the wrong Glasgow, until I spotted the first cone on a statueInsert coneCone Head Wellie The Spot The Ball game Trees don’t stand magicallyDefinition of irony: two high-visibility dossers, passing the time in a van called ActiveThe off sales are offThe Old Thingy. Established a long time ago. Fresh. So fresh… exciting!I do like a well designed well built old bridgeEmergency wee wee stop in a side alley (the combination of cold water, walking by a body of water and a micro bladder is a lethal one)Side alley used for other emergencies… Power-washer vs power-walker. Clash of the Titans. Hello my wee starLocal icon. More of that later… Impeccably alignedTempted to dive into the bonnie river Clyde… Until I actually caught a glimpse of its true colour… A. P. Welsh & Co & MURDOCH“When I say 3, all look at me. One…Two… THREE!” Wee fag breakAnother wee fag breakPigeon headIn colour, pleaseJimborree – Plywood Merchant Lemons and orangesWorld Cup Fever. Oh, the excitement… Glaswegian CanyonGlaswegian Canyon II Don’t piss off the wizard Pure GallusOPENecropolis, city of the necros (trust me, I learned classical Greek in school) Beware! Just… beware, roight? Dead people make GlasgowCemetery with a view of a brewery. And not just any brewery. The Tennent brewery… quality that.Cemetery with a view of a football stadium, slightly further in the distance. And not just any stadium. Celtic Park… quality that.Chameleon multi-storey car park, blending in seamlessly. Going dry, the Drygate way. Mister T I love my tenement lager… Je T’aime moi non plus du tout du tout… Boy in the hoodThe long waitHey! I’m here!!! Behind the wee car! Haggis neeps and tatties. Had to be done! UFC romanceGlasgow man in the skyDublin men not in the skyNot the sign want to read. Not when you are flying Emerald Airlines. Not when you are flying to Dublin… Never thought I would ever write this… Ryanair saves the day!
In and around Dublin 