bahern7

Inspired by an article I read in the Sunday Times, I snapped these seven random shots from Google Street View and created this collage. The cities involved are: Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Belfast, Galway, Kilkenny and Waterford. I do hope you'll take a moment to enjoy the view. Thine humble shutterbug, Brian PS I intend to make many more of these collages. PPS The Sunday Times article concerned photographers Michael Wolf and Doug Rickard who are - and I quote - "turning images from this massive global archive into cutting-edge art."

I'm headin' down to Finglas. How many folk, I wonder, begin a blog with the best of intentions only for their enthusiasm to wane and the whole thing end in a whimper several weeks later? I'm sure the answer to that question is zillions. Not I, though, the old writer who lives in a boxcar by the river. With the help of William Burroughs, I would actually describe it as fill land that had once been a dump heap - now unused; five acres along the river which I inherited from my father, who was a wrecker and a scrap metal dealer. Anyway, as I said, with the aid of Leonard Cohen, I was heading down to Finglas. I had this old address of someone that I knew; we were high, fine and free; you shoulda seen us! That's when I spotted heaven's vault up ahead: blazing, burning, brilliantly, brightly! A Saturday sky above the M50, Dublin. As I've often said before, it's at times like this that the iPhone camera proves invaluable. Without further ado, I whip...

Okay, I've really got to say: If you don't like this picture, there's something wrong with you on a spiritual level. It was taken on the night of the full moon - 10th November, 2011 - looking downriver from O'Donovan Rossa Bridge, Dublin. How did I come to take the photograph? Allow me to lurch momentarily into the present tense: I'm scampering across the bridge, fretting about the many lunatics abroad this evening, when I see in all its majesty that great white orb of night suspended above the river. The handiness of the iPhone camera is perfect at such moments. I take the device out and shoot. As they say in the finest dining establishments: Enjoy! With a feeling of intense humility, Brian

A surprisingly people-free Henry Street here. I couldn't help but think of the Patrick Kavanagh lines from Raglan Road: "On a quiet street where old ghosts meet..." . Rather apt, don't you think? As can be seen above, there was hardly a sinner in sight when I took this shot. The result, if I may say so, makes for an exceedingly pleasant experience upon the eye. With deep humility, Brian:-)

I snapped this snazzy piece of street art whilst strolling down South Great George's Street the other morning. It certainly added to my Friday feeling. I found it eye-catching in the extreme, this risqué woman figure about to unpeel her bikini bottoms. Then all the sevens - those holy numbers - standing proud and tall. "Coming Soon" says the sign. I'm not sure to what it refers but I'd gladly wait around for it just the same. Humble, as ever, Brian

"I'll be speaking to you sweetly from a window in the Tower of Song..." These lines from Leonard Cohen's beautiful tune Tower of Song came to my mind as a I strolled past this fine tower on a recent afternoon. The majestic edifice in all its glory stands in the grounds of Dublin Castle. Dublin City was in the midst of a balmy late September Indian summer on the day I took the photograph, hence the cloudless clear blue sky above the tower. Looking up to the window to take aim, I couldn't help but wonder whether princes kept the view. Please do enjoy. Thine shutterbug, bathed in humility, Brian

Another pic from Tenerife. This is the beautiful Aisling taken on the day we were leaving. Having checked out of our room, we had a couple of hours to kill. So we strolled along the promenade - and no, we did not etch any postcards - and went for lunch in a lovely little place up from the beach. Aisling, as ever, looks classy in this shot. Though I think she was a little tired at this point - tired of my incessant photographing of everything in sight. All the same, I'm delighted I captured this one:-) Thine humble shutterbug, Brian