NUMBER 135

BENCHMARKS continued
 

The final one from M.C.'s recent haul. It's on the building housing the Department of Justice and Equality on Saint Stephens Green South in Dublin.

Below: The 'mark on the Dept. of Justice and Equality.Above: Ignoring Benchmarker's Health and Safety guidelines, M.C. placed himself in the path of the traffic to record this fine panorama shot of the building containing the Dept. of Justice and Equality. For this action beyond the call of duty he becomes Benchmark Hunter of the Month and will be presented with a special edition baseball hat with a gold benchmark logo at a cermony in Rea's bar. Wear it with pride, M.C.

The 'mark is to the left of the black door with the number 95.

NUMBER 134

BENCHMARKS continued

This one - bathed in heavenly light - was photographed by M.C. on Adelaide Road Presbyterian Church in Dublin.

Below: The 'mark on Adelaide Road Presbyterian Church.

Above: Adelaide Road Presbyterian Church with the 'mark just to the right of the door at right.

NUMBER 133

BENCHMARKS continued

Pausing only to strap on his kevlar jacket, M.C. set out for the badlands of north Dublin to record this one on Portmarnock Bridge.

Below: The 'mark on Portmarnock Bridge. Someone has outlined it in white paint. Wonder was it J.W.? The large hole inflicted on the poor cratur resulted from it not having the foresight to wear a kevlar jacket! Take care out there.

Above: Portmarnock Bridge with the 'mark just below the lamp standard. In the apartment block in the background is the pied-a-terre of a former colleague. A few years back, like one of the legendary Wild Geese, J.W. upped sticks and resettled in France where he is now living the dream. But, unlike those Wild Geese of yore, he is more of a wandering swallow because he frequently revisits these shores, and his chic plumage and familiar call can be encountered at Lansdowne Road and Croke Park.

NUMBER 132

BENCHMARKS continued

This one from M.C. is at the junction with Lea Road on the sea side of Strand Road in Dublin.

Below: The 'mark at Lea Road on Strand Road. In an act of extreme desecration it has been extensively daubed in white paint. Is nothing sacred?

Above: Looking across Strand Road from Lea Road with the 'mark on the wall to the left of the lamp standard.

NUMBER 131

BENCHMARKS continued

M.C. spotted this one on Lower Merrion Street at the corner with Merrion Square East. It's on the base of wall of a house in which once lived Sir William Robert Wills Wilde and his rather more famous son, Oscar Wilde. Sir William's multitudinous accomplishments and qualifications, listed on a plaque on the front of the building, are truly impressive.

Below: The 'mark at Lower Merrion Street.

Above: Lower Merrion Street at the corner with Merrion Square East with the 'mark at centre on the corner of the building.

NUMBER 130

BENCHMARKS continued
 

Another one from M.C.'s safari in darkest Dublin 2 & 4. It's on James's Street East at the corner with Mount Street Upper in elegant Dublin 2.

Below: The 'mark on James's Street East.

Above: Mount Street Upper looking south with James's Street East to the right. As the street sign shows and the old maps testify, over the years the apostrophe associated with James has gone AWOL. Maybe on his search O'Bama will find that one too.

NUMBER 129

BENCHMARKS continued

A real beauty of a 'mark - recorded by M.C. - located on the corner of Merrion Square West and Merrion Street in central Dublin.

Below: The 'mark at Merrion Square and Merrion Street.

Above: The corner of Merrion Square looking west into Merrion Street with the 'mark at left. Further along the street is the Merrion Hotel where President O'Bama was to spend the night before a volcano in Iceland led to a change in plans. Across the street is Government Buildings.

NUMBER 128

BENCHMARKS continued
 

“As long as I gaze on Waterloo benchmarks

I am in paradise.”

This one, from M.C., is on a pillar on Waterloo Road at it's corner with Burlington Road. MC went there when the red-lights were glowing and, using the flash on his iphone, unfortunately it does not photograph well by that method.

Below: The 'mark on Waterloo Road. The flash photograph fails to properly reveal it or its details. However M.C. has supplied a deposition that it really does exist, so it goes in.

Above: Waterloo Road - with the red lights glowing - looking into Burlington Road. The 'mark is at the base of the pillar at centre.

NUMBER 127

BENCHMARKS continued

M.C. spotted this one on Burgh Quay in central Dublin, about half way between O'Connell Bridge and Butt Bridge.

Below: The 'mark on Burgh Quay.

Above: Burgh Quay, looking north across the wide River Liffey. The 'mark is located just behind the black limousine at centre.

NUMBER 126

BENCHMARKS continued
 

This one from M.C. is on the corner of Wellington Road with Pembroke Road in Dublin 4. Benchmarker would have passed this one countless times back in the day 30 to 40 years ago. Tempus fugit, so it does.

Below: The 'mark on the corner of Wellington Road with Pembroke Road. It's full bodied with a splendid patina.

Above: Pembroke Road with Wellington Road to the right. The 'mark is just to the left of the litter bin.

NUMBER 125

BENCHMARKS continued

Another one from the Ballsbrige area supplied by M.C. It's on the corner of Raglan Road with Clyde Road.

Below: The 'mark on the corner of Raglan Road and Clyde Road.

Above: The corner of Raglan Road with Clyde Road - looking into Raglan Road - with the 'mark near the base of the gate pillar. As can be seen the gate area is now occupied by a ESB HT Sub Station.

NUMBER 124

BENCHMARKS continued

A chunky, full-bodied 'mark recorded by M.C. in fading light outside an apartment block on Clyde Road in Dublin.

Below: The 'mark on Clyde Road at Clyde Court.

Above: Clyde Road at Clyde Court with the 'mark at the base of the wall below the name plate.

NUMBER 123

BENCHMARKS continued

County Down makes a début with this one, recorded by M.C., in the town of Newry. It's on a wall pillar at the Presbyterian Church, Sandys Street.

Below: The 'mark on the wall pillar at the church in Sandys Street, Newry.

Above: The Presbyterian Church, Sandys Street, Newry with the 'mark at the base of the pillar to the right.

NUMBER 122

BENCHMARKS continued

This coy little fellow lurks behind a litter bin positioned near the entrance to the Chapel Royal in Dublin Castle.

The 'mark on the front of the Chapel Royal.

Above: The front of the Chapel Royal at Dublin Castle with the 'mark concealed behind the litter bin seen between the two vehicles at left.

NUMBER 121

BENCHMARKS continued

Back to the home parish for this one, at Saint James's R.C. Church in Dublin.

Below: The 'mark at Saint James's Church.

Above: The R.C. Church on James's Street with the 'mark just to the right of the traffic cone and beneath the metal rail.

NUMBER 120

BENCHMARKS continued
 

This one, from the iphone of M.C., is near the Phoenix Monument on Chesterfield Avenue in Dublin. It really is rather charming.

Below: The 'mark near the Phoenix Monument in the eponymous park.

Above: Chesterfield Avenue looking towards the city with the 'mark on the stone in centre foreground.

NUMBER 119

BENCHMARKS continued
 

Another day and another 'mark from Benchmarker. It's on the branch of A.I.B. on Dame Street in Dublin.

Below: The 'mark on the A.I.B. building on Dame Street.

Above: The AIB building on Dame Street viewed from Sycamore Street. The 'mark is located between the cyclist and the people at the ATM.

NUMBER 118

BENCHMARKS continued

Another day and another 'mark from M.C. It's on a gate pillar at the entrance to Mount Jerome Cemetery in Dublin.

Below: The 'mark on the gate pillar at Mount Jerome Cemetery.

Above: The entrance to the cemetery with the 'mark on the bottom inside of the pillar at left.

NUMBER 117

BENCHMARKS continued
 

This one is on the base-wall of the railings of an interesting old house at the junction of Old Kilmainham and Kearn's Place. The house dates back to the early 19th century, possibly much earlier. Just across Kearn's Place is the location of the Old Kilmainham Gaol (no trace now survives) and perhaps the house had some connection with that notorious place. Benchmarker recalls reading a report of conditions there with the inmates - men, women and children all held together - pitifully begging through the basement bars from the citizens who walked by above them.

Below: The 'mark on the old house in Kilmainham.

Above: Old Kilmainham looking east towards the city centre. The 'mark is at bottom left barely visible in the photograph. In the distance are the twin towers of Mount Brown that overlook Benchmarker's exclusive residence.

NUMBER 116

BENCHMARKS continued
 

Another one from M.C. It's at Saint Bartholomew's Church at the confluence of Elgin Road and Clyde Road in leafy Dublin 4. Benchmarker had earlier checked this location without success. However M.C. with his unerring instincts for the quest, took a peek behind the shrub growing against the front of the building and revealed this little treasure.

Below. The 'mark on Saint Bartholomew's Church, Dublin 4.

Above: The fine front facade of Saint Bartholomew's Church with the 'mark concealed behind the shrub at the front of the building at centre.

NUMBERS 114 & 115

BENCHMARKS continued

Spurred on by the enthusiasm shown by Mr M.C., Benchmarker responds with this pair spotted on Tyrconnel Road in Inchicore, Dublin.

Below: This one really is a beaut. Carved into the bricks of a wall pillar, someone has outlined it lightly with a yellow colour.

Above: Tyrconnel Road looking south-east with the 'mark at right just below the shrub.

Below: This one is further along Tyrconnel Road, again looking south-east.

Above: The 'mark - difficult to see - is at bottom right. Like the one above it is lightly outlined in yellow.

NUMBER 113

BENCHMARKS continued
 

If Benchmarker fails to reach the grand target of recording 1,001 'marks then it will not be for the lack of assistance from M.C. He has sought them out with the tenacity of a beaver coupled with the instincts of a truffle-hound, and has delivered a computer disc containing 19 treasures. These will be posted in the coming days and weeks.

The first of these is at the junction of Wellington Road with Elgin Road in leafy Dublin 4. Forty years ago Benchmarker resided for a period at No 4 Elgin Road and it's refreshing to see the old area looking as well as ever.

Below: The 'mark at the corner of Wellington Road with Elgin Road.

Above: Looking south down Wellington Road with Elgin Road to the left. The 'mark can be seen at the corner.

NUMBER 112

BENCHMARKS continued

As the Queen glides along Thomas Street tomorrow on her way to the Guinness Visitors' Centre, were she to reach out she could almost touch this one which is located at the base of the railings round the front of Saint Catherine's Church at the corner with Saint Catherine's Lane. (It is probably better for Anglo/Irish relations if no one within earshot of the Queen were to mention what the British did to Robert Emmett at this spot over 200 years ago.)

Below: The 'mark on the railings of Saint Catherine's Church, Thomas Street at the corner with Saint Catherine's Lane.

Above: Saint Catherine's Church with the 'mark just to the left of the base of the light standard at left.