The intention with this website is to locate at least 1,001 benchmark sites, or die in the attempt (no flowers please, house private). Photos of any benchmark sites found will be posted at intervals over the coming days, weeks, months, years, decades, centuries ... Anyone who wishes to contribute can send photos and descriptions of any benchmarks they find and would like to have included here, to mfbourke@gmail.com See post Number 1 for a fuller description.

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Monday, January 23, 2012

NUMBER 369


BENCHMARKS continued

'And the sun pours down like honey
on Our Lady of the Harbour ... '

You don't need to go looking among the seaweed and the flowers to find this one. It's on the top of the 5,000 Feet Stone on the Bull Wall. There should be another 'mark at the base of the statue's tripod but it was probably removed when that construction was erected in the early 1960s. 
 
Below: The 'mark on the 5,000 Feet Stone on the Bull Wall. Also well christened by the 'gulls.
Above: On the Bull Wall looking out to the Irish Sea with the 'mark on the top of the stone at right.

Thursday, January 19, 2012

NUMBER 368


BENCHMARKS continued

The 4,000 Feet Stone on the Bull Wall. 
 
Below: The 'mark on the 4,000 Feet Stone on the Bull Wall. It can just be made out on top of the stone and to the left, well christened by the seagulls.
Above: Looking towards the Irish Sea with the 'mark on the stone at right.

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

NUMBER 367


BENCHMARKS continued

The 3,000 Feet Stone on the Bull Wall. 
 
Below: The 'mark on the 3,000 Feet Stone on the Bull Wall. It can just be made out on top of the stone and to the right.
Above: Looking across the bay towards Dublin Port with the 'mark on the stone at right.

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

NUMBER 366

BENCHMARKS continued

Knowing that M.C. is planning a mission to a certain part of the Northside and concerned that he might stake a claim to a nearby region, Benchmarker quickly donned a flax-jacket and struck out across the Liffey to Clontarf. The 25'' map held the promise of seven 'marks on the mile long stretch of the Bull Wall. But optimism began to drain when the first of these and considered the banker - at the corner with Clontarf Road - could not be spotted (perhaps it sleeps behind the utility box). Plodding on across the bridge brought no luck in the search for the one that should be just to seaward. Continuing on soon brought the 2,000 Feet marker into view on the right, and though the 'mark on top is barely discernible to the eye, it cuts are easily accessible to the touch. Benchmarker was not finished yet, but more on that presently.

Below: The 'mark - at top right and not really discernible - on the 2,000 Feet Stone on the Bull Wall.
Above: Looking towards Clontarf with Bull Island Cttages to the right; on the left is the stone with the 'mark at the top to the right.

Saturday, January 14, 2012

NUMBER 365

BENCHMARKS continued

This one is on the corner of Eden Quay with Marlborough Street in Dublin.

Below: The 'mark on Eden Quay.
Above: Looking east along Eden Quay with the 'mark at bottom left.

Friday, January 13, 2012

NUMBER 364


BENCHMARKS continued

'Ka thunk, ka thunk' went the train on the Luas line above, as Benchmarker spotted this one on the south-east corner of Butt Bridge in Central Dublin.

Below: The 'mark on Butt Bridge.
Above: Looking north with the 'mark at bottom right.

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

NUMBER 363

BENCHMARKS continued

This one - spotted by Benchmarker on attending a funeral mass - is on the church on City Quay in Dublin. Apparently it is not on any of the maps.

Below: The 'mark on City Quay Church.
Above: City Quay Church with the 'mark just to the right of the entrance, behind the shrub pots.

Monday, January 9, 2012

NUMBER 362


BENCHMARKS continued

Benchmarker found this one on the railway bridge on Grand Canal Quay in Dublin.

Below: The 'mark on the railway bridge on Grand Canal Quay.
Above: On Grand Canal Quay looking towards Grand Canal Street Upper, with the 'mark on the inside of the corner at bottom right.

Sunday, January 8, 2012

NUMBER 361

BENCHMARKS continued

Spurned on by the success of finding the 'mark on Eustace Bridge, better known as Leeson Street Bridge, Benchmarker ventured out to its sister bridge, Mcarthney - or more widely known as Baggot Street - Bridge, and got this one.

Below: The 'mark on Mcarthney Bridge a.k.a. Baggot Street Bridge.
Above: On Mcarthney Bridge looking west towards Eustace Bridge, with the 'mark - a flatie - on the top of the wall. In the mid distance niagarously roars the falls for those who sit in the tremendous silence of mid-July.

Thursday, January 5, 2012

NUMBER 360

BENCHMARKS continued

Benchmarker wishes all benchmark-hunters a jolly good benchmark-hunting New Year; and starts as he hopes to continue.
Benchmarker had hunted previously, on two occasions, for the one on Leeson Street Bridge in Dublin, with no success. The reason is explicable. It was the base of the wall that was scrutinized, while the 'mark was coyly hiding in plain sight on the top staring at the sky. In other words, it is a flatie.
A small pocket camera was all that was to hand (purchased at a special price of €50 at the opening of the Lidl store in Ballybofey), but the result, owing much to Benchmarker's long years experience at taking snaps, is satisfactory.

Below: The 'mark on Leeson Street Bridge.
Above: On the bridge looking east towards Baggot Street with the 'mark at bottom right. The two big black yokes are gas-vents fitted to the sewer pipes that cross the canal here. Well, it has to go somewhere!

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