NUMBER 456

 BENCHMARKS continued

Back to Dalkey and still on Colliemore Road, this one is on a gate pillar near to Seafield Terrace.

Below: A 'mark on Colliemore Road near Seafield Terrace.

 

 

 Above: On Colliemore Road looking east with the 'mark on the bottom of the right side gate pillar of Villaggio. 

 

NUMBER 455

BENCHMARKS continued

Culture Night inspired M.C. to kill two birds with one stone, namely, to visit the observatory at Dunsink and record the 'mark thereon. Both were achieved as well as attending a lecture entitled 'Seeing the Invisible'. An apt title as M.C. had to resort to the trusty stick of chalk to allow the 'mark to be properly seen by the camera. 

Below: The 'mark on Dunskink Observatory.

 

 Above: A view of the observatory as the light declines; within people listen to the lecture, while without a man teaches his daughter how to defy gravity. The 'mark is at top left of the steps.

NUMBER 454

 BENCHMARKS continued

This one from Dalkey is at the junction of Rockfort Avenue with Colliemore Road.

Below: The 'mark at the junction of Rockfort Avenue with Colliemore Road.

 

Above: On Colliemore Road with Rockfort Avenue at right and the 'mark at the bottom of the left gate pillar. The silver chariot belongs to neither M.C. nor Benchmarker, though they wish!

NUMBER 453

 BENCHMARKS continued

Buoyed by the early Summer success of the Navan campaign, M.C. and Benchmarker straight away launched into another joint venture to the village of Dalkey in County Dublin. The resultant photos were then filed on Benchmarker's computer under the title 'The Dalkey Achieve' (good, eh!).

The first one was found on Castle Street.

Below: A 'mark on Castle Street, Dalkey, County Dublin. 

 

Above: On Castle Street looking west with the 'mark at bottom right.

 

NUMBER 452

 BENCHMARKS continued

The second and final one from Dunsaughlin is on Saint Sechnall's R.C. Church.

Below: The 'mark on Saint Sechnall's Church, Dunsaughlin. 

 

 Above: At Saint Sechnall's; with the 'mark on the church wall to the right, M.C. instructs a local resident in the arcane practice of benchmark hunting. 

 

NUMBER 451

BENCHMARKS continued

As the Navan campaign concluded, Dunsaughlin became the focus for a mopping-up operation. The first point of successful contact was at Saint Secundinus' Church.

Below: The 'mark on Saint Secundinus' Church, Dunsaughlin.

 

 

Above: A view of Saint Secundinus' Church, with the 'mark to the bottom right of the doorway.

NUMBER 450

 BENCHMARKS continued

With its flawless sculpted lines and accurate geometric proportions this final one from the Navan safari is a classic, prompting Benchmarker to wonder what immortal hand or eye could have framed its perfect symmetry. It's on the Athlumney Road railway bridge.

 Below: The 'mark on Athlumney Bridge, Navan.

 

 Above: Looking west on the R153 with the 'mark near the bottom of the bridge wall at left.

 

NUMBER 449

BENCHMARKS continued

The penultimate one from Navan on this particular safari, it's on the ruined Athlumney Castle on Convent Road.

 Below: A 'mark on Convent Road, Navan.

 

 

 Above: Looking west on Convent Road with the 'mark on the castle wall at bottom right. In the distance M.C. struggles to keep pace with Benchmarker.

NUMBER 448

BENCHMARKS continued

Not very distinguished, but as every 'mark is sacred, it is included. It's located just of Commons Road in Navan on the corner of a building that was once the union workhouse but is now the hospital. On the corner diagonally opposite, should be another 'mark but M.C. seems to have overlooked that in his preparations.

Below: A 'mark on Navan Hospital, Commons Road.

 Above: Looking north east along Commons Road with the 'mark at bottom left on the building wall at its junction with the boundary wall. 

NUMBER 447

BENCHMARKS continued

This one from Navan is located on the western side of Brews Hill on a building that formerly was the dispensary of the fever hospital.

 Below: A 'mark on Brews Hill.

  

 

 Above: On Brews Hill looking east towards Sandymount Terrace with the 'mark at bottom right.

 

NUMBER 446

BENCHMARKS continued

This one from Navan is on building that was once the fever hospital but is now the headquarters for the ambulance service in the north east. It's located on Commons Road.

Below: A 'mark on Commons Road.

 

Above: A view of the building that was once the fever hospital with the 'mark to the bottom left of the doorway.

NUMBER 445

BENCHMARKS continued

This one from Navan is on the railway bridge that crosses Academy Street.

Below: The 'mark on Academy Street.

 

Above: On Academy Street looking south east with the 'mark, somewhat indistinct, at bottom right.

NUMBER 444

 BENCHMARKS continued

Located on the south side of New Bridge in Navan this is one to savour. Nestling above the sparkling waters of the majestic Boyne, like the flooded footprint of a giant wading bird, with its depths reflecting heavenly light and its lustrous black stone fringed with verdant ivy, it has a truly magical glow.

Below: The 'mark on New Bridge, Navan.

Above: On New Bridge looking towards Athlumney Road with the 'mark on top of the bridge wall at left.

NUMBER 443

BENCHMARKS continued

This brickie in Navan is on Railway Street  (formerly called Chapel Hill).

Below: The 'mark on Railway Street, Navan.

 

Above: On Railway Street looking towards Trimgate with the 'mark at right.

NUMBER 442

BENCHMARKS continued

This one from Navan is on another church named after Saint Mary; this time it is the Roman Catholic church on Fair Green.

Below: The 'mark on Saint Mary's R. C. Church.

Above: Looking east with the 'mark close to bottom right. In the background near the statue M.C. appears to be reading an invocation to the patron saint of benchmark hunters; but perhaps he is just checking the 25” map.

NUMBER 441

 BENCHMARKS continued

Back to Navan for this one. It's a flatie and is located on the doorstep of one of the entrances to Saint Mary's C. of I. Church.

Below: The 'mark on Saint Mary's Church.

 

Above: A view of the front of the church. The 'mark is to the right of the doorstep of the doorway at right.

NUMBER 440

  BENCHMARKS continued

On the West Gate in Clonmel this is the fifth and final one from P.G.R. who reports that on another visit to the town yesterday, he left empty-handed. Benchmarker feels confident that a search in the correct places will bring results and so a lecture on the usefulness of the 25” maps will be arranged.

 Below: The 'mark on the West Gate.

 

Above: A fine view of the West Gate looking towards Irishtown. It appears that Clonmel was once a walled town. The 'mark is to the bottom left of the arch.

NUMBER 439

BENCHMARKS continued

 
In early Summer in a manoeuvre that combined pleasure with business, M.C. and Benchmarker struck out north-westward to the town that is renowned for being 'only an hour from Dublin', the palindromic metropolis of Navan. With business speedily and efficiently concluded the decks were cleared for the hunt. The result? Eleven bagged, plus two more in the sister town of Dunshaughlin.
Cradling the gentle rain, this first one from Navan is on Pollboy Bridge.

Below: The 'mark on Pollboy Bridge.

Above: On Pollboy Bridge looking towards Flower Hill, with the 'mark at bottom right.

NUMBER 438

BENCHMARKS continued

Almost directly opposite the previous church this one is on another church in Ballygawley, perhaps the Church of Ireland.  It's certainly the older of the two as, unlike its predecessor, it appears in the 6” maps.

 Below: A  'mark in Ballygawley.

Above:  A view of the church with the 'mark located to the right of the door.

NUMBER 437

 BENCHMARKS continued

This one is of the type know as a 'flush bracket' benchmark and they are mainly to be found in Northern Ireland with just a few south of the border. This one is on Ballygawley Presbyterian Church in Co Tyrone.

Below: The 'mark on Ballygawley Presbyterian Church

Above:  A view of the church with the 'mark located near the bottom of the corner nearest, and to the left.

NUMBER 436

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The fourth 'mark from Clonmel by P.G.R. is appropriately enough located on the courthouse, because  his father worked there as the 'Chief Clerk' of the 'Circuit Court' for many years until his retirement.

Below: The 'mark on Clonmel Courthouse.

Above:  A view of the Courthouse. The 'mark is just to the right of the corner facing, near the bottom of the drainpipe.

NUMBER 435

BENCHMARKS continued

The third 'mark from Clonmel by P.G.R. It comes with a heart-felt plea: 'Kickam Barracks, Clonmel, is now abandoned by the Army as part of the cut-backs and the buildings behind the arch now house a solicitors' practice and an Acupuncture Clinic. Who will defend us now?' 
Also included is this prayer: 

O God, our help in ages past, 

Our hope for years to come, 

Our shelter from the stormy blast, 

And our eternal home. 

 Under the shadow of thy throne 

Thy saints have dwelt secure; 

Sufficient is thine arm alone, 

And our defense is sure. 

Below: The 'mark on the arch at Kickam Barracks in Clonmel.

 

Above: The arch at Kickam Barracks with the 'mark at bottom right.

NUMBER 434

BENCHMARKS continued

A second 'mark from Clonmel recorded by P.G.R. This one is on the base of the railings of a building that is the local Fianna Fail headquarters.

Below: The 'mark on the headquarters of Fianna Fail in Clonmel.

Above: A fine shot of the building, which recent election results indicate is probably a bit big for present purposes. The 'mark is on the stone base of the railings at far right, behind the lassie in the pink top.

NUMBER 433

BENCHMARKS continued

On a visit to the Tipperary town of Clonmel recently, P.G.R. kept an eye peeled for any 'marks. He turned up five of them; a good result for a relative tyro, though it is a bit easier than spotting the Higgs bosom. The first of the five is on the Bank of Ireland building.

Below: The 'mark on the Bank of Ireland in Clonmel.

Above: The Bank of Ireland in Clonmel with the 'mark just to the left of the entrance steps and just to the right of the woman's handbag.