NUMBER 1,037

BENCHMARKS continued

The old artillery barracks is the location of thie one in Clonmel from M.C. It's on Dillon Street.

Below: A 'mark on Dillon Street in Clonmel.

 

 Above: Looking south on Dillon Street with the 'mark at left.

NUMBER 1,036

BENCHMARKS continued

Another one in Clonmel from M.C. that is not on the map. This one is on Emmet Street.

Below: A 'mark on Emmet Street in Clonmel.

 

Above: A view of Emmet Street with the 'mark at left.

NUMBER 1,035

BENCHMARKS continued

This one in Clonmel from M.C. is on Davis Road. It's not on the map so more exact details are not available.

Below: A 'mark on Davis Road in Clonmel.

Above: A view of Davis Road with the 'mark at left on top of the pillar.

NUMBER 1,034

BENCHMARKS continued

This one from Clonmel from M.C. is on Davis Street on the entrance arch to the old Infantry Barracks.

Below: A 'mark on Davis Street in Clonmel, County Tipperary.

 

Above: Looking west on Davis Street with the 'mark near the bottom of the arch pillar at left.

NUMBER 873

BENCHMARKS continued

Optimism triumphed over experience again recently when M.C. suggested that it might be a rather jolly jape if a few of us got together to visit a former colleague now domiciled up in the foothills of the Comeragh Mountains. There were four in the car for the journey; to wit, M.C. at the wheel, yours truly, Stamp Tony Byrne and the President (No, not that one, not Michael Dee. But it's a bit long to explain.) The vehicle had barely wheeled onto the Naas Road when M.C. announced that as well as appraising the décor of one or two of the public houses of County Tipperary, some time would be set aside for benchmark hunting. This drew from one of the passengers the response “Shur benchmarks are nothing more than chisel scratches on auld stones!” (The author of this remark of such outrageous sociopathic disassociation will remain anonymous - but let's just say it wasn't Tony.) The result was that the rest of the afternoon, evening and night, passed in a state of ill concealed fractious tension. Nevertheless a number of chisel scratches on auld stones were recorded with the first of them on O'Connell Street in Clonmel in County Tipperary.

Below: A 'mark on the south side of O'Connell at it's junction with Bridge Street in Clonmel, County Tipperary.
 

 Above: Looking west on O'Connell Street with the 'mark at bottom left behind the utility box.

NUMBER 504

 BENCHMARK continued

P.G.R. made another foray into his home-town of Clonmel recently to get the last of the known benchmarks there. It is to the right of the main-door steps of the Clonmel Arms Hotel in Sarsfield St. (just left of the bumper of the hatchback car in the wide shot.) It is coincidental that P.G.R.'s grandfather, Godfrey Ryan, took lodgings in Mrs. Ellen Walshe's boarding-house directly opposite the hotel at number 23, according to the 1911 census.

Below: The 'mark on Sarsfield Street, Clonmel.

 

Above: The Clonmel Arms Hotel with the 'mark on the base of the railings just to the left of the car.

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 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.