NUMBER !,110

BENCHMARKS continued

This one from MC is about half way along the east side of Infirmary Road in Dublin City.

Below: The 'mark on Infirmary Road in Dublin City.

Above: Looking north on Infirmary Road the 'mark at about half way along the base of the wall.

NUMBER 794

BENCHMARKS continued

This one in the Phoenix Park in Dublin is to the east side of the Kyber Road near the junction with the Military Road. There is an indication that it has been moved there from another location as it appears to have been plastered over at some stage, although only the central leg now indicates this. Alternatively, it may in fact be the 'mark shown close to this location on the 6” maps.

Below: The 'mark near the south end of the Kyber Road in the Phoenix Park.

 

Above: Looking west over the Kyber Road towards the Magazine Fort and with the 'mark on the granite slab in the ground on the right.

 

NUMBER 793

BENCHMARKS continued

On his extensive trawl of the area centred around Adelaide Road in Dublin, about two or three years ago, M.C. failed to spot this one; and so it fell to Benchmarker once again to come along and mop-up after him. It's on the old railway terminal building, now some sort of cafe, on the east side of Harcourt Street near the junction with Adelaide Road.

Below: The 'mark on the railway terminal building on Harcourt Street.

 

 Above: Looking south from the Luas platform on Harcourt Street with the 'mark on the right hand side of the base of the circular column at left.

NUMBER 752

BENCHMARKS continued

Even after he went to Specsavers and although he knew the general location of this one, M.C. couldn't spot it. It fell to Benchmarker to step up to the plate and do what had to be done. It's on the corner of Merrion Square North at its junction with Holles Street in Dublin City.

Below: A 'mark on Merrion Square North at Holles Street.

 

Above: Looking into Holles Street from Merrion Square with the 'mark at bottom left.

NUMBER 750

BENCHMARKS continued

M.C. spotted this one on the wall of Glasnevin Cemetery on Finglas Road in Dublin, just a short distance from the main entrance, on the city centre side.

Below: The 'mark on Finglas Road in Dublin.

 

Above: Looking south east on Finglas Road with the 'mark at bottom left.

NUMBER 749

BENCHMARKS continued

This one from M.C. is on a pillar at the entrance to Cathal Brugha Barracks – formerly Portobello Barracks – on Military Road in Rathmines in Dublin City.

Below: The 'mark on Military Road, Rathmines.

 

Above: A view of the entrance to Cathal Brugha Barracks with the 'mark on the pillar at left. 

NUMBER 748

BENCHMARKS continued

It was back to the old stomping ground of the Parkgate Street area for M.C. to get this one. It's at the front entrance of a house on the north east corner of Montpelier Hill where it meets Arbour Hill in Dublin City..

Below: A 'mark on Montpelier Hill in Dublin. It's on the base of the pillar.

 

Above: Looking north on Montpelier Hill with the 'mark to the right of the doorway.

NUMBER 747

BENCHMARKS continued

And lo, a vision came to M.C. in a dream and told him to hie to the place where Harold crossed the Grand channel on which a man-built span now stood and to seek on the wall thereat upon which he would surely find a 'mark. And come the morn M.C. awoke and breakfasted mightily for the distance it was great being at least two leagues from his place of reside. And at length he struck out for the place foretold in the dream and hastened there and lo, on the wall was the 'mark and M.C. drank a MiWadi and gave thanks and proclaimed the news of his good fortune. (As told to Benchmarker).

Below: The 'mark on the east side of the bridge on the Grand Canal at Harold's Cross in Dublin City.

 

Above: Looking north on the canal bridge with the 'mark at right.

NUMBER 723

BENCHMARKS continued

The Griffith maps contain a veritable treasure trove of 'marks that do not appear on either the 6'' or 25'' maps. Perhaps they could be described as outliers; or maybe as rogues. And it was to Griffith's that M.C. resorted in order to track down any rogues within the metropolitan Dublin area that have not already surrendered to his hawk-eyed insatiability. He bagged this one on Clarke's Bridge over the Royal Canal on Summerhill Parade, Ballybough Road.

Below: The 'mark on Clarke's Bridge over the Royal Canal on Summerhill Parade, Ballybough Road.

 

Above: Looking south-east on Clarke's Bridge with the 'mark at top and centre of the wall, overlooking a cider party all along the banks of the Royal Canal.

NUMBER 720

BENCHMARKS continued

As 2013 limps towards its inevitable demise it is awards season time for the Benchmarker Academy. Having reviewed all contributions, for the fourth time in as many years the title of Benchmarker Hunter Supreme is bestowed on M.C. The citation noted that he again gave exemplary display throughout the year of that special persistence and commitment to the hunt, the highlight of which resulted in locating this one on Emmet Road near its junction with Saint Vincent Street West, Inchicore in Dublin City. The award will be presented at a special celebration at Bar 52 in the New Year.

Below: The 'mark on Emmet Road in Dublin City.

 

Above: Looking west on Emmet Road with the 'mark on the wall at left.

NUMBER 712

BENCHMARKS continued

What with all the widening and improvements that have gone on, and considering there were never all that many to start with, kerbstone 'marks - or flaties if you prefer - are as rare nowadays as hens teeth. It's surprising therefore that this one still remains in situ on the north side of Leinster Street South in Dublin City, just a few paces from the building where James Joyce's inamorata Nora Barnacle worked as a chamber maid – Finn's Hotel. It's not listed on any of the usual maps, or indeed in Ulysses, (or Finnegan's Wake, as far as is known) but M.C. tracked it down from the maps that accompany the Griffith Valuations. The fact that the kerbstone is now cracked in two could mean that its days may be numbered. A full scale occupation of the site may be called for. Come with your spouses and children; your hopes and dreams yearning to break free; placards, tents and sleeping bags, on next June 16^th. Kidneys will be served.

Below: The 'mark on Leinster Street South. 

 

Above: Looking east on Leinster Street South with the 'mark at bottom. Finn's Hotel is just out of shot to the left.


NUMBER 710

BENCHMARKS continued

As it nestled 'neath the iron rail that girds the oxygen lung in the palpitating bosom of the Dublin metropolis that is Merrion Square, 'twere spotted by the venerable M.C. who forthwith made proper record for suitable publication in the estimable and esteemed benchmarks website contraption thingy.

Below: The 'mark on Merrion Square South. 

 

Above: Looking west on Merrion Square South towards Leinster House with the 'mark at bottom right.


NUMBER 708

BENCHMARKS continued

M.C. photographed this one located on a window-sill at Pembroke Cottages, Ballsbridge in Dublin City.

Below: The 'mark at Pembroke Cottages.

Above: Looking south with the 'mark at the centre of the window-sill.

NUMBER 700

BENCHMARKS continued

As the light declined, this upside-down one was recorded on the camera-phone of M.C. It's on Westmoreland Bridge in Phibsborough in Dublin. It appears not to be in its original place on the bridge wall and was probably moved when it was reused with the other wall stones when the that wall was rebuilt at some time.

Below: The 'mark on Westmoreland Bridge.

 

Above: Looking south on Phibsborough Road with the 'mark at left.

NUMBER 699

BENCHMARKS continued

M.C. bagged this one on the Wellington Testimonial in the Phoenix Park in Dublin, sometime during the high summer of 2013.

Below: The 'mark on the Wellington Testimonial.

 

Above: Looking north east - towards the Peoples' Garden - on the Testimonial with the 'mark at left.

NUMBER 694

BENCHMARKS continued

Once upon a time there was just one road in Dublin City called Pidgeon House Road. In a way that mirrors Pakistan when first established, there are now two Pidgeon House Roads. With Pakistan the two parts of the country were separated geographically by the huge landmass that is India; while the two Dublin roads are separated by about 400 metres of a massive freight depot that was plonked down there on a part of the original single road. The result today is that anyone wishing to travel from one road to the other must navigate there via three other differently named roads. It almost goes without saying but this is likely to result in confusion in the mind of anyone unaware of this state of affairs and seeking directions to either of the pair of similarly named roads. Benchmarker is seldom one to editorialize but surely it is well past time to give each of the two roads a different designation. Benchmarker's suggestion to the City fathers and mothers is to designate the two roads as 'West' and 'East' as appropriate. Developments in this regard are eagerly awaited.

This one is on the north side of that terrace of buildings known as the Coastguard Station on Pidgeon House Road West in Dublin City.

Below: The 'mark on the Coastguard Station. Unfortunately this photo is of poor quality as a result of the low light level at the time of its taking.

 

 Above: A view of the northern side of the main building of the terrace on Pidgeon House Road West. The 'mark is at bottom right of the peaked roofed section of the main building, hidden in the vegetation.

NUMBER 693

BENCHMARKS continued

This one from the South Bull Wall is a little east of the Half Moon Battery just a bit past where the wall veers towards the north-east. Sorry it is not more specific.

Below: A 'mark on the South Bull Wall, Dublin City. It's about 300 metres west of the Lighthouse.

 

 Above: Looking east on the South Bull Wall with the 'mark at bottom centre, in the shade of Benchmarker's massive shadow. (In reality the Lighthouse does not lean; the effect is a result of the wide angle lens.)

NUMBER 692

BENCHMARKS continued

A hidden-in-plain-sight little gem in the city centre that is a popular promenading spot for some in-the-know Southside Dubliners is the South Bull Wall leading out to the Poolbeg Lighthouse. However unlike its counterpart on the Northside - the Bull Wall - a visit to there by road requires navigating an ugly and extensive industrial complex. Benchmarker is usually not one to editorialize but surely the City fathers and mothers should make this lovely spot more accessible and more widely popular by constructing a new roadway to bypass that great big mass of power stations, sewerage works, shipping container depots etc. (This message was approved by M.C.)

Below: A 'mark on the South Bull Wall, Dublin City. It's about 200 metres west of the Lighthouse near a set of steps.

 

 Above: Looking east on the South Bull Wall with the 'mark at bottom left.

NUMBER 658

BENCHMARKS continued

At the Pigeon House Road entrance to Ringsend Park in Dublin, is a building called the Syphon House. What it probably siphons is perhaps best left unsaid. Anyway this one is on that particular building.

Below: The 'mark on the Syphon House in Ringsend, Dublin City.

 

 Above: Looking into Ringsend Park from Pigeon House Road with the 'mark at left on the wall, fourth block from the bottom. 

NUMBER 649

BENCHMARKS continued

Perhaps inspired after attending a production of 'Cornerstones', M.C. suggested taking another look at a few of those locations which formerly had proved unfruitful. And so, with Benchmarker in the death seat, the automobile was guided south. First stop was at the Beggars Bush, a drinking den with which Benchmarker grew over-familiar in younger times. It appeared that little had changed there since those halcyon nights shooting for the treble-twenty. And just to show how good his aim is, M.C. scored a bulls-eye by unerringly zeroing-in on the 'mark on the perimeter wall of the Barracks.

Below: The 'mark on the perimeter wall of Beggars Bush Barracks, Haddington Road in Dublin.

 

 Above: Looking east on Haddington Road with the 'mark at bottom right.