I thought it would be nice to give a little update on something I posted about last November. Back then we had just had a pre-enrolment day for an Educate Together school we hoped would get the go ahead in Greystones. Over 230 children were pre-enrolled that day but it was only the beginning and at that point we had no idea whether or not we’d be successful. Well, it’s almost a year on and this Monday morning our brand new school will open for its very first term!

It’s a cliché I know, but it really has been a rollercoaster. There was the elation when our school was approved, quickly followed by fear that we wouldn’t get a site. Then there was the happiness of finding out that the school would be built on a beautiful spot on old farmland only to hear soon after that the building wouldn’t be ready. It’s been a lesson in local politics, planning and the workings of the department of education but today the keys were handed over and we have a school (there are more photos of the handover on the school blog). I’m so proud of all the others in the Start-Up Group, I wasn’t able to give as much time as I would have liked to the project lately thanks to crazy work commitments and the lion’s share of the work fell on just a few shoulders. There’s an understandable weariness now that the school is ready so I hope everyone will be able to step back and just enjoy the moment when the doors open.

There’s still a lot to be done, only one of the buildings is ready (we only need one for now since there will only be 2 classes for the first year and there’s plenty of room in just one of the buildings to house both our school and the Gaelscoil we will be sharing with), the tarmac was still being laid as we did our tour. Not to mention we will be spending the weekend moving the furniture into the classrooms. Still, the school looks amazing, would you believe these are actually temporary buildings and that construction began just 2 months ago? They’re a far cry from what you would expect when you hear the word “prefab.”

On Monday, 12 new Educate Together schools will open around the country, that’s the largest number of new ET schools ever to open in one year so far. Now we just need an Educate Together secondary school!

Canon 5D, 17mm, f5, 1/250, ISO 200

I have a thing about windows and old buildings. When we were out walking around over the weekend, I found myself drawn to the old, falling-down parts of Dublin, rather than the shiny new stuff.

Canon 5D, 200mm, f5.6, 1/200, ISO 200

Another Saturday, another photowalk, this time around Dublin’s Docklands with about 30 photographers for the Scott Kelby photowalk. Redmum, McAWilliams, Darren were there and I also got to meet Jennifer Farley, whose blog I’ve been reading for a while now, for the first time.

We got a bit of shooting time in before the heavens opened and it was more a leisurely stroll and a chat for me (as per usual on these things). I did get a couple of photos though. I’m up to my ears in processing for clients but I couldn’t resist doing just one from the day. This is one of the Boland’s Mill buildings in Ringsend. I’m ashamed to admit, I didn’t know the history until google told me that the rebels took refuge here during the 1916 Rising.

Canon 5D, 85mm, f/1.8, 1/125, ISO 1600

Marcus Mac Innes from the Irish photo-sharing site Pix.ie and Lisa Fitzsimons from Guinness very kindly invited a group of Pix.ie users to the Guinness Storehouse in St. James’s Gate for an out-of-hours ramble around the museum to take photos. It was a fantastic day and the photographs that have been coming in to the group pool are brilliant. You can go here to have a look through them. There is a comptetition running right now to find the best photographs of the Brewery and it’s free for anyone to enter.

I really enjoyed the older parts of the building and the views of Dublin were very atmospheric thanks to yet another rainy summer day. It left me thinking of what other Dublin landmarks I’d love to have free reign to wander and photograph in: Kilmainham Jail, The Gaiety Theatre, Trinity, Christchurch, Collins Barracks…

Canon 5D, 19mm, f/4, 1/400, ISO 400

Canon 5D, 17mm, f/4, 1/250, ISO 400

Canon 5D, 17mm, f/4, 1/200, ISO 1600

Canon 5D, 17mm, f/10, 1/250, ISO 400

Canon 5D, 17mm, f/18, 1/30, ISO 400

Thanks again Marcus and Lisa for a great day!

I recently ordered some photobooks and they arrived just a few days ago. I’m so impressed with the quality, they’re just yummy. The print quality is spot on, the pages are the perfect thickness and everyone I’ve shown them to just loves the idea of having photos displayed this way. This one was the smallest one and is a dinky 7×7. I can’t wait for Daniel’s Mum to see it!