A Gatherin of Words

AI Rant - a response

Sun, 23 Feb 2025 16:00:50 GMT

AI Rant

I get some fierce knocking about the use of AI in the creation of my songs, mostly from creatives. It momentarily annoys rather than bothers me. The mere fact that I can achieve the end results I set out to do both aurally and visually, and in many cases exceed those makes it worth the’ learning curve’ and effort for me. I sing at a level that I would find unacceptable for public performance but is fine for demos, the fact that I am a creator rather than a performer means that AI has become an exceptional tool. To give you an example:

I tried for months to find a female vocalist, a bass guitarist, and a violinist that I could pay good money to record my work but all were either too busy or failed to respond, which in some ways defeats the argument that AI is killing live music Thankfully, AI technology came along at the right time, I can now translate my vocal and lyrics into an AI generated vocal if I choose to, create a unique bass or violin for my song if I choose. At the very least I can have my studio recorded tracks mastered professionally through Ai. Another worthwhile outcome is being able to hear my songs from another perspective by creating another vocal / style genre.

I find it surprising that many ‘musicians’ react to AI in such an adverse way, rather than seeing it as an opportunity to develop their own creativity or at the very least another tool to use in their creative process. What really gets under my skin though, is the fact that some of these critics are up to their hypocritical necks in AI technology through their phones, tv’s and recording plus a whole plethora of software (digital) that has been used in the creative process for decades. AI is within virtually every piece of hardware and software most people are currently using and that includes musical equipment whether you like it or not, and unless you are a purist who only performs acoustically with an acoustic instrument and never records, then you will be engaging somewhere along your timeline with AI, for sure. I prefer to have the option of both worlds and use them to the best of my ability either singularly or together.

My approach to songwriting is exploratory both in genre and expression as I continue to develop and discover my own bias in aesthetics, nuances and style and those who know me will instantly know which songs are in that category.

Likewise with my photography, I started out in a darkroom creating my images with chemicals in a tray with photographic paper, I then adopted and adapted to the digital revolution in photography and incorporated that into my workflow through the digital darkroom. Being open to and able to explore new techniques and technology is a benefit both in terms of what you can learn from it and how you can utilize it in your own creative path. If you do not like AI in the creative process then that's your prerogative but to condemn and knock others by using a bunch of conclusions generically borrowed from others is devoid of any personal substance, in my opinion. At least if you have tried using AI as a tool and come up with your own reasoning for not using it......I could fully respect that opinion. Not sure how to end this rant apart from saying:

Lighten up, life is very short, create your own beauty in whatever way you can and release it to the world, as the world sure needs it.

Miss McCaw

Tue, 14 Jan 2025 18:18:57 GMT

Miss McCaw (Sam Mary Ann)

This song ( https://youtu.be/3nl0KtMPoEs ) takes me back to memories of my childhood and teenage years, experiences that played a big part in shaping my perception of gender and an unwavering belief in the freedom to be yourself, to speak your truth, and to live authentically without harming others.

After my parents separated, I was placed in an orphanage, and later, around nine years old, I (and my brother) moved to live with my grandparents at Brigend in the quiet rural townland of Cloughcorr, on the Straid Road. It was during this time that the inspiration for this song took root.

One day, I saw a tall, striking figure with rosy cheeks, whom I’ll call Miss McCaw, striding past my grandmother’s house. She walked with six dogs ahead of her on leads, wearing a dark paisley dress, a long coat, a black hat, and sturdy work boots. As a young child, I had never seen so many dogs together at one time, nor anyone who looked quite like her. The combination of the two left a big impression and I rushed inside to tell my grandmother. She listened and casually replied, “Och! That’s Sam Mary Ann.” From that moment on, I knew her as Sam Mary Ann, though in later life I learned that Miss McCaw was how she liked to be addressed in person. Out of respect, I use that title here, but in the song, I’ve kept the name that lingered in my memory and is in the lyrics of the song.

Throughout the time with my grandparents, I saw Miss McCaw frequently. Sometimes she was with her dogs, other times carrying a large bag on her shoulders, and on one occasion carrying two black cauldrons, used for cooking over an open fire. As a child, I associated the cauldrons with witches from the stories I had read, which made me both wary and intrigued by her. Miss McCaw lived at Novally, a small clachan not far from my grandmother’s home.

Every school day along with other children we walked the three-miles to primary school in Ballycastle passing through Novally on the way. A man called Dan kept a small shop in his cottage at Novally that sold essentials and also sweets. On a few occasions, my grandmother would send me there to buy sugar for baking. I became familiar with the road that past by Miss McCaw’s house, a small road which links Novally to the Straid Road. When I felt brave enough, I would take the longer route home, passing warily by her gate, there were always cats and dogs playing in the yard and a tree with handbags hanging from it. This surreal scene became a lasting memory for me. After a period of time my father turned up and we returned to England.

The next time I saw Miss McCaw was when I had returned to Ireland in the 1960s and began renovating a bothy. There was a field gate on the lane close to the bothy and I began to see Miss McCaw passing there, on one occasion carrying a sofa on her shoulders heading back to Novally, Whenever we caught sight of each we would gesture with a wave, a quiet acknowledgment of each other. I am sure she was intrigued by all of us living at the farm as we were full blown hippies with an alternative lifestyle. My daily attire would consist of green or purple crushed velvet trousers, a tie-dyed tee shirt and an embroidered Afghan coat, my hair was three times the length of Miss McCaw's reaching half way down my back. Not exactly a common sight in the locality, but it was how we chose to live, much like Miss McCaw, we did so without harming anyone.

I would also spot Miss McCaw in town, riding her bicycle, signing on at the dole, or shopping. The only time I ever spoke to her was one summer evening, as I was walking down the lane. Our paths crossed at the field gate, and I greeted her with a simple “Hi” and “That's a beautiful evening,” as the sky transformed through shades of orange and crimson above us. That brief exchange revealed to me Miss McCaw’s deep love for nature, animals, and the world around her, especially in the way she described the sunlight and the reflections on the water at the duck ponds near my grandmother’s, something very few people seemed to notice let alone talk about in conversation in those days. In contrast us hippies would seek out such locations and sit for hours enjoying it.

From that short conversation, I sensed that Miss McCaw was a person who lived life on her own terms, unapologetically and with a great love for the natural world. She didn’t conform to others’ expectations, yet she harmed no one in doing so. A strong, kind and gentle soul who unknowingly left a profound mark. The lesson I’ve taken from this experience is simple: We all leave an impression on those we meet, whether we realize it or not. The trace we leave behind can shape others’ lives in ways we can’t predict. So, always strive to be kind and understanding because it’s the kindness we share that resonates long after the moment has passed.

After renovating the bothy and the birth of my first son we moved away from the area over to Portstewart where I attended University, I never saw Miss McCaw again.

She passed away on June 21st 1983 aged 73 and is buried in Ramoan Church, the simple headstones is marked as S. McCaw. Passing through Novally the other day I noticed that both Dan's old cottage and the house where Miss McCaw lived are still there in a ruinous condition but the garden where the tree was is now concrete.

The Mermaid of Dunluce

Mon, 28 Oct 2024 20:19:11 GMT

The Mermaid of Dunluce

I first heard this story when I was about 11 years old, back then we had no electricity in our home, just candles, and tilley lamps and later gas lighting, we had no telephone or television, mobile phones had not been invented so entertainment focused on social gatherings. At least one evening a week I would go with an uncle or auntie to a neighbours cottage about 1km away. Depending on who was there, we had general chat, music being played, singing and stories being told, as we sat in the warmth of an open fire. It was here that I heard most of the folklore and stories that would become a precious part of my imagination and later inspiration. I wrote this song on an acoustic guitar originally and recorded it on an four track with a dreadful vocal. I came across it again this year and brought it back life with the help of AI which created the singing voice to my lyrics.

The Mermaid’s Cave is spectacular cavern with a steep access down a loose dirt bank to a sloping boulder floor which runs to the water's edge. The cave runs the entire length of the castle and opens out to the sea, on calm days it is possible to enter the cave by boat or kayak. One of the memorable features for me was the amazing reverberation, a friend and I would go there to listen to and record it by throwing a large stone in the air so it would fall vertically down creating superb low-frequency reverberation as it hit and went under the water. As well as this, it is the legendary haunt of a mermaid. Mermaids, Selkies and the Sidhe (pronounced Shee) are found in many stories around our shore, they depict enchanting creatures that materialize in a feminine form to lure the unsuspecting. The story I was told relates to a mermaid.

The story tells of two young soldiers, Elric and Francis, they were part of a force laying siege to the castle in the 1500s and were posted at the base of the castle in the small bay to the right, to keep watch for anyone trying to leave and prevent any landing parties coming ashore into the bay or cave. The two were like brothers, they grew up together, enlisted in the army together and served in the same unit, Elric confided in Francis and vice versa. Elric told Francis that he was going to explore the cave that evening when the moon was full and invited him to come along but Francis declined. The next day Elric revealed to Francis that he visited the cave and found it dimly lit by the moon's reflection through the opening to the sea, he clambered down a steep bank and found a place to sit near the water, the sea was calm and he closed his eyes and listened to the rhythm of the water gently lapping over the boulders creating an entrancing sound which filled the whole cavern.

As he listens to the peaceful sound he became aware of another discordant sound of splashing quite close, he opened his eyes and saw in the shadow and reflections on the water the head of a women with long hair a few yards from him, at first he thought it was an illusion of the moonlight on the water. He was startled when she rose from the water revealing a scaled body, she reached out her hand and beckoned him, at the same time in a beautiful voice that did not come from her mouth but spoke in his mind and heart, said, ‘Come’ take my hand, you are tired, come with me and you will be safe and forever free of war. This unsettled Elric and at the same time mesmerized him, he could not grasp what was happening and panicked, he took flight and scrambled back up to the exit, stopping halfway up to look back but there was nothing there but the moon's long reflection on the water.

Robert sat open mouthed listening to this account, he was baffled by what he had heard and did not know what to believe, was it true or not, he tried to put it down to fatigue as they both were battle-weary and nearing the end of their tour of duty. Francis knew that Elric was always honest with him, they trusted and shared their thoughts with each other, so it unsettled him to hear the account. Later that day the order came that the castle would be taken by force the following day, artillery had arrived and was being put in place on the cliffs. The day past and as night fell, Elric told Francis he would go back to the cave to see if what had happened the previous night was real or not and that he should come along to witness it. He also said he wanted to hide in the cave until the castle had fallen and the killing was over and then make his way back to their home. Francis pleaded with him not to go, concerned not only by what his friend had told him but also the fact, that running away from the army was desertion and punishable by death.

His plea failed and he watched as Elric walk towards the cave under the light of the moon, Francis stayed awake, waiting several hours, then just before dawn he decided to go and find him and beg or force him to come back as the last thing he could imagine was his friend being put to death for desertion. He searched the cave but found no trace of Elric, it was still and quiet with the first signs of sunrise in the sky beyond the sea entrance.

Francis returned to his post, later that morning the castle fell, after the fighting a role call was made and Elric was declared missing, a search was called but no trace was found. A few weeks later Francis was granted leave to go home, he was half expecting to find Elric there like he had told him before he disappeared but on arrival he soon found out that nobody had seen or heard from him. He felt it was his duty to tell Elric's parents about what their son had told him before he disappeared.

Francis continued to serve in the army and when he finally retired went back to his village where he lived out the rest of his life never knowing what had happened to friend Elric and if indeed he had been lured to another world by a mermaid. He told the story many times to those who were curious or asked about Elric, he also told it on winter nights around an open fire when people gathered in his home.

Remember just because you have never seen something does not mean it does not exist.

Thoughts from my AI journey

Mon, 22 Jan 2024 14:25:44 GMT

Thoughts from an AI journey

Embracing AI in the realm of creativity is an inevitable reality for me, whether you view it with enthusiasm or skepticism, its permanence is indisputable. Despite critiques dismissing it as devoid of artistic merit, akin to the skepticism faced by photography when it first appeared on the scene. The historical parallel with the advent of the camera and its transformative impact on visual creation is a poignant reminder of resistance to innovation in the creative landscape. For a moment reflect on the role that 'camera obscura' played as a tool in shaping many of the revered masterpieces displayed in our art galleries.

As primarily a visual creator and photographer, navigating the contradictory opinions and perceived threats posed by AI has been an interesting and challenging personal journey. Rather than succumbing to the dichotomy of man versus machine, I have chosen to view AI as an additional tool in my creative arsenal. If I can create an image of a cake for a client in two minutes as opposed to several hours of intense work and can do this with the integral saving of time and money, then there is no argument from my perspective.

As a photographer acknowledging and accepting that AI has the ability in certain areas, to swiftly produce visuals that not only equal but surpass my own manual photographic techniques, was the first step. The second step was recognizing the real threat of redundancy it poses among creatives in areas such as advertising, promotion and publications, at the same time embracing the infinite creative potential at my disposal. The key lies in adaptation – smartly embracing this technology to augment, rather than replace, our creative endeavors

I've been diving into the world of AI generative visuals from its infancy witnessing its development which has been nothing short of astonishing. Far from stifling my creativity AI has challenged, inspired and encouraged my creative interactions. It's like stepping into a whole new dimension for visual creation where the emphasis is place on you as the prompt maker, how well you do that depends on your ability to convey imagination into AI understandable speak with its parameters.

The AI models, or "bots," that respond to your text to generate visuals showcase a wide range of output quality and content from brilliant to total trash. It's all about experimenting with different developers and models until you find the one that resonates with your own creative vision and instinct. Some developers pull from a vast database of billions of visuals posted on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Google, Bing, and many more. On the other side, there are developers who, in my opinion are more niche and exhibit artistic finesse, who draw on a rich database of visual art, styles and techniques over time.

The beauty of it all is that you can try out many AI generators for free. If you opt for paid access it unlocks a world of possibilities, including full commercial rights to your creations. Always remember that when you engage with AI you become part of the training process to improve the AI model. Each image you make is coded with an ID and job reference linked to your name which provides a level of ownership and recognition. This enhanced access comes at a cost, typically ranging from $20 to $120 per month. Some developers empower you to train your own AI model which will absorb your niche preferences. In doing so, it can evolve into a unique conduit for your personal style of visual creation. It's a fascinating journey into the intersection of technology and creativity .

AI has compelled me to reassess my approach to photography, specifically the direction I choose to pursue. I hail from an era where image creation involved the manual application of photography; darkrooms, chemicals, light meters, and soft boxes—where nothing was left to auto settings because we basically had none. I have continued on this path out of habit and also the desire to maintain control over the visual outcome of my photography. I have gone completely digital in the darkroom processing side which itself is annoyingly layered with AI tools. In reality a good photograph for me is simply a balance of light, contrast, tones, colour and shadows and highlights coupled with my own perspective and composition.

In many wa ys, the application and control of AI generative visuals through the process of interpreting your imagination in words and a basic understanding of AI parameters echoes the old process of creating images in the darkroom where control was exerted through chemicals, light exposure and physical motion coupled with intuition. Each step in both processes can introduce an unknown variable that may elevate what is being created to another level of perception and appreciation. I prefer the AI route as it is more imaginative with an unlimited potential for exploration plus it is instant.

Reflecting on the enduring presence of AI and its impact in our daily lives, let's look at an obvious example that will resonate with everyone: the act of snapping a photo with our smartphone cameras. In this seemingly simple process, AI steps in to discern the subject, adjusting colors to create an "ideal" image tailored to our preferences with just a few taps. Essentially, AI assumes the role of the photographer, streamlining the entire photographic experience for users who need only focus on composition and clicking.

However, it's imperative to recognize that each photograph contributes to the expansive AI database, channeling through popular social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter. In essence, we unwittingly become an integral source of data for AI. The integration of AI extends beyond our smartphones, finding a prominent place in modern vehicles. If you're driving a relatively recent model, AI takes the lead in managing various technical applications within your vehicle, seamlessly updating itself from the cloud—a process mirroring that of your smartphone and I could go on with house security, travel, flights, etc,.

Conclusively, my perspective advocates for treating AI as a valuable tool in visual creation. To maintain a semblance of control and preserve visual impact, I recommend finding a middle ground where you can infuse uniqueness through personalized prompts, visuals of your own handcrafted art, or your own photographs. Personally, in the realm of photography, I opt for manual control over auto features, utilize a dedicated camera, and take charge of the image processing rather than relying on AI solutions. The image produced by the camera can them become a source image for prompting with AI.

When it co mes to exploring AI-generated visuals through prompting, I approach it as an opportunity for experimentation. While there are general guidelines, I find that true discoveries lie in venturing off the beaten track, pushing the boundaries of conventional prompts. Ultimately, striking a balance between harnessing AI's capabilities while preserving individual creativeness yields the most fulfilling and innovative results in the dynamic realm of visual creation.

I apologize for no interaction with these blogs via comments or questions, more down to my own inability to understand how to do it but if you have any comments, questions or just something you want to share on the topic. head over to my Facebook Page and find the post for this blog and I will be happy to communicate there. If you do go over to Facebook answer this question by choosing 1, 2 or 3 of the following: The images in this blog are: 1. 100% AI generated. 2. 50% AI / 50% Photography. 3. There are three AI generated images.

Portrush to Ballycastle Railway Proposal

Sat, 05 Aug 2023 12:31:20 GMT

Proposal for railway line from Portrush to Ballycastle

I wrote this piece in 1993 for 'Portcaman' published by the Bushmills Folklore & History Group.

The emergence of Stevenson's "Rocket" and the subsequent development and success of the steam train in the 18th century sparked a transportation revolution across Europe. The dawn of the golden age of steam reached these shores in 1834 with the inauguration of the first railway line, which ran between Dublin and Kingstown.

In 1839, the first goods and passenger line from Belfast to Lisburn was established. Soon, rail lines began to extend from the two major cities, facilitating communication, commerce, and accessibility throughout Ireland.

The opening of the Belfast to Ballymena line in 1848 marked the beginning of an extensive network of lines that would connect virtually every community in Ulster, the extension of the line from Ballymena reached Portrush in 1855.

This new mode of transport brought numerous opportunities for both business and leisure. Goods could now be easily transported from one place to another, and people could take advantage of the increasing number of scheduled rail services to various locations across Ireland. Meetings across the country were buzzing with proposals from interested parties eager to maximize the potential of this innovative form of transport and benefit their local communities

This meeting was held in Portrush Town Hall on a wet and stormy September evening in 1873. Despite the inclement weather, many interested parties traveled up to twenty miles along the shore from Ballycastle to attend the meeting. Upon arrival, they found a warm room heated by a glowing fire fueled by lignite from the mines at Ballintoy, managed by Mr. John Dickson.

The attendees that night included:- Major Hannay, J.P. - Captain Chaine - Daniel Taylor, J.P. - R.M. Douglas, J.P. - William Woodside - Robert Sharpe, MD. = James Macaw, MD. - A.T. Carson, MD. - George Given - Daniel Gailey - John Dickson - Patrick McLaighlin - Thomas Bellas - James Kinnon - William Ellis - Dr. Moore (Dungiven) - John Boyd - John Hall - Thomas McCombe - Samuel Steele - James Currey - Isaac Hunter and William Hastings.

They convened to pass resolutions proposing the establishment of a railway line from Portrush through Bushmills to Ballycastle. They also formed a committee with the intention of creating a company and seeking parliamentary approval for the necessary powers to undertake the project. An engineering survey of the proposed line had already been conducted by John Lanyon, Esq., the acting engineer/superintendent for the project.

His report indicated no significant engineering challenges in constructing the proposed line, which would follow the coast to Ballycastle. The line would be nineteen and three-quarters miles long and operate on the narrow gauge system.

It would pass through lands owned by: The Earl of Antrim - W.G. Lawrence, Esq., J.P. - Representatives of the late James Moore, Dean of Ripon - Sir Edward W. Macnaughten - Trustees of the Ballycastle Charity - Hugh Lecky, Esq., J.P. - B.M. Given, Esq., J.P. - James E. Leslie, Esq., J.P., D.L. - Alexander Fullerton, Esq. - Robert Woodside, Esq. - John McGildowney, Esq., J.P., D.L. - Sir Harry Boyd. All of whom were supportive of the proposal.

The estimated cost, including land expenses, was projected not to exceed four thousand pounds per mile. Once construction commenced, the line was expected to be completed within a year and a half. A previous survey had indicated the commercial viability of extracting iron ore, bauxite, coal, and lignite from the area. In fact, coal was already being extracted from the Ballycastle mines and shipped via sea, although this practice was weather-dependent.

All agreed that the proposed line would not only facilitate the commercial extraction of abundant mineral deposits but would also enable year-round shipping of Ballycastle coal through the more sheltered Portrush harbour. The line would allow the lignite mines at Ballintoy to reach their peak output of 50 to 100 tons per day. Mineral deposits from Portmoon, Drumnagessan, Urbalreagh, as well as limestone from Ballymagarry and Larrybane, would become easily transportable.
Local deposits of saline-free sand could also be commercially exploited through the line, along with the development of an inland trade for seaweed (manure) collected along the route. One of the line's favorable aspects was its potential to tap into the existing demands of tourism and manufacturing provided by Bushmills.

The Mcnaughten family of Dundarave also developing plans for a quay at Contham Head to export mineral extracted in Portfad and exploit other deposits.

Despite receiving strong support, the proposed line never materialized due in part to a lack of substantial financial backing and uncertainties about the potential financial returns. Throughout the 1870s, numerous proposals for railway lines were put forth. Only two of these proposals materialized locally:

Ballycastle - Capecastle - Armoy - Stranocum - Dervock - Ballymoney line, construction of which began in 1877.
Portrush - Giant’s Causeway Tramway, pioneered by Dr. A. Traill and his brother William Traill. Public services commenced on January 29th, 1883, with an extension to the Causeway opened in 1877.
The plans by the Mcnaughtens for Contham Head never went further than the architectural plans.

Dunaneeny Castle

Sun, 11 Jun 2023 22:48:09 GMT

Dunaneeny Castle - Ballycastle

With the recent calm and warm weather I took the opportunity to visit the sparse ruins of Dunaneeny Castle, once a MacDonnell stronghold in the 1500s. Through my research about the wider history of North Antrim, I often come across its name with different spellings (Dunineny, Dunanyne, Dunanenie, etc), This can be attributed to the phonetic translations which occurred at the time from Gaelic to English and a Scots derivative, also when Ireland was mapped in the 1800s they applied phonetic translations of Gaelic names to English on the OS maps. The castle played a significant role in the development of the MacDonnells control along the north coast and the Scottish Isles. Dunaneeny is also one of several ancient sites close to the seafront of Ballycastle, the others are Dun na Mallaght (Fort of the Curse), Dunrainy (Fort of the Queen), and Bonamargy Friary. The latter two forts being much older than this castle. The history of Dunaneeny Castle pre-dates Christianity, what we see here today is relatively modern in comparison, dating to circa 1500.

The name itself translates to "Fort of the Assembly" or "Fort of the Games.", it can therefore be assumed that the foundations of the modern Lammas Fair has its roots here beside Dunaneeny Castle. We do have a tragic account from the fair when in 1571 Sorley Boy organised games to celebrate the coming of age of his nephew Gillaspick (son of Colla MacDonnell, brother of Sorley), whom Sorley had taken under his wing after the death of Colla in 1558. One of the games he tried was bull fighting, unfortunately the bull overpowered Gillaspick and he was gored to death. Most of the ruins we see today at Dunaneeny Castle were either built or renovated by Alexander Carragh MacDonnell of Islay, the 5 ^th Lord of Dunyveg (also known as McDonald or MacDomhnaill of Islay). Alexander had fled from Scotland in 1499 after his father, the 4th Lord of Dunyveg and three brothers were executed for treason by James IV of Scotland. Following the death of James IV at the Battle of Flodden and the ascension of James V to the throne, Alexander regained favour with the crown.

Alexander married Catherine MacIain of Ardnamurchan in 1497, and they had 12 children, possibly 13. One of their sons was Sorley Boy MacDonnell who was born here at Dunaneeny Castle in 1505 and died here in 1590 aged 85 years. Sorley Boy was interred in the family vault located in Bonamargy Friary. He is perhaps the most noted of the clan having survived 85 years of turbulent times. In 1538, Alexander MacDonnell died during a visit to see James V in Stirling, Scotland, Sorley and his elder brothers James and Colla took charge of the MacDonnell family affairs and Dunaneeny Castle served as a primary residence for the MacDonnells before they acquired Dunluce Castle. Just as a note, Ballycastle ‘Town of the Castle’ is named after the castle which was later built in the diamond close to where Trinity Church now stands. The area of the shore was know as Port Brittas and later Marketown, Ballycastle is therefore a relatively modern name perhaps dating to the early 1600s after the construction of the new castle.

It was from Dunaneeny Castle in July 1575, that Sorley Boy helplessly watched as the frigate of Francis Drake sailed into Church Bay on Raghery, onboard was Sir John Norris (Norreys) and a large contingent of soldiers. They had been sent by General Walter Devereaux , 1 ^st Earl of Essex, with the approval of Henry Sidney, the Lord Deputy of Ireland who answered to Queen Elizabeth 1 ^st . This was Francis Drake the 'privateer and pirate' before he had circumnavigated the world, before he was knighted and before the Spanish Armada. He had grown up with the Hawkins family in Plymouth and as a young man joined their private fleet where he quickly moved through the ranks to command his own ship. They were notorious at the time for plundering and slave trading, Elizabeth 1st even granted Drake a privateering commission, basically a license to plunder and slave trade, both of which the Queen, by all accounts, reap a benefit from.

On this voyage Drake was working as a paid privateer under the authority of the Earl of Essex to transport John Norris and his troops from Carrickfergus to Raghery and also to employ his cannons to attack the castle. Drake was very skilled at using cannons from his years of plundering as a pirate.

Over the next two days, one of the darkest events in the island's history unfolded. Drake ordered his cannons to bombard Bruce's Castle, which was said to have had 200 men inside loyal to the MacDonnells and also families seeking shelter, many of whom had been sent to the island for safety, others had sought refuge in caves along the shore. After inflicting damage to the castle and killing the Captain and Constable, Norris launched a ground assault on the castle, negotiations were then conducted with those inside, Norris promised amnesty if they surrendered and laid down their arms, which they all did. As they left the castle they were all massacred.

The soldiers scoured the island and killed anyone they could find. Among the deceased, estimated to have been 600, 200 were categorized as military personnel, while the remaining 400 were family members of the MacDonnell clan and their supporters, several of Sorley's immediate family were among the casualties. Following the massacre, Drake sailed back to Carrickfergus while Norris remained on the island with the intention to repair the castle and leave a garrison there. However, two months later, in September, he concluded that Raghery was not worth maintaining, and he returned to Carrickfergus. Sorley Boy would later take revenge, after retaking Raghery he then marched to Carrickfergus Castle where he attacked the garrison killing 100 soldiers, he then rounded up all the catlle and claimed them.

There is no cross to mark the site on Raghery as far as I know, the image above was just for this blog.

For a Fuldiew

Sat, 27 May 2023 17:01:39 GMT

FOR A FULDIEW

A common practice around the shores of Ireland during the 17th and 18th century was for young men to seek employment as deck hands on trading ships that plied between the small coastal ports and major cities throughout the British Isles, Europe and America. A term that is locally linked to this way of working is ‘Fuldiew’, we say it is how it translates to the English, ‘Full Due’. It is a maritime term which relates to a ship, its crew and payment, the full due or full payment to a sailor when the term of agreement is over, or the voyage ends.

It can also apply when a ship is taken out of commission for example reposessed, or is shipwrecked. Locally in Ireland we hear and read the word as 'Fuldiew', from this we get the term ‘For a Fuldiew ‘ which applies to someone who has gone on one of these voyages to earn a wage, he is working for the Full Due.

In a small graveyard at Craigagh in Glendun, close to Cushendun we have perhaps one of very few physical references in a graveyard to this. The gravestone is known locally as the Fuldiew Stone or Fuldiew Tombstone. It is a long flat piece of slate lying flush on the ground as a grave marker and has the following inscription written on it. “Charles McAlasters burring place – Here lies the boddy of John his son died 11 March 1803 aged 18 years – Your love is mored head and starn for a Fuldiew” at the bottom there is a drawing scratched into the slate of a sailing ship and an animal which resembles a deer or goat.

This story here is about John McAlaster and his childhood sweetheart, they were planning to be married after John returned from a voyage as a deck hand. We don’t have a name for the girl so to give her a personal presence I will call her Anne. After seeing John off at the quay in Cushendun, Anne travelled to her cousin’s house in Glenravel some 16 km away, her cousin was a seamstress and together they busied themselves making her wedding dress. The couple had dreams to rent a small house and reared goats and grow their own food and John would do some fishing once he had bought a boat.

A day into his voyage John slipped and fell from the rigging, he died almost instantly from his injuries. The ship turned and brought his body back to Cushendun where his father received it. The next day he was buried in the graveyard at Craigagh.This all happened without Anne being aware of it.

When she arrived back at her parents home in Cushendun with her finished wedding dress, she heard the dreadful news of John’s passing, as you can imagine, it devasted her. She left her parents house and went to the graveside in the afternoon where she mourned for John from then and all through the night, while doing so she is said to have scratched the inscription and two small drawings into the slate. One drawing was of a ship and the other an animal, symbolic of their dream, along with the poignant line ‘Your love is mored head and starn for a Fuldiew”.

Now, here is where we have two accounts of the ending to this story, one is that the next morning her parents while searching for her, found Anne lying on John’s grave having died from a broken heart. The other ending is that her body was found by local fishermen washed ashore on rocks near the quay where John had left from.

Whatever the stories ending is, the grave, inscription and drawings are there for all to see.

Marina Jane

Sat, 27 May 2023 00:09:01 GMT

MARINA JANE

The inspiration for this image I have in my Etsy shop called 'Marina Jane' was inspired by the poignant story of Jane. A story I learnt about twenty or more years ago that comes to my thoughts from time to time as I explored the coast and learn more about its hidden stories and truths. Her name 'Marina' was one of fondness which reflected how she arrived in the locality as a child.

Marina Jane was found one morning in an open boat that had washed ashore, she was lying in the bottom of the boat, disheveled, and under a cover was her dead mother, there was no sign of anyone else having been in the boat and the oars were missing. Nobody near or far knew who she was or where she had come from. She knew her name was Jane, and she was taken in and eventually adopted by a local family who raised her into a fine young woman with a love for nature and animals. She married a local man call William Park, and between them they set about creating a future for themselves, they rented a small holding a mile away from the shore.

Together they worked the small subsistence farm, growing crops and keeping a few goats, it was hard work to make ends meet but they manage for a couple of years. Then times became hard, money for rent had to be spent on other necessities and they started to fall behind with their rent payments, eventually William was forced to take a job as a deck hand on a ship to raise money for their needs.

This was a common practice in those days, ships were always looking for crews for a voyage as they plied between local ports as well as to Europe and across the Atlantic to America. William signed on for a four month passage, they figured this would bring enough money in to keep the farm going and invest in their dream. Jane was left to keep things going until William returned from the voyage. They both knew this was the only way they could solve their problems, so with heavy hearts they parted, Jane went to the quay to watch his ship sail.

Four months past and William did not returned, several more months and still no word of him, Jane struggled on with the farm in the believe he had been delayed by bad weather. After another two months she was unable to to keep it going any longer, with a years rent owing, no money coming in and no sign of William, the landlord evicted her from the farm, fortunately the family that had raised her took her in and kept her safe.
As the months passed, Jane began to change, she knew in her heart William would never abandon her and that he would return and she would be there waiting for him. This belief became her obsession, she would spend her days on the shore, waiting and looking for his ship. She was so obsessed with the need to be there waiting for him that she built herself a small shack out of stones and whatever driftwood she could find along the shore, and this became her home while she waited for William.

One winter afternoon, the weather turned exceptionally bad, it was so severe that the local fishermen fearing for their boats went to the shore and dragged them a hundred yards inshore, out of reach of the ocean. A huge storm was brewing, the fishermen begged Jane to come with them as they feared for her safety. However, she insisted on staying, in case William would arrive and she would not be there to meet him. Reluctantly, the fishermen against their better judgement, respected her decision and left, then as twilight fell the leading edge of the storm arrived and stayed throughout the night.

In the morning the storm had passed leaving a trail of havoc in it wake, thatch had been blown off cottage roofs, boats had been destroyed and seawater had flooded some areas. There was no sign of Jane or her home, it had completely vanished, washed away without a trace. The ocean that had brought her to this shore had claimed her. It is believed William lost his live in a shipwreck off the Scottish coast, Jane was never found.

In 1907, William Clarke Robinson from Glenarm published a book of poems and dedicated one to her called ‘Marina Jane’ in it he said: ‘The hungry sea had claimed what first it gave; She doubtless joined him after severance long; And o’er them both, beyond the broken wave, The sea wind sings its ever plaintive song.’

A Murlough Connection

Sat, 20 May 2023 15:09:20 GMT

A Murlough Connection - Roger Casement

I have always been fascinated by local history and finding out as much as I can about places I photograph as it just brings so much more to the experience. Murlough has one such story through it's connection with Roger Casement.

Roger Casement was born in Sandy Cove, Dublin in 1864, his parents were from both the Protestant (father) and Catholic (mother) faith, the family later moved to Belfast but tragically his parents both died when he was young and an Aunt raised him, he attended Ballymena Academy for part of his education. He would come to Ballycastle and stay with relatives here, one of his favourite locations was Murlough Bay which he refers to in a letter to his cousin Gertrude Bannister, while awaiting execution in Pentonville prison. He had been tried and convicted of treason, sabotage and espionage against the Crown and was hung at Pentonville on August 3rd, 1916 after losing his appeal. In the context of history, his story connects to many events that happened around our shores during WW1.

Roger Casement served a long and distinguished career in the British Foreign Service which he joined in 1882 and retired from due to ill health in 1912. During his career, he became British Consul for Mozambique (1895-98), Angola (1898-1900), Congo (1901-04) and Brazil (1906-11). He was internationally recognized for his Foreign Office work in exposing the exploitation of labour in the 'Congo Free State' by King Leopold of Belgium, the subsequent paper he published on the subject led to a restructuring of Belgium rule. Similar work with the Putamayo Indians in Peru led to him receiving a Knighthood from the Queen in 1911. How he came to be tried and hung for treason surrounds his involvement with the Irish Volunteers which he joined shortly after his retirement in 1912 - this led to him becoming involved with German high command officials and the events leading up to the 1916 Easter Uprising in Dublin.

Hostilities which had started in Europe in 1914 resulted in the issue of 'Home Rule' in Ireland being virtually shelved for the duration of the war - the Ulster Volunteer Force under the command of Sir George Richardson and the Ulster Unionist leader Edward Carson were instructed to join up and support Britain in its fight against Germany and likewise, John Redmond, the Nationalist leader, pledged his support for Britain in the war against Germany and urged the Irish Volunteers to join up and fight against the Hitler. The Irish Volunteers were under the Command of Eoin MacNeill who was born in Glenarm, this call amongst Nationalist led to a split in the Irish Volunteers. A group numbering around 10,000 under Eon MacNeill broke away from the estimated 200,000 membership. This breakaway group adhered to more hard-line principles and objectives and were opposed to support for Britain in any way.

Operating within the Irish Volunteers were a smaller group known as the Irish Republican Brotherhood, they had an inner army council whose members included Pearse, Plunkett, MacDiarmada, Ceantt and Clarke. They were planning the Easter uprising in secret without wider consultation. It is widely believed that the leadership of the Irish Volunteers were unaware of the full extent of the plans by the IRB that would eventually lead to the Easter uprising. Eoin MacNeill became aware of it shortly before the event and went along with it based on the knowledge that substantial support and arms were arriving from Germany. The IRB had devised an ambitious plan to involve Germany in their fight for Home Rule in Ireland through a guerilla campaign, at this time Ireland was a single identity under British rule and the government was based in Dublin - they hoped to persuade Germany into supplying arms and military officers to train the Irish Volunteers.

The Germans were not convinced by the overall plan or the ability of the IRB to undertake what they intended in Ireland, they also had doubts about captured Irish prisoners volunteering in substantial numbers to form an Irish Brigade to fight against Britain in Ireland. The skills of Casement as a diplomat were crucial in the negotiations and he used these to gain access and addressed hundreds of Irish prisoners in Limburg Lahn prison camp where he outlined the proposals of the Irish Republican Brotherhood. The Germans were cautious but realized the potential that an uprising in Ireland would have for their strategy with Britain, effectively opening a back door and another front of attack. Casement succeeded in securing a token gesture from the Germans of 20,000 guns, ten machine guns and several million rounds of ammunition, a fraction of the 200,000 guns requested - he also recruited around 60 prisoners from Limburg Lahn.

The arms were dispatched to County Kerry aboard the ' Libau', this ship was originally named the 'Castro' and had previously belonged to a Hull company before being captured by a German torpedo boat at the outbreak of the war, it was renamed the 'Libua' and docked at Hamburg. Captain Karl Spindler was selected for the mission and met in Berlin with Casement and his companions to learn the objectives of the voyage. The 'Libau' sailed from Hamburg to Luebeck where she was loaded with arms and disguised to the finest detail as a Norwegian merchant ship (sea charts, maps, logs, bed linen and even canned food), under cover of darkness her name was changed to 'Aud Norge' and 'Bergen' was painted on her stern as her home port, the crew were recruited from the German Navy and sworn to secrecy, they too were disguised as Norwegian merchant sailors.

Casement had misgivings about sailing on the 'Aud Norge' so the German officials arranged a submarine to take him, Robert Monteith and Sgt. Daniel Bailey (a POW recruited at Limburg Lahn) back to Ireland. U20 under the command of Capt. Schweiger (who had sunk the Lusitania off Kinsale on May 7th, 1915) had been scheduled to take them to Ireland where they planned to rendezvous with the 'Aud Norge' off Kerry and then board her and sail into Tralee harbour. U20, however, developed rudder problems and the assignment was handed over to Captain Weissbach and U19. Captain Weissbach had served under Captain Schweiger aboard U20 as a Torpedo Officer and was the man responsible for launching the torpedo that sank the Lusitania. Both were experienced submariners with excellent knowledge of the Irish coast. Captain Weissbach later commanded U80 and survived the war.

Flying the Norwegian flag, the 'Aud Norge' sailed around the north of Scotland and although seen by the Royal Navy they passed unchallenged through the blockade between the Faroe Islands and Iceland. After a stormy voyage which saw them sheltering off Rockall, they finally arrived and anchored off the rendezvous point of Inishtooskert, County Kerry. Failing to find any shore contact, Captain Spindler moved slowly into Tralee Bay and then back to Inishtooskert. They then had direct contact with the Royal Navy auxiliary ship HMS Shatter whose Captain came aboard the 'Aud Norge', they had a drink and brief chat but their presence did not on the surface appear to raise any concerns - British intelligence was said to have known of the plan in advance and perhaps this was a ploy, on the other hand, the description of the 'Aud Norge' had not reached the patrols off Ireland, who were on the lookout for a well-armed and much larger ship.

The 'Aud Norge' had arrived off Kerry with no radio and was waiting for land signals - the reason no contact was made is often attributed to the fact that three IRB men had drowned when their car crashed off the pier at Ballykissane, apparently on their way to make this vital contact. Spindler waited until his fear of arousing suspicion led him to move offshore again, he was then intercepted by HMS Bluebell who immediately ordered him to follow them into Queenstown (Cobh, Cork). Knowing the game was up Captain Spindler gave the order for a pre-arranged plan which would scuttle the 'Aud Norge'. Charges were set, the crew put on their German naval uniforms, the German ensign was hoisted and the charges detonated off Daunt's Rock, all the crew surrendered and the 'Aud Norge' complete with cargo went to the seabed.

U-19 on failing to find the 'Aud Norge' eventually landed Casement, Monteith and Bailey by dingy in Ballyheige Bay, two nautical miles from where they finally came ashore. The dingy had a rough time coming in, it drifted until it eventually overturned in the surf on Banna Strand, Tralee. Casement who had been ill for some time before and was too weak to travel or run took refuge in McKenna's Fort while Bailey and Monteith tried to make contact with the local IRB. A local Constable discovered Casement and he was arrested and shortly afterwards Monteith and Bailey were arrested. Casement was taken to London where he was subsequently tried and convicted of treason, sabotage and espionage against the Crown. His appeal was unsuccessful, and he was hung.

A petition had been made by many influential people in both England and the US including W. B. Yeats, George Bernard Shaw and Arthur Conon Doyle, on the grounds of his distinguished career. The timing of the trail and nature of the charges combined with the horrendous loss of British and Irish soldiers on the Western Front meant that public opinion was not in his favour, ever town in Ireland had lost young men both Catholic and Protestant. Before sentencing, copies of diaries appeared and were circulated, allegedly belonging to Casement they graphically recorded homosexual interactions. The authenticity of them is questionable and controversy still surrounds them today, some experts believe them to be forgeries planted in his belongings to discredit him, others believe them to be authentic.

During his interrogation Casement had asked to be allowed to make a public appeal for the Easter Uprising to be called off, this was refused. Inspector Parker who was present at the interrogation supported this by saying "Casement begged to be allowed to communicate with the leaders to try and stop the rising but he was not allowed'. On Easter Sunday he once again asked and was refused. This would indicate that the government wanted the uprising to go ahead so they could be seen by the public to act against a conspiracy between the Germans and Irish Nationalists. On hearing the news that the 'Aude Norge' had been scuttled and no weapons were coming ashore, Eoin MacNeill countermanded his force of 10,000 men which had the effect of confining the Easter Uprising to Dublin.

In 1965 Roger Casement's body was exhumed and returned to Dublin where it was interred in Glasnevin Cemetery, he is remembered locally for his involvement in founding the first Feis Na nGleann festival at Waterfoot in 1904, and chartering a ship to bring Raghery islanders to the festival. The submarine U19, after taking Roger Casement to Kerry would pass by Murlough Bay several times on active patrol under Capt. Johann Speiss. Records show that on On 25th February 1918 she sank the 5,383 ton Santa Maria off Lough Swilly, on 26th February 1918 she sank the 4,880 ton Tiberia off Black Head near Larne and on March 1st, 1918 sank the 17,500 ton HMS Calgarian off Rathlin Island.

Armoy and Oscar Wilde

Thu, 02 Dec 2021 15:44:11 GMT

Armoy and Oscar Wilde ?

St Patrick’s Church at Armoy is built on an important Christian site established during the time of Patricius (St Patrick), as well as having a rich Christian heritage it has one of very few round towers still standing. I became aware of another connection to the church some thirty odd years ago which relates to the Reverend Ralph Wilde who was a former rector of St Patrick's Church, he was the brother of Sir William Wilde, Oscar Wilde's father. (A headstone in the graveyard appears to read Rev'd Ralph Wilde). His brother Sir William Wilde was a renown and well respected Dublin eye and ear surgeon who had six children, William (1852), Oscar (1854) and Isola (1857) by his marriage to Jane Wilde (nee Eglee) and three children, Henry (1828), Emily (1847) and Mary (1849) who were born out of wedlock prior to this marriage.

How familiar Oscar was with his half-sisters is questionable due to the social implication of the time, Sir William Wilde cared and provided for all his illegitimate children including their education and kept in touch with them. In the social circles of Dublin of the 1800s this knowledge would have been a topic of extreme scandal therefore the three illegitimate children were kept well out of the limelight. His brother Ralph became the guardian of Emily and Mary and in 1871 they were living with him at Drumsnatt in County Monaghan where he had just become rector of St Molua's Church. The two girls were invited to a Halloween Ball at Drumaconnor House near Smithboro, County Monaghan on October 31 ^st 1871 and the reverend gave them permission to attend.

Towards the end of the evening the host ask Mary for a dance and as they twirled around the room her crinoline dress touched either one of the candles or the open fire and immediately caught fire. Emily rushed to help her sister and in doing so her dress also went up in flames, as guests tried frantically to put out the fire, Emily ran out of the house to the lawn where she rolled on the grass to extinguish the flames. Although the flames were eventually stopped both girls suffered horrendous burns which would lead to both of them losing their lives, Mary on November 8 ^th and Emily on November 21 ^st 1871. After their death the news of the tragedy was covered up to prevent it becoming a topic of gossip in social circles, pressure was brought against having an inquest, this resulted in two inquiries being held instead.

In the coroners reports the girls are named as Miss L and Miss M Wylie, daughters of Sir William Wylie, the inquiries defined the deaths as accidental. Whether intentional or not the deception kept the knowledge of the tragedy from wider circles for over one hundred years. The two girls remained at Drumaconner House until their death and burial at Drumsnat Church, their father visited the girls while at Drumaconner House and attended the funeral and by all accounts was stricken with uncontrollable grief. The Wilde family had several connections in the area which may have been why the Reverend Ralph Wilde came to St Molua's at Drumsnat, Oscar Wilde also attended Portora Royal School in nearby Enniskillen from 1864 until 1871, the year of this tragedy..

The girls headstone at Drumsnat identifies them correctly and reads: In Memory of Two loving and beloved Sisters, Emily Wilde aged 24 and Mary Wilde aged 22 who lost their lives by accident in this parish in November 1871. They were lovely and pleasant in their lives and in their death they were not divided. The Reverend Ralph Wilde was so devastated by the tragic loss of these two young girls that he requested to be move to another parish, it is only my assumption that he came to St Patrick's.

T his tragedy was not an uncommon occurrence at the time, these highly inflammable and very fashionable crinoline dresses resulted in the deaths of many young women.

(Reference for parts of this account and the coroner information: Historian Theo McMahon - Clogher Historical Society - 'The Tragic Deaths in 1871 in County Monaghan of Emily and Mary Wilde, Half-Sisters of Oscar Wild e.

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Trip to the Layd Church

Tue, 19 Oct 2021 11:20:29 GMT

Trip to the Layd Church ruin...

The morning was mild with clear air and a high cloud base which stirred me into heading over the mountain to the Glens of Antrim. Very rarely do I know where I will end up on a day out, that usually comes to me as I approach the area and see the local weather conditions. The Layd Church can be accessed by car from Cushendall, take the road to the beach from the Curfew Tower, then take the first road on the left and follow it for about a mile and you will see a sign for the Layd, there is a small carpark there. Alternatively you can walk around the cliff path from the beach area. The Layd is a beautiful, secluded ruin in a small valley, the recorded history goes back to 1288 but like many old sites its foundation may go back to the beginning of Christianity in Ireland. I have visited here more times than I can remember but always discover something new each time.

The patron saint was Kieran who was born in Connacht in 516 AD, he founded the monastery at Clonmacnoise in Galway which became one of the great spiritual centres in Ireland, he is also one of the twelve apostles of Ireland. It is known that Clonmacnoise had close connections with Armoy, another centre of spiritual learning and Armoy would have had links to many of these early Christian sites. As you pass through the boundary entrance, look to the left and you will see the hole stone. This unique artefact like similar ones throughout Ireland still gets used today but less frequently than in previous generation. They existed long before Christianity arrived in Ireland but over time were absorbed into it but retained their individual mystique. People used them to make an oath, deal or pledge that could not be broken, their hands would be joined through the hole to seal their intentions. Common law marriages were performed in a similar way and some suggest the wedding ring symbolises this practise in Christianity.

In the far left corner you will see a large cross, this is the grave of Dr. James MacDonnell who became known as the father of medicine in Belfast, he co-founded the Belfast Dispensary and Fever Hospital, a free hospital for the poor. This later became the Royal Hospital in 1875, and finally the Royal Victoria Hospital.

What I like about the Layd is the seclusion, it has a unique feeling about it, sometimes I feel a slight sense of foreboding, like being on the alert for something, though I don’t know what. The ruin itself has a small room open and both ends which you can walk through above was the room which accomodated the priest. The site suffered several attacks in the past and was rebuilt twice, the ruin we see today was built in 1638 and replaced an earlier building. The site was last used in 1790.

An interesting site but be careful if its damp as you can easily go down on the uneven grassy slopes. There is a stream running behind the church which flows over a waterfall and down into Port Obe, the latter you can access from the cliff path, check the image below to get the lay of the land. If you do venture down, again, take care as it gets slippy and difficult in places, best done during a dry spell of weather. During the first World War German U-boats would have been frequently off the north coast looking for convoy ships heading for different ports after dispersing. It is known that a U-boat surfaced offshore here during the First World War and submariners came ashore to get fresh water from the stream at Port Obe. The German military knew our coast extremely well through research, spies and maps, this included knowledge of fresh water sources at discreet places along the coast.

How we know this to be true came through the son of a submariner who had come ashore, his father had told him about the time he came ashore north of Vinegar Point at Port Obe and that they had filled cans with fresh water for the U-Boat, he told his son that if he was ever in Ireland to visit Cushendall. Many decades later the son visited and went into a local store to ask directions to Port Obe, here he recounted the story to the shopkeeper. If it happened once, it probably happened at other times, all of which went unseen and unrecorded, as indeed this shore visi t had done.

More information about the Cushendall area can be found here: Causeway Coastal Route

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CCR Website History

Sun, 17 Oct 2021 20:13:54 GMT

Causeway Coastal Route
Website History

At some stage you may wonder who is behind the Causeway Coastal Route website, so to get that out of the way I will introduce myself. My name is Art Ward and I am fortune enough to live close to Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge near Ballintoy. I have spent most of my life in this area which is where my family originate from and where my childhood memories are rooted. I work part-time as a commercial photographer, the rest of my time is taken up engaged in creative pursuits and keeping a couple of web and social media sites active.

The Causeway Coastal Route website grew out of a personal interest in knowing about places I photographed, each location has its own ambiance and the often unknown stories and histories can bring a place alive and explain features and feelings. I have always had a fascination or intrigue to know more, so in many ways my photographic experience has not only been a creative journey but an educational one too, through research I have gained more more depth and insight about my locality and the places where I photograph along the Causeway Coastal Route.

The information first went online in 1998 as northantrim.com but as my journeys expanded beyond what I could honestly call north Antrim I needed another domain name to house my expanding information and images. In 2009, I acquired the current domain name which covers the entire coast from Belfast to Derry and has been ideal for my needs. It also happens to be an early signature tourism project which today is regarded as one of the 'must do' road trips in Ireland so this fact gave the site a purpose.

I am independent from statutory bodies and receive no help from them allowing a personal freedom to be honest, open and reveal what is not in the 'official' brochures. It also allows me to be more personal about places I visit as I have only my own agenda to follow.

The website is voluntarily maintained, updated and all content researched, photographed and written by myself which as you can imagine is time consuming, all content is copyright to myself apart from contributions from kind supporters which are credited where they appear. There is also a Facebo ok page to compliment the website which I update with images every couple of days or so and also where visitors can comment about locations. I am not sure where it will go or what shape it will take in the future but hopefully it will compliment the website and create a reasonably worthwhile space for people to visit. The blogs here are a mixture of personal and location specific.

I hope you enjoy future posts both here and on Facebook.

Regards..... Art

Shooting the Causeway

Sun, 17 Oct 2021 16:09:20 GMT

Shooting the Causeway

I needed to update the cover image for the Causeway Coastal Route website and decided to go for a long exposure, milky atmospheric, sea/cloud shot using the technique known as long exposure. The process I follow is old school and manual.....apart from the app for calculating the exposure times.

This is how I did it...it really is a very simple process.

Make sure the camera you are using has a shutter range above 10 seconds usually they go to 30 seconds and then they have a B mode for longer. Three elements were important for this shot 1. A good oppressive overcast day with moving clouds. 2. Some wave action over the rocks. 3. A quiet time, this was shot early in the morning before the site had filled up with visitors on what could only be described as a dull overcast day. I found my position on the Little Causeway looking towards the Middle and Grand Causeway and mounted the camera on a sturdy tripod to composed the shot I wanted.

I then 'manually' focused the shot with an 'manual' aperture of F11 and an ISO at 200, F11 to give me a reasonable depth of field and 200 ISO to keep grain down to the minimum. Use your cameras light meter reading to get initial settings then switch to manual so you control the exposure time not the auto system. I took a shot, reviewed it and tweaked it to where I wanted it to be exposure wise.

Next, I placed an ND8 (Neutral Density) filter to the front of the lens being careful not to knock off the manual focus setting. I use square filters in a mount but you can get round filters that screw to the front of the lens, Next step is to do the exposure calculations, fortunately you can get an app to do this for you, mine came with the ND filters I use. All I needed to do was enter the ND filter value (ND8) and the original shutter speed and it worked out the shutter speed to use with the filter, technology is wonderful. If you do not have an app check out the app store where you will find a range of free ones.

The exposure for this shot was around 10 seconds which I set as my new shutter speed. To make sure I got a steady sharp shot, I set the main timer delay on the camera to 2 seconds, then set the shutter delay timer to 3 seconds (not all cameras have this).

Before pressing the shutter button I closed the blind on the eyepiece to prevent light leaking in (you can put a dark cloth over it if there is no blind), I am in the habit of doing it because on occasions light can leak through on very long exposures....sometimes that can be interesting.

Then I took the shot, reviewed the image on screen and tried a couple of different shutter speed settings around it and that was it. I had to do very little post work as the exposure was just where I wanted it, I added some basic contrast, brightness and colour adjustment. In retrospect I should have put a slightly graduated filter in the sky as there is some blow out in the sky but not enough to worry me for the purpose I had taken the image for.

The image was reduced from its native size down to 96dpi /1920 x 1080px for the internet. The original image is 300dpi / 7360px x 4912px which would happily print out to 6-8 feet wide and view superbly from two metres.

That is it, this is a relatively basic exposure technique, many modern cameras including compacts will have a setting for long exposure but if you want to develop this technique beyond 30 seconds and start doing exposures in minutes and beyond then following this basic procedure will work for you. If you go over the standard 30 seconds you will need to switch into B mode and use a timer, these can be picked up for around £20 or again you can use a phone app as a timer.

I hope this helps you get started, if you have any questions drop me an email or message on Facebook

Crossing the Rope Bridge

Sun, 17 Oct 2021 16:08:47 GMT

Crossing the Rope Bridge

Rock in the Road' is the closest translation in English we have for Carrick a Rede the origin of which comes from the Scots Gaelic 'Carraig a Rade'. The island today is one of the key attractions along the Causeway Coastal Route but what does the name reveal to us? The 'Rock' is the island in the 'Road' (or the way) of migrating salmon as they navigate around the coast back to the rivers of their origin, a yearly journey which has been taking place for thousands of years.
Carrick a Rede has been one of the prime locations for netting salmon since the mid-1600s, before the rope bridge was erected the boatmen would row from Larry Bane and Ballintoy to set their nets. The bridge constructed in 1755 made it easier to access the island and create a permanent base for equipment which included a bothy, winch and a Drontheim boat from which the nets were set and tended. From here the caught salmon would be carried across the bridge and straight up to the ice-house on the Ice's Brae, on the main road just before you reach Portaneevey car park.

As you turn into the entrance to Carrick a Rede you descend down into what was a limestone quarry, you pass a large lime kiln on the right overlooked by a basalt quarry where sett stones were quarried and shaped. The lower limestone quarry ceased operations in the early 1960s, a few years later the National Trust became custodians of the site and over following years made improvements for visitors by providing a tea room, shop and toilets where the old quarry weighbridge once existed. Then in the mid 1980 they created a 1 km cliff top path from the quarry reception area around Larry Bane Bay to the rope bridge, this replaced the old access path from the main road on the Ice's Brae.

What is surprising, considering the basic construction of early bridges, is the fact that from its first use in 1755 there are no records of anyone losing their life by slipping off the bridge. Considering that the fishermen and their carriers would have crossed it thousands of times carrying boxes of salmon or equipment, and in past decades tens of thousands of visitors crossed the bridge each year, it is remarkable that no-one has fallen off.
Today's bridge is a model of 'health and safety' perfection which apparently will comfortably carry the weight of a double-deck bus which is reassuring to know when you walk across it. The bridge I first set foot on had two handrails like in the photo below but there was no netting either side or below the slats supporting the foot planking, instead there were stay ropes every metre with gaps of nothingness in-between and this one scary element I have never forgotten since my first experience crossing it.

I was around nine years old and came up to my uncle's elbows in height and could just see over the top ropes. I still have a vivid memory of holding the ropes with my arms outstretched like the young girl in the picture above, then feeling them move under my hand as I felt the bridge move and bounce under my feet, I kept close behind my uncle as we walked across. I focused on the back of his boots and tried to keep my step in time with his, at the same time I would catch glimpses through the slats to the ocean 100 feet (30m) below.
Every few steps my hands would feel the stay ropes joining the main rope and my hand had to relax to pass over the bump. The stay ropes came down from the top handrail on either side, they offered a momentary sense of security as they cut the nothingness and extended down to the supporting rope rails that carried the slats on which the foot planking lay, all tied with rope. On reaching the island there was the greatest feeling of relief then security after a moment or two, I explore the island but in the back of my mind was the thought of going back across as it looks more precipitous against the high cliff.

Once you reach the island the paths are very natural with safe public zones delineated by ropes, in places you are surrounded by high and dangerous cliffs, so if you are taking young people across then it is good to be fully aware of this and know that a roped area means 'out of bounds' so up your supervision level accordingly, there are also safety signage to warn you. The views though are truly wonderful from all angles, the gorgeous sweep of Larry Bane Bay on one side and on the other the high cliffs of Portaneevey stretching along to the Giants Cut and around to Kinbane Head. On a clear day, you get a panoramic view which takes in Fair Head, Rathin and Sheep Island with the backdrop of the Mull of Kintyre and the Scottish Islands.
Before you set out for the island you should be aware that there are no toilets nor any shelter once you leave the reception area. If the weather is variable it can turn bad really quickly, so its advisable to carry a waterproof coat. From experience, getting caught out without one can be a horrendous experience.

If you have a dog then they are welcome on site but are not allowed over the rope bridge and must be kept on a lead at all times, the same applies to an assistant guide dog. To visit and walk the path is free but if you wish to cross the bridge you will have to pay and to do that it is essential to book a time ticket in advance for your visit, especially during the holiday season. I will come back to this at the end of the post.
From the path on the island you can look down to the restored fishermen's bothy nestled in the sheltered lee of the island, this served as a 'home from home', workshop and shelter for the fishermen while on the island, from here they reached the boat by a series of steps leading down to the water's edge, the boat would be lowered down by the winch which is still in situ. The bothy area remains like it was when salmon fishing halted here in 2002. Open days are held when the public can visit the bothy.

Whenever I go down and immerse in the stillness surrounded by the nets, boat and fishing equipment, I almost expect to see a fishermen coming down the steps or emerging from inside the bothy. It is amazing when you realise the salmon industry on this wee island sustained the lives of numerous local families whose descendants still live locally today. Records show that during the 1800s there were 21 salmon fishermen and 10 carriers living in and around Ballintoy. The salmon was plentiful, up to 300 a day were being c aught here.
Catches were good until the early sixties after which they went into decline, during the final season only 250 salmon were caught, the site became non-viable and ceased operation. A lot of blame for this is with the introduction of large factory ships that catch wild salmon as both a primary catch and as a secondary catch with other fish. This factory processing model played a role in depleting the wild stock of Atlantic salmon, this in turn, led to the decline and the end, through government action, of all salmon fishing not only at Carrick a Rede but around the north coast.

The 1km walk from the reception area is pleasant with rest point seating and viewpoints along the way but there is a steep climb and descent by a long series of steps on the main path as you near the island. It is a good idea to wear appropriate footwear as you will be walking on compacted gravel paths, stone steps and in places uneven ground, the final short descent to the bridge is down a very steep set of metal steps.

As well as spectacular views there is also an abundance of wildlife to enjoy on the island, common seabirds which you will see include oyster catchers, guillemots, fulmars, razorbills and kittiwakes. Looking down into the clear water you can spot shoals of fish including salmon as they still seasonally migrate in smaller numbers around the island, you may also see other welcomed visitors like porpoises, dolphins, basking sharks and our common seal.

Outside of peak season, there is generally adequate parking facilities onsite which are free to use, however, during peak season, it can fill to capacity which leaves you with few options for parking. One option is to use the large layby on the main Causeway Coastal Route.....as you leave the main entrance of Carrick a Rede turn left for Ballycastle and just around the first bend there is a large layby, you can park there for free, it is then a short walk back to the reception area.
Facilities on-site include toilets, a tea room and shop, these are small in size and on busy days you will encounter queues to get served in the tea room and also to use the toilets, this is exacerbated by the arrival and departure of 53 seat coaches. For wheelchair users, the main reception area is wheelchair accessible while the path to the rope bridge is only accessible for the first 0.5km and it is advisable to have an assistant with you. 400 metres along this path you will find a fully wheelchair accessible public viewing telescope, one of the first installed in Northern Ireland.

As well as visiting the rope bridge, a walk down into the old quarry will give you some exceptional views back along the cliffs to the rope bridge, in fact, if it is a busy day you may end up parking here as it functions as an overspill car park. The site was used by HBO for the filming of their Game of Thrones series but the heritage and history of the site is far more interesting and worth exploring. The location also has connections to Wales through the Welsh miners who came to work here.

Before you leave or arrive at Carrick a Rede it is worth pulling into Portaneevey Car Park on the main Causeway Coastal Route located high above the island where you can get a spectacular view of Carrick a Rede from above as well as panoramic views across to Rathlin Island, the Mull of Kintyre in Scotland and the Scottish Isles of Islay and Jura, there is also a large bronze plaque which tells you the distances from this point to all the locations visible as well as across the Atlantic to the nearest landfall.

As mentioned previously it is essential to book a time ticket for the rope bridge as from March on the footfall increases. You can do this online at the following location ( https://giantscausewaytickets.com/carrick-a-rede-tickets ). The contact number and email for the National Trust at Carrick a Rede are: Tel: 028 2073 3335

Email: carrickarede@nationaltrust.org.uk

The path begins...

Tue, 14 Sep 2021 11:43:20 GMT

The path begins.......

At school I was, to say the least, disinterested in academia apart from art, woodwork and metalwork, subjects which were the alternatives for pupils seen as non-achievers, fortunately they were subjects that I found interesting, tangible and constructive. Through these I found a natural affinity to art and the magic of being ability to express myself through drawing and painting. Mediums which allow everyone of us to be unique in expression which I guess is what creativity naturally gives us when we find it within ourselves. I often thought it would be amazing to see the results and beneficial on society if education could afford to identify and focus on a child's natural ability and nurture that instead of generically pushing the status quo.

I left school and home when I was fourteen, my only qualifications were a love of art and drawing. I found a seasonal job on a sugar beet farm and lodged with an Italian family, it was as close as I could imagine to being hired at a fair day, the upside of that was I spent no money at all. When the season finished I left with enough money in my pocket to travel and a love of pasta dishes. Over the next couple of years I wandered around England from job to job, lodging to lodging, eventually I ended up homeless in London but after help from the Salvation Army and a dish washing job in an hotel, I found a job with a graphic design company, perhaps an act of fate or destiny. I started as a 'job lad' doing everything I was asked to do, carrying boxes, making coffee, sweeping up trimmings, packing products, preparing deliveries, etc,.

The owner was easy going and amiable, if you showed initiative and worked well you got recognition, responsibility and opportunities. I loved working there, the smell of the printing room, the ambience and intrigue of people working on creative designs, the ever changing visuals of products being produced and dispatched. I learnt a great deal too from watching others and being in an environment that encapsulated my interests. The company produced advertising and marketing materials including some contracts with large retail companies. After a few month my interest in the creative side of the work was noted and I was assigned to work with the design team, still doing basic jobs but purposeful and interesting ones. It was here that my path started to shape and my enthusiasm to grow.

I learnt basic design skills which I would practice on days off, I was introduced to the photographic darkroom, typesetting, silk screen printing and I watched designers working from embryo ideas to a finish product. After a year or so I was deemed capable enough by the owner to be assigned my first project featuring a logo that the company had designed for Guinness, an upgraded version of the companies harp logo which was being launched with a range of promotional products. It was only later in life that I discovered that the Guinness harp logo was originally modeled on the harp belonging to the great Irish harpist Denis Hampsey who was born near Garvagh in 1695 and grew up in Magilligan, he become one of Ireland's greatest and oldest musicians and is buried in St Aidan's at Magilligan, in retrospect I thought that was a nice connection.

My brief was to create a template for a plastic advertising product that could be mounted on shelves (double sided tape on a foot disc) which would move (bounce) when disturbed by air or touched, this was created on flat plastic, one end attached to the shelf and a narrow stalk ending in a square, the weight of which bent the plastic over to allowed the logo to be clearly visible to the eye, it was designed for behind bar fixtures in pubs, clubs and hotels. I got great self esteem from that project and the fact that something I had worked on would be seen all over the UK and Ireland. I eventually left the company and returned to Ireland as city life had become overwhelming for me , I needed to re-evaluate my life and yearned to be back beside the ocean, I left London with a great deal of knowledge and practical skills which would serve me well throughout life.

Back in Ireland I spent my time enjoying life in north Antrim near Ballycastle and Ballintoy where my best memories of childhood are rooted. I worked doing odd jobs for my uncle who ran a business in Ballycastle and continued to sketch, I also bought a second hand Kodak Instamatic camera which was the beginning of my passion for capturing visuals. When I was back in a full time job I upgraded this to what I regard was my first real camera, a Russian Zenith-E, a manual camera which came with a Helios 58mm lens, I followed this with a Helios 135mm lens, a Weston Master light meter and a tripod. I will never forget my Zenith camera, it was built like a tank, a heavy camera for its size with a brass top that I only discovered after the paint had worn away from endless knocks.

These were the tools on which I spent the next few years of my life learning virtually everything I know about taking photographs in the technical sense. I took pictures of every subject I could find, I loved, and still do, the magic of composing a frame and then capturing it, then developing it and seeing the results emerge, though now I work in a digital darkroom. My photographic path had begun.....twenty years before digital cameras were released to the general public....and that's another story

Introduction

Mon, 16 Aug 2021 12:06:00 GMT

Introduction

Welcome to this Blog where you will find everything I write about and share.

Thankfully, this portal has no constraints or boundaries which tends not to be the case on the social media platforms, I think it is always a good idea to invest in your own domain space as a back up. This portal does not adhere to political correctness either, the mere title conjures up everything that is wrong with a controlled narrative. Having said that, I have a moral compass inside and well able to distinguish between humour and malice.

The ability to laugh at the parodies and contradictions of daily life is something I value both in myself and in others. I believe in free speech and respect and defend your right to believe in what you want to and express that freely with the only caveat that you do not harm anyone in doing so.

For those who visit my site with a sensitive soul and venture further into my world, you may find some things offensive to your ideas of what visual art is, or it may challenge your beliefs but that is just the way life is in an imperfect world, we can always agree to disagree in mutual respect.

On the other hand you may find things here that are interesting, humorous and very informative.

I do not have a comments section on the blog, so if you did want to comment or communicate head over to the Facebook page and drop me a message: Click here

Regards.......Art

A Gatherin of Words

AI Rant - a response

AI Rant

Miss McCaw

Miss McCaw (Sam Mary Ann)

The Mermaid of Dunluce

The Mermaid of Dunluce

Thoughts from my AI journey

Thoughts from an AI journey

Portrush to Ballycastle Railway Proposal

Proposal for railway line from Portrush to Ballycastle

Dunaneeny Castle

Dunaneeny Castle - Ballycastle

For a Fuldiew

Marina Jane

A Murlough Connection

A Murlough Connection - Roger Casement

Armoy and Oscar Wilde

Armoy and Oscar Wilde ?

Trip to the Layd Church

Trip to the Layd Church ruin...

CCR Website History

Causeway Coastal Route Website History

Shooting the Causeway

Shooting the Causeway

Crossing the Rope Bridge

Crossing the Rope Bridge

The path begins...

The path begins.......

Introduction

Introduction

Causeway Coastal Route
Website History