The National Gallery of Art ,Merrion Square Dublin

I visited the Galley on Friday Last to View an Exhibition of the Irish Artist Thomas Roberts.

He Specialised in Landscapes of the Great Houses of the Landed Gentry in Ireland in the 18 th Century. He usually Portrayed the Dukes and Lords with their Wives Promenading around their Estates either Walking or in their Carraiges. It is a Sad fact of most Artists that most of them Nearly all have Died Young as was the case with this Chap ,Who Died at the Age of 28 of Tuberculosis. In his last Year he went off to Portugal to try and improve His Health but to no avail. He Produced 66 Paintings in his short Career of Painting of 8 Years. The Exhibition Shows his Paintings as well as two of Robert Mullins His Tutor as well as another Chap by the Name of Carver.

This is a fine Gallery which Contains a Huge Collection of Old Masters,Dutch,Flemish,Italian Renaissance,and Impressionist as well as Irish Artists. It is not very Big but you can Spend two Hours or more looking at all the Art and it is Free Admission Except sometimes they have Exhibitions on Loan from Overseas that they have to Charge to get in to see.

Here are some of the Paintings from their Brochure, Picasso Still Life with Mandolins 2ndflr in the Dargan Wing, Mainie Jellett Irish in Millennium Wing 1fst flr, Jack B Yeats Yeats Museum Grd flr.

The Taking of Christ Caravaggio 2nd Flr. The Gleaners Poor People picking up the Waste Wheat Jules Breton 2 flr Dargan Wing. Woman Writing with Servant Vermeer 2nd Flr Milltown Wing.

The Azor Bike and a Nice Dawse's Heritage Bike.

There is never enough Bike Parking anywhere in Ireland and the National Gallery of Art in Merrion Square is no Exception to this Rule with only Space for around 8 Bikes, and these Horrible Wheel Benders as well. I would Prefer the Sheffield Stands over these any Day.

Still they only seem to have Parking for Staff Cars as the Main Gates are locked so I suppose Cyclists are Privileged in that we are the Only Members of the Public who can Park.

Hybrid Hardtail,Commuter Bike

Ever since I got the Dutch Bike in September 07 I have only been on this Twice since the Azor is so very Comfortable to Ride and is very Smooth.

So I decided to Take it out for a few Spins for a change. I had forgotten why I had hated this Bike now I know why it was the very Sharp Saddle on it. It is alright for 20 minutes into Town and then another 20 Minutes back Home again after 2 - 3 Hours,but not if you were on it for an Hour or two. It is a very light Bike compared to the Dutch Bike and I was able to go faster on it but I found no Appreciable improvement on going uphill Home. I seemed to be more Tired after an Hour or two on this than my Dutch bike. I tried it for two Days and my Backside was very Sore after it for a few Days. So I just got a New Saddle for it when I was in the City at the Weekend. I did not Splurge out a lot as I will not be keeping it for very long. It was just a Cheapish Bike I got for Work about six Years ago and I had a few problems with it. First to go was the Saddle Screw,I was cycling along one Day when I felt the Saddle being Loose under me .I stopped to Investigate and the Saddle fell off the Bike. The Screw was made out of a Light Metal,so I got a Screw from an Old Bike I had in the Shed.

The Next Problem was the Rear Hub on the Bike Loosened one Day so I tightened it up. I eventually Tightened it a few times over the course of a few weeks. Then one Day it went really bad and I just could not tigten it anymore so I had to get it Fixed in my Local Bike Shop. The Man said the Parts he put in were better Quality than the Original one's. I would have been better off getting a good Quality Second Hand Bike in the first Place.

It is fine now,it has not given me any problems in a few Years and I have had only one Puncture so far in the front Wheel.

I wanted to Evaluate it if I was Touring ,would it be suitable for the long Haul. I dont think so ,I would want something I could be comfortable with. So I will have to get a Decent Quality Touring Bike in the near Future.It has Suspension in the Front and none in the Back and it is a Cross between a Mountain Bike and a Road Bike Ergo Hardtail Hybrid with Straight Handlebars and fairly Decent Tyres. Though the Tyres are never really Hard but with a bit of give in them and I am forever checking to see if they are Hard enough. A big Contrast with the Schwalbe Marathons Hard Tyres on my Azor.

The Commuter Bike,Hybrid Hardtail.

This is the Bike with the Original Saddle.

Cycle Chic,at the Bagel Shop.Grafton Street.

Those Bagels were nice.

Cycle Chic,at the Bagel Shop.

I spotted this Beautiful Girl on Grafton Street with a nice Bike Today. She seems to be saying Those Bagels are nice,there is nowhere to Lock my Bike up. It is a pity I cant take the Bike into the Shop and get a few Bagels, I wonder will they let me in.

Small Little Cycle Laneof 5 Metre.

Sombody put in a Pathetic Little Cycle Lane of 5 Metres Here on the Left. A Girl Comes down the wrong Way on a one Way Street in Talbot St.They could make this Official for Bikes to be able to use it Two Way and only one way for Cars. They have a very Wide Path which could be used as a Segregated Cycle way on the Right. The only thing they done right here is a 30 Kph or 20mph Speed Limit,bad Infrastructure with Cars alowed to Park.

The Part Time Cycle Track

Ireland or should I say Dublin Suffers from a Strange Phenomenom,The Part Time Cycle Lane.


Apparently they Think nobody Cycles Between 10am and 1200 and no one Cycles before 7 am or after 19.00 or on Saturday or Sunday.

Do they not know People Cycle All Day and All Night 365 Days a Year. People have been Knocked down at 3 am While coming Home or going to Work. This Government of Ours Spends to much Time Pandering to the Car Lobby. Click on these Pictures for an Enlarged View.

Bringing in the Sheaves,Bringing in the Sheaves.

It is that time of the Year again,when Spring has Sprung.

I was down in the Blackbanks Garden Centre in Raheny on Sunday and got some Veggies to Grow. It was a Toss up between Cabbage and Peas,As I have Grown Cabbages Before I thought I would try the Peas.

As I am always Ateing Cabbage I decided on the Peas ,Peas are very Nice to Eat and the Cabbage you get sometimes does not Taste nice.
So I got Tomatoes and a Tray of Peas. I think there is around 12 Peas Plants in little Trays.

I will still have to Dig the Bloody Garden it is a Tad overgrown. I still have Organic Potatoes that keep coming up so I have to be careful I dont Damage them,it will be a big Job. I dont know what the Peas Plants are Named. But the Tomatos are, Moneymaker, Tumbler,and are also good for growing in Hanging Baskets. I have the Tomatos inside my Back Windows on the Ground Floor. Have to save a few Bob or two on Veggies during the Recession,it is more Healthier to growing your own.

Peas & Tomato's

P1010130Two Police Girls on their Bikes.

P1010130Two Police Girls on their Bikes.
Originally uploaded by norbert malone

Mikael on Copenhagenize . com mentioned the New Police Bicycle Unit in Copenhagen just Inaugerated for the First time.

Here are two Members of the Garda Siochana /pronounced She au Kawna/ Bicycle Unit in the Irish Police Force. We have these for a few Years now.there are not many of them but they do an Excellent Job and go Places a Patrol Car and Foot Patrol cant go.

Pity we have such a Lousy Cycling Infrastructure of very Dangerous Narrow Cycle Paths. The Police never bother to stop Motorists from Parking or Driving on the Cycle Lanes it is all a very Token Cycling Infrastructure. On the Cycle Lanes the Motorists never keep the Regulation 3 Feet away from Cyclists and you can also be Doored when the Cars are Parked alongside these so called Cycle Lanes.