Chimneys of Dublin

[dmun]

As sort of a follow-up to James's photo essay about the arches of Provence, here's one about the chimneys of Dublin.



The Irish are seriously devoted to obsolete technology. Here in
the center of Dublin is a working lock, in a channel far too small
for any commercial shipping.



Dublin is a city of chimneys. These pictures were some digital
snapshots taken in the evening after my work on a business trip. As
the pictures progress the evening got darker, and the photos worse,
while I walked from the modest neighborhood where I was staying into
the center of town, the chimneys got better.



Here's a number with elaborate bracketed dentils and three colors
of brick.



You can only see the profile here, but these chimneys step up from
a wide base to a narrower top with a chamfered transition.

[dmun]

Chimneys of Dublin part 2



Here's a better view of that dentiled detail. Note the nicely
decorated chimney pots.



The chimneys of Dublin acquire their aesthetic force through
repetition. This was an entire block of townhouses stretching in two
directions with row upon row of half-house wide chimneys.



Here's a hansome example in limestone, with a well proportioned
pediment.



Here's one towering over a turret, with inset quarter colums in
the corners.

[dmun]

Chimneys of Dublin part 3



Here chimneys flank either side of a small tower. Note that the
chimney pots have been removed: This is a commercial building. It's
important to note that the coal grates that all these multitudes of
flues vented have been illegal to use for years: Air polution made
coal burning impossible. Note the nice acanthus bezel around that
horrible modern clock dial.



What a horrible photo. Note the paired chimneys, with the radiused
edges in limestone.


Here's an example of a tee section chimney, with nice limestone
detailing.



Another, better, clock dial, with a double row of chimneys in the
background.

[dmun]

Chimneys of Dublin part 4



Here's another radius edged chimney. You can see that it's really
starting to get dark.



It's pitch black now, but I wanted to get a picture of the
detailing in the corners of this chimney.



I end this tour of Dublin with a picture of this nice flame
finial. I commented to the man I was visiting that the Irish seemed
like a nation of mad competitive bricklayers. He said, no, that when
an Irishman builds a house it's plain and un-ornamented. In the 19th
century Dublin was the second city of the British Empire, and he lays
the mania for decoration upon the British.

I appologize for the picture quality throughout. There just wasn't
enought light for good photography, the time I had to do this.