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| GED Rock Art by Glowing Edges Designs - The Neon Glow Series |
After the Dublin Stone Show, although I had managed to get to see Newgrange and Connemara, most of my time was office bound – with many late evenings – finishing site reports and tying up loose ends, but I also took the time to pursue one of the artistic ideas that I had been developing back in Treeton.
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| Basalt from Mt. Etna |
As always, everyone was happy to help each other and, in a couple of days, I had rock thin sections to look at. With the only petrological microscope being in the office of one of the field geologists, who work in a corridor on the top floor, I got to know a few other more serious colleagues – who I had never met in the cafe, at Ryans Beggars Bush or during my day to day work.
Whilst looking at a volcanic rock, full of pyroxene
phenocrysts, I thought that I would make the most of this unique
opportunity and take a look at the GSI’s
collection of rock thin sections.
I
will never know if it was the fault of the equipment, the developer of the film, my scanner, or just my own eyes, but not a single image from 250, taken
using Fuji Velvia film, satisfies my eye as a photographer.
Something was out of focus but, by the time that I had discovered this, it was too late to try and rectify it because I was now back in England. Working on these images since, although not my best set of Glowing Edges Designs, the Neon Glow Series will always remind me of Ireland.
Something was out of focus but, by the time that I had discovered this, it was too late to try and rectify it because I was now back in England. Working on these images since, although not my best set of Glowing Edges Designs, the Neon Glow Series will always remind me of Ireland.
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| Connemara Marble by Glowing Edges Designs |
The best thing that I learned from living in Ireland is not that this country has very interesting rocky landscapes, but that they know how to talk to each other in a good open and honest way. After a few weeks of being reserved, like a typical Englishman, I learned how to talk to anyone and everyone – standing at the bus stop or at the back of a pub – and it changed me as a person.
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| The Du Noyer Photographic Competition |
Unlike my experience of working for the Civil Service in England, where the hierarchy is impenetrable, I learned that you simply had to get up, work hard, communicate well and socialise – to become a good part of the team that works at the Geological Survey of Ireland.
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| Sand Ripples at Ardmore Bay |
My contract was now at an end and, after attending 3 legendary parties and winning a prize in the Du Noyer photographic competition during my last week, I had to go back to Rotherham.
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| My last view of Ireland on a fast ferry from Dun Laoghaire to Holyhead |
Not long after returning hope, I received this in the post - it's nice to know that all of my hard work was genuinely appreciated...
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| A work reference |
