Pigeon House towers & Poolbeg lighthouse- Caught My Eye 37

Caught My Eye  is a series of blog posts showing scenes I found interesting, odd, curious or beautiful. Some curiosities that I capture inspire the Jewellery that I make. Others don't, but just getting out there and looking fires up the imagination. I am a creative observer, not  a  photographer  by any  description.  So  if  you  expect  top  quality  photography I'm afraid you will be disappointed.  Please simply enjoy a snap-shot glimpse of the world and maybe grab some inspiration for yourself.

Pigeon House chimneys, Poolbeg up close, own photo 2015

Here is a sight that's as Dublin as Guinness, the Liffey and the traders on Moore Street are. 

Dubliners have used the Pigeon House power station chimneys  in Poolbeg  as a point of  reference from afar ever since 1903.  Whether you are viewing the  unmistakable towers from another  point along Dublin bay such as Dollymount or Dun Laoghaire or from up the Dublin mountains, they are a well known landmark in the distance that helps get your bearings. 

I only noticed this week that I can even see them from Portobello on the edges of the city centre. I have been looking at them daily on the way to work for a few years now and never even noticed. They were just there, part of the accepted skyline.

Poolbeg chimneys from Dollymount, own photo, 2013

This shot was taken from the bathing area at Dollymount strand in the north of the city. (Caught my Eye #16)

Here is the view from the south, taken at Monkstown, near Dun Laoghaire. 

Pigeon House chimneys, own photo, 2015

This is a shot from another location along the same stretch of shore. Is that Jaws lurking in our waters?

Poolbeg chimneys, Dublin, own photo 2015

The closest view is via a path running between Sandymount strand and Irishtown park which takes you behind the disused power station, around to the docks and the jetty leading  to Poolbeg lighthouse. (See it here on Map my Walk but do come back to me here!) If you've never done this walk, be forewarned that it's a rather fragrant part of the city with the waste water treatment plant right beside the towers. After a while you don't notice the...um...aroma anymore, though I cracked up when my  friend told me she was taken there on a school trip back in her school days. Now there is a teacher with a sense of humour!

Poolbeg pier, own photo, 2015

The red dot at the end of the angled pier is Poolbeg lighthouse, a part of the city that can feel strangely remote. Dublin is full of surprises and inspiration. For about two seconds I considered using the red and white chimneys of Poolbeg as inspiration for dangly earrings. Then sanity returned. They do however, remind me of candy cane ornaments. I'm off to to play around with some designs....