Drummers as they pass Coleraine Town Hall on July 12th:
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| FP4+, Foma 313 paper |
Yup, I know, I'm a bit behind with my printing. I'll catch up eventually, but probably not during the next couple of weeks as we've a packed programme of eating and drinking to be getting on with. Hopefully the odd beach walk as well, although it's dark, dank and miserable these days around The Liberties.
Have a Merry Christmas wherever you find yourself on the Big Day.
If you've never been lucky enough to see one up close, Jersey cows are rather cute wee animals. These two - and their handlers - were well presented, at the Limavady Show earlier this year:
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| Jersey cows at the Show. FP4+ on Foma313 paper, via the 'Blad |
I guess the ribs are meant to show, although the way those hind bones stick out make them do seem a tad undernourished to the untrained eye (i.e., me). Although you can't see it here, obviously, Jerseys are the most lovely light truffle colour and they are about half the size of some of the larger breeds. I snapped one a few years back (here) which, reading that post again, reminds me they shave the animals along the rib lines to make them more prominent for showing. And why not, eh?
Back in July my local town of Coleraine hosted the regional '12th of July' parades. Always a good opportunity for a photograph - see here and here for ones from previous years. This shot shows one of the Banners which depict various scenes from Orange culture and history. Images of King William III, William of Orange, or just plain King Billy are plentiful and here we have a typical scene of the man himself crossing the River Boyne on his white charger as his men inflicted defeat on the Catholic King James II back in 1690 or so:
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| FP4+ on Foma 313 paper. |
Above yer man we see the name of this particular Orange Lodge, Tullintrain Purple Star LOL 1969 and a quick search reveals this hails from Claudy, a small village some way away. The LOL stands for Loyal Orange Lodge and 1969 is simply a unique number within the organisation and as far as I know nothing to do with the year 1969. I have no idea of the significance of 'Purple Star' in the name.
Each year the bands from the area parade through the chosen town and then head towards 'The Field', where there are various speeches from Orange leaders and usually a few clergy as well. The walkers/marchers/banner carriers and musicians get a well earned rest and no doubt a few sandwiches and lemonade before heading back through town and then home.
It's not just Northern Ireland where these events take place - some in Donegal, others in Scotland then also, as far as I know, in Canada and Australia. Everywhere there were settlers from these parts, I guess.
Yup, that's a big beast of a Charolais bull coming right at you/me, at the Limavady Agricultural Show, of course:
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| On the 'Blad, 60mm, FP4+ on Foma 313 paper |
At the Show they parade these particular animals around a 'ring' - which basically means a made-up portion of a field and there was naught separating yours truly from this magnificent beast except a bit of rope and a Hasselblad. The camera, mind you, might have been a lot more use than the rope had Hardy come to Hardy should Dennis - or whatever they called him - decided to carry straight on rather than turn to his right as the script suggested.
Charolais are beautiful animals. Muscular, with a lovely coat. This one wasn't that big in the grand scale of things - some are really enormous. The stockmen (and women) are brave souls that can handle them, as the weight ratio of bull-to-human means its a no-contest should things go awry. I think you need to be born into this game - I was trusting that the handler knew what he was about and thankfully he did.
