Thomil's Random Ramblings

Ever since I moved to Ballincollig in the wake of my parents’ death in 2017, one of my regular relaxation spots has been the Regional Park, a stretch of open fields, woodlands and grasslands along the south bank of the River Lee that encompasses much of the former gunpowder mills that used to be so important for the town. Many of the buildings that used to form the gunpowder mills have long since crumbled into rubble, with only a few still remaining clearly distinguishable as buildings. Among these ruins is one that actually used to be intact until a few years ago: The Ballincollig Weir. These blast walls are some of the few remnants of the gunpowder mills that necessitated the building of the weir back in the 18th century. The extensive site was massively reshaped by the building of the mills. The proximity of the Lee ensured a constant and abundant supply of energy in the time before steam engines and electricity. The weir was originally constructed in 1795 to provide a constant stre...

Groves of Knowledge - Cork Parkscapes Part 2: UCC Grounds

I was originally reluctant to add the subject of this article to the Cork Parkscapes series. However, given the sizeable green space occupied by University College Cork, it is only logical to include it, especially given the unquestionably attractive landscaping of the area. So, given that a visit to UCC is probably going to be the closest I’ll ever get to attending university, I’ve decided to write up my thoughts about the UCC grounds, including the Lewis Glucksman Gallery. Once again, the images will be a mix of current images an “archive” images, just to let you know. “Where Finbarr Taught, Let Munster Learn.” The motto of UCC harkens back to the original founding of Cork, and to the monastic traditions of learning that have been a part of Cork all the way back in 606 AD, when the legendary Saint Fin Barre founded his church and monastery on the site of present day St. Fin Barres Cathedral. University College Cork however is substantially younger, being founded in 1845 follow...

Logitech K780 Wireless Keyboard & M720 Triathlon Wireless Mouse

So, working from home is here to stay, certainly for the rest of this year, and possibly well into spring 2021. This means that my office will have to pull double duty for my day job and my blogging and gaming exploits for at least that time. So far, I’d been making do with a dedicated keyboard and mouse each for my private MacBook and for the work laptop, a Lenovo Thinkpad. However, this caused quite a bit of hassle when putting the company machine away at the end of the day, with cables and kit everywhere. With the current situation bound to last for quite some time, something more convenient had to be brought in. As it turned out, the solution basically meant going back to my hardware roots. Way back in the day, I used to be a huge fan of Logitech keyboards and mice. They were a staple for my computers before my Apple days, before I started my blogs, hell, even before I had my own place, back when I was still living with my parents. I generally liked their products but lost track of...

Ballincollig - From Boom to Bust and Back again

Well, sometimes you just have to start with a bang, or in this case with a device that delivers them. This artillery piece forms the centrepiece of Barrack Square, my workplace for well over a year now, since my departure from Apple in early 2016. And let me tell you, the difference between my former workplace in the extreme northwest of Cork City, hemmed in between a social black spot and a half abandoned industrial estate, and the small town, suburban atmosphere of Ballincollig couldn’t be any bigger. No, I haven’t completely lost my marbles, and yes this is a bit of an esoteric topic, especially for those who don’t live in the Cork metro area. Still, despite its apparent obscurity, Ballincollig has quite a bit of history on offer, both in actual historic terms, and in recent terms, especially with regards to the crippling economic crisis of 2008. What’s more, quite a bit of the history of the town is actually incorporated into the current urban landscape. So all in all, t...

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