jamesbutler

Thomas Philips' 1685 map of Cork:

Within the City Walls (The Core Spine)The Main Spine (North & South Main Street): The central vertical street running straight through the heart of the walled oval, connecting the north and south sides of the river.Christ Church (Holy Trinity): Located off the main street inside the southern portion of the walls, noted as a principal medieval parish church.St. Peter’s Church: Situated toward the northern portion within the walls.The Central Bridge / Drawbridges: Splitting the central town into two distinct marshy sections.The Gates: North Gate Bridge and South Gate Bridge, controlling access into the fortified center from the suburbs.Outside the City Walls (Suburbs & Religious Houses)St. Fin Barre's Cathedral (St. Barry's): The large labeled church visible on the elevated ground to the south-west (left side of the map).Elizabeth Fort: The star-shaped, bastioned fort visible just north of St. Fin Barre’s Cathedral, overlooking the south channel approach.St. Francis Abbey: Labeled in the northern suburb across the river channel (top-right area).The Dominican Abbey / Abbey Isle: Located near Crosses Green on the south-west channels.

North is to the right. GoogleMapsSatellite, showing most of the buildings on the old map - www.google.com

[Aside] 1685 was an important year for music. Bach, Handel, and Scarlatti were all born in 1685. www.bachsocietybrasil.com

Wikipedia has an older 1545 map showing how soggy it was ...
See - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Cork

Edit - that Wiki page also has a 1714 map which marks the 'rectangular green area' as "Bowling Green".

What a beautiful map.

Rings a big bell ...

Via John Spooner's comment on the above photo ... "The "Prince of Wales" photo: it looks like the future Gerorge[sic] V, who became Prince of Wales in 1901. However, as Duke of York, he and the Duchess stayed at Kilkenny Castle from 19th to 24th April 1899 (Belfast News-letter)."

Interestingly, the National Archives has an entry for a photo described as: "Photograph 11½ x 9½ group of fifteen figures including the Duke and Duchess of York (in centre) on the occasion of the Royal visit to Kilkenny Castle, six ladies and one gentleman seated, eight gentlemen standing, the Duke standing behind the Duchess seated, portraits in background." However, it also says "Copyright owner and author of work: August Nielsen, Rose Inn Street, Kilkenny. Form completed 5 May 1899.".

Mary of Teck is wearing her Shamrock brooch again:

2nd from the right front row doesn't look at all happy.

"Thomas Phillips (died 22 November 1693) was a Royal Navy officer and engineer who worked with some of the leading naval figures of his period, and was involved in military operations against the French during the Nine Years' War. ..."

via - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Phillips_(engineer)
And - www.dib.ie

Guessing the chain is encased in wood to make it float ?
Someone will know ...

beachcomber australia Which wood would work?

National Library of Ireland on The Commons
It might be dogwood. You can tell by the bark.

beachcomber australia Oh, that old chestnut!