SUNDAY 13 APRIL 2025

Myself and a group of friends met up for a meal at Luigi Malones once a week for about seven years (2000 – 2008) so I was a bit upset when I discovered that the restaurant’s final day was today.

My favourite restaurant Eatokyo On Capel Street closed at the end of January and I expect further bad news about another restaurant within the next month. I should also mention that Desi Crew on South Richmond Street has also closed a few weeks ago. Note: Eatokyo in Temple Bar has survived and is doing very well.

The establishment of the Luigi Malones brand in Ireland can be traced definitively to 1997. Multiple sources confirm that the first restaurant under this name opened in Stillorgan, a suburb of Dublin, during that year. This marks the formal beginning of the restaurant chain within the Irish market. My family home was in Stillorgan but I have no recollection of the restaurant in Stillorgan.

In 1999, a significant strategic move occurred with the relocation of the Dublin operation from Stillorgan to the heart of the city’s cultural and nightlife quarter, Temple Bar. The new premises were located at 5-6 Cecilia Street , occupying two floors and a mezzanine level within a building noted for its historical significance, with records dating back centuries. This relocation positioned the restaurant prominently within a high-footfall area, catering to both locals and the significant tourist traffic in Temple Bar.

The brand identity cultivated during this period centred around the motto “For Food – For Fun – For Friends!”. The menu concept drew inspiration from international travels, aiming for broad appeal with a mix of cuisines. Core offerings included popular Italian-American style dishes such as freshly made pasta, pizzas, and Buffalo wings, alongside signature desserts like their Toblerone Cheesecake.

Interestingly, promotional materials on the restaurant’s own platforms reference an earlier connection to Munich, Germany, specifically mentioning serving Fischer’s Helles beer there in the late 1980s. The narrative states, “When Luigi’s moved to Ireland, we brought Fischer’s with us”. While this detail forms part of the company’s self-presented story, potentially relating to a prior venture by the founders or a conceptual origin, it does not alter the documented founding date and location of the Irish Luigi Malones chain. The consistent reporting across various sources points to Stillorgan in 1997 as the inception point for the business entity analysed in this report. The phrasing used regarding the move to Ireland further suggests that the Irish operation, starting in 1997, is considered distinct from any previous activity in Munich.

Cork Branch

The expansion into Cork occurred in 1999, coinciding with the move to Temple Bar in Dublin. This suggests a period of significant growth and investment for the brand. The Cork restaurant was established at 1-2 Emmett Place, a prime city-centre location directly opposite the Cork Opera House.  

Described as one of the largest restaurants in Cork , the venue became known for its distinctive interior decor. Notable features include a large, two-sided clock reportedly originating from St. Pancras Station in London, serving as a centrepiece around the bar area. There is also an anecdotal belief that one of the propellers from the historic Vickers Vimy aircraft, flown by Alcock and Brown on the first non-stop transatlantic flight, is displayed within the Cork restaurant , adding to its unique character.  

The Cork branch successfully established itself and has demonstrated considerable longevity. It remained operational following the closure of the Dublin branch in April 2025. As part of the Dublin closure announcement, it was confirmed that the Cork restaurant would honour any outstanding gift vouchers issued by the Dublin location. The restaurant maintains an active presence, listed on various dining platforms with current operating hours and contact information readily available. It appears integrated into the local dining scene, mentioned in contexts ranging from family outings to general restaurant discussions.

Limerick Branch

Luigi Malones also operated a branch in Limerick City. It was situated in a prominent location on O’Connell Street , opposite The Royal George hotel , in premises that historically housed a Woolworths store and, even earlier, the original site of a local bank. Like its sister restaurants, the Limerick venue was noted for its decor and catered to a broad audience, including families, with specific meal deals and kids’ menus advertised. Its presence is confirmed by mentions in online forums discussing Limerick dining options around 2006.  

However, the Limerick expansion ultimately proved unsuccessful. The restaurant ceased trading in January 2011. News reports from June 2011, discussing plans by another restaurant group to take over the vacant unit, explicitly state that the Luigi Malones closure occurred in January of that year due to “financial difficulties”.  

The failure of the Limerick branch represents an important data point in the chain’s history. Occurring more than a decade before the Dublin closure, it demonstrates that the brand was not immune to financial pressures and that profitability challenges existed within the group well before the difficulties experienced in Dublin in the 2020s. This suggests that factors beyond localised issues, potentially related to expansion strategy, operational costs, or specific market conditions in Limerick at the time, could impact the viability of individual branches within the chain. It serves as an early indicator that the group’s financial health was not uniformly robust across all locations or throughout its entire operational history.

The closure of the Luigi Malones restaurant in Temple Bar on April 13, 2025, marked the end of a 28-year trading history at that location. Over the years, it had become a well-known establishment, described as “iconic” or “beloved” and frequented by various groups, including long-term patrons and visiting students.

The closure announcement released by the restaurant operators presented a clear narrative regarding the decision to cease trading.  

Primary Catalyst – Street Works: The immediate and decisive factor cited was the impact of extensive street works undertaken directly outside the restaurant premises in early 2025. The announcement expressed “deep frustration” that the business had been “effectively barricaded” for three months.

Critically, these works significantly overran their initially communicated schedule; the operators stated they were told the project would take one month but it ultimately lasted over three. This prolonged disruption directly caused turnover to “plummet”. The resulting financial loss was described as “the straw that broke the camel’s back,” making continued trading impossible without damaging stakeholders. This explanation was consistently reported across multiple news outlets covering the closure.
 
Contributing Factors: Alongside the acute impact of the street works, the owners acknowledged underlying pressures. These included the “gradual but general decline in trade in Dublin City Centre for various reasons known to myself and others compounded by “inflationary pressures that have made it impossible for our operation to trade at a profit”. This aligns with broader commentary on the challenges facing the hospitality sector, with the CEO of the Restaurants Association of Ireland noting the “razor-thin margins” in the industry when commenting on the closure.

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9 APRIL 2025

Phoenix Park in Dublin is renowned for its expansive green spaces and diverse collection of trees. Here’s a look at the variety you can find, and some of its notable arboreal features:

Variety of Trees:

The park boasts a wide range of tree species, contributing to its rich biodiversity. Common varieties include:
Oak (Quercus robur)
Ash
Lime
Sycamore
Horse Chestnut
Hawthorn
Beech
Evergreens
Key Features:

The park contains various woodland habitats, and also scattered trees within parkland areas.
There has been extensive tree planting over the years, to maintain and replace older trees.
The horse chestnut trees within the park create some very impressive avenue’s. These trees have had problems with horse chestnut bleeding canker, and there has been work done to combat this disease.

It’s important to note the presence of semi-natural oak-ash-hazel woodland, which is a valuable habitat.

The park’s older trees contribute significantly to its historical landscape. Determining the single “oldest” tree can be difficult, but many mature oaks and other species are centuries old.
The park is also home to protected plant species, showing the importance of the parks biodiversity.

The post I LIKE PHOTOGRAPHING THE TREES IN PHOENIX PARK appeared first on URBAN CARTOGRAPHER 2025.

PHOTOGRAPHED 6 APRIL 2025

It should be mentioned that the batteries are/were original Canon product and I have included a detailed discussion of the issue which may be of interest I you ever consider buying a used Canon 5D MkIII.

On 6 April 2025, I photographed Bolton Street using a Canon 5D Mark III. This camera, which I acquired a few years ago, has recently presented some intriguing technical challenges. My local camera dealer, aware of my extensive collection of Canon lenses (despite my shift to Sony mirrorless systems), offered me an unused 5D Mark III at a very favourable price. The camera had been won in a competition and remained unused for several years. I agreed to purchase it, provided he could supply a GPS attachment.

Currently, I am in the process of evaluating my photographic equipment, deciding which cameras to retain. I opted to use the Canon 5D Mark III for a week. However, upon powering it on, I encountered a ‘battery communication error’. Subsequent attempts with different batteries yielded the same error, and the display panel went blank, rendering the camera unresponsive.

After several hours of troubleshooting, I discovered that removing the SD card allowed the camera to restart. Inserting an old CompactFlash (CF) card enabled normal operation. Reinserting the original SD card caused the camera to crash. Replacing it with a new SD card resolved the issue.

This problem prompted me to investigate the Canon 5D Mark III’s operational characteristics, particularly concerning memory card compatibility and reported issues.

Canon 5D Mark III: General Operational Considerations

The Canon 5D Mark III, although a robust professional DSLR, has documented limitations. Some users report less flexibility in RAW file shadow recovery and inferior high ISO performance compared to the Canon 6D. The autofocus system, while adequate, exhibits weaker low-light sensitivity at its centre point than the 6D. This indicates trade-offs in specific photographic scenarios.

The 61-point autofocus system, while offering advanced tracking, requires considerable expertise to master, potentially leading to challenges in capturing fast-moving subjects. The complexity of this system suggests sensitivity to operational conditions and external factors, such as memory card insertion.

Additionally, reports of image sharpness issues, often attributed to lens calibration or wide-aperture lens characteristics, highlight potential operational challenges.

One particularly relevant account describes erratic camera behaviour following a low battery state, including spontaneous photo capture and unresponsive controls. Prolonged removal of the battery, lens, and memory card, to discharge an internal ‘keep alive’ capacitor, resolved the issue. This suggests the camera’s electronic systems are sensitive to power fluctuations, potentially linking my battery communication error to a past low battery or unexpected power-down scenario affecting peripheral communication.

SD Card Compatibility and Limitations

The Canon 5D Mark III features dual memory card slots for CF and SD cards. However, the camera’s SD card implementation has limitations. It is not recommended for high-speed burst shooting, as speeds are capped at approximately 20MB/s, despite supporting UHS-I SD cards. When both CF and SD cards are inserted, write speed defaults to the slower card, hindering CF card performance.

The camera does not support UHS-II SD cards, limiting high-speed card potential and potentially contributing to communication issues. Some photographers advise using the SD card slot sparingly, primarily for wireless transfers via Eye-Fi cards, and relying on CF cards for image capture.

Reports of the camera not stopping writing to both SDXC and CF cards, while different from my issue, indicate potential instability in memory card handling. Recommendations include formatting cards within the camera and using faster CF cards.

Simultaneous use of both card slots can reduce the camera’s buffer size, suggesting shared system resources and potential performance degradation or communication errors.

Firmware Updates and Memory Card/Battery Issues

Firmware updates often address bugs and improve performance. The latest firmware, version 1.3.6, primarily corrects PTP communication and update process vulnerabilities, not directly addressing SD card or battery communication issues.

However, earlier firmware, such as version 1.2.1, addressed memory card-related problems, including LCD monitor freezes during Live View and issues with Eye-Fi cards, demonstrating Canon’s awareness of memory card compatibility.

User Experiences with Similar Issues

User forums reveal reports of physically damaged SD card slots and instances where the camera powers on without an SD card but shuts down upon insertion. This mirrors my issue, suggesting a link between SD card insertion and power system errors. Recommendations include reformatting SD cards (FAT32 for cards 32GB or smaller, exFAT for larger cards) and trying new cards.

Other users report ‘Error 2 – card cannot be accessed’ and complete SD slot failures, further indicating potential SD card interface issues.

Interplay Between SD Card and Battery Communication Errors

While battery communication errors can occur independently, my issue appears triggered by SD card insertion. It is possible my ‘battery communication error’ is a power-related issue stemming from SD card communication difficulties. The camera might draw excessive power or experience instability when accessing the SD card, resulting in a battery monitoring error.

Cleaning battery contact points is a general troubleshooting step. Canon’s error code documentation does not explicitly mention SD card-triggered battery communication errors, suggesting it may be uncommon or misreported.

The fact that memory card issues can cause complete power-offs indicates a deep integration between memory card interface and power management, supporting the possibility of a link between these issues.

SD Card Age, Speed Class, and Brand Impact

The Canon 5D Mark III is compatible with SD, SDHC, and SDXC cards, with a suggested maximum capacity of 128GB, although larger cards are often supported. The camera operates UHS-I cards at Class 10 speeds and does not support UHS-II cards.”

The post I PHOTOGRAPHED BOLTON STREET USING A CANON 5D MKIII AND I HAD A CANNOT COMMUNICATE WITH BATTERY ERROR appeared first on URBAN CARTOGRAPHER 2025.

PHOTOGRAPHED 31 JANUARY 2025

My exploration of Santry Demesne Public Park began with a ride on the new E1 bus to Northwood. Intrigued by this terminus, I ventured into the area and, trusting my sense of direction, soon found myself near Morton Stadium and the adjacent park. (As an aside, during my time at B+I Shipping, I shared an office with Billy Morton’s brother – whose name escapes me, though he always introduced himself by his famous sibling).

The park proved far larger than I’d imagined. Santry Demesne occupies the grounds of a once-grand house and gardens, originally built in 1703 on the site of a medieval dwelling. The house fell into disrepair around the turn of the 20th century, with local stories offering various explanations. A devastating fire in 1947 sealed its fate, and the house was finally demolished in 1959.

Despite its destruction, traces of the house’s former splendour remain. Visitors can still see the foundations, front steps, tree avenue, and walled garden. In June 2003, Fingal County Council took over Santry Demesne, transforming it into a valuable public amenity.

Today, the park offers a children’s playground, a network of paths for walkers, joggers, and dog walkers, and free car parking just inside the main gates. The Community Garden, within the Walled Garden, is flourishing, boasting a Kitchen Garden and Heritage Orchard established for over two years. The front section is currently being developed into a Recreational Garden, soon to be open to the public more regularly.

While the original stone temple from the Domvile family’s Templeogue residence (moved to Luggala in County Wicklow in 1858) is no longer in Santry, a facsimile stands in its place. The original Phoenix Folly, however, remains a key feature, echoing the more famous Phoenix Column in Phoenix Park.

The Phoenix Folly draws inspiration from the 1747 monument in Phoenix Park, commissioned by the 4th Earl of Chesterfield. This column, topped with a mythical phoenix, was a prominent feature on the park’s main avenue, though later moved. It is thought to have commemorated the park’s opening to the public, symbolising a new era of access for Dubliners.

Santry Demesne’s Phoenix Folly faithfully recreates the original column’s key architectural elements, showcasing neoclassical elegance. The Corinthian column, with its fluted shaft and intricately carved capital, exemplifies this style, while the ornate base and sculpted phoenix enhance its aesthetic appeal.

The post SANTRY DEMESNE PUBLIC PARK – I HAD NOT REALISED THE EXTENT OF THIS PUBLIC PARK UNTIL THIS VISIT appeared first on URBAN CARTOGRAPHER 2025.