Clare Island

I've been completely fascinated by Clare Island ever since I discovered the Saw Doctors years ago. On our recent trip to Ireland, I found this sign post in Louisbourgh and snapped a picture. Unfortunately, Clare Island would not be this trip.

However, from a sign perspective, this signpost captures the beauty of Irish road signs. There are these signposts all over Ireland. They capture the essence of driving in this beautiful country.





Here's the lyrics to the Saw Doctors song:

Saw Doctors - Clare Island

Will you meet me on Clare Island
Summer stars are in the sky
We'll get the ferry out from Roonagh
And wave all our cares goodbye
And we'll go dancing at the ceili
We'll go kissing on the strand
Take our clothes off in the moonlight
Skinny-dipping hand in hand
And we'll start drinking in the twilight
Keep it up until the dawn
In both the bars
Because there's no guards
To take our names and send us home.

Will you meet me on Clare Island
Summer stars are in the sky
We'll get the ferry out from Roonagh
And wave all our cares goodbye.

Gettin’ weary of the city
Seems so many things have changed
Let’s head off for Nora Dalys home
Where she’s walked
It never rained
So will you meet me on Clare Island
Summer stars are in the sky
We'll get the ferry out from Roonagh
And wave all our cares goodbye

And if there’s wild and tall white horses
And the swell rolls in the bay
I won’t care if the boat can’t sail
Sure we’ll get home
Some other day

So will you meet me on Clare Island
Summer stars are in the skys
We'll get the ferry out from Roonagh
And wave all our cares goodbye




Here's a bit of a sampling of Clare Island:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vis61OVlsB0

Doolough

Every once in a while you encounter a sign so out of place that it kind of jolts you to attention. This sign in Doolough, Ireland (Delphi, Mayo) was just such a sign.



Near a tranquil river, with majestic hills in the background, I came upon:

Connemara, Ireland

Along the side of the road in Connemara in Ireland is this large "thinking man" statue carved in stone. The whole monument portrays absolute seriousness.

And the sign on the bottom reads:

Depressed Ireland?

Are the Irish constantly suicidal? After 10 days in Ireland, I had to wonder.

At nearly every bridge, ledge, cliff, waterfall, hiking trail or about any place that someone could do anything...well...fun, there were signs for the Samaritans.

It's good to know they are there for me, but it makes you wonder if something is wrong with the Irish that they need this much help.

Cliffs of Moher, Part II

Population control in action. In the past, we could count on absolute human stupidity to limit explosive population growth, but the folks out the Cliffs of Moher are doing their part to contribute to population growth, global warming and host of other problems.

In all seriousness, we were suprised at the number of signs all over Ireland reminding parents that they had a responsibility for watching their children and ensuring their children maintained appropriate behavior in public. Unfortunately, the culture in the U.S. has deteriorated to the point where children are "entitled." It's sad really.

Cliffs of Moher, Part I

In Ireland, I visited the Cliffs of Moher. I found this little gem of a sign. The message is clear...there's a big damn cliff and it's a long way down.

Plastic Bag Tax

While in Ireland, I noticed this sign at a Dunne's Store in Kilkenny. I've always known that in Europe, you need to pay for plastic bags, but never really thought through why - the government taxes them (as a conservation measure).

I think we should consider doing that in the U.S.

Daiseychain Flowers, Kinsale, Ireland

I snapped this photo of a flower shop in Kinsale, Ireland (it was Mother's Day in Ireland). The shop name is Daiseychain.

This is one of those things that I think might have a different connotation between cultures. In the U.S., the term daisychain has a very different connotation.

From Dictionary.com: "a group sexual activity in which the participants serve as active and passive partners to different people simultaneously. "

New York Subway Signs

I just love the iconic nature of New York City subway signs. My wife lived around the corner from the Bleecker Street Station a few years ago so I spent years walking past this sign.

I like that the Bleecker Street sign is one that hasn't been changed or modernized in recent subway improvements.

The Temple Bar

This sign is for the The Temple Bar - an upscale lounge specializing in vodka cocktails in New York City. We absolutely love Temple Bar and it was one of our favorites when we used to live in Manhattan.

I love the imagry of this sign.

Origins

Signs of Intellect came about as a repository for the signs I've found on my travels. I've always been fascinated by signs - both the words and the imagery. Universally, signs are used to convey information.

But that information is often dependent on the conext. If the context changes, so does the meaning.