A Tale of Two Cities : Derry/Londonderry

These two images were taken in August 2013 during the week of the Apprentice Boys' Parade and the start of the Fleadh Cheoil, the annual all Ireland music festival which was held in Northern Ireland this year for the first time.

Champion Trees

I got up early last Sunday (10.30) and joined a walking tour of the trees planted over the past 50 years in Roath Park in the area around the bowling pavilion and was accompanied by  25 others who are no doubt now also suffering with a stiff neck. 

It occurred to me how many times I've enjoyed this beautiful place and how few of the trees

I'd ever noticed.

The walk was led by Malcolm Frazer and Terry Davies seen pointing in the following two pictures respectively. These fellas are passionate about trees.

Between the two of them, they know all the trees planted in Cardiff parks over the last 50 years as they did a lot of the planting. They entertained us with some great banter, frequently disagreeing with each other about their particular favourites. They make a good team; Terry explaining why the trees were so special, Malcolm passing on all the relevant Latin and genus information for the note takers.

There are some stunning specimens

I met some nice folk and here are three things I learned -

A Champion Tree  is defined as one which is either tallest or has the largest diameter at breast height. Bute Park has more Champion Trees than any other public park in Great Britain. . . .  and . . . . second on that list is Roath Park. 

The deluge didn't bother anyone

and . .

Roath Park was created in 1894 from a malarial bog. Covering 130 acres, it once had 17 resident gardeners. Now there are only 4 visiting gardeners and they could do with a little help . . . . the 'Friends of Roath Park' organise working days, walks and talks and other events - to join, it costs £5 a year per household to cover admin and you can e-mail
katefurlong@hotmail.co.uk for an application form or call into the Conservatory, and feed the Koi Carp at the same time.

Thanks Terry & Malcolm for all the trees.

'Hitch' - Mary Bijou Cabaret

I photographed this fantastic show in the Spiegeltent outside the Wales Millennium Centre last week. It was as thrilling as it was inventive and very funny.

Mary Bijou Cabaret are making waves, big ones and their take on the life and work of Alfred Hitchcock played to packed houses  - no surprise there, but plenty of surprises in the show   - I was banned from posting anything until after the final performance so's not to spoil it for the lucky ones with tickets. 

all images are copyright panopticphotography 2013

if you would like to lift any images to re-post please get in touch first

paddy@panopticphotography.co.uk  or leave a comment  below thanks

Streets Alive : No Fit State Circus Community

Clifton Street in Cardiff was closed for the day last Saturday. Wise move really as the traffic wouldn't have been able to get through the hundreds of people who turned out in the pouring rain to see breath-taking stunts from No Fit State Circus alongside line-dancing grandmothers
and children breaking the street hula-hooping record for the city.

It was fantastic and a wonderful prelude to the opening of the Four Elms Centre this Autumn:
Wales' first permanent professional & community circus training facility.

Here are just a few images from the day - pity you can't hear the laughter, applause & gasps from the crowd. Some of the performers were really risking life & limb in the deluge: wet hands and flying trapeze don't mix well.

Adie Delaney back down to earth

these toddlers show the line-dancers a few new moves . .

there were workshops throughout the day

this young fellah in the crowd was watching the Chinese Pole act slipping in the torrential rain

the response from the local residents was overwhelmingly positive . . . I get the feeling the Four Elms Centre will thrive from the moment the doors open

Daniel Crute AKA The Mighty Moustache 

his tattoo spells 'Lion' in Hebrew

Daniel led the Finale . . .

for the Four Elms it's just the beginning.

all images are copyright panopticphotography 2013

if you would like to lift any images to re-post please get in touch first

paddy@panopticphotography.co.uk  or leave a comment  below thanks

Slightly Fat Features

I spent a great day at the Newport Big Splash event recently catching up with the 

Slightly Fat Features company. 

They performed their hilarious theatre show on the Friday evening in the Riverfront Theatre - bit of a coup for Newport this, ahead of an anticipated sell-out at the Edinburgh Festival. They were voted in The Times newspaper's list of the top 30 shows to see this year in Edinburgh. 

On the Saturday I watched  their solo and duo street shows to huge crowds in the sunshine. They are a very funny and talented bunch. If you are going to Edinburgh you can get tickets here.

You can click on the names above the images for biogs and more links

Rich Garaghty & Goronwy Thom 

                                                             Matt Barnard

Gareth Jones

Herbie Treehead

all images are copyright panopticphotography 2013

if you would like to lift any images to re-post please get in touch first

paddy@panopticphotography.co.uk  or leave a comment  below thanks