These are the gates of the much neglected Magazine Fort, not too far away from the Islandbridge gates, if you ever get a chance to have a ramble around then I highly recommend it. The Magazine Fort is up on a hill and you get some really amazing views of other parts of the park along with the truly spectacular War Memorial Gardens in Kilmainham. Maybe some day I will get something going for the War Memorial Gardens but until I am finished with this project I think I will have to continue to dedicate my time to the Phoenix Park, in fairness this could take me another few years.

I really love this area of the park, there is a lovely quiet walkway to one side and then on the other side you can find the wide open expanse that is the sports playing fields. Part of me thinks it is a total shame that this wonderful building has been left to fall into such a state but it also fits in perfectly to the general feel of the park. This is a very large natural public park and most of it is simply left to its own devices, the deer run wild, the trees look after themselves etc, so there is something very fitting about this building being allowed to slowly crumble and fit into its surroundings.

On the other hand I also wonder what it would be like if it had been kept in working order and maybe turned into some kind of museum or visitor centre. Neither of those things have happened so there is no point in dwelling on the past, lets just enjoy it for what it is, there is still something beautifully desolate about the building.

Just after taking this photo I met a French man who lives and works here in Dublin having a leisurely stroll around the area on his lunch break. He noticed I was carrying around a rather large film camera and immediately produced his own film camera from his work bag. He was telling me he has just starting taking photographs on film all over again, it was nice to know I am not the only maniac who is going back in time with his equipment. I’m sure it would have been funny to overhear our conversation giving out about all the advances in the digital age and how they have almost ruined some of the simpler things in life, like using film and not having a mobile phone in your possession for a couple of hours. Its one of my little rules when I go to the park, I tell my close friends that they will have to do without me for a few hours, I leave my phone in the car and just wander aimlessly. If you are an opportunistic thief reading this I drive a …………………… and I always leave my phone, keys, money and other expensive belongings in the car, I don’t bother locking the car either, at least that way I will still have my windows intact when I come back.

You can purchase prints or postcards of this photo from as little as €2.50 by clicking this link.

(Comments and opinions are greatly appreciated, please feel free to let me know what you think)