Patterns of the City, Belfast

Belfast may not the most beautiful or exciting city but its recent history, friendly inhabitants and my family roots there make it one of the most interesting places I've been to. The lovely Patterns of the City flags caught my eye as soon as I arrived at the central station in Belfast. The project has recently taken over the city with some 400 flags installed all over to welcome visitors and enhance local knowledge. The twelve  designs highlight specific places and objects in Belfast that visitors or citizens might overlook, with themes being determined through community workshops with young people throughout the city. The flags serve as a vibrant and unique representation of Belfast and create a feeling of celebration and pride in a city that is really trying hard to overcome its sordid past.

      

      

      

      

      

      

Flax Fox, Belfast

I am self-admittedly really bad at keeping in touch. I twitter/facebook people sometimes, I email even less and I do not send enough postcards. I would really love to send more handwritten notes home but it just doesn't happen as often as I'd like considering that after four months of travel I still haven't made it through the list of people I intended to write. But, when I find good postcards I do take the opportunity to send a little love home. Such was the case when I came upon Flax Fox and their beautiful postcards at St. George's Sunday market. Danielle Morgan and Bridget Farmer are the duo behind the sceenprint designs which are sold as prints and transferred to tea towels and postcards. The whimsical illustrations are so remarkably Belfast that I fully intended on keeping a couple of the postcards for souvenirs but I really am THAT behind at my correspondence and used them all so will have to order a print or two for myself when I get home.

      

      

website: www.flaxfoxdesigns.com
etsy shop: www.etsy.com/shop/flaxfox
twitter: @flaxfoxdesigns

Designgoat, Dublin

Right, I've been gone from Dublin for a week already so this will have to be the last post (for now) in my awesome people I met in Dublin* series. It comes a little late as I didn't have wifi for the few days I was in Castlerock and now the connection in my Belfast hostel is practically nonexistent so I snuck away to a coffee shop that will not be named to write this post. Hardly fitting as I met the guys behind Designgoat at Brother Hubbard, a rad new locally owned cafe that just opened in Dublin. Even more, they were the designers behind Brother Hubbard and my local haunt for the week, 3FE (pictured). Cian and Acky are industrial designers based in Dublin with really impressive moustaches. Together they make up Designgoat. I am blown away at how these guys are pushing the boundaries of their craft and at their contribution to the Dublin creative community so early into their respective careers. I especially love how they are combining their design background with their passion for food, recently curating a dinner for the Edible series at the Dublin Science Gallery. These gorgeous photos of their Taste of Dublin event are from my good friend Al. Wish I could have been there.

*I also met a lot of other awesome people in Dublin, I've only featured a handful of the creative type ones with websites...sorry other friends!


      

      

website: www.wearedesigngoat.com 
blog: designgoat.blogspot.com
twitter: @wearedesigngoat

Peter McDonagh, Dublin

Sometimes the world is too random to be random. I met Peter McDonagh through Al while I was in Dublin. We had enough in common already with regards to graphic design and our work in the coffee industry but then we discovered a few really bizarre connections. Peter grew up with my former Irish roommate and is pen pals with another completely unrelated friend's fiancé from Nova Scotia. What a small world.

All that aside, Peter is a talented photographer and graphic designer. He's just finishing off his degree in Dublin with a thesis on coffee packaging. His current work is brilliant and I'm looking forward to seeing more of it as his career progresses. And, with all of our random connections, I also look forward to our paths crossing again.

portfolio: petermcdonagh.com
twitter: @petermacdee

Al Higgins, Dublin

I had an incredible time with Annabelle in Dublin last week, largely due to the kindness and generosity of the people we met. I'll start with this man. I can honestly say my trip around the world would not have been the same without having encountered Al Higgins along the way. Al is an extremely talented photographer and a gifted foodie who took us under his wing in Dublin. He provided us with a long list of recommendations for the best food and drink in the city, introduced us to his wonderful community of friends, shared many conversations over many pints and coffees, and charmed us with one of the best deadpan sense of humours I've known. It's these types of people that make travelling the best and the worst. The best for the chance to know them, the worst for having to leave them behind. Check out his photos and get to know this man. Look forward to many more adventures with him down the road.

Also, the handsome man at the end is Tom Cooney, an extremely talented musician. We had the pleasure of spending time with him and his lovely wife in Dublin as well. Too many good people in this city.

portfolio: www.alhigginsphotography.com
blog: alsphotos.tumblr.com
twitter: @fajitasgtr

National Print Museum, Dublin

Yesterday Annabelle and I spent a bit of time in the National Print Museum in Dublin. Their collection and assortment of working presses and typesetting machines was incredible but I was a bit disappointed with the lack of printed material, both on display and to purchase. Nonetheless, it's a beautiful old space with lots to look at for anyone who likes type as much as we do.