The Spike
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Here’s the crane from the top floor of a Lower Baggot Street Georgian.
Don’t forget – this is from far away (and that’s why it looks so small).
I might try and nip down at lunch (state of apathy pending).
fjp
Is this a recent picture? Last I saw of the crane it was in an “A” shape. Is this the same crane extended? Just fascinated by cranes…..not very healthy really.
Actually, if anybody knows the full construction process, (including crane particulars!) I would be interested in doing a flash animation to demonstrate the entire process.
Here it is again up close:
You’ll see directory contents (my spike directory). Today’s files are crane-021217-1.jpg (and 2 and 3 as well)
fjp
now THAT is a crane… must be costin’ ’em a fortune now that it will be sitting there doing nothing over the christmas…
Brilliant photo fjp, the Spike rising out of the Georgian city, reaching for the skies. Oh, I feel a tear coming on, if you will excuse me….
travelled up and down the M50 several times today, could easily see the crane, far higher than anything else on the city skyline (except for the poolbeg towers of course) heard too that the base would be up for christmas guess we’ll just have to wait and see !
Can the section be seen on O’Connell Street or it it hidden away already??? And for those who haven’t been down there in person, even the height of the crane creates a new precence on the street that’s very impressive, so the spike itself (wait for it sceptics) might actually be very good!!!!
If that section’s visible I might hop a ten again at lunch. I’d also be happy to upload anyone else’s photos onto the web for people to see (photos would remain their property and not be displayed on my site – just in a blank addressed directory).
fjp
Heard (!) the first section being lowered into place at around 9am on Gerry Ryan. Hopefully RTE TV was there to record the moment for posterity. Pity they had to choose rush hour for what should have been a real event – I live nearby, but had to be in work.
As for the cost of keeping the crane on site, the cost of the contract is apparently fixed.The first section is in place – the ‘Breaking News’ section of the Irish Times ( http://www.ireland.com ) have a picture available
Passed that way this morning, and the first section was vertical, but not yet in its slot. Shame I didn’t think to bring a digicam!
It’s only about as tall as the GPO so far, so you won’t see it unless you go down there.
Does anyone else think the crane would have been a better monument if they just left it there?
James
Getting quite excited about the SPike just now.
I am travelling into town to have a look in the next while, Id bring my digicam but for the fact that the battry takes three hours to charge to any decent level of usefulness!Im sure FJP or some other will take a decent photo anyhow!
Im sure that a lot of the cynics in Dublin will be won over by the sheer scale of the finished project and when the protective wrapping is removed it will be quite a sight, glimmering in the rare Dublin sunlight.
C.
I’m surprised so few of you came out to see it being positioned, I suppose some people have to work! There was a brilliant atmosphere there, with about 200 people watching on (199 being media!) The crane started lifting at 9.15, and it was vertical in about 10mins. It took until 10.10 for it to be in fully in position, when everyone cheered. I could see who I belive was the City Architect and friends, standing on the roof of Ann Summers, whilst cameramen were sitting 5 storeys up on window sills and cornices, clinging for dear life onto their 150,000euro Betacams! Other people were on rooftops, holding onto chimneys. I had to make do with ground level, my trusty SLR and videocamera
As said earlier, the first piece is just taller than the GPO’s pitched roof, and is wrapped in what looks like the worlds largest bin-liner. O’ Connell Street Project Manager Ann Graham was there and told me the next piece won’t be going up for quite a number of days. They are hoping to get 3 pieces up before Christmas and the remainder in the first few days of the New Year.I would have been there, but honmestly didn’t know they were putting it up this morning. Of course, I never listen to any Irish radion or news stations, so perhaps I’m partyl to blame myself…
Anyhoo, there’s a bunch of fast shots added into my “spike” directory. They’re down the bottom, called spike-021218-XX” (seven shots – including “mad mary” dancing in her new location).
Quality’s a bit dodge, so apologies:
click here to see them, then just click the image name
fjp
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