John was already Gone, a photo from Galway, North

Photographer's Note

A view of the small Irish town of Clifden, as it looked in the summer of 1968. From what I can judge from more recent photos things have certainly changed here since then, although it doesn't look drastically different.

I arrived in Clifden, in the district of Connemara on the remote west coast, on a hitch-hike tour around Ireland and Northern Ireland along with a friend. We spent a couple of days renting bicycles to see the surrounding areas across the moors and along the Atlantic coast.

So what about the title, this "John" who had gone? Well, on our first evening in town, when we had gone to the nearest pub to have a pint or two, we got into a conversation with some of the locals. One of them told us it was a pity we didn't get there a few days earlier. We asked him why, so he told us that John Lennon had been there. "He used to sit in that chair", he said and pointed next to me.

I remembered reading in a newspaper a week before that John Lennon had "disappeared" and noone knew his whereabouts. So now we realized he had gone to Connemara for a few days rest, without telling the world. Could anyone imagine Madonna or Bruce Springsteen being unlocated for even 5 minutes anywhere today, in this world of text messages and tweets?

This was scanned from a slide, which explains the poor quality.

saxo042, ourania, tyro, yquem46, Alfoja, Budapestman, carlo62, macjake, vasilpro, diomed, Graal, mkamionka, Kielia, bukitgolfb301, abmdsudi, daddo has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

dta (52250) 2012-03-20 8:58

Hello Wolfgang ;
How interesting is this oldie ! And the quality is not so poor . We can see , looking at a more recent view from almost the same POV , that a few has changed since 44 years .
Regards

saxo042 (31862) 2012-03-20 9:05

Hej Gert,

A very good picture and a very interesting note!

We were here in 1992 and right at the middle of this photo was a kind of town hall, where they had an "Irish evening" with a local band. It was led by the local priest and when he asked the audience for any volunteers, to make a performance, our daughter Elisabeth (she was 16 that year) raised her hand. She sang "Carrickfergus" and she made a big success!

I also remember the first-class oysters I had here, with a pint of Guinness (or maybe two).

Hälsningar
Gunnar

ourania (13085) 2012-03-20 9:10

Hello Gert,
I like very much this view, the landscape, the town, the colours, the atmosphere. The colours of the photo take you back in time and together with your story lead to a pleasant reverie. It's wonderful, thank you!
All the best,
Ourania

tyro (13585) 2012-03-20 9:14

Hello Gert,

What a wonderful story! Travelling incognito is not nearly so easy nowadays!

A fine photoghraph too considering that it has been scanned from a 35mm colours transparency. Was this Agfa CT18 this time? It looks to have more pronounced greens and browns than Kodachrome. Fine colours nonetheless and fine sharpness too - I just love the mist overhanging the distant mountains.

Fabulous!

Kind Regards,

John.

sunamoon (6293) 2012-03-20 9:15

Hi Gert,

Impresionante paisaje de Irlanda, esos verdes y ese encantador pueblo. Gracias por compartir este sitio maravilloso!

Un saludo,
Elena

rychem (9750) 2012-03-20 9:43

I like this wide panorama of the small town , I like the layers of mountains in the BG, nice documentary photo
regards
Ryszard

wolf38 (28300) 2012-03-20 10:18

Hello Gert. When I read your name and see the thumbnail, I'm interested in what country you were traveling. This time it was so Ireland. The beautiful landscape photo with Clifden in the middle is very clear. And also the instructive text provides an insight. The nice story of John Lennon's fine. Unfortunately, the beautiful Ireland is still on my journey white list.
Rgds, Wolfgang.

yquem46 (32835) 2012-03-20 10:38

Hej Gert
Poor quality !? Not that much indeed and definitely not for a scan of a 45 years old slide
I like the compo, all this greenery, the small village close to the small lake and the story you tell us
Have a nice evening
patrick

Budapestman (82620) 2012-03-20 12:47

Hi Gert,
a picturesque view with spectacular composition and beautiful details and I like the POV and the attractive colours, beautiful atmosphere, Tfs! Have a nice evening! Kellemes estét kívánok!
György

PecoBud (3778) 2012-03-20 14:17

Photos taken in the 60's are never this good. SO Bravo!! Love the POV, with great colors and detail. TFS

Buddy

siamesa (27455) 2012-03-20 16:19

Boa noite Gert

Fantastic landscape.The high pov is excellent.
Perfect work. TFS
Abraços
maria

emka (59010) 2012-03-20 16:35

Hi Gert, What an interesting story accompany this photo. It is a pity you came there too late and didn't see John Lennon. Yes, today it would be more difficult to disappear. Not at all bad quality. Pleasant colours, sharp, good composition - I find it very good photo. Again from memorable 1968.. I was was then (in August) somewhere in the mountains, near the border with Czechoslovakia when I heard in radio about the invesion of Soviet (and other) troops.
I made photos but they were balck and white small prints - even slides in colours appeared later.
Warm regrads

Malgo

carlo62 (13544) 2012-03-20 16:41

Ciao Gert
storia molto bella e interessante come la foto, in questi casi la qualità non conta, l'importante sono i ricordi.
Complimenti
Carlo

macjake (39998) 2012-03-21 6:50

Hi Gert
amazing read!!!
love it!
funny that you mentioned Springsteen too, as he is my all time favorite artist, and actually my idol :)

good comment too, about being lost in today's world of tweets and text messages, its almost impossible.
It would be cool to see a modern photo from the exact location.
i like the local, the pov.
nice work
cheers
craig

vasilpro (40233) 2012-03-21 10:44

Hello Gert,
Wonderful composition with beautiful view from a place 44 years ago, excellent POV, TfS!
Have a nice evening, Vasilis.

atifsaeed (379) 2012-03-21 11:34

Hello Gert,

indeed lovelly landscape but i cant understand why the backgriund is so blur
anyway good capture
regards
Atif

mesutilgim (68620) 2012-03-21 12:10

Hello Gert
Another perfect oldie with perfect pov and perfect light management.
Very good scan.
Many interesting and usefull notes.
TFS and best regards
MESUT ILGIM

diomed (13926) 2012-03-21 12:35

Hi Gert,
nice panoramic view on this irish landscape rich of green. I like the village with the towers clock and the mountains' background. TFS
NIce Spring
Antonio

Graal (89434) 2012-03-22 1:11

Hi Gert,
nice landscape here. An interesting view of city near by bay. Amazing history in note about John Lennon. Good scan.
Have a nice day.
Aleksander

sacavem (18586) 2012-03-22 7:28

Olá Gert,

Beautiful village and a very beautifully taken shot. Amazing POV. Well done, Pure Ireland!...

Cumprimentos,
Filipe

dkmurphys (37419) 2012-03-22 12:37

Hi Gert,
Lovely panorama and I really hope the place is unchanged today. The story is funny and interesting. You had quite an experience there.

Daniel

mkamionka (24808) 2012-03-23 2:30

Hi Gert,
beautiful capture of Clifden. I have seen many of photos from this place but this is my favourite. I like the old touch it enhances the intriguing atmosphere.
Interesting effect with the unsharp mountains far on the horizon which contrast well with the crispy sharp view of the town. Fantastic POV.
Excellent work!
M

chrisvek (5675) 2012-03-23 2:33

Hello Gert,

Very interesting panoramic landscape.Brilliant colors.I also like your POV.Great work.TFS

Have a nice day,
Chris

Kielia (20657) 2012-03-24 4:41

Dear Gert,
you are presenting an excellently composed impression of this characteristic landscape taken from a very well working POV. The quality of the scan is also very good. But what I enjoyed most was reading your excellent note! My compliments also for the nice title!
Warm regards
Harriet

bukitgolfb301 (30401) 2012-03-24 17:09

Hello my dear Gert

Sorry for my usual late reaction to you, as I am so busy weekday.
This is my favorite great birdview shot!
Another sereis of your precious documentry sereis.
Horiozontal cropped framework via panfocus appraoch is so nice and comfortable. Marvelous artstic color indeed! Sharp and clear presentation is as usual.
Thanks for your sharinig with finest posting and have a good Sunday!

Best regrads,

Takero in warm Tokyo

agjika (4103) 2012-03-25 7:54

Hi Gert,
Very pretty place and you have been lucky to have the sun over it. Beautiful composition starting with the low leves of the lake and ending with the mountains as a backdrop. The road leads the eye into the picture. Somethings you can never change.

Regards

Aleks

abmdsudi (27118) 2012-03-25 23:42

Hi Gert
Love your usual style, the exciting accompanying note and the related picture. Another pretty scanned image and for sure the landscape is diff now. A breath taking view
from high vantage point, a wonderful rolling hill and lots of greenery sweeping through but the bright clusters of houses add the required contrast in his quite muted environment. The churches' steeples are pretty visible from this viewpoit and the misty mountains in the background add that special 'feel'
Good pp and presentation as always.
Best regards

eldancer1 (17330) 2012-03-26 9:08

Very nice capture of this beautiful little town. Love the green rolling hills. Good pov and dof with nice details. Wonderful colors. Well done, tfs.

Nicou (98775) 2012-03-27 0:41

Hello

fantastique vue et iamge superbe compo e tiamge quel ensemble avec ces belle montagne dans le brouillard quel panorama.

Bravo et amitié

Nicou

serp2000 (29632) 2012-03-28 8:33

Sabai-Dee, Gert,

Amazing title and an interesting note. Thanks, Gert.
I am writing to you from Laos first time in my life.
I like this landscape, but than more you travelling, than you find more similar places in the world, isn't it?
Best wishes,
Serghei

danyy (0) 2012-03-28 12:15

Bonjour Gert,
l'Irlande, verte terre, l'espace occupé par la verdure est en effet important. Un avant plan très net et très coloré, un arrière plan impressionnant montagneux, qui se noie un peu sous la brume.
Une photo bien construite.
Regards.
Daniel.

kato (7086) 2012-04-09 5:12

Hello Gert,

You're capturing well Irish nature and small town by a good angle and excellent tone, so it's interesting and impressive to see the prairie with loose ups and downs and the colony of the house which appears in the center. It's impressive in the tower church at left side. Here seems to peaceful plave surrounded rich green nature. And, mountain range with blurred image in behind draws out an additional good atmosphere.

Kind regards,
mikio

daddo (18635) 2012-06-05 5:43

Hi Gert. A wonderful scene of a world of yore when we were much younger and music was alive and vibrant, very much like us.The world was much more innocent too I hazard to guess. For one thing, TV wasn't full of serial killer detective serials with cadavers taking up the whole screen.But then we had the cold war then and there was always tension in the air. Anyhow, a fine shot with lovely colours and light and charming details. Regards. Klaudio.

CanmoreKevin (2111) 2012-06-23 18:01

Gert,
This almost look surreal. It has interesting layers and wonderful details for such a distant shot.
Kevin