About Me

This blog was started on 13th May 2013 in order to explore some of my more creative skills that were just waiting to leap out. The format would hopefully provide constructive feedback, positive and negative.

The blog predominantly features photography and, to a lesser extent, writing. Photographs on this site are available for purchase in a high definition format and I would ask that you use the contact form on my Copyright Page for enquiries.

I am based in Cork and love to travel within Ireland and further afield. Being based in Europe I am privileged to able to take a 2-3 hour flight and explore different cultures, tastes, architecture and landscapes. However, if we stop to look all around us, there is plenty of beauty to see in everyday life. I would hope that this blog can underline this through both images and the written word.

With holidays I like to find hidden gems and prefer to take this route and get it wrong on occasions than to ‘play safe’. Once we stayed in an old farmhouse where the walls were so thick it could have been a fortress and the lady running it (who spoke no English) apologised as while all the jams, honey, butter, cured ham etc at breakfast were homemade, the cheese was not – it came from the farm down the road (or perhaps I should say track).

So that’s me in a rather large nutshell (think coconut), plenty going on and all rather exciting. I will endeavour to respond to all comments and thank all those that deem my blog worthy of a follow.

Many thanks for getting this far and have a great life.

John Grant

Note: Unless specified, the photographs and posts on this blog are the work of John Grant, working under the name of Meticulous Mick and JRCR Grant. 

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266 thoughts on “About Me”

  3. You are an inspiration, I love travelling too and I always dream of having a job that lets me do this. May be one day I will.
    Loved your blog, I am writing and sharing my travel tales too, you might like it.
    But anyhow I am glad to be your follower!!!

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    1. That’s great to hear, welcome aboard. I will go and pay your site a follow as indeed I do with all new followers. Travel is a great education and sharing of knowledge. Personally I love it. 👍🍀

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  4. Just wanted to stop in and say hi. I looked at a few of your posts and they intrigued me enough to want to follow your blog and when I get the time I will take a gander at more of your posts. I’m hoping to make a trip to Ireland one day so you will be an inspiration to that trip. Happy shooting!

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    1. Thank you Justin, very kind words. I have been a way for a couple of weeks, so just catching up on comments etc. Will pop over to your own blog in the next few days and feel free to provide further comment or raise queries you may have. MM 🍀

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  5. Hi Mick! I’m new pretty new to the blogging world. I’m doing The Daily Post’s Blogging 101 Challenge. Part of today’s assignment is to find 5 new blogs to follow. I’m drawn to your lovely photographs, so you are one of my five!

    I live in the US, and travel around here as much as possible. Case in point, I’ve been on a trip to Louisiana, one to Alabama, and one to Colorado in the last 6 weeks. My husband is in the military and while he was deployed, we met up in Ireland for his two weeks of R&R. What a lovely place to call home!

    I look forward to exploring more of what you’ve already posted here, and what is to come.

    -Amber

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    1. Amber, please feel free to roam away. Where did you go in Ireland and would love to hear what you liked and what irked you or you felt could have been done better (please don’t say wider roads we just din’t have the space that you guys have in America). I’ll be popping over to your blog in a minute. MM 🍀

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  8. Hi Mick- Thank you for following my photography blog, Jane’s Lens. I hope you are inspired. I am enjoying your beautiful images and glad to see we share a passion for food.

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  10. MM, thank you for commenting on my blog. Your comment reminded me that I should update that page 😉 I am very interested in photographing and videotaping now. And your blog can teach me a lot! Thanks.

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  12. My job, too, was redundant and now I am unemployed and doing the inner search. I’ve started blogging (not well) and taking photographs (really not well,) yet love meeting bloggers who have accomplished both with excellence, as you have.

    I am so impressed with your blog and your gorgeous photos. It’s my dream to visit Ireland and Blarney Castle some day and I feel as if I have had a wonderful introduction to both here on your blog. Thank you!

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    1. Thank you so much I am J, great to hear such nice compliments. I didn’t have a clue what I was doing at first, nor did I know what direction my blog would take – hence I did not post under my own name. I do think it is great for creativity and developing your own self, free from a lot of constraints. Good luck with your own blog and photography – I will come over and visit and see your own work, but very pushed for time right now. MM / John

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  16. Hey Mr. Grant,
    I’m going to be starting up a new page on my blog in the coming week or so and was curious if you’d be interested in collaborating on it by perhaps doing a guest blog on it or an interview even. Let me know if you’d be interested good sir as I admire your work and have appreciated the support you’ve thrown toward my blog in the past. Let me know and you can reach me at jeremystormsky@gmail.com or through my blog!
    All the best,
    Jeremy Parris

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    1. That is great to hear, thank you Alex. Anything you like in particular? I am thinking of continuing the Abandoned series as that really got a lot of really positive feedback. Be checking your own blog kurt shortly, MM 🍀

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  18. Hi John, nice to meet you. I’ve been travelling around your blog a bit – beautiful photographs, very evocative. Thank you for following our blog. I always feel so honoured when a photographer chooses to follow the blog. I hope you enjoy the stories of our journey, both inner and outer. Cheers, Alison

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  22. So John, a Spikey now, eh? – that growing clan of folk known to be followers of Uncle Spike 🙂

    Thank you… I really appreciate that as I for one, know how many interesting and entertaining blogs are out there.

    My aim is to deliver an eclectic offering of posts, from my ‘point n shoot’ attempts at photography, to the sharing of my travel adventures since the 70′s, as well as day to day happenings on the farm. Oh, plus a few observations on life as I see it. Of course, if you have any suggestions for me, I’d love to hear from you, serious.

    In return, I promise not to be overbearing with perhaps 2-3 posts a day tops. But if you are at a loose end one day, maybe you’ll enjoy trawling through some of my older stuff too. I have added plenty of categories to help in said digging process.

    Thanks again for your vote of confidence, and hope you have a great day…

    UNCLE SPIKE

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  24. MM! I really was touched and inspired by your story. Wishing you all the best with your endeavors. I love the photography and the stories you capture through your lens.
    You have a regular visitor from now on.
    All the Best
    N

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    1. No problem Malin, I used MM when starting hop as I wasn’t too sure where it was going or the quality. Am now comfortable enough to put my name to it and for it to be linked to Facebook etc. Hope your weekend is proving good. MM 💚 (BGH)

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      1. Okey, thank you for your answer, John 🙂

        My weekend was okey I guess. I hope your weekend was more than okey. (BGH)

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      4. Gosh… I thought it was Monday today… That’s why I answered the way I did. 😉

        By the way – facebook? Do you have an official facebook page or something?

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  27. I have been enjoying your posts for some time now and I am wondering to myself why I have never read your “about” page before. I finally thought about it when I saw those great selfies you posted. And I always imagined you looked like your gravatar and that you were much older. 🙂 Nice to see the real you.
    ~Mar

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  29. It is a pleasure knowing you. I love the way you began sharing by turning what some could deem a great challenge ( Redundancy) into an opportunity for new experiences and personal growth.

    I appreciate that about your writing and very much so when it comes to the wonderful comments you have left on my own posts. Your perspective is valued and always helpful to look on when finding it difficult to see the positives in things.

    Thank you!

    ML

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      1. I DO!!… Usually I only blog about once a month (If that) though the Just Jot It January Activity hosted by Linda (http://lindaghill.wordpress.com/2014/01/01/jusjojan-1-the-rules-are-easy/) have helped me to get through more, not feeling so pressured to have everything absolutely perfect for each and every single post.

        My long winded-ness (spell checker says that isn’t even a word) can be a pain in the rear end..

        I’ll try to visit more often, though sometimes I do disappear for weeks due to the other bits of my life that steal me away!

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  31. MM / JG, I came by your fabulous photography and followed not having looked at your other ‘pies’. Ireland and gardening too! Like a lot of Aussies, I’m of multiple Irish descent – from The Burren, Clare, Longford, and my GG grandfather had a business opposite Trinity College, Dublin! So great to have come across your blog. CC

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    1. Well the Burren is spectacular as I am sure you know. My wife is from North Cork and some of my relations also have toes with that area. Myself, I am still a blow-in having been here just 15 years. Prior to that done work in Iberia and UK. MM🍀

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  32. Hi Mick! I nominate you for a Christmas Bouquet Awards. This is the link:

    Christmas Bouquet Awards


    It’s not to make you feel obliged to accept them but to say thank you, once more, for your constant support, your likes and comments, which are always welcome.
    It’s funny, but this is the first time I read your “About me” so I just know your name and your face.
    I see through your blog you live in a very beautiful place. Never went to Ireland but I visit it through yor photos.
    Thank you very much Mick or John!
    Saludos desde Buenos Aires! Silvia 🙂 🙂

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    1. Silvia, I updated my About Page only yesterday to include my name for the first time and links to LinkedIn and Facebook. Hopefully it may help in my search for a job. Many, many thanks for the nomination and I really appreciate the gesture coming from someone like yourself 😃. However, as they started to take up too much of my time and I needed to get more pro-active in my search for a job I am no longer accepting awards. Keep on visiting, always good to see your name pop-up. Saludos desde Cork, MM / John x🍀x

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    1. Thank you so much Danilo, having looked back at your site I have to say that coming from someone with images like yours that really does feel like high praise. Many, many thanks. MM 🍀

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    1. Thank you Dace. Sometimes I think I put too many words to each post, but then I also feel there is a story to tell. Hopefully you sufficiently liked what you saw on my blog and will be back for more. 😃 Have a great weekend, MM 🍀

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  35. hi, MM, will be happy to follow your blog, I like your open, frank and emotional style of writing, which goes so well with your lovely photos… just the type of blog I’d love to read… Alex:))

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  36. Hi MM!
    Thanks for following. I’m a happy camper now you are joining me as I trip around by RV, plane, car and time machine to the past.
    Comments, compliments, critiques and wisecracks are most welcome.
    You have a great blog. Beautiful photos. “See” you again soon.
    Which Way Now 101 aka Carol

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  40. I’m so happy you discovered me, so I could discover you. I’m intrigued by your point of view (I like it very much). I’m sorry you were deemed redundant, but clearly you are very passionate and talented. I’m sure you will land firmly in a new scenario! I also love your photography. I look forward to exploring your blog!

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  43. Hi MM. We have followed your blog now from Roaringwaterjournal. Love your photography and it’s good to know a fellow Cork blogger! All the best from Finola and Robert

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    1. Thank you so, so much – I had put an embargo up on awards as I just didn’t have the time to do them justice. However, I am now back open for business and more importantly thank you so much for your extremely kind words. Its great to have you on board. 😎

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    1. Anne, thank you so so much, I have not been ignoring you just had a whole pile of things to do. I am now back on the circuit for awards so gladly accept (though will likely be later this week when I get round to posting). Your enthusiasm and support are much appreciated. Namaste, MM 🍀

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  49. Wonderful photography, I really enjoyed your blog!I came to study in Ireland for 3 months and completely fell in love with it, no wonder how you can find all those beautiful images around!

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