At first glance, one may assume this picture represents a broken area, vandalism, or loss, but for me this is the perfect way to describe the town where I am from and currently live, (Balbriggan, County Dublin, Ireland), an area full of natural beauty that’s a little rough around the edges. Balbriggan is a small coastal town typical of Dublin suburbs, with a large train station in the center, way too many houses and not enough shops.

Growing up here was amazing. I made tons of friends whom are still my dearest in the Loreto Convent I went to and was influenced by the many punk and metal bands that used to play in the local youth center, Cryptic, that is now sadly closed down. The town itself is pretty boring. There’s one good bar, not a lot in terms of entertainment – but this provides those who grow up in Balbriggan with a special gift, we know how to entertain ourselves.

This is why I chose this picture. I took this a few weeks ago whilst going for a walk around the place. I’ve just moved home from Chicago, before that, having lived in the city centre in Dublin. Now I’m back home and greeted with warm memories of me and my friends wasting our time, drinking, laughing, making great plans in places just like this. The town was our playground and though we didn’t have a lot to do we somehow had a lot of fun here. Balbriggan is overlooked by many, but if you’re ever in Dublin and want to visit a place that’s filled with secret areas of incredible beauty, such as secret streams, fields filled with gorgeous flora and fauna and many amazing photographic opportunities, Balbriggan is worth a day trip.