Some time ago, I was stopped on the street by an elderly acquaintance: Why have you ne'er a snap of the jail on that internet of yours? A reasonable query, given that Portlaoise Prison is the town's most famous landmark. But the fact remains that photography is not allowed near such high-security institutions. This was explained to me by the young Garda who strode across the Dublin Road and, under the suspicious gaze of binoculars in a watchtower, politely asked me to delete any pictures I had taken. I complied with his request, aimed the Canon across the road and shot the firestation instead. Thus ended my adventures in penology.