Ireland

Back to Ireland – Ruins and Cows

/ Leya / 32 kommentarer

Looking through my photos from Ireland – I found an old abbey I had not posted on. I am convinced there were not many visitors, as we only saw it from the car. We were looking for a nice place to have our evening picnic – I wanted cows and my husband wanted ruins – and we found the perfect place!

To get there, we had to park at the church, climb some fences and walk a straight gravel road over the meadows with grazing cows. Just my thing.

I wondered how this abbey had looked when new – it was still impressive out there in the middle of all the green. Not much sun, but we had our fruit and sandwiches sitting on the ground against the wall. The Irish landscape offers never-ending glory.

The farewell was accompanied by the most gracious crowd (in the header), and lastly by a lone beauty standing by the road. I really have to go back to Ireland – soon.

 

What is Your Story?

/ Leya / 21 kommentarer

This is still one of my my favourite stories – (and favourite characters…) and so it was for my children as well. I guess most of you know them…? How do you remember their impact if you read them as a child?

Black&White Sunday: Traces of the Past

/ Leya / 11 kommentarer

Traces of the past...for Paula this Sunday – the Gateway to the monastic city of Glendalough, Ireland. said to be founded by Kevin in the 6th century.

 

Kilmacduagh

/ Leya / 11 kommentarer

 

The stunning Kilmacduagh monastery was founded by St Colman in the 7thCentury.

I loved everything about it – the serenity, the silence, the rural beauty of the area.

The round tower is dated from the 12th Century, and the tallest one in Ireland – Kilmacduagh is 34 meters in height with the doorway set 7 meters above ground level.
The tower also has quite a visible lean to it – said to be 0.5 meter from the vertical.

The biggest church building on the site is the cathedral ( Templemore Mac Duagh). dated between the 11th and 12th Century.

The Church of St John the Baptist (Teampuill Owen) is in the field next to the cathedral.
It dates from the 10th Century which would make this church the oldest building on the site.

The cemetary is still in use, and I do not think I have ever seen a thicker stone wall than this one.

Impressive!

On leaving, we finally got a closer look at the lovely cows – and they finally got a closer look at us…

Early Morning Kilkenny

/ Leya / 14 kommentarer

We woke up early to take a morning walk in Old Town Kilkenny before breakfast. Kilkenny is one of Ireland’s most beautiful towns, and has been of importance since the 13th century – it was even the capital of Ireland a long time ago.

Eight degrees only, but silence and sunshine. A very pleasant walk.

 

 

Warning – slippery because of the butter maker’s
Kilkenny Castle, 12th C

Titanic – Cobh, Ireland

/ Leya / 6 kommentarer

A windy and rainy day, we visited Cobh. Somehow the weather seemed appropriate.

The little seaside town of Cobh, with 13 000 inhabitants, has got one of the world’s largest natural harbours. Cobh was the place where most of the Irish emigrants left for America during the great starvation 1844-48. More than 1 million people died when the potato harvest failed  (mildew) and by 1856 2 ½ million people had left Ireland for America. Not until 1930 did the Irish stop leaving the country – due to the Wall Street crash.

 

Cobh was the last stop for Titanic before her Maiden voyage across the Atlantic. Titanic entered Cobh harbour April 11, 1912. 120 passengers  had bought their tickets there – hoping for a new and better life overseas. April 15 she went down after hitting an iceberg.  I guess everyone knows she was a White Star Line ship.

Today there is a museum where the White Star Line’s terminal was. Down in the harbour there are mosaic tablets with memorials of those who embarked from Cobh that day. Even if we all know the story…this is a very special place to visit.

Thursday Thoughts – Cheers!

/ Leya / 8 kommentarer

When in Ireland, you just have to visit the Guinness Storehouse – Ireland’s most popular tourist attraction. And, if you do not like beer, there are so many other things to lay your eyes on…A highly recommended visit.

Old machinery
On top – Gravity Bar
Cheers from people all around the world!

My favourite thing here was this giant pillar, a 1-2 ton dream, picturing the brewery’s history throughout the world. Impressive.

Thursday Thoughts – Bunratty?

/ Leya / 2 kommentarer

The name Bunratty, Bun Raite (or possibly, Bun na Raite) in Irish, means ”river basin” of the ‘Ratty’ river. This river, alongside the Bunratty Castle, flows into the nearby Shannon Estuary. We visited for some hours and really enjoyed its genuin feel.

 

Bunratty Castle Plaque in Irish and in English

The first recorded settlement at the site may have been a Norsemen settlement/trading camp reported in the Annals of the Four Masters. in 977. But several castles were built – and lost – here.

The fourth castle, the present structure, was built around 1425. In 1956, the castle was purchased and restored by the 7th Viscount Gort, with assistance from the Office of Public Works. He reroofed the castle and saved it from ruin. The castle was opened to the public in 1960, and with its genuin 16th-17th century furniture, tapestries and works of art it has become a great tourist attraction.

 

The Great Hall
In a tiny room upstairs – a grand lit!
Surely they did not bring it up the narrow stairs…
Intricate and detailed woven structures
Interesting clockworks(?)
…flying over the spectacular tables

 

 

 

 

WPC: Evanescent

/ Leya / 19 kommentarer

Northern Ireland, the North Coast, the beginning of May. Everyone told us just how lucky we were…sun, no wind, 20 degrees C. ”The finest day this year”, our landlord told us. Evanescent.