A quare blog post to make you smile!
THE BOG MAN of PULLAGH, Co. OFFALY carved out of Bog Oak.
Looking at the map and also at the road signs it would be easy to believe that there are two places with similar names next to each other, for just over Plunkett Bridge which strides the Grand Canal is POLLAGH and the reasoning for this is something for which I know absolutely nothing about. Last night I read a survey compiled by Offaly County Council hoping to find an answer - unfortunately they described it all as being PULLAGH !
The carpark at Ballinahown, Co. Westmeath.
with a Bog Oak structure which was once a fountain.
The reflection looks better with a root stock emerging from
a stony pond and somehow more meaningful ?
These miniature iconic models or perhaps garden decorations
caught my eye.
I think that this fellow is supposed to be a
Unicorn!
I like the bog man and it is strange about the name spelling. Those miniature ruins and castle are cool. Thanks for sharing all these interesting findings. It's fun seeing them.
ReplyDeleteHave a nice Wednesday!
Thanks for your interest Bill.
DeleteIt is a bit of a puzzle/ conundrum with the two names. Pollagh in Irish means a place of holes, which in turn may refer to ponds on the bog land and that is fine however, the road signs need to be in both languages.
Awesome pics, friend H ... Pollagh, hmmm ... me is a polak, and that's all I know for sure ... smiles ... here is hoping you having a good summer so far ... Love, cat.
ReplyDeleteHello Cat am glad that you have enjoyed this blog post and yes the warm weather continues Irish style in fits and starts, today is bright and sunny.
DeleteWhat I loved on my visit to Ireland was those wonderful white flowers under glass domes which seem to be everywhere on graves in churchyards.
ReplyDeleteO really !
DeleteI tend to avoid graveyards actually.
Lovely pictures as always - I particularly like the reflection and the unicorn. I do love unicorns!
ReplyDeleteI have a correction to make. That fountain actually works because we were there today and the water was flowing from three fountains. Evidently it is turned off when a wind is blowing to avoid carpark users receiving a wetting :-)
DeleteYou're right about the reflection photo with the root stock and stony pond. Fascinating.
ReplyDeleteMy pleasure Sue and thanks for the comment.
DeleteHi Mel - that Bog Man is just a delight ... and thank you for the Irish lesson! As you say a quare posting ... but I too wonder re Pollagh and Pullagh ... typo - p'rhaps?! Cheers Hilary
ReplyDeletePS I gather it's an expansive hole - makes sense for the disappearing spelling ... but honestly to put in a County named Offaly?! Cheers again ... that made me laugh ... sadly not all the way to the bank, but will amuse me for a while!
Thank you for your thoughts Hilary.
DeleteNow I must get down to the nitty gritty. The problem in Ireland is the fact that the British during their over lord times of being here (760 years) did their best to outlaw the Irish language and so a lot of information has been lost. This is especially apparent in regard to place names. County Offaly is named after the ancient Kingdom of Uí Failghe and was formerly known as King's County.
Personally I think that it was a grave error when Independence was gained to use corrupted forms of the Irish as we have now. The ancient nomenclature of Uí Failghe would have sufficed.
Similarly, there would not have been the conundrum between Pollagh and Pullagh, which I think has more to do with local pronunciation of the 'o'.
Really interesting photos indeed, and looks like a wonderful place to visit. Warm greetings!
ReplyDeleteThank you Blogo and now is the time to make that visit.
DeleteI love that bogman, whatever bog might be, but seeing it I think I got a hinge. Those rather rough decorations I'd like in our garden, imagine having your own ancient ruin beneath the sycamortree if you have one or rather plumtree as we have too many of. Nice pictures these, Mel. I haven't got round to match that bridgetheme yet but I'm working on it. Next photosession will probably be the applesafari we're going on soon....Only wait 'til I'm retired, Oh how I will run around with my camera, until then I will enjoy the splendour of pictures on your blog and others here!!
ReplyDeleteGood to hear from you FT. Here is a url which if you copy it into your browser will give you much information about the Bogs of Ireland http://www.wesleyjohnston.com/users/ireland/geography/bogs.html
DeleteI don't have a Sycamore tree, instead we have a large Ash tree, lots of Hawthorne and Blackthorns plus Holly, Birch, Douglas Fir, several Rowans, Oaks, Damsons and a Pear- sufficient trees to shelter us from storms. Oh I and forgot to mention the Stone Circle where we do our Druid rituals plus hand fastings and baby namings and other peculiar things ;-)
Yes, when you are retired like me (though Druids never do) you will be able to enjoy using your camera at your leisure. Thank you for the interesting comment.
A wonderful collection of curiosities, Mel. The Bog man is splendid and I really like the oak that used to be a fountain too. What a beautifully quirky land Ireland is! As for the unicorn and miniature keep and ruined barn, they are too lovely! I'd love to come and visit these places especially those that straddle or run along side the Grand Canal or the Shannon!
ReplyDeleteThe bog man is great but that little unicorn is just too cute. Great photos. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteThank you the comments Val and we would like to greet you on thhe banks of the Shannon too xx
ReplyDeleteYou do show some beautiful sculptures in some unexpected places, is this an Irish tradition, eg are there wonderful sculptures everywhere including small villages? Xxx
ReplyDeleteHello Fran !
ReplyDeleteTo be honest the sculptures are not in every village however, there are a lot of interesting items to be seen including murals too.
this did make me smile! Sarah x
ReplyDeleteAm glad for you Sarah xx
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