The Cockerel, Mouse and Fly.

On Mother's Day we took ourselves off on an adventure to southern Laoise [pronounced as Leesh] and in particular to the picturesque village of Timahoe.

Timahoe, derives its’ name from Saint Tigh Mochua, 

there the houses are built around a large, central piece of common land known as the Goosegreen.  

St. Mochua established a monastery at Timahoe in the seventh century which burnt down in 1142, later it was re-established by the O’Moores.  

A 12th century round tower standing 96ft high is located close by Mochua’s Abbey and there was a monastic community here as late as 1650. It was then that the Franciscan friars were murdered at a spot known locally as "Boher a wurther" or the murdering road, by Colonel Hewson and Cromwell’s army. 

Along the road to Timahoe.

The locals call it 'Goosegreen'

Looking East the River Bauteogue

Looking West along the River Bauteogue

The round tower stands in a lovely setting accessed by a footbridge that crosses the River Bauteogue, Báiteóg, meaning ‘a swamp’. Originally access to the tower and Abbey was via a ford.

Drawing from Laois County Council archive

Detail of the towers entrance.

The Round Tower 

St Mochua had a reputation as a healer, and is said to have cured two other abbots – St Colman Elo of a sudden loss of memory and St Fintan Munnu of ‘leprosy’.

Mochua died in the year 657.

St. Mochua's companions

St. Mochua lived as a hermit without worldly goods except for three pets – a rooster, a mouse and a fly. The rooster wakened him for the hours of Matins; if he didn’t wake up or dozed off during the day weak from his vigils and prayers, the mouse would nibble at his ear not letting him sleep more than three hours a day or night. The fly would walk along each line of his Psalter as he read and when he became tired, the fly would stop at the point where the saint had broken off until he could return again to resume reading the Psalms.

The Little Pets of St. Mochua

When St. Mochua knelt to pray

Each morning at the break of day

There always was about the house

A rooster, fly and little mouse

Three willing slaves to serve him well

And share his solitary cell

The rooster every morn would crow

And waken him for matins, though

When he slept too sound to hear

The mouse came forth and nipped his ear

And though he never had a clock

The mouse would call him or the cock

And if he had to leave a book

From out some dusty hidden nook

A fly, with patience and with grace

Would sit for hours and mark the place.

 © John Irvine

I very much hope that your appetites have been whetted sufficiently enough to make a visit to this breath taking place. Where a on a sunny warm day you can lose yourself in peaceful surroundings and enjoy some wonder filled dreams.

PORTUMNA PRIORY

Aerial view showing close proximity

of Castle and Priory.

Within the demesne of Portumna Castle exist, the ruins of Portumna Priory built around 1254. 

It was originally a Cistercian chapel, a sister house of the monastery at Dunbrody, Co Wexford. 

In 1426 the priory was taken over by the Dominicans when a papal indulgence was granted for its completion.

The Priory came under the patronage of the Earl of Clanricarde, de Burgo, in 1577 and contains the tomb of the Earl and his wife, although the location is unknown. 

During the Reformation the Priory was suppressed and then revived again in 1640.  

Eventually it was abandoned by the Friars when their numbers reduced to three in 1712 .  

After lying unused for fifty years Portumna Priory was taken over by the Anglican Church of Ireland until 1832 when they built their own church.

The Cloisters

 were partially restored in 1954 by the Office of Public Works.

The long shadows where monks once strolled

They stand as sentinels of a bygone age.

Under the splendid arches to the chancery window.

I felt nothing but a contemplative peacefulness as I strolled

around.

As with Portumna Castle, the ruins of the Priory are now a national monument. 

On The Road Again.

The other day we wended our way across the landscape, seeking out places to explore and photograph.
I felt duty bound to amend for the statue of last week. So our first stop was on the banks of Lough Owel in Co. Westmeath, a Lughnasadh site where horses were ritually bathed in it’s waters. 
Today it is the home of a beautiful statue, created by Linda Brunker, that stands proudly over looking the lake.

The Children of Lír

The rich aroma of freshly made coffee wafted across the car park and as I turned I saw a three wheeled vehicle, complete with full sized coffee machine in the back. Two double shot expressos were ordered and quickly served by the camera shy operator. 

Revitalised we headed to our next stop which, according to Mrs H’s research, would provide us with some rich material. I misdirected her on to a very narrow country road, which was not without interest, for there were two donkeys on the lawn of an empty house.

We finally arrived at Abbeylara where Mrs H found a holy well and visited the ruin of the Cistercian Abbey and I spotted a jolly gardener in the school grounds.

The Jolly Gardener.

Cistercian Abbey.

Onwards then to Ardnacliffe, Co. Longford and to Lough Gowna, 

‘the lake of the calf’. The name comes from a legend about a supernatural calf which escaped from a well and raced northward with a stream of water following it. The flooded area became the lake and the mysterious calf is said to still live beneath the waters.

Not a calf but a horse visiting the waters at Lough Gowna.

We parked on the banks of very attractive small lake- Lough Leebeen known as 'the lake of the small fish' possibly the Stickleback. It sits quite literally on the outskirts of the village. 

The tranquil Lough Leebeen.

Turning for home our next stop was at Ardagh to see the beautiful statue of Midír and Etain by the artist Éamonn O'Doherty. 

For an account of their story see the Lady Gregory version here:

www.sacred-texts.com/neu/celt/gafm/gafm17.htm

Midír and Etain

STONE and CROW

Corcomroe Cistercian Abbey was built during the latter part of the twelfth century by Domnal Mór Ua Briain, who was the King of Thomond of the Dál gCais clan (their lands being counties Clare, Limerick and part of Tipperary).  

Donal was the patron of several such religious buildings and I presume that this investment paid off by having the clergy under your control and onside during the Norman invasion which was instigated by the King of Leinster, Diarmait Mac Murchada. It was four hundred years later that the Dál gCais finally came under Anglo - Norman control.

The last Abbot was John O’Dea in 1628, after which it became dissolute.

In the bottom righthand corner you can see a warning notice about not standing on the graves.

Tomb of Conor O'Brien, King of Thomond who died in 1268.

During my recent visit to Corcromroe Abbey I and a local man were rather disappointed with the visitors who, with total lack of awareness, were walking across the gravestones as if they were paving slabs. 

This, despite the numerous notices asking them not to do so. 

They seemed not realise that they were walking on history and graves, a great many years older than the U.S. itself.

My fear is that eventually these old inscribed stones will be so worn away that there will be nothing left to admire. 

The central carving above is believed to be an anchor? 

An arch of hearts?

I talk to the crows and have been doing so for a number of years. 

When I noticed this one perched high up on a gable end I called up and said 

“ Hello Crow, I have come to visit your home place” to which I received a soft 

‘ Caw - awk ’ in return, as she glanced down at me.

You have to mind yourself with Crows and treat them carefully for they can understand what we say; in a similar way the Starlings too can understand me.

Several months back our wonderful black cat, Magic, died and as I was burying him the Starlings were sat in a long line on a wire above the garden noisily chattering away to each other. 

I wanted silence to do what I had to do, so I raised my arms to them and said 

“Be quiet now, show some respect” and they remained silent until all was complete.

If you visit the links below you can read more about the Abbey, in greater detail.

http://www.megalithicireland.com/Corcomroe%20Abbey,%20Clare.html

http://www.monastic.ie/history/corcomroe/

ttp://www.clarelibrary.ie/eolas/coclare/history/autumnal_rambles/corcumroe_abbey.htm

I won't be updating this blog until after the Summer Solstice - 20th June.