Coffee in the Old School House.

This building was once Ballinahown’s National School and was built by John Ennis of Ballinahown Court in 1863. During 1924 the interior was redesigned by Canon Denis Reynolds making all of the classrooms co-ed as opposed to the segregated classes of the previous years’. This arrangement continued until the closure of the school in 1982 when a new school was built.

The Old School building was leased for a time as a private residence before being sold by the Parish and converted into business premises. 

An tSean Scoil

The Old School House

On the ground floor is Westmeath Craft Design selling a range of handcrafted products from jewellery to bog oak carvings.

The upper floor houses ‘Woodfield at Balllinahown Tea Rooms’. 

This is a new venture opened by our friend who owns the wonderful Woodfield Cafe in Birr which, as you know from my previous posts, has an excellent menu. At Balllinahown the food is great too and as always the staff are friendly, efficient and brew a wonderful cup of coffee!

Quite literally up the wooden hill.

The Café

The rear view of Ciara at work.

 Plates of mouth watering goodies 

I wondered what that old bald fellow was doing and then I realised

that he is checking his phone and so I was...

https://aheronsview.blogspot.ie/2017/01/our-friday-treat.html

https://aheronsview.blogspot.ie/2017/04/woodfield-garden-centre-birr.html

https://aheronsview.blogspot.ie/2017/05/an-almost-village.html

Just Swanning Around

A short drive from home across a neighbouring county fetched us up into Co. Westmeath

and in particular to Lough Ennell

Where we were greeted by a whiteness of swans who were busily preening themselves.

The way in which this pair were acting towards each other strongly suggested that 

there would be some hanky-panky between them later !

Much the same with this pair too !

Later that night I just happened to be outside when I saw a red moon rising.

In the short time it took to reach my camera the redness had faded to a rich gold.

Then became banana coloured

and just before it disappeared behind some cloud the red began to return,

by which time I had become quite chilled so I returned to the fire that blazed in the stove.

RELAXED at LOUGH ENNELL

When words are no longer required...

A Westmeath Lough

The other day we took off on our travels again, northwards this time instead of westerly or even southerly. Still though the hunger remained within us to learn more about the area we were visiting and we agreed that a return trips must be made to slake our thirst.

You have probably have heard about the Children of Lír or at least have read one of the many tales, for they are as numerous as the fleas on a dogs back.

Well here is another.

The story of the Children of Lír is one of the best known tales of Ireland. This story tells of Lir and his wife Aobh and their four children called Aodh, Fionnghuala, Fiachra and Conn. Lír's wife died and he married again. His new wife was called Aoife and she became the children's stepmother. At first she loved them dearly but after a time she grew jealous of their father's affection for them.

One day she bore them away and put them under a spell. They were turned into four white swans at Lough Derravarragh in County Westmeath. They remained there for four hundred years. Then they flew away and settled on the Sea of Moyle between Ireland and Scotland, where they stayed for three hundred years in cold and misery. From there they spent three years in Erris, County Mayo where they endured even further sorrow.

At the end of that time they returned to their old home at Sídh Fionnachaidh in County Armagh. Their father was long dead and the place was desolate and empty. They flew off again to Erris and there met the Christian Missionary, St. Mochaomhóg who treated them with great kindness.

At last their period of enchantment came to an end and they were turned into three withered old men and an old woman. The saint baptised them, they died peacefully and were buried together.
© CARLOW COUNTY LIBRARY

Lough Derravarragh in stormy light.

The notice half hidden by a precious/precocious land owner say's 'No Entry'

Forgetting that the fit can easily leap the wall!

Stuck amongst the reeds - how embarrassing !

Reed beds are a plenty on these lake shores

and I like their reflected images.

The Yellow Water Lilies could be the children of Lír reborn as flowers?

In nearby Castlepollard stands what to my mind is a grotesque impersonation of The Children of Lír. What are your thoughts ?

I have been caught fiddling again.

A special Welcome to the viewers

from Mauritius

thank you for visiting.

Return to Fore in Co. Westmeath

St. Benedictine Priory circa 1200

Amazing what a change of light has done

to this shot of the priory

In the foreground the pre norman structure of St Feichin's Church

pronounce Feichin as Fekkin.

The building with stone tower further up the hill is the anchorites chapel, which is an extension to the hermits cell which was occupied up until the 17th century

For further information please visit

http://www.megalithicireland.com/Fore.htm

&
http://aheronsview.blogspot.ie/2010/04/seven-wonders-of-fore.html

A PARK - for All Ages

The other day, finding ourselves with time on our hands, we visited the newly opened park at Dún na Sí - The Heritage Centre and Amenity Park, Moate, Co. Westmeath.

It is a place where the fabulous sculptures and art pieces by our friend, community artist, Patsy Preston in conjunction with local Third Year students and their teacher James Hatton, have uniquely decorated a wonderful local amenity.

The sculptor Ann Meldon Hugh designed the impressive bronze and stainless steel statue of Grainne Óg which stands on a mound near the entrance and welcomes visitors. 

Despite some light rain we spent hours wandering the paths, discovering art and learning about turloughs and wildlife.

When summer arrives next year we hope to visit again when the 

fairy thorns will be covered in blossom and the bare earth will be green and lush.

Patsy Preston

Grainne Óg

The Triskle - a place for any age!

The Centre Piece of the Triskle

 At the edge of the turlough is an ornate observation screen

from which the bird life can be seen through viewing ports

of various heights and sizes.

One of the side screens.

A Turlough: is a vanishing lake that fills up in Winter

and then disappears over a few days or weeks in the Springtime.

Over the Summer, there remains only a small permanent wetland

and the rest of the lakes basin is grassland. The name 'turlough' comes

from the Irish 'tur loch' meaning 'dry lake'

I could not resist the Heron!

The black pole is an exercise toy

for aged people.

These plaques were made by the third level students, depicting various legends and myths,

Every bench end had a completely different

design on them and they are very attractive. 

(Would make an interesting feature in my 

front garden!)

A butterfly has landed!