Our First Adventure of the New Year

The day was bright, the sun low in the sky and the road surface was wet, making driving conditions difficult for our first adventure of the year. Despite passing over my peak cap to give some extra shade, Mrs H was dazzled but keen to be on our way!

We journeyed at a safe speed, allowing for sunlight conditions, passing the looming remains of O’Moore’s Castle on the Rock of Dunamaise.

The Rock of Dunamaise, a site of many battles, was an important fortification throughout Ireland's history. It was plundered by the Vikings in the 9th century, became a Norman stronghold in the 13th, was rebuilt by the O'Moore's in the 15th and was finally destroyed by Cromwell's guns from the east in the 17th century.

We stopped in Carlow for some freshly made sandwiches and coffee as break-fast had only been a single banana each, insufficient to travel on for long. 

Our destination was to visit to Clonegal, an attractive village that sits on the boundary of Counties Carlow and Wexford. Our last visit was in 2013, so it was good to see the changes that had taken place since then.

OSBORNE'S

Where I was disappointed by not having my thirst pint of the year!

I had hopes of having a glass of stout in Osborne’s but unfortunately it was closed, probably for them to rest up after the previous nights New Year’s Eve celebrations.  My thirst was quenched by Adam’s Ale (water) instead.

The smallest building in Clonegal known as The Weigh House

 The 1916 Memorial

The Derry River which always attracts me and so good to see the new railings.

Looking up  The Derry river and the garden with the protective stone bank.

Number one is one of the three stone pigs that sit next 

the Weigh House.

Number two is the sleepy pig who ate too much perhaps over Christmas ?

And number three 

is missing because he got away !

We shall return in May when the blossom is out to visit the gardens of Huntington Castle, a place where I spent many a happy hour in the company of Olivia Durdin Robertson and her associates in the Fellowship of Isis. https://www.huntingtoncastle.com

This shop is in the small town of Stradbally in Co. Laoise,

we often pass it on our journeys. It is the large ice cream cone that attracts me.

This time we stopped because Mrs H wanted a mineral drink and I an ice cream,

The message that she returned with made me laugh.

For she said that the man in the shop said that there was no ice cream to be had and

that there was only a cone on the roof because he was unable to take it down...

So I had a pipe of baccy instead.

Finally, I wish you all a very happy New Year and the courage to face up to the many changes that may come your way.

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.