The Wandering Camera

I often wander about with my camera, taking odd photos of anything that catches my eye.

Today though I was required to show off the latest pendent. 

The pendent made from the tine of a Red Deer.

I chose an old 5p coin to sit as a cap on the top.

Afterwards I ambled into the back garden to discover three splendid white ladies and a dog.

The three ladies

I opened my eyes, and in surprise

Looked in wonderment

At all that the She-God has made.

So beautiful! 

Everything

Above

and 

Below the skies!

©MRL 6th April 1985

Our one and only Toby asleep in the sunshine at the door of Mrs H's studio.

He awakes on hearing my chuckle and out pops his tongue !

The noble Toby follows me in to the studio and settles down by the easel for more rest, 

for he is now and old man of 90 in dog years and enjoys his sleep.

So do you have any old pets ?

Hidden Creatures in Natural Forms

Sorry for not having posted up a blog for such a length of time, but I have been busy using my grey matter on the project below - well that's the excuse for my absence !

We were given some antlers a few weeks ago by a good friend and decided to do something with them, other than just hang them on a wall or above a doorway, as we had done previously.

So together we sat and studied their form, turning them this way and that, until our eyes and mind connected and we saw the hidden shapes.

This one Mrs H saw as a deer feeding or perhaps it is the fin of a whale?

This piece will be used as a pendant eventually.

Here is a branch of coral, a seal, a sea bird.

This tine became a necklace strung with moss agate, Connemara marble and aventurine.

Just one question. 

Do you see the shapes of other creatures hidden within natures' natural forms?

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.

DEEP IN THE FOREST

Whenever I see the wild deer I am always reminded of the Goddess Sadbh [Sive] for these to me are her special creatures, that is if any animals can be deemed  ‘special’. Sadbh is I think a most likeable personage, so very nimble and lithe in her cloak of green as she fits through the woodlands nurturing the wildlife that share her home.

Many of Ireland’s wild Fallow  Deer escaped in the early 20th century from private park lands and supplemented the old wild herds introduced by the Norman's soon after their arrival in 1169. 

They are now our most widespread species of deer and are found in most woodlands countrywide, both hill and lowland.

One of their favourite foods are the wild Bilberries that grow on the mountainsides, intermingled with the heather blossom. I was told as a young lad that where you see bilberries there are deer - perhaps they help to spread the seeds after digesting the berries.

The bilberries are a lot smaller than blueberries

but just as tasty especially as they are free!

These lads have a very keen sense of smell and are acutely aware of any foreign sound. One has to tread very warily making as little noise as possible to photograph them, otherwise they are off as quick as lightening, deep into the forest and you will not see them again.

I was very fortunate in being able to photograph the deer that you see here, that the wind was on my face and that even though they were perhaps aware of my presence I kept very still and managed to blend in with the trees.

RETIRING COWS

My eye was drawn to this article in the Irish Examiner today and I could not help but share it with you.

"A Cork farmer has made the unusual decision to give his dairy herd a retirement in an animal sanctuary instead of sending them to the slaughterhouse, writes Amy Ryan.

70 cows are set to head to Hillside Animal Sanctuary in the UK where they will live out their days rather than going to a slaughterhouse.

Hillside Animal Sanctuary was founded by Wendy Valentine to help and campaign for animal's care and “bring public awareness to the millions of animals suffering every day in the intensive factory farming industry.” 

Wendy has been arranging the trip with the farmer, who wishes to remain anonymous to the public.

“How could I send them to slaughter when there is this option for them? After all these years, they deserve more from me and they are very bonded as a herd,” said the Cork man. 

The herd has cows of all ages and they are said to be very supportive of each other. The herd waits for the older cows while they are moving fields, showing how emotionally bonded they are. The herd shows its support to a young calf, who occasionally suffers with epileptic fits, by circling the calf until the fits stop. 

“I can retire with peace of mind now, knowing they will live out their days together.”

This is the first ever dairy herd to leave a farmyard in Ireland to retire to a sanctuary. 

It is notably unusual for a farmer to choose this option for the herd, who would have fetched a high price if he had sent them to the slaughterhouse.

Some of the cows are in calf, so the offspring will be born in the sanctuary. 

“Why shouldn’t they retire with me?’ he asked. ‘They deserve it after all their hard work over the years,” said the Munster farmer. 

The farmer is said to be very emotionally attached to the herd, who he has individually named, and made the decision to send them to the sanctuary because “he couldn’t watch them going to the slaughter house.”

Joseph Ahearne Murphy from Charlie's Equine Rescue with the herd

He has other animals on his farm which will also be sent to the sanctuary including sheep, geese and ponies. 

Charlie’s Equine Rescue, which is anti-slaughter, is coordinating the entire transport to Hillside Animal Sanctuary. 

Sharon Shannon with Dove

Sharon Shannon, Irish musician, recently visited the farmer after she learned of the farmer’s “noble and admirable decision”. 

She said: “These beautiful animals will now go to a sanctuary instead of being sold for slaughter or becoming victims of live export. This is an awakening example of how compassion and kindness has won over in a world full of greed.”

She spent some time with the herd and played them a few tunes on the accordion. 

Sharon and Dove

There is a Go Fund Me campaign to raise funds to ensure the farmers wish comes true for him and his herdhttps://www.gofundme.com/send-a-dairy-herd-to-sanctuary "

This article © Irish Examiner

Church of the Sloes

We took a train to Killarney a few days ago. It was a most enjoyable journey that passed through delightful scenery, lush green fields, distant mountains and of course the Paps of Anu which always catch our attention. 

The Paps held a significance.

Part of the reason for our journey was to visit an historian who has kept these mountains in his focus and in the public eye for over seventy years. Being an author of dozens of articles that have been read in almost every Irish publication, he is a well known figure in Kerry. 

Today Dan Cronin, a native of Rathmore, near Killarney, who, at the age of ninety-seven has not yet retired his pen, told us that there are still a couple more articles that he intends to write.

https://aheronsview.blogspot.ie/search?q=dan+cronin

Do you know this elegant person ?

KILLARNEY RAIL STATION

Two Stags Rutting

This particular pair have a stainless steel skeleton 

with bronze sheathing and cost €70,000.

The Gaelic Muse

New use for a phone box stood next

too a representation of a White Tailed Eagle

The Eagle who resides in Killarney Town Centre was commissioned by a sub group of Killarney Town Council, the Killarney Arts Committee, in 2008/2009. The sculpture, a local artist Joe Neeson, initiated the concept from design to creation which represents the Killarney connection with the White Tailed Eagle. During that time the White Tailed Eagle project was well underway which saw the Eagle reintroduced to Killarney National Park.

Murphy's Ice Cream Parlour http://murphysicecream.ie/about-us.html

The second reason for the visit was to ramble around the town with our cameras and to enjoy ourselves by window shopping. That was the plan until we saw that there was a large branch of TK MAXX in the High Street and our resolve not to shop crumbled in milli-seconds !

We finally treated ourselves to one garment each and departed with a spring in our step to a small cafe for lunch. 

This was followed by a delicious ice-cream from Murphy’s of Dingle whose slogan is “ice cream that know’s where it’s coming from”

A lovely mural in one of the dining rooms of a unknown café where we had a wonderful lunch of a large toasted flatbread with a Cheese, Tuna and Sweetcornfilling and because of our hunger we failed to note the name of the café!

The Paps of Anu

There was a lot more to see and explore in Killarney whose name translates as Cill Áirne, meaning Church of the Sloes. 

We shall return again later in the year, when hopefully the streets will be less busy, for we country mice are not comfortable in crowds. 

I am making promise to myself to treat Mrs H to a ride in one of those famous jaunting cars on our next visit and perhaps another ice-cream will be in order.

http://killarneyjauntingcars.ie

Where shall we visit next do you have any suggestions ?

PEACE IN THE FOREST

There are places which call to me and attract me by an indefinable quality. Sometimes it is a certain type of light that flows over the landscape or a peaceful secludedness, a stillness in the air. It might occur in a forest, on a river bank, on a mound in a field or in my chair at home.

 Copper Beech, this one is roughly 150 years of age in Coole Park, Gort, Co Galway

it is known as The Autograph Tree.

Perhaps a junior Stag

I was lucky that he turned to face me

A King Stag, isn't he wonderful ?

A particular ambience arrives when I sit sometimes, it is as though a large unseen pair of wings carries me away into a different state of being and I wander amongst the clouds, seeing a myriad other creatures and beings who inhabit a place where harmony reigns. Thus I return refreshed and knowing…

This me

Coole Park is one of those places, The Beara Peninsula and The Burren are two others although they do not complete my list of special areas.

Perhaps you also have special places that call out to you ?

http://wordsofaramblingmind.blogspot.ie/search?q=COOLE+PARK+2010

http://www.coolepark.ie

http://www.heritageireland.ie/en/west/coolepark/

GALWAY, a City of Curiosities.

We took ourselves to Galway city the other day, leaving the car at home and travelling by Iarnród Éireann - Irish Rail. I have long appreciated the comfort of Irish rail and this dates back to 1986 when I journeyed from Belfast to Dublin’s Connolly Street station on a bog standard British Rail coach with dusty compartments. Boarding the Cork bound train at Dublin’s Huston Station I was delighted to find myself in a sparkling carriage that looked like the inside of an airliner.
Today Irish trains are still as comfortable with wifi, charging sockets and a refreshment trolley service, so we made ourselves at home and settled down to watch the green countryside roll by.

ARD RÍ - HIGH KING

Galway, situated as it is at the head of Galway Bay, is an attractive city with the atmosphere of a coastal holiday town. It has an international flavour and you never know who you are going to see or meet on its crowded streets. There is lot to see in this town within walking distance, which needs to be done slowly for there is much to see above your head, as well as at eye level for the many and varied curiosities can easily be missed.

One of the busy streets.

During the Middle Ages, Galway (Irish: "Gaillimh") was ruled by an oligarchy of fourteen merchant families. Their names were Athy, Blake, Bodkin, Browne, Darcy, Deane, Ffont, French, Joyce, Kirwan, Lynch, Martin, Morris, and Skerritt. These were the "tribes" of Galway. The city thrived on international trade, and in the Middle Ages, it was the principal Irish port for trade with Spain and France.

Charlie Byrne’s has been a cultural centre in Galway for over two decades, and celebrated its twenty-fifth anniversary in 2014. As an integral part of Galway’s artistic landscape, we regularly host book launches, readings, and other cultural events. Over the years, Charlie Byrne’s has hosted some of Ireland’s best-known writers and musicians as well as international literary legends. A great place to browse in on a moist day and chat to Charlie on whatever subject you like.

For more information http://charliebyrne.com

Tigh Neachtain's

A good corner house to sit outside, drink and watch the world go past. 

Tigh Neachtain became a meeting place in 1894 and is the former town house of Colonel Richard Martin 15th Jan 1754 - 4th Jan 1834, who was an Irish politician and campaigner against cruelty to animals. He was known as "Humanity Dick", a nickname bestowed on him by King George IV. Martin succeeded in getting the pioneering Cruel Treatment of Cattle Act 1822, nicknamed 'Martin's Act', passed into British law, which was the basis for the RSPCA. Proficient with both pistol and sword, he was also a serial duelist, reputed to having fought thirty duels. He died in France in his eightieth year .

For more info http://www.tighneachtain.com

Plenty of room with comfortable chairs and good company to while away the hours.

It is not just the paintings that are colourful !

Even the Hare has his telescope to view the scene and see the sea.

CLADDAGH GOLD

Many firms make different versions of the Claddagh Ring. Dillon of Galway is the only firm still in existence since 1750 making the Original Ring at 1, William Street, Galway.

The tradition of how to wear this ring is very distinctive. If the owner of the ring wears it with the crown pointing towards the finger nail, he or she is said to be in love or married. To wear the ring with heart pointing to the finger nail, he or she is said to be unattached to anyone.

The notice immediately above the entrance reads:

"This establishment is dedicated to

Fair play and a square deal.

No man should expect less

Nor be given more"

https://www.claddaghring.ie/content/7-history-claddagh-ring

This young woman caught my eye as her outfit echoed 

the paintwork around her. 

Druid was founded in Galway in 1975 by graduates of the National University of Ireland, Galway, Garry Hynes, Mick Lally (1945 – 2010) and Marie Mullen – the first professional theatre company in Ireland to be based outside Dublin.

Druid has been based in a building on a lane off Quay Street in Galway's Latin Quarter since 1979. The lane itself was renamed Druid Lane in 1996 in honour of the company's 21st birthday.

Now known as The Mick Lally Theatre (named in memory of the iconic Irish actor and founder member)

http://www.druid.ie

We are not yet done with Galway City there much is more in store to share with you.