SAFE HAVENS

Following our visit to Woodfield’s Cottage Market we took ourselves off on an adventure.

Driving along the roads of Tipperary, which border the banks of Lough Derg, we visited a couple of the harbours which provided safe havens for the pleasure craft that sail its’ waters.

A crowded signpost with misleading signs

because the road sign did actually

read COOLBAUN.

Brockagh Harbour

the name translates to na brocaí and may mean a dirty (muddy ?) place. 

It certainly has nothing to do with badgers for it is very low lying 

and floods in the winter.

Map of an interesting walk for those whose legs are up to it !

Dromineer Harbour

The name Dromineer in Irish is "Drom Inbhir", 

meaning the back or the ford of the river. 

Well, this one could certainly carry a lot of baggage!

Here is an old lady named Miranda that is made of iron - I bet she could tell some tales!

On the skyline are the hills of County Clare in the Province of Munster.

County Tipperary in the Province of Leinster is a long county that shares it boundaries with two provinces in seven other counties: Waterford,Cork and Clare in Munster, Limerick, Kilkenny, Offaly and Laois in Leinster and Galway in Connaught. Five of these are land borders apart from Clare and Galway, which are watery borders. These two counties are divided by Lough Derg, Loch Deirgeirt, meaning "loch of the red eye”’

Ireland’s longest river, The Shannon, which takes its’ name from the goddess Sionnan, flows through the Lough to emerge on her way to the sea on the far side of Limerick City.

Those of you looking for a place to live in Ireland with a grand view 

of Lough Derg might consider this?

Dromineer Bay

A Bird in the Hand

Mr Chaffinch © GettyImage

Yesterday morning when I was sitting at my desk working quietly away I heard a loud bang on one of the front room

windows. Hearing nothing more I continued with what I was doing.

About ten minutes later her Ladyship dragged me out to go on a fuel run and as I was walking to the car she said

“What is that behind you on the path ?”

I turned and lying beneath a window was the crumpled form of a small bird that looked quite dead to me.

My first thought was to scoop it up and throw it into a hedge, but not wanting to waste time in getting a shovel, I stooped down and picked him up in my hands. It was then I noticed that the bird was warm on it’s right hand side and quietly said,

“ You poor little sod.”

The small bird moved feebly in my hand and I placed him gently on the lawn and got into the car.

After about twenty minutes we were home again and unloaded the car of it’s peat briquettes. 

I stepped outside to see if the bird had flown off, but no it was still there. 

I spoke to the bird and he turned his head, opened an eye and looked at me.

Once again I picked him up and held him in both of my warm hands for a few minutes talking away to Mr Chaffinch

and believing that he understood me. I told him that it was was time to take flight and immediately, as I opened my palms, he took off, flew high into the air and disappeared from sight.

Next time that I see a bird lying still on the ground I will check for life before disposing.

That Bird

                   See he is back and now properly identified as as A Welsh Redpoll Llinos Flodiog

and this will no doubt please John Gray of Trelawnyd in darkest Wales who is

very fond of birds!

Every time I clip my beard or have a haircut the clippings are put

outside in the garden for the wildlife to use as nesting materials.

STRANGE BIRDS ....

We have seen these feathered friends feeding twice now on the dandelion seeds in our front garden and have been unable to identify them, we seek your assistance ? (What they are not is goldfinches)

                                                                 

Strange and inconsiderate parking by two lady drivers (birds) at the rear of the council offices in Birr

Goldfinches & Signs of Spring

Goldfinches feeding

Privately I refer to these as small parrots!

The Barbary type plant is leafing on it's 

lower branches.

Purple Croci in bloom around the Owl Stone

(in certain lights the standing stone is shaped 

in relief of an owl)

Daffodils a definite sign of Spring