OLD TIMERS

'Old Timers' are the many vernacular cottages and often deserted homes scattered across our rural landscape. The photo's that follow are a selection of some of the buildings in three counties.

Beneath the shroud of greenery lies a once handsome cottage with a tiled roof.

It caught my eye twenty odd years ago and I often wondered if anyone would appreciate its very private location and buy it, nobody did so nature has now taken over.

This one too has always attracted me. There were once figures on the porch roof but since the recent clean up they have sadly disappeared. I wonder if a 'For Sale' sign will shortly be seen, for it has a useful level field behind and would make a good wee home for someone with the energy to care for the place.

No hope for this old home I guess as it is only a couple feet from a busy road.

This old timer has seen it's folks move way and the present owner can see no value

in even maintaining it as a useful store. It is very sad to see unwarranted neglect.

A long house where music and yarns would have almost lifted the rafters off whilst the owners jigged the night away.

Once referred to as an Irish cabin, most likely thatched and now sheeted over with corrugated iron, then converted to a shed: the doorway increased in width to accommodate cattle.

All is not lost for this old gatehouse is now occupied and provides a sturdy home

for it's owners.

Yet another gatehouse that we often pass by. 

This was the original gate lodge for Castle Bernard, renamed Kinnitty Castle.

 The present entrance and driveway is now at Beech Lodge.

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.

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.

Ireland's Leaning Tower

Recently we made a return trip to the Burren. On leaving the market town of Gort we took
a different road than on our last visit, though still heading  towards county Clare.
Noticing a round tower in the distance and being inquisitive,we drove down to take look.
To find ourselves at the ruined cathedral of Kilmacduagh whose founder was St. Colman who is reputedly buried within the vicinity of the tower and the mortuary chapel.
Others say he was reburied in Aughrim however, his burial slab still remains in Kilmacduagh.
This slab is known locally as having a cure for backache for any sufferer who lies on St.Colman’s grave receives a cure.

The round tower itself is believed to be the highest in Ireland, almost thirty-four metres tall with a diameter of five and a half metres.
Its’ noticeable lean towards the southwest, of about half a metre, is most likely due to having shallow foundations, making it Ireland’s equivalent to the Leaning Tower of Pisa.

The ruins of St. Colman's Kilmacduagh Cathedral
where people still like to be buried.

The Hynes Abbey sits in front of Ireland's Pagan past.

Map showing route in from the R460 to St. Colman's Cathedral

For more information please visit  :-http://www.megalithicireland.com/Kilmacduagh%20Round%20Tower,%20Galway.html