The Banner County

“The custom of carrying banners goes back a long way in County Clare. There is little doubt but that the Dál gCais carried banners at the battle of Clontarf in 1014 or that the Clare Dragoons carried banners at Fontenot in 1745 and in the many battles fought by the Clare Regiments on the continent during the eighteenth century.”

We went on a day trip recently to re-visit one of our favourite counties, as there are so many  antiquities dotted around the countryside we still have not viewed them all. The one thing I learnt a long time ago, when looking for interesting vistas or ancient sites, is that when touring you need to slow down, drive carefully and be adventurous. The best type of narrow roads to take are those with a thin strip of grass growing up the middle as very often you will see something interesting.

This is how we found ourselves outside (1) Smithstown Castle and on another narrow road we saw a fingerboard pointing towards the (2) Blakemount Holy Well.
This tempted Mrs H to go and find it - now doubt she will reveal all soon on her own blog.
It was on yet another narrow road, that I managed to photograph  (3) a double donut shaped erratic which had been dumped there by the last Ice Age.
Photo number (4) A Sham was found on a tourist road on the outskirts of Kilfenora, it is not an ancient monument and was only constructed recently by a local resident.
Photo (5) was taken with my new camera along the road from Callan to Ballyvaughan - said as Bally vocken not vawn.

1 smithstowncastle.com

2. Stile to Blakemount Holy Well.

3 a 'double donut' shaped erratic.

4 A Sham.

5 Along the road from Callan to Ballyvaughan.

Our circuitous route took us from Gort in Co.Galway along the R460 towards a small town of Corrofin or is it Coroffin or perhaps Caroffin or even Corofin ? 

I mentioned to  Mrs H on our way in that I wondered which spelling was correct because every imaginable spelling could be seen on signposts and billboards. I also wondered if the local business people had found a new method of attracting trade or perhaps their signwriters  were drunk?

Well now guess what I read last night on a news channel..

“Local groups have formed in the towns of Lahinch, Ennistymon, and Corofin, with each group set write to Clare County Council later this week, to officially begin the legal process of changing the towns’ names. The local authority has confirmed it is the appropriate agency to deal with this issue and that a local vote, similar to that held in Dingle in 2006, may also be required.

This situation arose more than five years ago when Transport Infrastructure Ireland, formally the NRA, contracted Clare County Council to update signage on the N67 tourism route.

At this time the official legal spelling of the towns, which was derived from documentation written before the formation of the state, was used to replace the traditional local spellings which had appeared on all signage for the past 100 years.”

My online research says this :The origin of Name: Corofin takes its name from the Irish ‘Coradh Finne’ which means ‘The Weir of Finnia’.

So there we have it:Transport Infrastructure/National Roads Authority and Clare County Council please take note!

Brian Boru and Old Magic

Cashel town

On Saturday morning we were up early (for us) to drive down to Cashel in Tipperary in order to meet with some friends. They were also driving down from somewhere in Cork.

Has that confused you ?

Here in Ireland no matter where you live or in what direction you are going the phrase used is ‘going down to’, people who live on the south coast will 'travel down to’ places in the north.

For a few days I had been keeping an eye on the weather forecasts to see what we could expect.

On Saturday morning there was an orange alert for a high, west wind and heavy rain with a variable temperature of 4 to 7 deg C. 

"Damn to hell" I thought that can’t be right, "ah’ we will give it a go anyway."

So we did.  As we left home the temperature was 5.5 deg C but after a few miles it rose to 7.4 degrees. I sat in the front passenger seat and in my mind kept focussing on seeing blue skies over Cashel.

When stopped for a while in Urlingford to have a sandwich we had sleet falling on the windscreen. That did not deter me though as I kept on focussing on fine weather. We arrived at our destination, the temperature had risen and it was dry but with a chill wind. We finally met our friends and repaired to a pub.We sat in a window seat chatting away and drinking coffee. Nothing stronger as alcohol during the day makes me sleepy and I recall, when I was a 'dry’ driver, how annoying the fumes of strong drink could be.

Towards the end of our meeting a burst of sunlight shone through the window and as I looked up the sky was blue. “Ah-hah the old magic still works” I thought to myself.

The Rock of Cashel

Outside the pub we said our goodbyes and returned to the car park in a strong biting wind, we were very glad of the shelter that the car provided. 

On leaving the town I asked her Ladyship to pull over so that I could take a photo of The Rock of Cashel from whence the town of Cashel gets its name.

In the 5th century, the Eóganachta dynasty founded their capital on and around the rock and many kings of Munster have reigned here. In 977 the Dál gCais usurper, Brian Boru, was crowned here as the first non-Eóghanacht king of Cashel and Munster in over five hundred years. His great-grandson, King Muirchertach Ua Briain, gave the place to the bishop of Limerick in 110, denying it forever to the MacCarthys, the senior branch of the Eóganachta. 

The bishops once had a famous school in Cashel and from there sent priests all over the continent.They even maintained their own monastery, called Scots Monastery, in Regensburg, Germany.

These days Rock is under the care of Heritage Ireland whose scaffolding can be seen over Cormac’s Chapel.

The project underway currently involves conserving the chapel, built from sandstone, which has deteriorated to such an extent that it is letting in water. 

A notice on their web site explains that access to the Chapel is limited from May till September each year for bus tours until the work is completed. Visitors are admitted in small groups for 10 minutes maximum.

We had a great day out and by the time we had returned the temperature had risen to 10 deg, which proves that it is unwise to believe everything that the experts tell us.

Our next adventure will be ……. ah you will have to wait and see :)

SACRILEGE IN GOUGANE BARRA

St Finbarr's Church,  Gougane Barra 

(Guágán Barra)

A shameful theft has taken place of a stone altar from within the grounds of St. Finbarr's Church, Gougane Barra, which many believe may have been part of  ritual focus in pre-christian times.

St. Finbarr, an early sixth century Irish saint, is said to have had an oratory on this site and Gardaí in Co. Cork are investigating the disappearance of the pilgrim altar at the famous island church.

Divers have been searching the surrounding lake in the hope of finding the  stone, which was first noticed missing last weekend.

The slab, about four feet in length which was situated in the ground at the rear of the chapel, is known to be at least 350 years old and might have belonged to St. Finbarr.

Local historian Seán Ó Súilleabháin said the altar stone forms an integral part of the Gougane Barra pilgrimage ritual:
 "The altar stone was one of a number of stops on the 'rounds' here in Gougane Barra. Pilgrims stop at the stone and use a small stone to score the sign of the cross on the surface of the stone.

He added: "We don't know who stole it or what the motivation behind this is.
"It was a very foolish act as people around here strongly believe that bad luck will follow the person that took the stone from such a sacred site."

The altar stone was first noticed missing last weekend but it is believed it may have been taken up to three to four weeks ago.

Neil Ó Luasa, owner of the nearby Gougane Barra Hotel, said the local community is deeply upset by the removal of the sacred altar.
"The altar is a big heavy flagstone and it would take at least three men to lift it.

"We have two theories: that the stone was lifted and thrown in to the lake, or that it was carried in the opposite direction and put into the boot of a car."

Members of the Cork-based Atlantic Divers Club responded to a request from the parish priest, Fr Martin O'Driscoll, and carried out an extensive search of 

the surrounding lake yesterday evening.

"I think it's safe to say at this stage that the altar is not in the lake," 

said Mr Chambers.

Local Gardaí are investigating the theft and are asking anyone who might have witnessed suspicious or unusual behaviour at the popular tourist spot in recent weeks to contact Macroom Garda Station.

The missing stone altar

The Guágán Barra area, and indeed the whole of south Cork, south Kerry and the Dingle Peninsula, is composed of old red sandstone. 
The characteristic layering or bedding of the sedimentary rocks can be clearly seen in the high cliffs around Com Rua at the head of the Guágán Barra valley. The Lake lies in a rock basin carved out in the ice age and nowhere does it reach depths greater than 12 meters it is also the source of Cork's famous River Lee.

A message from Lin

© Jane Brideson 

"Winter Solstice Rebirth"

I received this message from a special friend and I have had her permission to share

this with You.

OLD HIPPY MAXIMS

As above.......so below,

Macrocosm.......microcosm,

Turn on... tune in... drop out

Heads...          Freaks..... Go with the flow

We get stoned, on crystals.....megaliths.....mother earth

Give peace a chance

Attitude gratitude......Devotion

.................................................................

Old hippies, were in recovery. the 60,s.... you know

We are now recovered

We have got our 2nd wind

Riding the post 2012....

Wave of light.

In aquarian age, ascension, party mode.

......................................................

Then, we dropped out

Of, world we saw

Greed, poverty, negative emotions, male domination, power over....

Poverty, hatred, war, toxic medications, hatred of mother earth,  and women

SO

We created a new one. Turned on, tuned in , created 

Organic farms, crystal healing, respect for mother earth and all our relations

Art, music fashion,, whole-foods shops, cnd, single mums, healers etc

Our musicians our prophets

Our inner voice, our guide

.................................

Cos we are aquarian age, ascension, forerunners

The crystal children, The rainbow warriors

hippies

Worked hard, to build the dream,

All our brothers , of fur feather and fin, joined in too.

Burnt out

.......................

Now we flow on the lightwave of 2012, ascending

We let the dying die,

Co-create, the new earth, the new body of light,

love, peace beauty truth, abundance,

Balanced in true love,

Soulmates of the inner flame

Ecstatic with joy, our dreams coming true

We turned the tide, earth is safe,

Still lots of light work to do

----------------------------------------------------------

Being shown, our Avalon phoenix,

is ready to take flight; she will be riding on the gentle

solstice dawn light, 

her wings tipped radiant. orange, gold

As she takes flight.

I see her watch the light at mount kailish

Then flowing with the earth grid, catching dawn at each site, through Carnac ; Giza, glaston, as the womblike cairns, gavanis, new-grange,As ancient ancestors built for us,  so in time to remind us

They were the abodes of immortals, the beings of light, built to remind us, which way to go, aligned to let in the winter solstice light, to touch the spiralled stones,

you know, incase we got lost

to recover true humanity, in a world gone blind

She sings the song of creation,

Her gift to us this season, 

to renew our humanity

In the ascension light, 

she will fly on to Mexico

 sit on the stone of the sun,, and sing the new creation, now

 being born

for mother earth, all our relations

....................................................

Lennon, song,                 

                                    Some say I'm a dreamer

But I'm not the only one, 

One day you will join us, and the world will be as one

...................................

So with this wonderful, gentle, new ascension wave 

of winter-solstice light,

I wish you a 

HAPPY SOLSTICE 2014

Happy hippy Lin

Stone Rings & Dry Sailors

The other day we went on a days' tour to some ancient sites.

About 3 miles outside of Tullow, Co.Carlow on the N81, we made our first stop to view the stone that ultimately led to the death of Niall of the Nine Hostages, according to Irish mythology. For it was here that he chained Eochaid, son of Énnae Cennsalach,a king of Leinster. However, all did not bode well as Eochaid broke free and killed his captors - the nine warriors who Niall had sent to kill him. Some years later Eochaid executed further retribution by killing Niall in Scotland with an arrow.

More recently this ancient stone was used in the healing of children suffering from rickets by passing them through the hole.

photo by courtesy of Voices of the Dawn

http://www.voicesfromthedawn.com/aghade-holed-stone/

Our second stop was to introduce our friends to The Chocolate Garden ref:http://aheronsview.blogspot.ie/2014/05/chocolate-ice-cream.html  
You can see from the photo what effect a surfeit of chocolate cake did to these two lads. Mrs H and I are of course immune from such antics, due to making regular visits to such establishments.

The High and Dry Sailors

The highlight of our tour and the jewel in the crown of the area was found about ten minutes drive away from the Chocolate Garden. An ancient site which the locals refer to as The Ring of the Rath or more formally Rathgall, sign-posted as Rath Geal - it matters not for this was the seat of The Kings of Leinster.

An ariel shot of Rathgall

Of all of the old places that I have visited this one has the most amazingly powerful earth energies flowing around and through the hill fort. We were all very aware of what we were experiencing as walked towards the rath. We didn't need dowsing rods or pendulums for each of us could sense the vibrant energies flowing through our bodies.

Up the pole & happy...

Entrance to the inner ring

Rathgall is a multivate hill fort, with four concentric stone walls encompassing an area of 18 acres (7.5 hectares) and encircled by mountains. The inner stone wall is roughly 1.3 metres high and the ring it encloses measures fifteen metres in diameter.

We explored the immediate area around the rath and found evidence of other stones, possible sites and a small copse.

Three 'wise' men

An inner trench

The outer perimeter wall

A blackthorn copse the home of rabbits and faeries

I do encourage all residents and visitors to Ireland to experience both of these ancient sites for am sure you will be delighted.

Parking to both places is limited to about three cars so you won't be crowded out by sightseers, plus access is an easy walk.

THE BURREN revisited Part 2

This post continues our recent trip across the magnificent landscape of The Burren.

LOUGH BUNNY

Despite the name this lough has nothing to do with rabbits. The English name is loosely based upon the phonetic of the Irish name (as are all anglicised names in Ireland) Today's Irish name is Lough Buinne, 'buinne' meaning a torrent or gush of water however in 1660 the name was spelt as Loughbuna, in 1685 Loughbunagh and in 1787 Lough Buneah, all of which have a similar phonetic. There are two rough translations for these names: Lake of the flood or Lake at the foot of the mountain.

Lough Bunny is a permanent lake in a karstic limestone area of County Clare.The lough's length is 2.4 km with the greatest width at 740m, the depth ranges from 2.7M to 14m.

The fish are Perch,Rudd,Pike and the European eel.

Further information see -: http://www.burrengeopark.ie/wp-content/uploads/ArchiveFiles/BurrenGeology/A_hydrographic_study_of_Lough_Bunny.pdf

A Portal Tomb

Parknabinnia (Parc na binnia) Is a townland whose name means field of the peak. There are about six or seven similar portal tombs within a few metres of each other in this townland.

Front end of the tomb

(I  do not know of a better place to be & rest my bones)

The name Burren comes from the Gaelic, meaning 'a rocky place'. Historically the name Burren referred to the Barony of Burren situated in north-west County Clare. Geographically, the name has a far wider and more complex sense and meaning. The Burren area extends some 40.2 km from east to west, and 32.2 km from north to south. It lies between Galway Bay on the north, the Atlantic coast on the west and a line drawn roughly through Doolin, Kilfenora, Gort and Kinvara. However, there is some characteristic 'Burren' outside this area to the east where one can find the same rocky features, though not as concentrated. 

The rocks in the Burren region were deposited when Ireland was located ~ 10°S of the Equator, during the Carboniferous period in the Earths' history, approximately 359-299 millions of years ago. The limestones were deposited during the Viséan stage (345-326 millions of years ago) of the Carboniferous, and the sandstones, siltstones and shales, during the Namurian stage (326-315 millions of years ago).

Slieve Carron  or Eagles Rock

Slieve Carron Nature Reserve (or Eagle’s Rock as it is known to locals) is state-managed land located in the heart of the north Burren, not too far from Kinvara. It has diverse habitats including grassland, limestone pavements, heathland, mature hazel woodland and grazing pastures, all of which hold a richness of species. Aside from its ecology Slieve Carron NR is also the host to a fulacht fiadh, a holy well, the site of a hermitage cave and oratory. 

Not a Quarry.

One of the most distinctive features of the Burren hills are the stepped, terraced sides. It is easy for a visitor to believe they are looking at man-made quarries, rather than natural features. For these terraces were formed because the limestone layers are actually separated by thin bands of mudstone,rainwater gradually washes away the layers of mudstone, eating into the hillside. 

Eventually, so much of the mudstone layer is washed away that
the overlying layer of limestone layer on top becomes unstable and eventually collapses under its own weight. This often leaves piles of loose blocks and boulders at the base of the terrace.  

We shall return again on a future day when the mood takes us and visit other parts of this magical landscape for there is so much more to share with you.

A Return to the Kingdom

Last weekend we took a trip down to Cahersiveen in County Kerry to stay for a few days with a friend and while she worked and worked, we took photos and holidayed.

Cahersiveen 

looking seawards from Mount Beentee

Cahersiveen looking inland

Behind the blue facade lies little France in Ireland. For here we breakfasted on delicious almond and raisin croissants served with such wonderful coffee; that I half believed that I was back in La France again!

On mentioning delicious food stuffs, we also visited an independent chocolatier trading as SKELLIGS. Mrs H said that it is the best chocolate she has ever tasted and I know that she is correct. So please visit http://www.skelligschocolate.com

A beach between Waterville & Cahersiveen

A shoreline seascape typical of this area.

We cannot ignore visiting ancient wells

St Finnian's Well

Back to Mount Beentee a well named

The Well of the Fair Women

or in As Gaeilge

Tobar na mBan Fionn

Here the heavenly scents are shared!

You might like to visit Mrs H's blog and read her words on the same subject,
because I'm not feeling very wordy today :)
http://theeverlivingones.blogspot.ie

Lughnasadh 2013

Toby informed you all that I was a bit busy or at least he should have done ???

We had been asked by a film company if we would mind them making a documentary showing my druid grove celebrating Lughnasadh at a local site.

So am pleased to tell you that all went off terribly well and that I will post up a link when the film goes public.

In the meantime here are a few behind the scenes photo's of us having fun.

All photo's are the copyright of Colin Russell © August 2013

The centre piece of the circle

The Well Dressing

Druids relax while camera man sets up

Mrs H had just bonked me on the head with the wand because I had been a bit flirtatious with a red head!

Some of the group taking a well deserved rest in between shoots and that is not a pencil dangling from Mrs H's lips !

For research on Lugh and Lughnasadh please visit http://asunwiselife.blogspot.ie

INVITATION

Please visit

http://theeverlivingones.blogspot.ie

Brú na Bóinne & exhibition extra's

The silent stone that greets visitors.

The ornate entrance gates with a triple spiral design.

From the car park the approach to the visitor

centre is via a sloping pathway covered by a

pergola.

Along the entrance path the trees and shrubs are named

and the Ogham hieroglyph is shown when appropriate.

The view of the ancient monument from the upper floor of

the visitor centre, in the bottom left corner of photo the river Boyne

can be glimpsed.

Flor who kindly modelled for

the God Manannán

Flor & partner moved by the painting

perhaps ?

The Healing God Dian Cecht witnesses a téte á téte

between lovers !

Jane's Exhibition

It is with great pleasure that am able to share the following:

About the artist: Jane Brideson was born Jane McGill in Ghana, West Africa and 

adopted her Manx grandmother's name of Brideson 

(Mylevreeshy / Mac Ghiolla Brigide) when she began painting in the 1980's.

After growing up in Liverpool and on the Isle of Man, she moved to live in Ireland between the Slieve Bloom mountains and the River Barrow where she shares a cottage with her husband, Mel, their dog and several cats. 

Jane has an honours degree in graphic design and a diploma in client-centred art therapy. 

Whilst in London she worked as a freelance designer / illustrator for the Observer newspaper and Hodder & Stoughton Publishers. 

In 1997 she collaborated with Teresa Moorey to produce their book 

"The Wheel of the Year : myth & magic through the seasons". 

She loves Ireland and the Irish mythology, the power of images, books and music to transport us to other worlds and the occasional pint of Guinness.

In 2006 she was inspired by a dream to begin painting 

"The Ever-Living Ones" and along the way found help, support and knowledge.

Without the following people this exhibition would not have been possible:

Mel Llwyd, Fred Mathews, Michael Collins, Seán Gilmartin, Fiona Young,

 Áine-Máire Ní Mhurchú, Siobhán ní Ghabhann, Shirley Swan, 

Marie O'Dwyer, Seámus Ó Ceallaháin, Antoine O'Lochlainn, Carole Larkin, 

Trish Keating, Gearóid Ó Crualaoich, Eoghain Mac Connell, Flor Burke, Seánie Larkin, Carmel ní Dhuibheanaigh, Bill & Peggy Sinnott, 

James Crowley, Jenny Butler, Anthony Murphy, Colm Mac Con Iomaire, 

Fr. Seámus O'Duinn, the late Dáithí Ó hÓgain, Noel Reynolds, 

Suzanne Power, Æ, the contributors to "On Crow Road", Claire Tuffy at 

Brú na Bóinne, Joan & Des at Midland Framing, Mochua Print & Design, 

Joe & staff at  O'Sullivan Photography, The National Museum Dublin and 

the staff at Tullamore Library.