The weather was lovely so a day-trip was in order. Leighlinbridge is not too far away so I asked my landlords if they'd like to join me for a little drive. Well, not only did they join me, but Brian did the driving. Wonderful - I could finally get a good look at the scenery. And - boy was it worth a look.
We went first to Leighlinbridge where we stopped at a large gorgeous garden centre cum shopping centre cum cafe. It's a larger version of Rathwood.
The flowers were gorgeous - I couldn't get over the beautiful primrose plants with their blooms in bright primary colours as well some more subdued hues.
We enjoyed our soup and bread and coffee and walked around the centre. There are lovely gardens with sculptures of many creatures. The shiny silver alligator (crocodile perhaps?) lurking in the bushes was quite a nice change from the live brown ones lurking on Florida golf courses.
Then we drove into the village and walked around and along the river. There's a castle ruin, some lovely monuments and of course the River Barrow. There is a trail alongside the river where you can walk on lovely flat (maybe rather muddy) tracks for miles and miles. We could have walked to Athy where I'd seen another bridge with another castle. It is more than a mile up the way so we declined. Horses used to pull barges along the river, using ropes attached to them on shore. Hence the trails. Cyclists want them made easier to ride but I hope the walkers win.
From there we drove to Graignamunnagh (or something like that) and parked again alongside the Barrow. Wandering through the town, which would be magnificent if some funds could be found to tart up a couple of the buildings, we came to the abbey. It has been reconstructed from a 13th century ruin. It is now a "working church" and also home to concerts. A side door, almost hidden, leads down a few steps to a processional door through which the Cistercian Monks would have entered in procession to pray. There are still glimpses to be seen of the original medieval tiles, through a glass tile in the floor. There is a tiny grate beside this 'window' and people toss coins and even paper money, through the grate. This rather obscures the old tiles but you can still see the fleur de lis design. Restoration was accomplished over a long period of time in several phases. It's a real wonder to see.
We drove on to Ullard and a ruined church - or so it seemed. There were lovely views through the vacant windows and surprisingly enough a fresh grave in the interior of the ruin. The graveyard is outside but the family must have had longstanding rights to be able to use the interior. Walking around the outside to the back of the church a large Celtic cross looms into view. We stopped to watch some frolicking baby lambs in the field next door.
Well, around the corner from the cross - all very ancient and mostly missing the original carvings long since worn off, there is what appears to be a more recent concrete wall. Well - lo and behold an old handball court. This is a first. It doesn't seem have been used in quite a long time but there it is.
From there it was homeward via beautiful hilly roads with wonderful views of the Blackstairs Mountains. I missed a presentation at the library on the action of German planes in the Blackstairs during WWII. Ireland was neutral and they should not have been there. There was one isolated house on the vast hillside and by some evil luck to the inhabitants, it was struck with a German bomb.
Eventually we wended our way along the road from Kiltealy through Kilmyshall and back home. Mary invited me to join them for supper - and it was wonderful. We chatted happily and got onto the subject of genealogy. How does this keep happening? Anyway, I had the laptop with me to show Brian photos of a the large cork oak tree in Shillelagh and somehow we landed in ancestry.com. Even managed to get a couple of new people for them. Wunderbar - another couple of families to search.
So - I've been up for a while and the clouds have turned to sun so I think I'll have to go see Russborough House at Blessington. TTFN
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