Hallowe'en

Today was cloudy and overcast but there was no drizzle until evening. It was a fitting start to our little Hallowe'en adventure.

Paddy spent the day at Glendalough but I stayed "home", went to the library, got my hair cut and made supper. Ho hum.

I did discover that an indirect ancestor is buried in Glasnevin cemetery, as is his infant son, so I will pursue the records to add to the family history. I do plan to tour the cemetery while in Dublin just prior to returning home. There are several different tours and I hope to take the one with more obscure facts - as I don't have a great memory for the important ones. But I'm getting ahead of myself.

This evening we drove to Wells' House, about half an hour away, for a "scary" tour. We arrived in good time and despite a lack of directional signs in the dark, we did find the visitor centre and along with about a dozen others, dutifully waited at the front door for our tour.

Wells House did look appropriately scary for the tour

Promptly at 8 pm, the front door opened and we were greeted by our guide, appropriately dressed in a long black cloak and pale makeup.

It was a house tour with details of various strange occurrences in the rooms we saw. The house is 300 years old, is not centrally heated despite having full time occupants until about 10 years ago, has very few electrical fixtures or outlets and no mention was made at all about bathrooms. The visitor centre now caters to those needs.

The reception room was apparently the site of a party in 1845 when the sounds of a faceless giant of a man pounding on the door demanding entrance, interrupted the merriment. The footman and the lady of the house went to the door but refused this creature entry. The lights went out, and when they came back on (I guess they relit the candles), the footman was dead and the lady was gone, never to be seen again. It's thought to have been the headless horseman. But wasn't he in the US?

We were being ushered out of the room when a screaming creature entered after some door banging, and we made haste to the stairway. Various ghouls popped up always screaming, which was quite startling. You knew it would happen but in every case I was caught offguard. We were "pawed" by a ghostly woman, entreated by dolls to stay and play, and chased by a murderous scullery boy. I suppose we were fortunate to escape with our lives.

The final touch was a chainsaw-wielding man who followed those on the tour, out to the parking lot.

All in all it was a fun evening. We did get an idea of the grandeur of the house, and it would have been very chilly to have lived there in winter. The grounds are lovely but only visible in the daytime of course. I've been there before but never inside the house.

We're packing up this evening - Paddy will not be back. I only have to pack a few things to last me until Saturday night. Of course the suitcase will include suitable theatre wear for the Wexford Opera Festival. Details will be provided after the fact.

A beautiful day in every way

It started out well and kept getting better. Despite a frosty start the temperature rose enough that you could enjoy a walk without a jacket as long as you had a couple of layers on. But that is not at all what made it a great day.

Paddy was off to Glasnevin Cemetery in Dublin as she'd missed it last week. I was being picked up by John McKenna from Enniscorthy. He is a DNA cousin and we know it is a McGrath connection - maternal side for both of us. The connection is buried deep in the past but our McGrath families have been traced back to the same townland in Co. Kilkenny around 1800.

At 10 AM as he'd promised, John showed up to collect me and off we went. The scenery was as beautiful as the day before and he didn't have to consult a map even once. That was different from our recent sorties. We were meeting his three sisters for coffee so that I could get acquainted with them.

Before the coffee klatch at the shopping centre, John gave me a tour of places meaningful to his family over the years. When the ladies joined us we sat around a table in the food court and conversation simply flowed. It's as if we'd already know each other for ages. Their sister-in-law Norah took the photo. Her husband and their brother Brian was at work. They lent me a couple of books written by another cousin in Canada.

from left: Isa, Nuala, Clare, me and John

This was no ordinary shopping centre and food court. The court is actually the courtyard of a former Workhouse and the original stone walls are still there. It has now been restored to a much happier purpose than when it was first built and used.

When we left the ladies, John drove back into the centre of town and we parked across the street from Hackett's pub. We went in for a drink. I had to have a small Smithwicks but John had a 7up. It was his choice anyway, but the Irish drinking and driving laws made it illegal for him to have alcohol in any case.

Hackett's is referred to by the current owner as the coldest pub in Ireland. The River Bregagh flows underneath the pub. This place had been the home of John's grand-parents and his mother had been born there. Just up the street was another pub, once run by his (great) uncle Michael McGrath. Nearby was a shop, still named McGrath's that had also at one time been in the family.

The pub didn't serve food so we went into Cleere's, another charming spot a few doors away, and I chose my seat beside the small open coal fire. I dined on a small serving of Irish beef stew.

Before leaving both Hackett's and Cleere's there were brief conversations and exchanges of pleasantries, including about people that John knew in common with the occupant of the bar stools. The world, especially in Kilkenny, is small. Everyone is friendly and I might have to watch myself at home. At every move a conversation breaks out and it is always on a happy note. I can't imagine such a thing at home.

John pointed out a few interesting points of history. On either side of small alleys can be found rounded stones, rather like bollards, that kept the horses pulling carts, from getting so close to the walls that the hubs of the wheels would have been scraped and damaged. We saw a remaining gate from the original city walls from the 13th century. Lucky I was there to hold it up.

We wandered around the neighbourhood that of course I will have to revisit, probably more than once. Driving in the city of Kilkenny is a challenge because the streets are hilly, twisting and narrow. John manoeuvred handily whereas I would be more than a little stressed. I think a walk from a more distant parking lot will be in order.

When we finally left the city was drove to Inistioge (inis teeg) which provided stunning views of the fall colours adorning the hillsides (mountainsides?) and valleys. There was a beautiful stone bridge with a few more arches than the one in Pakenham. Around every corner there was another lovely view. John indulged my compulsion for taking photos. Of course scenery is best simply viewed rather than photographed but that didn't stop me.

We got home at dusk and I compared notes with Paddy who had arrived back before me. Her descriptions of Glasnevin have assured that I will devote time to visiting when I am in Dublin in the first week of December.

Hallowe'en shall be celebrated by a ghost tour at Wells' House. If we survive I shall write a report.

Slan 

The frost is on the pumpkin

It was pretty chilly when I went out to the laundry room this morning. It's in a shed on the ground floor but you have to go out to get in. Hopefully you also remember to bring the keys along. Not only could the front door lock behind you but the shed is kept locked. Today however, Brian was in there so I got a two-for-one. The laundry got tucked into the machine and I had a great conversation.

Once the laundry was on the line and we'd had our lunch of soup and toast it was time to set out for a fairly local drive. Well, that really was the plan. Paddy has been doing a lot of driving and it was time to cut back for a day or so.

Our first destination was a tree. Don't laugh. I'd been before. If you've followed the blog before, you've seen it too. It's a huge Cork Oak in the cemetery of the Church of Ireland in Shillelagh. It's also featured in a book of heritage trees of Ireland by Aubrey Fennell. Sadly, he's not one of "our" Fennells. The phone cameras were again in need of exercise so we obliged - repeatedly. 

Just below the branches of the beautiful tree I spotted what appeared to be shiny, transparent mushrooms. Well, they were not transparent but the silvery beige colour created that impression at first glance. So - I took some pictures. You just never know when you'll have to produce a picture of a fungus, so I'm making a collection of pretty ones. This variety will take its rightful place in the collection. 

Attempts at artsy photos around the church and cemetery were rather more disappointing.

From there it was off to Tinahely. It's not far away but I'd never spent more than the time it takes to drive through so we thought we'd do some exploring. Right after entering the village, we saw the sign to the Tinahely Farm Shop so Paddy pulled a hard right turn and managed to create a parking space for our Micra. I think she's done a great job of fitting in with the habits of the Irish. If there is no parking lot, don't be deterred. Make yourself a spot anywhere you darn well want to.

The outdoor area is definitely for children although being a farming area I am not certain how the barn and surroundings hold any appeal. Perhaps the 5 Euro charge for kids is worth it but we didn't bother to investigate behind the barn entrance. 

The shop sells a number of antique-y things, some novelties, toys, glassware, coasters, jams, jellies and other treats. We checked out the little cafe but it was too soon after lunch to eat again.

Pointing the car back onto the road we'd so abruptly left, we oohed and aaahed over the scenery as we wound our way via Hacketstown to Baltinglass. The route was purely accidental but no matter where you drive there's plenty to see. If you're lucky, there's also something to explore and of course, photograph. 

And there we found the Abbey - all ready to be explored. Finding it visually was one thing. Actually getting there took a little more "doing". But we did it. A sign would have been helpful but alas ... 

The abbey was founded around 1100 and had four distinct eras over the intervening centuries. It's now in ruins but they are pretty interesting to explore. The builders seemed unable to decide on round or square columns, so they alternated. The arches make lovely frames for photos of the surrounding countryside and remnants of the various 'lives' are everywhere. The attached cemetery has some very old graves and some that are less than a year old. The surrounding vistas are as beautiful as anywhere else in the county.

Being rather chilly by then, we went in search of a cafe to have a coffee and dessert. We ended up back at Rathwood where we indulged our taste buds, but our taste for the retail offerings was successfully curtailed. Yay us!!

Once again we are back in Moss Cottage and I'm still trying to figure out a good way to save the photos from the phone. They are steadfastly refusing to upload to Dropbox. Until last week they dutifully uploaded themselves, as per the setting, as soon I the phone was charging. Since October 11th, it must be peeved at something. My one attempt to manually upload resulted in four copies of each picture - and that's excessive.

I have posted some pictures on Facebook and will download a few of those for your visual enjoyment. Then I shall sit in a corner and sulk about the inefficiency of the technology. Or maybe I'll just make a cup of peppermint tea and retire with my book.

Tomorrow Paddy is once again travelling to Dublin, this time to visit Glasnevin Cemetery. Not so fast, it's not a strange thing to do. This is a special place. I've reserved a day while in Dublin at the end of my stay, to do the same thing.

I'll be joining some distant McGrath cousins for some socializing in Kilkenny tomorrow. It would be nice to combine what we each know to find our common ancestor but I think that's dreaming in colour.

Tune in again tomorrow to check on our progress.

Genealogy alert:
I did find a source in the National Library for estate papers including rental records, which should include the Walsh, McDonald and Bulger ancestors. Something else to add to the Dublin itinerary in December - a day at the NLI poring over handwritten ledgers. Fun! I'll try to order them up in advance so I can start searching quickly.

Now here are some pictures for you for your patience. I never get them in the right order - feel free to complain.

Baltinglass Abbey - note the alternating round and square columns

Large Cork Oak in Shillelagh

Close up view of the bark on the Cork Oak. Looks like it could conceal some scary critters.

Giraffe spotted on our safari to Tinahely Farm Shop

Kissing Gate at the COI at Baltinglass Abbey. Open it all the way, step in, then move the gate back to the starting position and step out the other side.

My little "transparent" mushroom

Baltinglass Abbey from across the field

Tinahely without traffic - for a change

Get yourself a cup of tea, the blogger is about to be long-winded

They say it's a long way to Tipperary and today it was.

After a leisurely start with the extra hour gained by turning the clocks back, we headed for Cahir, via Borris, and Graiguenamanagh, and St Mullin's (from afar) and New Ross (which we didn't mean to visit but the GPS got weary and well, it's a pretty nice spot in any case).

Getting to Borris was easy and as it was a bright sunny day, the views of the viaduct didn't disappoint. We didn't take the walking path that would have led us across the top along the entire viaduct. 

Just about a kilometre away is Borris House, but the grounds were not open today. The town has done a wonderful job placing flowering baskets all along the wall that surrounds the lovely property. But I was disappointed at being kept out.

From there we ended up on a scenic drive - or so said the signs. Of course we have yet to take a drive that isn't scenic unless you count the time we spent driving at night, not seeing anything beyond the road ahead, and of course the directional signs.

Rather than take a motorway, we'd thought that following smaller roads would be more to our liking. After leaving Borris the Autoadress app decided that it couldn't find an internet signal. Everything else on the phone was finding it perfectly well. So - out game the old Garmin and on we went.

Although not on our chosen route, we did get to New Ross where I could practically give the tour of the Dunbrody replica famine ship. Instead we opted for lunch at the Kennedy Hotel Carvery. We both chose the roast lamb but I declined to include the mashed potatoes (I did take the boiled ones) and the turnips (which I decline when possible). 

From there it was on to Cahir - via a bypass near Waterford, on through Clonmel, which was much larger than I'd pictured. We did pass the Magner's cider factory where we'd never seen so many silos, full of the very tasty brew - and no tap in sight.

From there we drove through Carrick-on-Suir which was also lovely and quite a large town. It will be a destination for another day when time is available to merely wander in the area.

Eventually we came to Cahir and as soon as the sign to Swiss Cottage came into view we headed in that direction. There were a few cars in the parking lot but certainly no crowds. Our choices on this long weekend managed to take us to wonderful treasures that were seemingly being ignored by others. We made good choices for sure.

The path to the cottage led down a flight of stone steps and across an ironwork bridge, on whose end posts were sculpted vultures painted white. The bridge crossed the Suir and there were signs indicating this was a good fishing location.

There was another sign pointing up yet another set of stone stairs and we found ourselves in what turned out to be the basement of Swiss Cottage. That part of the house had once been the kitchen and wine cellar - and no, there was no wine to be found. After purchasing admission for the house tour we once again climbed a set of stone stairs which turned out to be the servants' entrance to the cottage. Photos are not allowed in any of the four rooms of the cottage.

At the top of the stairs was the entrance to the cottage which still has the original wood floor, laid out in a spider web pattern. The cottage was occupied, and maintained, at least part time, up to 1980. Then it was abandoned by the owner for five years during which time it suffered considerable damage. 

The "music room" was actually used, without permission, by a local farmer to stable his two horses for a few years. Vandals did considerable damage to the windows in the other reception room. Despite all of that, some of the original wallpaper in the one room on the main floor, survived. They were able to replicate the exact paper through a company in Texas. The scenes on the wallpaper included views from Istanbul - quite popular at the time. There was a mix of classical and country in the etched and stained glass windows.

None of the furniture is original but is either a replica or came from elsewhere. The most amazing pieces are six matching chairs, elaborately carved to resemble intertwining branches, each carved out of a solid block of Beech. There are no joins at all, other than that padded seats were added. The work to make the 6 chairs took 2 workmen 2 years. Although fanciful, the chairs looked distinctly uncomfortable - although perhaps good for scratching your back.

A spiral staircase leads upstairs to the two bedrooms, each of which is covered in wallpaper, one a bold toile and the other somewhat more subdued in a diamond pattern of vines. The fabric matched the wallpaper, which even covered the oddly shaped and unmatched dormers around each window. No two windows are the same size or shape, nor are they symmetrical within themselves. Even the doors are oddly angled. This was absolutely by design.

Apparently from the balcony off one of the bedrooms the Butlers, also known as Lord Caher and family, could see all the way to Cahir castle which they also owned. However there were 32 peasants cottages in the way of their view so they had them moved. I guess if you are that wealthy you can do pretty much whatever you like. Yikes!

The family would arrive by carriage from their home, which was a manor house near the castle. They'd spend the day entertaining friends with parties or fishing, then be returned to the manor house afterwards. I have no idea if the servants were brought by carriage or made to walk from the town.

It is a gorgeous setting and by far the most enchanted-looking building I've ever toured. It is certainly unique in Ireland and probably in the world. Swiss Cottage is now owned and maintained by the Office of Public Works.

Eventually we made our way back to Cahir where we took the odd photo of the castle and the river, which was perfectly still above a sort of tiny waterfall, and provided mirror-like images of the foliage and a nearby church. Gorgeous.

We were so exhausted by all the scenic views we had to stop in a little cafe for cappuccino or tea and cake. Suitably refreshed we noticed the nearby shop was open and of course we made a small contribution to the local economy. 

The drive back to Bunclody was facilitated by the Garmin once more. My phone had pretty much run out of juice by that time. Since it got dark shortly after we left Cahir, we allowed the GPS to tell us the route and of course it chose the main motorway. When you come to the end of a perfect day, it's with gratitude that you simply follow directions.

What I have not figured out is why Lord Caher spelled his name that way, and his castle and the town were/are spelled Cahir. If you figure it out please pass along the info.

Paddy is already tucked into bed and I'm headed to my own shortly, with my book. We are not going to be so ambitious with our travels on the morrow and shall possibly enjoy multiple cups of coffee and tea before making any moves towards the great outdoors.

Apparently the sun is getting fatigued from being out all day every day, and is staying behind the clouds tomorrow. We can hardly complain as it has not rained in two weeks.

I will post some pictures in the morning.

Slan

And we're off again on another adventure

It never ceases to amaze me how beautiful Ireland is and how many lovely places are so close together. Some adventures are very short, some are very long and some are probably not even adventures.

Today was not really an adventure but filled with several hours of lovely discoveries.

Our destination was Leighlinbridge (locklinbridge) which is quite nearby in the grand scheme of things. It's a very old town/village with some very interesting points of interest. 

The sun was very bright, the sky was virtually cloudless and it was rather nippy - perfect for a drive and a wander. Route 724 was our 'highway to happiness' for the day.

Minimal research with a map last night showed Ballymoon Castle was on our proposed route. ABC - another bloody castle - but I can't seem to get enough of wandering about ruins of centuries old buildings. 

Indeed there was a sign indicating we would soon be there. In reality, the gate providing access was barred. There was no place to park the car. The following link must be from some time ago because while driving each way past the castle we found no way to access it. But for those interested, here's a link:

http://www.megalithicireland.com/Ballymoon%20Castle.html

After passing the 'gate' we saw another entrance gate, swung wide open in very inviting fashion and it led up towards Ballymoon House. Once on the laneway we noticed the surveillance cameras. At that point we availed ourselves of a place to turn around and make our gracious and quick exit. It did not appear that the owners of Ballymoon House would be offering us tea and biscuits, so it hardly seemed worth the risk.

Back on the road, designated as a scenic route, we drove through Bagenalstown and on a couple more kilometers to Leighlinbridge. Our first stop required Paddy to do a bit of "Irish parking". In other words, just sort of pull over and get out of the car. We spent a few minutes at the Vivaldi Garden which has four statues, each with a small hedged plot, representing each of the 4 seasons. On the wall was a Treble Clef with some musical notes. Delightful. We happily endured the sneers of motorists forced to go around the car. Everyone seems to find a spot to park wherever they wish, facing whichever way they want on either side of the road.

On we went past the crumbling Black Castle to the Arboretum Garden Centre. It was better than I'd remembered. The garden centre itself had fabulous displays of multi-flower-filled pots, boxes and individual plants for sale. They were beautifully displayed around an assortment of garden statuary. We were also entranced by the various standalone fountains. And of course there were fairies. 

Outside the open doorway you are enticed to wander a lovely pathway through the outdoor plantings. They've endeavoured to include a lot of colour, more statues and a pond. They even have a resident crocodile and almost-buried hippo. Both are made of metal of course.

For me the loveliest statues were of children on piles of rocks in the pond as if they were on stepping stones. Absolutely charming. We wound our way along the entire pathway and back past the lion and gorilla to the garden centre again.

Lunch was enjoyed at a window table. Paddy had the cod and chips with mushy peas and I had Quiche. Delicious. We were well fortified for a bit of retail therapy in the Edinburgh Woollen Mills shop. I can't explain why a Scottish store was part of the complex, but there you go. Each of us bought a pair of gloves - mine of the soft furry lined wool variety and Paddy's were leather.

When we went to leave we found that we couldn't get out where we had come in. Finding the exit led us to a whole other series of shops. First we pranced right into Christmas world - it seemed mostly to be white, silver and gold and very very sparkly - each decoration was lovelier than the one before. 

Walking farther along we came to stationery, home goods, kitchen goods, some clothing and lots of interesting 'stuff'. 

Eventually we left and hopped back into the car to find a parking spot from which we could view the old bridge, the crumbling castle and the river views. Parking looked like a problem until we turned a corner and found a beautiful hotel - Lord Bagenal I think. It had a convenient and spacious parking lot, far from full, so we took advantage. On our way back we walked into the lobby, gazed at the chandelier and sauntered back out to our Nissan Micra. Not really a convincing show of being hotel guests, but there was no ticket.

On the way back to Bunclody we stopped in Bagenalstown where Paddy got a cash transfusion from an ATM. We visited St Andrews Church and then headed on to Fenagh, Myshall and Kildavin. We did make a stop opposite a cemetery to enjoy the view of Mt Leinster and take a few photos - just for a change. We'd only taken a few dozen at the Arboretum! Time for more.

We're now home, fed and relaxing our way to bedtime. Tomorrow it's Swiss Cottage in Cahir, Tipperary. It's not such a long way and more sun is predicted. We'll also visit Cahir Castle and the town before turning around. Stay tuned.

Here's a peek at some of what we enjoyed today:

Warnings should be fun - don't slip on this banana peel

Leighlinbridge - built about the year 1300; look at that sky

Mt Leinster with its head in the clouds - later in the day

My favourite pond at the Arboretum Garden Centre

If you're going to fancy up the lamp posts - do it right

The River Barrow from Leighlinbridge

Fairy getting a piggy back ride on a bunny

Musical notes in the Vivaldi garden

Even less news

Well I would bore you if I were to recount the past couple of days. Trips to the grocery store and library are far from exciting. The best I could do would be to recommend the books (I'm re-reading all of Louise Penny's books) and the tea (Twinings Peppermint). 

While Paddy has been exploring Dublin, I've been working on the family history which is really of no interest to anyone else. I cannot even report progress other than to discount some things I had thought to be true, and some interesting insights from a local researcher which are making my brain do flips. I have to figure out the best way to 'map' the data in order to draw conclusions.

The weather continues to be just about perfect. It's getting cooler but is still sunny and dry. Our days, like everywhere else, are going to get markedly shorter with the arrival of Standard Time on the weekend. 

Tomorrow and subsequent days should bring a bit of touring and thus something to retell.

No news is, well, no news

The past couple of days have been quite unremarkable. The weather is lovely although there's a definite chill in the air now. Apparently the weekend will be on the nastier side - at least in terms of the temperature.

Paddy did some touring yesterday and I stayed put, digging through online databases.

Today, Paddy left for a couple of days in Dublin. I have set myself a puzzle, and picked up a couple of Louise Penny's books to re-read in case the puzzle isn't sufficiently enticing at any given moment.

I walked into town - so easy going down that steep slope - and wandered for a bit. I had wanted to exchange my leftover money from Northern Ireland, for Euros. Well, it seems that you can only do that if you have a bank account. And you can only have a bank account if ... well you get my drift. My 'landlords' here will take the money to that same bank, where they have an account, and change it for me tomorrow.

When I was here in 2017 I found two pairs of Joseph Seibel shoes that were much to my liking. So, I just had to wander back into Murphy's shoe store and ... drum roll please ... found a nice pair of warmly lined boots. They lace up but have a cheater zipper on the side. They seem to fit but I will return tomorrow with the orthotics that will have to live inside of them. 

Then it was on to the library where I checked out two more of Louise Penny's books. These are not in order, but as I've read them all, I'll take them as I find them. The shopping bag had the first deposits.

Off to the grocery store to buy a litre of non-dairy milk, some oatmeal and a small (by Irish definition) loaf of white soda bread that was still warm from the oven. Each of these items is somewhat weighty.

All I had to do was lug that now-heavy bag back home - up that blasted mountain. Finallly managed and the bread didn't disappoint. I've had to freeze half of it because I won't eat it quickly enough to keep it fresh.

And that's about as exciting as the day got.

Genealogy alert
The following is of no consequence to anyone else. In fact, it might be of none to me. You can stop reading now.

The goal of this trip, aside from touring and socializing, remains the tracking down of information on the ancestors, and possible living relatives, of one set of my great-great grandparents: David Walsh and Eliza McDonald. I found the record of their marriage in the Drouin Collection on ancestry. At the time of this discovery I was searching for the marriage of James Morgan and Mary Kane - another set of gg grands. They remain lost in the incomrehensible writing and poor quality of images. 

The large signature of David Walsh more or less leapt off the page, which despite lots of writing in the margins, still holds some secrets. The image has deteriorated. I suspect the writing was pretty awful in the first place. However, I was able to discern that David Walsh's parents were James Walsh and Anne McMahon, both deceased by the time of David's marriage in 1861. The bride's parents were James McDonald and Mary Walsh - just to keep things rather confusing. They must have been living somewhere in the general vicinity of Aylmer QC, which is where the marriage of David and Eliza took place.

The information from that register entry, propelled me back to Irish records where I found the marriage of James McDonald and Mary Walsh in 1825. Not only that, but that record led to the marriage register with the date of the marriage of James' parents: John McDonald and Kitty (Catherine) Bulger in 1794. Yay. I also found a few baptisms of some children of James and Mary (Walsh) McDonald. 

All of these marriages took place in County Carlow. One of them was just a short drive from where I'm staying, in Bagenalstown. The other was in Borris, a short drive further down the road.

So that's what I have now. The Carlow records are mostly online - which of course is where I found them. However, the Carlow library has a good local archive and I shall probably be spending considerable time there. They have access to other online resources that I don't, as well as printed publications. I've made an appointment with the genealogist - another Walsh, of course!

So - today I have spent a good deal of time reading and will shortly turn back to the Irish resources to see if I can dig anything more out of the databases.

And now for some soup.

Some places close Monday but not where we went

The sun shone brightly and it was rather chilly - a perfect day for a little road trip. Our route was pretty straightforward - turn left on the N80 at the bottom of the hill, turn right onto N81 and keep going until you get there. Even I didn't get lost and I'd only been once before. Yay me!

We headed for Blessington in one of the most scenic areas of County Wicklow. At this point an argument could easily break out as to what part of the county is the most scenic. The loudest voice would win. You could not rate one area over another. Our journedy actually took us from Wexford, to Carlow, to Kildare, to Wicklow and back to Wexford.

Once we got to Blessington, we made a short stop at the tourist office. Parking was convenient and free - no need to dig out a 2 Euro coin this time. The lady working in the office was helpful beyond our requests. There were many many brochures for all the marvels thereabouts and beyond. We had mentioned we'd be visiting Russborough House. Bless her Irish heart - out came a brochure that gave us 2 for 1 admission. I think there are other similar coupons in the brochure but we haven't needed them yet.

First off we wanted to drive around Blessington Lake. At the moment it's closer to Blessington Puddle. The hot dry summer has left it much smaller and shallower than any time since the lake was created. It's a man-made lake, created by a dam to harness the water supply for Dublin. One can rue the damage to farmland, but as I'd not been there before this project several decades ago, I see it as a beautiful lake.

Drive around we did. The most difficult thing was finding a safe spot to pull over and admire the view - and of course, take photos. Finally there was a widening of the road on our side so Paddy parked and out we got. Not a single car went by while we ooohhhed and ahhhhed over the views. It really is wonderful to be here in the "off season".

That loop ended back at N81 and we drove the short distance to Russborough House. A new surprise awaited. We both qualify as seniors so we got our 2 for 1 at a reduced rate. Yay again. The tour started a few minutes later. George proved to be an excellent guide and docent. No question stumped him. He had a bit of humour to add without being corny. Our group was small and that's very nice also.

Check it out: http://www.russborough.ie/

The house has been lived in for centuries. Each era seemed to end when the owner died without leaving an heir. The various owners were all keen on art and the paintings, clocks, furniture and decorations were all marvellous. There is a fortune in oil paintings. Just for one example, there are two small Gainsboroughs in a grouping of six paintings. But it was always a family home, full of company. 

The artwork has been subject to several thefts over the years - some pieces involved in more than one of the robberies. Just this year a number of paintings were returned to the house. Four oval paintings that had been stolen, were actually bought back by Alfred Beit. He thought they had been sold to the gallery where they turned up.

The grounds of the house are beautiful. Nothing can be built between the house and Blessington Lake so the view will never be spoiled. The artisans who work and exhibit in the "annexes" on either side of this wonderful symmetrical building, seemed to have taken Monday off - like many businesses. Only the blacksmith appeared to be there. Of course the gift shop was open so we had a little 'browse and buy' experience after a great lunch in the cafe.

The museum in the basement, recounts the lives of those who lived in the house. Most of the displays are from the last owner/occupants the Beits. They had no children. Alfred Beit was widely travelled and an amazing amateur photographer. He even took 3D pictures. They were found, all catalogued and labelled, in the basement in 2008. It's amazing they were in perfect condition. Alfred had died in 1994. He and his wife created a Trust that supports the building. The Trust was supplemented in 2015 when a number of paintings from the house were sold to the National Gallery. 

I could go on and on - well, I can always do that. Just check out the link and then plan a visit to see for yourself.

For our walk on the grounds, we followed the Fairy Trail where we delighted in the many and varied fairy doors, most quite high up on the trees. Some of the fairy homes were joined by aerial bridges, others had swings. Each was unique. Most had the "occupant's" name on a little plaque. 

When we tore ourselves away from Russborough, we headed over the Wicklow Gap which is quite high. The views were terrific until we got to the overlook for Glendalough (Glen da lock). It's more like Glen da Loss. There's hardly any water. Tomorrow Paddy will explore Glendalough more carefully and will report on the depth of the two lakes. I am planning a visit to genealogy land - that might include a trip to the library but possibly I'll stay put. It will be a trek on foot if I go anywhere.

Driving back to Bunclody we repeated a previous route via Rathdrum, Aughrim and Carnew. Driving was right into the sun. It's hard to complain about a sunny day but a stray cloud here and there might have been helpful. This time we did not stop at Mucklagh but for once I recognized Kathy Doyle's farm as we passed. 

Once home we had our supper of Lasagna and salad with a small shared piece of biscuit cake - basically bits of Social Tea cookies held together by chocolate. I've made it before. That seems to be a favoured dessert across Europe. I first encountered it in Greece but wherever it started I'll never know.

We declined to go to Clonegal for storytelling this evening and are having a quiet time "at home". 

The photo issue. My camera can communicate with my laptop via the SD card. But, I usually use my phone which is not on speaking terms with this Mac. Never mind the Android to Mac app - doesn't work for me. 

I'm coming to the conclusion that I get better pictures with the phone than the camera. The reason for this is that I can't remember the settings to use. More effort will have to be made once I have some time on my hands and the inclination to refresh my tiny brain.

In addition, the camera photos are not uploading automatically to Dropbox as they are supposed to, while the phone is charging. 

So - here are just a couple of pictures from today that I took with the camera - before the battery went to sleep. Ugh.

How does your view compare?

A shame I don't have room for one of these

This is a clock. The snake, which doesn't move, points to the time. The two rows of numerals revolve. It was about 12:15 when we were there.

Always wanted a four-poster. Inside the canopy it has a dome.

Just one of the marble (marvel?) fireplaces at Russborough

The music room. The smaller piano at the back was re-covered to match the large one. Photo is of Paderewsky (sp?) who played this one. 

Fireplace decoration of Lida and the swan

Can't sit down - each has a pine cone to remind you not to take a seat.

Sleepy Sunday

There is really no way to make a slow relaxing Sunday into an interesting experience.

We had a lovely day mostly lounging around Moss Cottage. The most activity on my part was trying to get the printer to work. It didn't cooperate. Despite putting it through every utility to fix things up - no dice in printing a document. On the other hand, the test page printed perfectly. Go figure. 

Paddy on the other hand did some crafty quilting - all hand stitched of course. Despite a not-very-thorough search, there is no sewing machine to be found hereabouts.

A bit of grocery shopping, filling the car with petrol (couldn't find any gas), and picking up fish and chips for supper - that's pretty much today's activities all tied up with a bow.

Sorry to disappoint you, faithful reader, but tomorrow we have an adventure planned. The next chapter should provide better reading.

Slan.

Have I been beamed up or over to another country?

Today was arguably the most beautiful weather day I have spent in Ireland - and that's saying something. The temperature must have been nearly 20C in the afternoon. I could have worn a short-sleeved shirt but certainly the long sleeves on the cotton t-shirt were just a bit of overkill. The sky was bright blue and everything about the day was magnificent.

With the continuing availability of a chauffeur, I enjoyed the drive to and through Tullow, to Rathwood. It is a home and garden centre, children's amusement area, cafe, clothing and accessories shop and so much more, all rolled into one lovely spot to spend time and money.

Lunch was the first order of business and the chicken and vegetable quiche hit exactly the right spot. I had a marinated mushroom salad on the side which was promised not to contain cilantro. I don't enjoy the taste of soap and that's what cilantro tastes like to me. However, there were only a couple of stray bits that were meant to be merely parsley. 

Although I've been pretty good about avoiding sweets, I succumbed to the lure of a "pecan slice". There is still a morsel left, but only for a few more moments. I've managed to make it last quite well. Next weekend perhaps I'll have overcome the guilt and will travel the sweet road again.

Then we enjoyed a little retail therapy and I restrained myself and only bought a lovely shawl/pashmina/scarf. Perhaps when I get home I can open up a scarf boutique. The selection of merchandise for such an enterprise continues to grow in my closet. But each new one is unique, so ... 

Heading back towards Bunclody we made a bit of a detour for a short stroll at Altamont Gardens. It's still lovely and has more paths that are calling us to walk upon them. Soon.

Finally home, we enjoyed a supper that included the stray fish fillets from The Bailey Cafe, reheated roasted veggies and of course, boiled potatoes.

This evening we drove (thank you Auto Address App) to Ballyroebuck for a comedy sketch and a three-act play in the community centre. The sketch was very funny and well acted. The play, The Tailor and Ansty, was amazing. I've come to expect a lot from local drama productions and this was fabulous. There were only two actors, with the man being on stage through all three acts. Tonight was the closing night. However, there are other productions coming up between now and my departure so I shall be very cultured by the time I get home, don't ya know.

It's late now and the eyelids are drooping. Time to sign off. Photos again soon I hope. They stubbornly refuse to automatically upload and when I manually set them to upload they get tripled and quadrupled. Too tired to figure it out.

Slan,

Ann

Did you miss me?

Saturday morning and all's well at Moss Cottage. There's a bit of catching up to do.

Thursday was a nice relaxing day for me. I opted to stay at the cottage and Paddy went off for an adventure in Kilkenny. Just as it was when I was there two weeks ago, the traffic was crazy, parking was scarce and the machines took only change which she didn't have, and the place was swarming with tourists, apparently mostly Danes. 

The tour of Smithwicks didn't disappoint and neither did the three sampling glasses of "the good stuff" so she could pick her favourite among the three brews. Walking about the town was also highly satisfying, especially along the river. The castle however was being marauded with coaches full of tourists and seeing much of anything would not have been possible.

In the evening we attended a music session at the Public Library where two guitars, an accordion and a selection of whistles/pipes provided the entertainment. A special treat after the break for tea and biscuits, was a gentleman named Luke who sang. The musicians easily picked up his tunes and for me his two songs were the highlight of the night. Most of the music was not the traditional Irish music we'd hoped for. We walked both ways, taking only 15 minutes each way. Well, maybe 18 on the way back as climbing the hill was the final obstacle.

As an aside, it seems that Egan's pub is having another traditional Irish music night on November 10th. I was sorry to have missed the one last weekend but looks like I'll have another chance. That will be a very late night.

Friday the activity level ramped up. Lest you think we jump up and get out at the crack of dawn, let me assure you that the crack you imagine is my joints preparing for the day and they have not yet experienced a dawn in Bunclody. The crack of eleven is a good time to go out I think - so that's about when we leave for the day.

We ease into each day, Paddy with her tea (she fits in so much better than I in that regard) and I with my French Pressed coffee. That lovely machine removes all the wrinkles and the beverage slides smoothly down to begin the process of assembling the rest of my senses into action. That's the only pressing that is happening here.

Enniscorthy was on the program and it's just 20 minutes drive down a good highway. We toured the 1798 Rebellion Centre which has re-opened as the sale fell through. The Wexford County Council is making sure that the entire experience created at the centre, must have a suitably spacious new home and that would not have happened. yay! We toured as a duo, there being only person following a few rooms behind us.

http://1798centre.ie/

Then it was time to send Paddy to the castle. We parked at Dunne's - which has become the only place I'll park in that hilly town - and went directly to Bailey's Cafe in the hotel across the street for a lovely lunch. From there Paddy walked to the castle and I went back to the car to deposit the two sole fillets I could not eat, into the car for later consumption. The day was cool so we are pretty sure that no spoiling took place.

I wanted to head upstairs into the store to pick up a couple of items I'd left behind. I had packed a bit too light. Wearing my cosy fleece shawl, fastened by a magnet combo (a steel ball magnet which goes inside the garment to be fastened, and a metal flat ring like a washer, that goes on the outside to surround the ball). This fastening is marvellous.

Well, it's quite marvellous if you are not a KLUTZ. Somehow, while shifting my purse from my shoulder I managed to pull apart the magnet. The ring fell directly to the ground where I retrieved it immediately. The ball was nowhere to be found. A few people near me aided in the search. Finally I gave up. I had not heard the ball drop (I mean, it was not New Year's Eve in Times Square) and someone suggested it had dropped into my clothing. That was impossible given that my pockets were covered by a long shirt and the shawl. Eventually I gave up and went shopping, which I admit was even more successful than planned. Ah well...

After depositing my purchases in the car, I enlisted the help of a man cleaning the garage to move a sign in case the ball had rolled there. Nope! Paddy returned and suggested that as it was a magnet it would stick to metal. So we looked again. Nada. I gave up.

We drove off to pick up Marg Gilbert on the Carnew-Gorey Road, for a visit to Ballymore House in the back of beyond outside of Camolin. Google them if you want to see the locations. The following link will show you a bit of Ballymore.

http://www.buildingsofireland.ie/niah/search.jsp?type=record&county=WX&regno=15701612

The current occupant is Margaret Donovan, widow of Richard Donovan whose family own the demesne. Margaret greeted us and gave us a private tour of the museum. The collection is incredible. There is a small 1798 room with documents, certificates and portraits from the time. Margaret's knowledge is mind-boggling and the relationship of the house to the Rebellion and other times of historic importance makes me wish my brain could reliably hold more historical information.

We saw The Dairy with several old butter churns of various styles and the water wheel from the early 19th century which was used to turn a millstone to raise the water.

From there we toured the main museum with many articles of clothing, a few dating back to circa 1800. The fact that they are all intact, and show how much slimmer and shorter that folks were at the time, attests to the care with which they are preserved. There were some baby items, a wedding dress from 1888, samples of lace and some lace in the process of emerging from a myriad of pins and bobbins. All marvellous. I promised not to put any photos from inside the museum on the internet. I will make an attempt to add a couple of others from our day at the end of this post.

Everything in that museum is from the Donovan family. The treasures there make the mind spin.

Our visit ended with afternoon tea in the parlour of the main house, in front of a small wood fire, which was assisted by an electric heater. Margaret's cousin and her husband were visiting from Canada!! and we enjoyed every minute of our conversation - and of course the tea (well OK, coffee for me) and scones and biscuits. A truly unique and memorable afternoon.

While sitting down for tea I noticed something shiny in the buckle of my purse. It was that magnetic steel ball that had come free at the entrance to Dunne's. What luck! What Irish luck I suppose. It's such a strong magnet that the only metal part on the purse managed to be in the way of the descent when it popped free of the ring. Yay! Only good things happen to me here.

After dropping Margaret back home, we turned back on to the main road to Gorey. We were off to see Black 47, a new release about the famine. It was set in Connemara and featured some well known actors (not so much known to me), and showed the brutality of the time. It was anything but cheery and one came away with a heavy heart. 

Things were not quite that grim for our Byrne/Kehoe ancestors as they lived in Wicklow on the estate of Earl Fitzwilliam. They were not evicted but took up the Earl's offer of assisted passage to Canada. Now I can't stop coming back.

We had the saltiest popcorn ever as our dinner, along with a bottle of water. There was nothing else but candy and ice cream on offer. In retrospect, we should have had the ice cream.  Fortunately I had a Clif bar in my purse. This was unarguably the worst meal ever. But it cut the edge of our hunger. 

The trusty GPS did a great job of directing us home on the most direct route. 

And so to bed - to remain on vibrant alert for hours after that cup of coffee. When will I learn to limit caffeine to the pre-noon hours? 

So many memories were created yesterday that I simply had to capture them. My few words don't do it justice. Outings with Marg Gilbert are all unique and wonderful. This one was extra special.

Dragonfly at Ballymore 

Marg Gilbert our 'tour guide', Paddy, and Margaret Donovan our hostess and museum curator/guide

View out from the Dairy

The only yellow holly I've ever seen

I'm baaaaack

Hello blog followers. Sorry about the brief respite.

Yesterday was a big day. I dropped the kids at the airport and picked up cousin Paddy. What I also dropped was my role as chauffeur. Paddy is happy to drive as she has experience driving on the left and is happy enough with a manual transmission. Reverse gear is a bit balky but she will overcome! Yay! I have gotten to enjoy the scenery between Dublin and Bunclody and it really is spectacular. Every other time I've done that drive I've been at the wheel. I really am enjoying this role 'riding shotgun'.

Once we picked up our Nissan Micra, we headed to Ashford as has become our tradition. Mary of course had cooked up a storm and prepared a great roast beef dinner with carrots, cabbage and the requisite two types of potatoes. Once again my serving was much more than I could eat. There were a few dessert options but I managed to get by without ending the meal with something sweet. That's a first. I did enjoy a wee drop of warmed up Port. Tasty!

Kathy Doyle happened to be visiting from Carnew, as a friend had brought her up. Her friend had to pick up her son so we offered to drive Kathy back home and then went in for tea and a biscuit. Now I am not a 'black' tea drinker. My tea of choice is always herbal. And of course I carry a teabag in my purse. So I had a cuppa too. 

From there we drove to Moss Cottage where we've happily settled in. Today was a slow day - I needed a break from travelling and Paddy recovered from jet lag and the overnight flight. 

We did some grocery shopping, had our dinner about 4 after a miniscule breakfast around 9 so if we hadn't eaten then I might have started chomping on the cutlery. Once the groceries were put away, and dinner plates were housed in the dishwasher, we went outside and explored the beautiful gardens here. Our hosts have a fabulous garden and I'm finally seeing it in a season other than winter. Our supper was mint tea with a piece of dark chocolate. 

We did spend some time exchanging family information. We have known each other, mostly through Facebook after one meeting, and are getting along great. Still so much info to share. She has already solved one mystery for me. Imagine the data I might uncover in three weeks!!!

All in all it was a very satisfactory day. Our tour was just of the garden and a brief wander down the hill towards, but not into the town. We shall venture farther afield on the morrow. Kilkenny awaits on Thursday.

So far the weather forecast looks very favourable. Fingers crossed the weather folks are getting it right.

The photos have finally started uploading to facebook so I shall add a few here. The process is not very efficient but my phone/camera doesn't talk to my computer. Here is a small selection from a few days ago:

Braden at Donegal Castle

Olivia and Braden at the Dark Hedges

A Fairy House somewhere between the Dark Hedges and Glenariff Forest Park

This was our first view of Donegal Castle