The Wandering Genealogist: 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: