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.