2022 Trip to the United Kingdom and Ireland (Day 45 Bru na Boinne, County Meath, Ireland)

 

Our last major attraction in Ireland before going to Dublin was Bru na Boinne, a place 'within the  bend' of the River Boyne that contains one of the world's most important prehistoric sites. The archaeological landscape within the area of Bru na Boinne is dominated by three large passage tombs - Knoth, Newgrange and Dowth built some 5000 years ago in the Neolithic or Late Stone Age. An additional 90 monuments have been recorded in the area  and these tombs contain the largest assemblage of megalithic art in Western Europe. We visited Knoth and Newgrange, amazed by the vastness of this Neolithic necropolis that is a 1000 years older than Stonehenge. The River Boyne flows through here where the Battle of the Boyne, a major battle in Irish history, took place near Drogheda in 1690. Bru na Boinne is a real testament to the achievements of prehistoric man and again shows how little acknowledgment we have given him. This complex was built to to house the remains of those who were at the top of the social heap and it's tombs were the largest in Ireland until the construction of the Anglo-Norman castles 4000 years later! We learned through two efficient and friendly tour guides how that over the centuries  the tombs decayed, were covered by grass and trees, and plundered by everybody from Vikings to Victorian treasure hunters. We could see initials and names from the 1800s inscribed on the walls of the main burial chamber at Newgrange. Here within the centre of the tomb the guide turned off the lights and showed us it's precise alignment with the sun at the time of the winter solstice using a beam of light place to mimic the sun. It is then the sun's rays shine through the roof-top above the entrance, creep slowly down the long passage and illuminate the chamber for 17 minutes. Quite a humbling and personal experience to be there and relive, trying to put our selves in the place of those humans 500 centuries ago. The rain came down steadily while we were there, the first time on our trip, but cleared up as we left for our Airbnb in Dublin, our last stop before flying home.

timeline comparing Newgrange and Stonehenge

the River Boyne at Newgrange

Knoth, Bru na Boinne

a spiral engraved curb stone, Newgrange, Bru na Boinne

2022 Trip to the United Kingdom and Ireland (Day 44 Kilmacduagh/Athlone, Ireland)

 

On our way to Athlone we drove through the green Irish countryside along the narrow Irish roads (R460), coming suddenly to the ruins of Kilmacduagh Abbey. We stopped as it looked interesting, a tall tower overlooking the roofless Abbey and the churchyard, still in use. Founded in the 7th century by Saint Colman MacDuagh (hence the name) it was plundered in the 13th century but was in use probably for another 300 years. The round tower was a place of refuge for the monks in case of attack, dated to be from the 12th century. Legend has it that the Saint trained a rooster to crow to remind him when to pray, a mouse to stop him from sleeping more than 5 hours in 24 by scratching him behind his ears, and a fly to walk along the lines of his book to direct him where to read again by standing on the first letter of the next sentence. Really. Our reason though for visiting Athlone was to find my great-grandfather Isaac Steward's gravestone in Cornamagh Cemetery. He and three of his mates accidently drowned on the 2nd of July, 1881while sailing in nearby Lough (lake) Ree, the second largest of the major lakes on the River Shannon. An unexpected storm came up and overturned their boat. Great-Grandpa Steward was 31, a Sergeant in the 15th Battalion of the 60th Royal Rifles. His mates were Sgt. John Crowley, Color Sgt. James Thompson and Sgt. Major James Mitchell. We searched high and low for their gravestones but time and the effects of weather had obliterated most of the markings from this period and we couldn't find anything. The records though from the cemetery do indicate he is buried there somewhere. Our search will continue and hopefully one day these four graves can be identified. We did go to the Lough just to see the waters that had claimed my Great-Grandfather's life and I had a few moments to reflect on the fragility of man. At one point on our way there we took a shortcut along a farm road where it was necessary for Marie to get out of the car, open two gates across a 'live railway crossing' to let me cross with the car. Only in Ireland!

Kilmacduagh Abbey, County Galway

Cornamagh Cemetery, Athlone

opening first gate across the train tracks

I'm through! Close the gates Marie!

Lough Ree, near Athlone, County Westmeath

We also stopped of to visit to Athlone Castle while we there and walked over to the nearby Custume barracks where my great-grandfather was billeted during his time here. It is so named after Sgt Custume, a hero of the siege of Athlone by the British Williamite army in 1691.  It is still a military establishment where the 6th Infantry Battalion of the Irish Army are garrisoned. We talked to one of the soldiers there who suggested we check out the Collins Museum in Dublin for more information about the late 1800s time period we were interested in. Isaac Steward must have visited the castle while he was stationed here as it is only five minutes from the barracks but he probably didn't have to pay to get in as we did. The Castle, from the 12th century, details the heroics of Sgt Custume and others as well as the history of Athlone in eight exhibition spaces. Just a few minutes walk from the castle was Sean's Bar, the oldest pub in Ireland and another place where Isaac may have stepped in for a Guinness when off duty. Before leaving for our next Airbnb we picked up a few souvenirs of the town and turned our thoughts to our last stop tomorrow - Dublin.  GWS

Sgt Custume

Sean's Bar, oldest pub in Ireland

2022 Trip to the United Kingdom and Ireland (Day 43 Limerick, County Limerick/Lislorkan North, County Clare, Ireland)

Two hours from Cork we were looking for parking in the busy and narrow streets of Limerick to visit King John's Castle, located in the heart of the medieval quarter.  This 12th century castle is right on the River Shannon, the site dating back to 922 when the Vikings lived here. The Castle itself was built on the orders of King John around 1200 during the first Norman Conquest of Ireland as a base to which to subdue the Gaelic Chieftains of the west. There are a lot of interactive displays within the building, recent archaeological information and great views of the city and river from the towers. Just before entering the castle I discovered a small closed shop with some very interesting political posters referring to the Provisional Government and the Troubles. There was a photo and song dedicated to Michael Gaughen, the IRA member who died of a hunger strike in 1974 in Parkhurst Prison on the Isle of Wight, performed by many Irish musicians including Christy Moore: Take me home to Mayo, across the Irish Sea, Home to dear old Mayo where once I roamed so free, Take me home to Mayo, there let my body lie, Home at last to Mayo beneath an Irish sky...

Posters I saw in a shop by the castle

It was an hour or so to our next major stop on this seven week trip, one which we had been anticipating for a long time: The Cliffs of Moher! I have seen numerous videos of this essential Irish tourist must-see spot and expected massive crowds, howling winds, fog and cold. Were we pleasantly surprised! Our good luck of fine weather that has been dogging us since Day 1 in London met up with us after leaving Limerick and although we had come prepared with sweaters and toques we really didn't need them. We walked the whole length of these magnificent cliffs, often only a few feet from the 600 foot drop into the Atlantic below, the Aran Islands just visible to the north. If you crawled closer to the edge you can see puffins, razorbills, kittiwakes nesting in the cliff face and the occasional peregrine falcon diving overhead. Breathtaking and inspiring and a wonderful climax to the beauty of the UK and Ireland that we have had the privilege to find on our long journey.   GWS

blushing sea pinks

A Special Protection Area with 20,000 breeding seabirds nesting on the cliffs

Our Airbnb, the pink house!

 

2022 Trip to the United Kingdom and Ireland (Day 42 Blarney/Coolyduff, Ireland)

Dungarvan, County Waterford

 We left our fairy tale castle after breakfast for our next destination, Declan's Cathedral in Ardmore, stopping briefly in Dungarvan in County Waterford to take a photo of sailing ships in the harbour. From the old cemetery and ruins the 115km Saint Declan's way begins here in Ardmore and ends in Cashel in County Tipperary. The story goes that when Declan, the great saint who converted his people to the Christian faith in the 5th century, sailed from Rome to the coast of Ireland with his disciples one of them forgot to bring on board the ship's bell. They all prayed earnestly to God for it's recovery when suddenly a rock floated by with the wee bell on it. On seeing this Declan said wherever the rock makes landing will be where he builds his monastery. It landed in Ardmore and you can see it on the shore today. Really. And, according to legend, Declan is buried here beside the round tower, though the vault is now empty. Very peaceful and a lovely spot to spend half an hour, the beach of Youghal Bay just visible in the distance. The N25, a beautiful stretch of road and the smoothest drive we have done in weeks, took us through Cork to the village of Blarney and it's Castle and gardens. 

St Declan's, Ardmore

Blarney Castle, five miles west of the small city of Cork, is the third to be erected on this site. In the 10th century there was a wooden hunting lodge here, replaced in 1210 by a stone structure. The building was demolished for the foundations of the third castle built by Cormac MacCarthy in 1446. It is the tower house or the fortress residence of this we today know as Blarney Castle. It was besieged four times and taken once by Cromwell's army but the MacCarthy's held on until forced to leave in the years following the Battle of the Boyne in 1690.  The Stone, just a block of carboniferous limestone built into the battlements by MacCarthy, is supposed to endow whoever kisses it with the gift of gab. The origins of the stone's legend are shrouded in mystery with names like Moses, the prophet Jeremiah, Irish kings, David and St Columba all mentioned but the most commonly accepted story of the stone is that, in gratitude for Irish support at the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314, Robert the Bruce gave a portion of the stone that MacCarthy had installed in his castle. The origins of the term 'kissing the Blarney Stone' are just as numerous. But we know that 'there is a stone there, that whoever kisses, Oh! He never misses to grow eloquent...' Marie took the plunge (wrong words here I think considering the height) and now will forever reward me with her eloquence and persuasiveness as never before. Sigh.

one of the many legends of the Blarney Stone

Marie kissing the Blarney stone

view from Blarney Castle

The Gardens at Blarney were amazing and well worth the admission price, covering 60 acres and a joy to explore. We wandered around the prehistoric Fern Garden, the deadly Poison Garden, saw ancient Yew trees over 600 years old, waterfalls, woodlands, arboretums, an 18th century Rock Close garden, tropical and jungle borders, an Himalayan walk, a fabulous azalea and rhododendron beds, sculptures and many more rare and unusual trees that constantly overwhelmed you with their colours and size. Go for the stone but see the beautiful gardens first. Our Airbnb in Coolyduff was just 15 minutes away so we lingered as long as we could before saying goodbye to another Irish treasure.   GWS

our Airbnb, Coolyduff