Archive for the ‘Explore Ireland’ Category

A Trip to Costa del Bog!

Posted on: February 15th, 2012 by Sine Treanor No Comments

As we have been lucky enough to avoid the recent inclement weather that seems to have befallen the rest of Europe, it seemed a shame to waste the lovely mild weekends we’ve been having. So off we went on our family rambles again. This time to the wilds of the local Bog!!

A Picturesque Irish Bog

Beautiful rich brown earth stretching as far as the eye can see, with only tall fir trees to break the horizon. Had I been alone I could have enjoyed the peace and tranquility of this ancient place. However, on this occasion, two boys and a hound had other ideas! (We brought the dog as it’s one of his favorite places to run.) We wouldn’t be spotting any wildlife today with all that noise. The hares and otters would be hiding for sure! I’ve even spotted deer close to the trees in the past. But today the best we could do was a swan on the lake. (She didn’t stick around for long either!)

This bog is still worked for turf so there are markings in the ground and sods left over from last year lying around. A great number of country people still burn turf to heat their homes. Turf in one form or another is still Ireland’s prime source of fuel for fireplace/cooking/electricity generation, etc. The range is still a big part of the Irish country kitchen.

It is used for cooking and also heats not only the kitchen but radiators all over the house. The fire can be kept alight for decades…. literally! Ashes are added on top at night. This keeps the embers hot. Then in the morning the ashes are removed and fresh turf added and before long a good hot fire is burning again.

Turf used to be cut by hand in Ireland using a peat spade called a sleán

Turf used to be cut by hand in Ireland using a peat spade called a sleán. This part is done by machine for the most part these days. Though in our area there are still a great many cutting it themselves.


Cutting Peat

The wet sods are then spread out using a turf-fork. After a few days the sods are moved to dry ground and built into small stacks, by standing three or four sods up on their ends against each other. This is called footing the turf.


footing the turf

The stacks are left to dry throughout the summer months in the sun and wind. When the sods are dry they are transported to the home and stacked in sheds or built into a large pile and covered. A week turf cutting would provide enough fuel to last the year. It’s a family occasion and everyone helps out.

At this time of year all is quiet up here. You might meet the occasional dog walker or jogger. But the work won’t begin again until late spring. Before we knew it we had put a couple of miles behind us. The air is balmy and you can almost taste the ‘healthiness’ of it. Even with children and hound in tow this place will cleanse your very soul. We’ll all sleep well tonight!

History of Trim Castle

Posted on: November 27th, 2011 by Sine Treanor No Comments

Considered to be the first stone built castle in Ireland, Trim Castle is situated about twenty eight miles northwest of Dublin on the banks of the River Boyne, County Meath. Reputed to be the king of Irish castles, it dates back, in it’s present form to 1175, when reconstruction work was undertaken by Hugh de Lacy. Unfortunately, Hugh did not live to see his project completed, as he died in 1186.

The work was completed by his son Walter and the great castle was finished in 1204. Previously, Trim began as a ring work castle and there is evidence of a large trench, post holes and bracing posts of the original wooden structure and it is probable this was also Hugh de Lacys work constructed in 1173 and burnt down the same year by Roderic O’Connor.

De Lacy was a very important man in those days, the king of England was concerned that he would refuse allegiance with him and declare himself king of Ireland. Trim Castle was built partly to demonstrate de Lacys power and intimidate the Irish people.

Trim Castle

Trim Castle - County Meath


The next phase in Trim Castles history was the second stage of construction undertaken in the latter part of the thirteenth century by Geoffrey de Geneville. It is believed he added wooden towers, improved the fosse, the drawbridge, the North Tower and built the great hall. Later Joanna de Geneville married Roger Mortimer and the castle passed into the ownership of the Mortimer family until the last of them died in 1425.

At this point, Trim was abandoned until king Richard II of England let two of his wards to live there, one of whom was to become Henry V. After repairs were carried out, parliaments were held there seven times in the fifteenth century. It was abandoned again in the sixteenth century until Cromwells army occupied it in 1649. in recent times it was used for the filming of the movie “Braveheart“.

The site of Trim Castle covers more than twenty three acres above the River Boyne. Somewhat isolated from the rest of the buildings, the main keep is eighty two feet high, (around twenty five metres) and has walls which are a massive eleven feet thick! By contrast, the four towers around it have thin walls, they were probably for the sake of appearance, or to provide extra rooms.

It was designed to withstand a long siege, having three levels with multiple rooms, including a chapel, quarters for a garrison, a public hall and huge cellars for food storage. it was probably surrounded by a stone enclosure with stabling and store areas. There were three towers built around this area for defense.

When extensive excavations were carried out from 1971 to 1974, as well as the arrowheads, silver coins, Bristol pottery and French wine jugs recovered, the bodies of ten headless men were discovered! They were probably thieves who had been made examples of under King Edwards 1465 order. Tom O’Neill has now made a complete study of the whole outline of the castle and its surroundings. Trim Castle is under the management and care of Duchas, The Heritage Service of Ireland.

The Rock of Cashel

Posted on: November 13th, 2011 by Sine Treanor No Comments

The Rock of Cashel in County Tipperary is also known by several other names, Carraig Phádraig, St Patrick’s Rock and Cashel of the Kings. It is said that it was here that St Patrick converted Aenghus the King of Munster to the Christian faith in the fifth century A.D. This is uncertain but The Rock is known to have been the seat of power of the High Kings of Munster before the Norman invasion and Brian Boru was crowned High King of Ireland there in the tenth century. Unfortunately there is little left to indicate their presence, as most of the buildings are as late as the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. The Rock was gifted to the church by the king of the O’Brien clan in the eleven hundreds and became the seat for the archbishop, this is when Cormacs Chapel was built. Later in 1647 Lord Inchiquin led Cromwell’s forces and ransacked The Rock.

The Rock of Cashel

The Rock of Cashel, County Tipperary.

The complex is unique and is considered to be one of the most important collections of Medieval architecture and Celtic art located anywhere in Europe. More recently, The Rock of Cashel has found new fame as the setting for the Medieval who-dunnits by Peter Tremayne, the “Sister Fidelma Mysteries“. It consists of a ruined abbey, a round tower, the twelfth century Romanesque chapel of St Cormac and high crosses and churches. In the thirteenth century Gothic cathedral are a central tower, and living accommodation, there is a roof top walk accessed from steps in the tower. At the entrance to The Rock is the Hall of the Vicars Choral, this has been restored and part of it converted into a museum with exhibits of silverware and other items including St Patrick’s Cross. From here you can take a guided tour which lasts for approximately an hour and a half. The views over the plains of Tipperary and the surrounding countryside are truly remarkable.

Surrounding the complex are stone walls and there is a large grave yard with many high crosses, but unfortunately one of the largest and most famous, Scully’s Cross was destroyed by lightning in 1976 when a bolt struck the metal rod which ran the entire length of the cross. Not surprisingly given its dramatic appearance and unusual size, legends abound about how the Rock of Cashel was formed. One is that it was as a result of St. Patrick banishing the Devil from a mountain cave near Templemore south west of Cashel, as he left the devil is supposed to have taken a bite out of the mountain, this was too much even for the devil and he broke his teeth on the rock and dropped it so that it fell to earth. Although The Rock of Cashel is one of Irelands most visited tourist sites, the town itself has many interesting features including the GPA Bolton Library with many unique books which are not found anywhere else in the world. There is a Heritage Centre and tourist information office in the main street, which has on display a model of Cashel in the 1640s and a multimedia presentation in various languages, there are also Tipperary crafts for sale, all in all, this is a superb part of Ireland to explore.

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