The Big House in Ireland

August 31:
National Heritage Week ended this past week on Sunday.  It was a week filled with rich experiences and celebrations of Irish culture, history, music and environment.   One trip this week locally was taken to the  restored Annaghmore Schoolhouse just 3 - 4 kms outside Collooney.   It was built and opened in the 1860's by the O'Hara family so that children of tenants on the O'Hara estate could attend school.   Annaghmore was the principal seat of the O'Haras in the later medieval period.  Unlike, the O' Rourkes,  O'Conors,  MacDonaghs, or the MacDermots,  the O'Haras of Annaghmore were the only family of Gaelic origin in Sligo to survive as landowners through the 17th century and subsequent penal days.  In 1820, a  big country house in Annaghmore was built to replace the original O'Hara house.   In 1860, CW O'Hara enlarged the house to the design of architect James Franklin Fuller. (See Archaeological Inventory of South Sligo, Vol 1).

On Sunday, while on my way to the old schoolhouse, through the trees I catch sign of this "big" house.  I cant help but ponder the demise of the old Gaelic families and resourcefulness of those who survived and held onto their lands.  What would the Sligo landscape look like if other families had survived?  This line of thought goes a long way in helping to explain how I feel about the big houses like  Cooperhill, Markree Castle, Templehouse, Lissadell, and the Rockingham Estate at Lough Key.

The immigrant stories from tenants of the Gore-Both's estate in Lissadell taken from ship records tell of the hardship and injustices suffered during the Famine years. It was interesting for me that while searching through the 1911 Irish census, I found that my father's family in Ballymote were tenants of the Gore-Booths.  Lands owned by the Gore Booths extended down past the Ballymote area.  My grandparents would have paid rent to the Gore Booth family for their meager home on 32 Goal Street - for land that once had belonged to the Gaelic families.

Life in the big houses of Ireland was sustained on the backs and brokenness of the people who had their land occupied and taken from them.  I cannot enter one of these houses on  a tour or visit without feeling the pain of history.

Another Climb up Knocknarea

August 30:

Once more,  another climb up to the top Knocknarea to visit Queen Maeve's cairn.  I take a special flat stone with me in the shape of the mountain and bring it back down again.  It will be my reminder of  the task at hand to finish this blogsite and to translate it into a book format.

We are having a high pressure weather cell over Ireland at the moment creating stunning warm, dry weather.  There is no place like Ireland when the weather is like this.  I think this is the time when all those lovely blue skied sunny postcard pictures of Ireland are taken.

On our way up to Knocknarea, we stopped at Breeogue Pottery off from the Ransbourgh roundabout.  It is here that we have had the baby hand and footprints of Maeve and Connor cast.  Grainne has come to know us from our past visits.  This time, we have decided to come back so we can buy a lovely piece of glazed pottery she crafted about three years ago.  We have eyed it each visit there.   It is a tall 3 foot high glazed ceramic tower wired with an electric light bulb inside it.  The light comes out the side  through a scattering of small cutout star holes created in the tower.  This lit tower we will place in the hall to be a beacon for us, and to welcome all who visit us and enter our home here in Collooney.

This picture is of Maeve's cairn
on the top of Knocknarea.

In the background is Sligo bay,
Benbulbin and Donegal Bluestack Mountains

The climb up to the top of the Knocknarea took about 35 minutes and rewarded us with a view of five counties, Sligo and the view of Benbulbin and the hills of Kesh Corran,  off over to Donegal and the Bluestack mountains as well as majestic Slieve League,  to the south far off into Mayo,  across over to the mountains of Leitrim,  and into Roscommon. 


After spending time on the top of the mountain, we weaved our back back down the stony path (about 3.5 km)  with the thought that the Venue and a pint to refresh us was not far away.

Homecoming, Landscapes and Rootedness - 10 days in August

August 30:  The time spent the past two weeks has been richly rewarded with insights.  As it turned out, it was a distraction to create files, spend the time downloading pictures so that I could write a blog entry.  Instead of all the busy work associated with maintaining the blog, I carried this small notebook and jotted down momentary thoughts and insights about people and places.  I have been  inspired and changed by what I have seen and heard, looked at and listened to over the past ten to twelve days.   There will be a change in my blog writing and the framework I am using.  I want to explore deeper the experiences of homecoming, landscapes and rootedness.  No matter where you wander through life, if you have a place you call home, what does it means to return to that place, the land that sings deep in your soul?

On my first day back on this home trip,  Patrick Kavaugh's words sank deep into me that  "we get to our destiny in the end".   As I think back on the past weeks, the firmly spoken words of this man from Monahan, have followed me everywhere.  He talked of a simplicity of going away and of returning.   I want to explore that more deeply.

The last two weeks have been a wonderful mixture of time.  The time spent at Strandhill in Sligo sequestered in the shelter of the sand dunes.  These were simple carefree days with my 5 year old and 2 year old grandchildren building sandcastles, eating ice creams,  having a pub lunch or two (often after the ice cream), and flying our kites high and low, racing after their trails and loosing them in the tall dune grasses.   I was  brought back into the memories of  my own childhood at Rossnowlagh beach.

Time was also taken up with a trip up to Dublin's National Concert Hall so we could catch  RTE Orchestra's musical tribute to Bill Whelan and his works from Timedance (1981) to Riverdance (1994) to the spell binding "Seville Suite"  composed in 1992 as a precussor to Riverdance.   Even with all his travels, and his international reputation Bill Whelan spoke of his strong  his sense of home, of landscape and rootedness in Connemara and in traditional irish music and instruments.  The concert was a 21st  century counterpart of a bardic experience.

What did it mean for me to be in Dublin again?  I always have mixed feelings about Dublin. Here I went to a boarding school for five years out in Dalkey.  Mention Dalkey these days and at once people think of Enya, U-2, Maeve Binchy and others.  On the one hand, and on the surface, the energy and life in Dublin is infectious.  It is a place to be. I love the choice of restaurants,  wine bars, and pubs, places to hang out, and the regeneration of historic sites like Collins Barracks, Kilmanham Goal, and Smithfield.

Yet, I also feel that it is  a city devoured and devouring. The Celtic tiger ran loose touching every facet of the city's wealth and culture.  Dublin lost its small small town soul.  It is has evolved into a sleek slick and multi-cultural European city with more in common with its European counterparts that with regional cities outside the Pale.

What is missing in Dublin is the connectedness with the rest of Ireland.  Is there something about the politics of a capital city that separates it from the rest of the country. A sort of inside and outside the belt phenomenon.  I get even more of a sense of distance when I am in Dublin now than I did before.  While there we stayed at the Buswell Hotel off Kildare Street (and Leinster house) on Molesworth Street.  An internet find with a great price for a decent hotel in the city center - one more sign of the impact of the Irish recession on hotel prices. The hotel is housed in a structure that dates back to the Georgian period and was built in 1736.  The actual hotel started on this site in about 1861.  The ambiance of the hotel from the reception to the bars reeked of being close to Leinster House.  Walking past the leather chairs and dark paneled bar to the right of reception,  on our way out for the day, I caught a glimpse of several grey hair politico's deep in conversation.  I could nt help but wonder how many political conversations have taken place here over the years.

Childhood Connections Staying Current

August 17:   Eleanor, Siobhan and Martina came over for lunch and to spend the afternoon together.

We all went to St Mary's National School in Stranorlar from preschool through age 11-12 years.   There is a picture from the past that  I must dig it out and look at it again. We are all in it with our fresh eager little faces!  More mature now but still as lively as ever, always ready for adventures, we had good fun hanging out, chatting and reminiscing. Eleanor, Martina and I went to the Finn Colasite also. So we had more stories about the tender teen years and the boys and girls we knew!   My time at the Finn College was short lived when I was pulled out to follow my mothers footsteps and  be sent to a boarding school in Dublin, Loreto Abbey, Dalkey.  That was the end of "our together" le ceile  playful school years as we went separate ways.

It is a good thing to see the connectiveness and closure points of life's journey.  To celebrate how where we are at any time is rich with experiences that connect and bind us, past and present!   


The thought that has come to mind for me are the words from the Creation story in scripture ..."it was good".  It is a creative act to live a connected life. It is a good thing.

Unknown to us at the time, Martina attended the same teachers college in England as I did, only several years after me.  When I qualified, I headed for a year to the US, to Kansas. When she qualified,  she went on to teach in Strabane in County Tyrone during some of the very tough "troubles years" of the 1970's.  Later she received a Fulbright to teach for a year in Denver, Colorado.  Now in a phased retirement, she teaches part-time and lives outside Ballybofey with her partner Patrick who she met in Colorado.  Eleanor's husband, Declan,  is a retired Commandant from the Irish Army who served in overseas assignments and they spent several years in Brussels with the EU.  Declan is the current president of the Donegal Historical Society.  He is doing an amazingly organized job ...just the fresh blood they needed in the DHS.  Siobhan, the oldest member of the group, lives in Ballybofey.  She has been diagnosed with Parkensons.  Several years ago, when she retired as a hair stylist, she built a small one person beauty station in her brand new house so she could keep her favorite customers coming.  Siobhan is not unlike Fran, Jon's mother, in that she has such a keen interest in all things going on and staying young at heart.

Travelling Back and Blueberry Picking Weekend

August 14 and 15:  The early morning drive across the Midlands on Saturday took Maeve and I  four hours.  Lashing rain for the first hour or so slowed us down but not Maeve she chit chatted about the past few days. We waved goodbye to some familiar sites as we flew by ...the wistful Gaelic Chieftain standing watch looking out over the Curlew Mountains and Lough Arrow and Lough Gill,  the goodbye "slan go foill" wave to Lough Key Forest Park, and on into Roscommon.   A little over mid-point, we stopped in Mullingar at Genesis for a stroll through their shop and a morning break in their sweet little coffee shop.  We ordered freshly baked fruit scones, raspberry jam and cream ....just right to keep us going.  The rest of the way to Belpatrick was steady going mostly on the faster motorway into Dublin and around the link road to pick up the N2 to Slane and Collon.

It is so special to spend time alone with a grandchild. The mix and wisdom of the two generations plants seeds of hope and blessing.  It is also a reaping time,  a reminder that the fruits of parenting lies in the next generation.  Our sons Chris, Matt and Jeff, each following their own paths have become wonderful caring parents for our six grandchildren.

On Sunday,  Matt and Kristin had planned a special trip down to Derryvilla Farm in  County Offaly to pick blueberries ....http://ireland-guide.com/article/blueberries.8834.html

HISTORY:
The Derryvilla Blueberry Farm is owned by John Seager and managed by Nuala O’Donoghue. Blueberry farming is labour intensive; at the start of each year the bushes are hand pruned and the grasses cut. They then flower in May and by mid-July, weather permitting, handpicking begins.

They’re closely related to the native Irish fraughan or bilberry, a fruit associated with celebration, feasting and fertility, and the much bigger cultivated berry is a juicy, versatile fruit that can be used in the same ways, fresh or in baking, desserts, preserves and drinks.

The history of Derryvilla Blueberry Farm involves a number of dedicated farming pioneers including, for the last five years, Nuala O’Donoghue who has been involved, in particular, with development of the innovative Blueberry Tonic and delicious blueberry preserves – both of which are out-sourced to other well-known artisan food producers such as Con Traas of The Apple Farm in Clonmel and Ciara Morris of Slieve Bloom Foods.
No pesticides are used at Derryvilla and most of their delicious, naturally grown berries and the products made with them – a tangy blueberry tonic and preserves - are supplied directly to fruit traders and selected retailers, or sold at Farmleigh Food Market (www.farmleigh.ie.) 

A Special Trip to Sligo

August 11:   Up early to catch the 7:09 a.m. train for the roundtrip journey to pick Maeve up at Connolly Station in Dublin, and come back to Sligo for her summer adventure with Mamo.  It is for sure that she is awake and rearing to go.  Last night all her bags were packed.  She is off to Sligo for a few days visit with Mamo by herself.  Mamo is excited too!

Matt, Maeve and I met up at Connolly Station.  They had taken the Luas to get over from Matt's work on Parnell Square. Our train back over to Sligo was on one of Ireland's new trains - made for a great 3 hour  ride back. Looks like it will be busy the next few days with little time or no time for blogging .....

August 13:  It is just 9:00 p.m.  Maeve is down fast asleep. I am ready to hit the hay too ....zzzzz.
We head back to Belpatrick tomorrow.  What a busy fun time we have had these past three days - this is very special for a Mamo to be able to spent this time together just the two of us.

The trip would not have been complete without going to Strandhill, for climbing sand dunes, and building sand castles - we brought so much sand home to Collooney with us in our shoes, pants, pockets, and anything else that would carry sand!  Yesterday, a trip to see Toy Story 3 brought back memories of seeing it with Caitlin and Christian earlier this summer in DC.  Grandchildren are the best!

We even had a visitor.  Taking a break from golf, Terence came for dinner last night and a game of snakes and ladders afterwards.  He taught Maeve a few tricks about getting forward which she used and then promptly beat the two of us easily.

My camera was broken so no pictures of the beach.  We made a side trip to buy a new camera - it had to be charged and of course the manual read so I could get it working.

Here are some pictures from today when we went over to Lough Key for a picnic lunch and adventure park.
HISTORY:   Lough Key Forest Park is located in an area of great historical interest and is comprised of vast woodland and numerous islands. There is reference to Castle Island in the annals of Lough Ce as early as 1184. During this time the park was called Moylurg and the Kings of Moylurg were the McDermotts.

The McDermott's official residence was on The Rock, now called Castle Island . As space was limited on this small island they had another residence on the mainland where the Moylurg Tower stands today. The McDermotts ruled this area until the 17th century when it was granted to the King family from England under the Cromwellian settlement.

On the way stopped at the Gaelic Chieftain sculpture just off the N-4.   The sculpture itself commemorates the Battle of the Curlew Mountains in 1599 - which was the beginning of the demise of the Gaelic chieftains ending tragically with their ultimate defeat by the English at the Battle of Kinsale in 1601.

It was an outdoors day with lots of fresh air, just perfect for coming home to enjoy a pasta dinner (Maeve's favorite), getting into "jammies" and playing playdough games.

We will leave the packing till the morning!

Smarmore Castle and the Taaffe Family

Interesting connection with Matt and Kristin's part of the world in Louth....that Smarmore Castle (see history below) belonged to the Taaffe Family.  Here is the story of Smarmore Castle down the road form Matt and Kristin, Maeve and Connor and their home in Belpatrick, Smarmore....This is the same Taaffe family linked to great-great-great-great grandmother Bridgid Taaffe who eloped with George Mac Donagh in the early 1700's.  Will need to see about staying here at Smarmore ...and see what ghosts may emerge!!!

HISTORY Smarmore Castle has the distinction of being one of the longest continuously inhabited Ireland castle. Records show that William Taaffe had his seat at the castle in 1320 after his family arrived in Ireland from Wales at the turn of the twelfth century. The Taaffes were one of the most famous families in this part of Ireland. Successive generations of Taaffes continued to make Smarmore Castle their main residence in Ireland until the mid 1980s when the property was sold. Smarmore Castle is a very striking building. It is divided into three distinct sections comprising an early 14th century castle-keep with extensions on either side built around 1720 and 1760 respectively. The castle is built of local stone and its walls are eight foot thick. The 18th century courtyard behind the castle was the main stables for the estate in bygone days. The Taaffe family led a very colourful and influential life down through the centuries. They owned many castles throughout Ireland as well as on the continent. They held a variety of different titles and one of them, Eduard Franz Josef Taaffe was the Prime Minister of Austria between 1881 and 1895. Each bedroom is different and represents a different perspective on the Castle's history. The names on the doors such as "the Knights Room", "the Court's Room" and the "Viscounts Room" give a flavour of the castle's illustrious former residents. The area of Smarmore itself played an important part in Ireland's legendary past long before the castle was built. Like many other parts of county Louth the Smarmore area derives its name from the most ancient epic of any European language namely the Táin Bo Cuailgne (The Cattle Raid of Cooley). It was written in this epic legend that Smarmore was the sight at which Cuchulainn prepared a great bath of marrow as directed by custom, so that the wounds of his warrior friend Cethern, who had come to help him in battle and had been grievously wounded, might be healed. Thus the word Smior for marrow and Umar for bath have been Anglicised to the current form Smarmore. Later, Smarmore was the site of a monastic school attended by foreign students. The Smarmore slates, currently in the National Museum of Ireland, were uncovered at Smarmore in 1959. Most of these slates were inscribed by students in Latin and English in the early 15th century. They contained ecclesiastical notes, writing practise, medical and veterinary prescriptions and some musical notation.