Days 227-231, 25-29 Jan '15, Clonegal & Huntingdon Castle, Duckett's Grove Ruins, Browneshill Dolmen, Pie & Chips at Leighlinbridge overlooking the Black Castle, Rudkins Mill on the River in Bagenalstown (AKA: Muine Bheag c.1680s - pictured), drive up Mt Leinster for stunning views and a final stroll in Bunclody.
We've been working our way through a booklet of driving trips which have, up til now, been fabulous. Maps, highpoints and the handy "blue dot" on the iPad with google maps and we have had no problems. Couple of days ago (27th), the sun was shining and we took one of the last drives and we suspect no-one has ever actually driven it before. If they have, they may well still be out there. By the skin of our teeth and with some canny navigating, we finally made our way up to the peak of Mt Leinster - wow! What a panoramic experience. And freezing. But absolutely nothing to what it would have been up there today. We had flurries of slushy snow down on the farm-let today but it was only when we went for a drive to town that we saw the SNOW! Mt Leinster and the other rolling hills nearby are blanketed in the white stuff. The chill in the air is vicious today. Even the dogs think a walk is a bit on the nose and don't want to go out. The drive was certainly challenging but super interesting. We particularly enjoyed the ancient portal tomb, the Browneshill Dolmen. This has been dated to 3000 BC (older than the great Pyramids of Giza). Obviously no highly evolved civilisation here back in the day (unlike Egypt) - but still a stunning sight - out in a field, all by itself. We're probably lucky some farmer hasn't tried to blow up the 150 tonne capstone to clear the field. Duckett's Grove, built in the 1830s and home to the Duckett family for 300 years, was superb. It was abandoned in the 1920s, variously managed by agents and the land commission and latterly a hangout for the IRA. It is now cared for by Carlow Council. Thank heavens! It was a magical experience. Just us and the gardener wandering around. It's even been investigated by paranormal types in the belief it is haunted by a banshee ghost. It's great that funding has been secured and the building conserved. They've even refurbished the old stables and installed craftspeople. Brilliant stuff. We considered a pub lunch but decided it was such a nice day that we dined outside on lush steak & onion pies and some spicy wedges. Sitting on the banks of the the River Barrow, our outlook was the Black Castle and the 14th C. stone bridge. Here's a bit of trivia for those who know Sydney. In 1830 Leighlinbridge was the birthplace of Patrick Moran - the 3rd Roman Catholic Archbishop of Sydney. A pretty cluey bloke by all accounts - he could speak 10 languages (ancient and modern) by the age of 25. He died in 1911 and is buried in St Mary's Cathedral (the big one) in Sydney. He used to get around a bit apparently - for instance in 1886 he travelled 2500 miles over land and sea and visited all the dioceses in New Zealand. Rather unfortunately for such a traveller, he was unable to reach the papal conclave of 1903 as he was unable to reach Rome within 10 days of the death of Pope Leo XIII. Talk about the tyranny of distance. These days he'd be able to get there via a gruelling 24 hour flight. But he'd really want to. Well, that is us. We are fighting to keep the house up to a toasty 25 degrees tonight. We just checked the temps. Apparently a reasonable 1 degree outside. But "feels like" minus 7. Having taken the hordes for a forced march earlier, we'd have to agree.