Bunclody

Some months ago, while still in the states, I learned the 2017 Irish National Sheep Dog Trials were to be held in August. So naturally I booked us a room and we traveled a few hours south to Bunclody where they were being held.  The drive was lovely as we wound our way through the Wicklow Mountains.  We drove through lots of little towns; Tullamore (fast becoming one of my favorites), Stradbally, Ballickmoyler, Carlow (will love to investigate this town more at another time - they had at least 5 Asian restaurants. Athlone only has 3) I just love the names of these towns, I'm sure I don't pronounce them all correctly, but it's fun coming up with our own versions.  Like the town of Leixlip - I call that Lillyput.  

Bunclody is not a very large town, in fact it's population is around 2,000.  They have a nice little downtown, park area, where the dog trials were held, and the beautiful River Slaney running around the town.  To me, it would make more sense to hold the trials in a larger, more central town such as Athlone – the competitors came from all over Ireland and we would have been able to attend all three days, instead of just the one day.  Maybe I should have suggested that to them. 😉

It’s very similar to the competitions we’ve attended for years at home, one dog, one handler and 5 sheep, same gates, around the handler, split off one sheep from the herd and then get them all into the pen – with time limits.  Pretty much the same course and rules, but they’ve got the added competition of teams.  Now this was fascinating to watch the herder call to both dogs consecutively. Having to keep an eye on both was tricky – a couple of times the dogs just wanted to do their job and not wait for the other dog’s turn. They have more sheep to herd as well, since once they get 5 split off they put them in a pen with no gate

– the dog must sit there and guard them, not allow any out.  Then the herder concentrates on the second dog and balance of sheep to get them into the other pen with gate.  The first team we watched did an excellent job, however the second team – not so good.  Once the herder got the sheep into the pen without the gate, the dog, after a few minutes, decided he was done and literally left the course by

He Quit! Up and over the fence he went.

jumping over the fence.  The judge had to go onto the field to let the herder know he was disqualified.  I’ve never seen a dog just quit.  There was a group of men behind us critiquing every dog and handler.  I so enjoyed sitting and listening to the accents and their laughter.

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Hodson Bay

Hodson Bay sits at the top of Lough Ree, just 30 minutes north of Athlone.  The Viking ship cruise that leaves from Athlone 3 times a day full of tourists cruises up there and deposits any that want to stay for awhile at the Hodson Bay Hotel.  The locals just drive up.  You can spend the day, enjoying the water and fresh air, or sit have a cuppa at the hotel.  It's got a little harbor, and a large sea wall that boats tie off to - and some of the local kids dive from. There is also a large golf course.

Apparently, this is also THE place for water play.  There is an actual water park, in the water.  Large floating blow-up slides and various other things that young and old can climb on, slide down, jump off or spin around.  This is all run by one company.  The entrance fee includes a wet suit (because I'm sure the water is pretty cold in these parts) and a small boat to take you out to the water park.  You could also swim there if you don't want to wait for the boat. I guess you can spend as much time as you like frolicking in the water.  We stopped and bought an ice cream from Mary, sat and watched all the action.  Lovely way to spend an afternoon on a sunny, warm day.

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Charleville Castle

It seems that most castles, or fortresses, in Ireland were built by the British, primarily for military purposes. Throughout history, battles raged back and forth, ownership's & alliances changed hands.  Few castles were built solely as a residence. This is one of them. 

  

What I have been able to gather about this Castle, and its location, is a hate-love relationship with Britain. Certainly not your typical ‘family’ castle. I find their history more fascinating than the actual structures.  The Castle was designed by Sir Francis Johnson in a gothic-revival style, construction began in 1798 and took over 14 years to complete. It is said, “the wonderful craftsmanship involved is mainly due to the skills of Irish people.”  A fun note about the design is the two towers on either side of the main structure.  The one on the left resembles the 'queen' in chess, the one on the right resembles the 'king'; therefore when guest were finished with their dinner the men would retire to the right tower and the women to the left. 

Back in 1577, the Queen of England, Elizabeth 1^st, gifted 1,700 acres of Oak forest (in Ireland) to the Moore family.  This raised the Moore family to an Earldom status – Earl of Charleville.  Due to the lack of a direct male heir the title lapsed in 1764 and the lands were inherited by a 6-month-old Charles William Bury – Grandnephew of the last Earl.  

As a little side story – it just so happened on the Earls 21^st birthday (1785) one of the hot-air balloons being used in celebration crashed and burned nearly destroying the entire town of Tullamore. Being a man of considerable wealth, his estate and trustees sponsored the rebuilding the city. Ten years later construction on the castle began. Due to his generosity Charles William Bury was raised to the restored Earldom of Charleville, as the first Earl of the second creation in 1806. Just about this same time the Grand Canal was being constructed which connected Tullamore with Dublin – bringing considerable wealth with it. For years the estate grew to approx. 24,000 acres.   However, over the years - due to changing fortunes and times, also meant new ownership for most of the lands.  Currently the estate is 100 acres.

“The castle is the direct outcome of grand and magnanimous ideas following the brutal suppression of a terrible and bloody insurrection which engulfed Ireland in 1798 by Britain.”

It was on April 8, 1861 that little Lady Harriet, age 8, fell to her death while playing on the 3^rd floor staircase off the main entrance.  They say she haunts the castle to this day.  Many have claimed to have seen and even heard her over the years.

Borrowed picture from the internet

Harriet Bury, age 8

The tile of Earl lapsed again in 1885 (sadly due to lack of male heir) and the estate passed to a niece, Emily, who was already married at the time. So, to comply with terms of the inheritance, title deeds, etc, they took on the name Howard-Bury.  Upon her death in 1931 her son, Lieutenant-Colonel Charles Kenneth Howard-Bury inherited Charleville Castle.  He chose to remain in his home, Belvedere House, which he had inherited some years earlier.  The castle was left with minimal care taking staff.  It’s told that the Colonel even had the roof removed to avoid paying property levies on it.  Given the condition of the castle authorities agreed to deem it as a ‘ruin’.  The Colonel died in 1963, a celebrated British soldier, explorer, botanist and conservative politician.   So, you can imagine when the Irish revolution came about in 1916, this abandoned home was broken into and whatever the Colonel had not previously sold off, was taken or partially destroyed by the Irish.  The estate remained abandoned from 1912–1970. 

It gets a little hinky here – It’s my understanding that a farmer either owns the estate and lands, or uses the lands and stables for his livestock.  Anyway, turns out a “group of persons”, including a family by the name of Vance from the USA took up a long-term lease on the castle with the sole intention of ‘gradual restoration'.  The Vance family lives on the 2^nd floor of the castle, the 3^rd floor is completely in ruins and unsafe and the main floor is used for tours and numerous events throughout the year.

Our limited tour was given to us by a summer intern from France, Damian. Besides volunteer interns, there is a large group of talented craftsmen & women, who volunteering their time. They ask for a small donation for the tour. This group is proud of the fact that most of the first floor did not suffer critical damage, but there is little left of the original furnishings or chandlers. Most of the rooms that we could see have been altered from their original state.  Even the ceiling in the dining room which was originally stenciled in gold by William Morris in the late 1860’s had been painted purple. They don’t claim to have original furnishings; even built-in bookcases have been altered to support mirrors. There are numerous hidden doors and hidden indoor window shutters.  Movies have been filmed here and some of the sets remain.  The staircase where Harriet fell has been deemed unsafe and roped off.  Sadly, the basement, kitchen and dungeons are not accessible to the public. Along with the small Gothic chapel (no roof).

In fact, we were unable to tour the grounds at all because they are preparing for their biggest money maker event of the year - The Castlepalooza/Irish Music Festival 2017 this coming weekend. Equipment and men were preparing 5 stages throughout the grounds for a 3-day concert, over 20 different bands and camping for the faithful.  Perhaps a thousand folks are expected. Damian said there will be some events in the main ballroom, but he did not know what.

So they continue to make money any way they can. 

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Powerscourt

I remember being disappointed two years ago that we were not able to visit Powerscourt.  We were leaving Waterford headed to Dublin and it was pouring rain.  So we passed by Kilkenny Castle and Powerscourt.  Not this time, the sun gods were in our favor for our visit to Powerscourt Estate.

The estate is located in the Wicklow countryside, which is in a very picturesque mountain range .  The house & grounds are located on a hillside on the east side of Ireland with a spectacular view of Sugarloaf Mountain (about 1600 ft high).  Before you actually get to the house you pass the hotel bearing the same name, a very hoytie-toytie - posh place.  The house itself was once a grand home that entertained many an aristocratic in it's day and held many a grand garden party.  In 1730, the 1st Viscount Powerscourt began the transformation of the medieval castle, completing his 68 room mansion in 1741.  It was only 2 stories high so a third story was added in 1787.  It was said to have some of the finest interior in all of Ireland.  However, in 1974 a major fire broke out and destroyed the entire 3rd floor and all it's furnishings.  No one was injured, but the damage took it's toll on the family. The shell of the home stood for almost 20 years when it was re-roofed and opened to the public in 1997 as a tourist attraction.  The second floor rooms now house a variety of shops including Tara's Place - Irelands largest period doll's house and antique toys. (superb miniatures)  Upstairs the floors are uneven the exposed walls tell of the estates' true age.

The main reason I think anyone would come to Powerscourt is not for the home, but the 47 acres of gardens. Seven various gardens, each commissioned over the years by different Viscount & Viscountess, beautifully maintained today.

The Tower Village takes you through the forest of trees. For over two centuries, trees brought back from all around the world and planted in this forest. The Tower was built to enjoy the tree tops.

The Japanese Garden was created by the 8th Viscount, built in and around a grotto, one of the oldest features of the gardens.

The Triton Lake is well known for the commercial shots of Powerscourt. This lake, with lots of water lilies and main fountain, sits at the base of the Italian Garden. This area was built in the 1840's and took over 12 years to complete.  The statues were collected and brought back by the 6th and 7th Lords of Powerscourt from various travels throughout Europe.

Late in the 19th century, the 7th Viscount also brought back a fountain of dolphins from Paris. Surrounded by Japanese Red Cedars from 1864, it now sits at the English Gate to the walled gardens.

The Walled Gardens are the oldest of the gardens on the estate. At the top of the gardens sits an exquisite gate - 240 year old Bamberg Gate from a Cathetral in Bamberg, Germany.  In the center of the garden is a reflective pond with an unusual statue in tribute to the 7th Viscounts mother, Julia.

Last, but not least, is the estate's pet cemetery.  The final resting place for many of the family pets - including a cow.

From here we drove to the Powerscourt Waterfall.  About 4 miles on a small, (did I say SMALL) winding road through the mountain.  This was on a Monday, but since the weather was good, the sun shining, temperatures high - the parking lot was packed, as well as the surrounding area at the base of the waterfall.  It is our guess that this is a summer destination for many locals. They have a snack stand and playground.  Blankets were spread, dogs ran a muck and kids of all ages frolicked in the stream. There are signs everywhere - "stay off", but mostly ignored. There was even a photo shoot taking place.  The mass of humanity spoiled what should have been serene in it's grandeur.   This is the highest waterfall in Ireland, close to 400 feet.

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Posts

You will not be seeing posts from me everyday, probably not every other day either. We are not here on holiday, so there will be many a days we do routine stuff around town and to us it's just not noteworthy.  Like today, went to the bank this morning, walked to Lennon's for our fruit & veggie shopping. Walked back the apartment, got the car and drove to the mall (rain) for the rest of our grocery's at Tesco. (Tesco's are generally associated with a mall) Strange, but there are also butchers & bakery's in the malls too.  Stopped at the bakery and picked up our breads for the week.  Had lunch, took a little walk (3-5 miles) and came home for coffee & tea. Along the way I do take a few pictures that I will likely post on face book.  I call these 'one-time' stories.  SO when we do get around to playing tourists, I'll post.

Athlone the Town

Athlone “at the heart of Ireland”

Birds-eye view

It dawned on me, I’ve already posted a few random pictures of our tiny town, and the River Shannon area out my window, but have yet to talk about the city, or location, itself.  It’s not very big, population of about 22,000 and there is only one bridge that crosses the river that connects the ‘westside’ and the ‘eastside’ of town. (The birds-eye view I borrowed from the internet, you can see 3 bridges. The top one is the motorway (freeway) the next one is a train trellis, and the bottom one is the bridge) We have a small castle which dates to the 12th century and the oldest pub in Ireland, dating back to 900 A.D. What’s great about

Sean’s Bar is it not just a tourist attraction, it’s a favorite with the locals as well. Most buildings are colorfully painted, with flowers everywhere. We’ve counted 7 churches and 2 shopping malls. It’s a typical town with a main street barely big enough for two-way traffic and the sidewalks are no better. To avoid the traffic jams, there are a number of one-ways streets, which I continue to discover. In fact, in order to get to our apartment, we must drive here & back again on one-way roads. Along the banks of the river there are numerous parks and walking paths. We have only explored 3 of them so far. There is one movie theater and three funeral parlors. A couple of small medical centers – think the largest hospital is up the road in Roscommon. We have a train station that can connect all four corners of Ireland. North of the town is Lough (Lake) Ree, very popular with boat enthusiasts and a waterpark (in the water) at Hodson Bay. River Shannon, which splits the town in two runs about 225 miles; from Dowra, the most northern navigable point, to Limerick in the south where it joins up with the Atlantic. When originally built the bridge had a large swing gate for boats, but in 1846 they changed that and built a lock and weir (dam). We’ve been told the river floods in the winter, so it will be interesting to watch the weir disappear as the water rises. The loveliest part of Athlone is the people we’ve met so far – the locals.

John, the lock master from Wales showing us his boat, which he made himself

Our very own personal banker, Paul.  Beyond and above to get us all set up in Ireland. 

Paul

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Wonderful Barn

This is another of those great finds – what is it and why is it there?

“The Wonderful Barn” it’s called is rather an impressive spiral shaped building on the estate of the Connolly family.   This location is not listed anywhere on any travel guide book and was very difficult to find. (I found out about it looking for the weird and unusual in Ireland.)   In fact, we stopped and asked two different locals, one had never heard of the place and the second looked it up for us on Google.  If you blink you’ll miss the sign that says, “Wonderful Barn – private access road”. As we drove along the little dirt road we came upon numerous private plots of gardens (mostly veggie) and a few folks tending them.  Off in the wee distance you could see the top of this unique structure.   Driving around the corner you are instantly struck with, what was at one time, a wonderful estate.  Surrounded by high stone walls, and a very impressive home.  As we approached the estate it was obvious no one lives there and we were the only ones around.  In fact, all the first-floor windows are bricked up, second-floor windows are boarded up.  The front yard grass is cut, but there are no other signs of the estate being cared for (there was a padlock on the gate to the back yard).  The only sounds were that of the M6 (motorway) which totally ruins the seclusion and peace this home once offered.   The ‘barn’ was built in 1743 and no one really knows why it was built in the shape it was.  Perhaps following a famine in 1740 it was built as a granary, or used as a gamekeeper tower.  At the back of the property, on either corner of the walled garden, we could see two dovecots.  These are smaller round structures with open tops, and little holes throughout that house doves or pigeons. (also used for food).  I’m glad we could find this unique structure and get pictures. I've posted all pictures here. Perhaps it will make a great subject for a painting someday.