After surviving the hell of the Paris Olympics heat wave, we continued our trip and flew to Dublin. Our friends built their dream home in County Offaly, Ireland. The pandemic made the construction process long, but now they have a lovely home. The couple has family that live in the area, and this is how we ended up in non–touristy Ireland.
They designed the house with a lot of glass. The view is spectacular, surrounded by bogs and the Shannon River. With temps in the mid- sixties, this was a remarkable retreat. We were nowhere near the usual tourist traps, and that was what made County Offaly a wonderful place to explore.
Cultural Week
The first week of August is a Cultural Week for the town of Birr. Sunday we headed to see an antique car parade. It was an opportunity to see automobiles from Europe. Many families attended and added to the celebration by wearing vintage clothing. There was even a steam engine. Near the parade route is a lovely hotel, Dooley’s. My friends had their wedding there. An ideal spot to stay if you decide to visit this area. We had dinner at Fallon’s Bar in another small town, Shannonbridge. It had a casual menu, but it was the personnel that caught my interest. Unlike the U.S. the restaurant was fully staffed. The young people who worked there seemed happy and hard working. It was nice to see.
A high point of this trip was getting to meet the local people. My friend’s husband’s family live close to their home. It was so special to talk with his mom. Having a good conversation was a welcome change to scrolling on my phone. I also met two brothers, a wife and their children. The human contact was truly restorative.
Clonmacnoise
On Monday, we went to an ancient monastery ruins named Clonmacnoise, which means meadow of the descendants of nois. This incredible site is only a mile from my friend’s. house. To live so close to a historical location is unimaginable to those of us who come from a country that is only 250 years old. The church of Clonmacnoise was founded by St Ciaran between AD 543 to 549.
Ironically, back in St Ciaran’s time, this area was popular because it was a halfway point traveling through the country. The setting is outstanding. There is a cemetery that uses the gravel ridge that is used to cover the grave sites. I found this quite appealing. There are raised bogs, the Shannon River, alongside the property and strewn across the land are remarkable ruins
There were many battles fought on this holy ground. To explain this site, one needs to understand Irish history. Some attacks were from surrounding communities looking to get the power of the church. Since the churches were Catholic in denomination, both the Vikings and English plundered these lands. For over 800 years, there was rebuilding, as well as ongoing battles causing massive destruction. There is much to see at Clonmacnoise the ruins, the museum, and the landscape,
Later, our friends welcomed a couple and their teenage daughter to stay with them. They were recovering from their delayed flight, but looked forward to visiting the area. On Tuesday we piled into a three row vehicle and headed to Birr Castle.
Birr Castle Demesne
Birr Castle is another reflection of the history that has occurred in County, Offaly. Originally this was the home of Anglo Normans, built in 1170. Another castle was erected on this land by a Gaelic family, the O’Carrolls who inhabited the area in the late 1500s. They left behind a beautiful Spring Wildflower Meadow and the Carroll Oak that is over 500 years old.
These grounds have amazing features. There are flora installations that are unique in Ireland. The Giant Grove has the largest grove of Redwoods outside of California. The Moon Gate is a traditional architectural element of a Chinese garden. The Birr Castle even received a Guinness Book of World Records for their Box Hedges. They are the tallest at 32 feet and over 300 years old. The River Garden has Magnolia dawsoniana which are considered rare champions.
Besides the castle’s botany, there are other homages to science. There is a Historic Scientific Center, which highlights achievements by the Parsons family, who were residents since 1620. A highlight on the grounds is the Great Telescope was constructed in 1846, and remained the biggest for 70 years. This is not just for a tourist novelty. The 3rd Earl of Rosse discovered the Whirlpool Nebulae, which opened the knowledge of existing galaxies. .A Steam Turbine, invented by the youngest Parsons son in 1884 is also on view.
Not to be missed is Victoria Ferney. This is a stunning waterfall and fountain. The water is fed from a lake that has a herony in the middle of it. The Shell Well which was decorated honoring Marija Guinness with shells that were hers. Then there is the Suspension bridge, built in 1820 which makes it the oldest in Ireland. A nice area for families is the Treehouse Adventure Playground, is the tallest in Ireland. Picnic tables are available to enjoy a nice day with your clan. Another option is the Castle Courtyard Cafe, which has a healthy menu. Birr Castle is open from May through August.
Another event that was part of the Cultural Week was an antique fair. The show took place at the County Arms Hotel. It was interesting to see items that were Irish. There was an extensive selection and both my husband and I bought some nice trinkets. I purchased a locket and my husband got an antique ink well. These are souvenirs that will remain special to us. It was lovely dealing with the Irish merchants.
This was the last day of our trip, and time to go home. Our intent for this trip was to see our friend’s house. It was beautiful, but so were all the natives we met. The summer weather in the sixties was luscious. The sights that we visited were interesting and picturesque. We will return.
Here is the WTH part of this story. Originally, we planned to stay the entire week. If you read my article on France, then you know I was not feeling well. After Ireland, we were supposed to go to Scotland on a tour for another week. Feeling unsure about my health we canceled that part of the trip. Yes, I lost money and no I didn’t have travel insurance.
It turned out this was the right decision. We returned on Wednesday and Thursday. I received a text from my friend in Ireland. That visiting family who came to the house all had Covid. Remember, we all piled into the three row vehicle? Guess who sat between the wife and the husband? Yup, by Friday I had Covid. My situation would have been worse if we had continued on to Scotland. I even had a Covid shot two weeks before the trip. For all of this, I have to. say WTH.
https://www.ireland.com/en-us/destinations/county/offaly/county-offaly/
https://heritageireland.ie/places-to-visit/clonmacnoise-monastic-site/
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