A few days in Ireland - August 2014 - Part 2 of 2

Still Tuesday the 12th of August and I took a run up through Blacklion and Belcoo.

The festival is usually a very enjoyable occasion, but I missed it this trip.

I'd heard a lot on the radio and TV about the 'Anti Fracking' protests at Belcoo, so I went to take a look. 

Apparently the group have won the first round as Tamboran, the company cannot now drill without resubmitting a full planning application.

The TV companies were reporting and interviewing.

Food was being prepared in the tent.

The police were cruising back and forth.

I carried on to The Linnet Inn

We were here in 2012

Mine jovial host Dessie McKenzie

I also learned that Dessie and a pal of his are fans of Stan and Ollie.

Dessie, the Dublin tent is Jitterbugs, and they also meet over in Down once a year.

If you were to start an Oasis how about 'Them thar hills'.

Stooks of turf (peat)

This is Mully Lusty, Margaret Gallagher's 200 year old cottage.

There's an insight into her life on this Youtube Video.

Back up to Dunmakeever I slept well enough in the old homestead, the good folk from Blackpool do a great job keeping it habitable.

Wednesday morning I headed over to Tubbercurry in County Sligo for their 'Old Fair Day'

I took all the back roads over. 

Dowra to Drumkeeran to Dromahair to Ballintogher to Ballygawley to come out on the N4 at Collooney. A little way down the N4 I branched onto the N17 which took me the rest of the way. That might not have been on the main thoroughfares, but it was a very pleasant drive. 

Traffic control were out in force in Tubbercurry so I found a nice parking spot on Connolly Park.

Towards the outer edge of the town were the usual clothing stalls with plenty fake goods.

This is around the town centre and where I should have bumped into Phil and Anne.

I'd arrived early so I had plenty time to look around.

Around the Wolf Tone Square and Teeling Street were the more interesting things happening.

When the traction engine got going it could get up a good head of steam. It caught a few folk out when it let rip.

The fair was originally for the sale of poultry, piglets and calves, but livestock is much less of a feature these days.

These are the Quakers from the county of Sligo.

Youtube

Here's a video I took. Didn't quite get the sound right, but they were pretty good.

It seems they take health and safety pretty serious here, most machinery on display was behind barriers.

I leaned over to get most of these pictures.

This display by the Mayo North Old Engine and Tractor Club was great and working.

A World War One Squaddie.

This was a great money spinner for the town. Balls were thrown at a big button to release the trap door. A line up of local celebs were timetabled to sit on the chair.

One kid who missed with his three balls, nipped under the rope to push the button with his hands, he caught the young lady by surprise .

Advert for another big name in Irish music while one of the West of Ireland's radio station's was broadcasting live. Ocean FM Live

A couple of old boys and some birds.

Old wheels and a Garvie Thresher.

Apologies for the language !

The farmer and the smithy.

The army was very popular with the kids.

Pick out the dummy !

  

The wheels were very popular with men of a certain age.

The top act of the day was Derek Ryan

I struggled to get the above pictures, he had a great crowd gathering in front of the stage.

Though I managed to get pictures without too many people in, there were thousands at the fair. 

I listened to a Derek Ryan singing for a while, I thought if I stayed in the one spot I'd eventually meet up with Phil and Anne. Just after four o'clock I gave up and headed away. Sorry I missed you guys !

  

Thursday the 14th of August

I didn't sleep as good Wednesday night and got up feeling grotty. Eventually got moving and decided to go visiting. 

These are the Tullydermot Falls in the upper reaches of the Claddagh River. 

I missed the folk I was heading out to visit. Maybe it was as well since my insides were still churning.

I decided to use my National Trust card.   

I revisited Florence Court

The house.

Another view, a pet grave and a wheelbarrow.

View from the summerhouse.

Original Irish Yew Tree.

Ice House.

View to the summerhouse from the Ice house.

Water driven sawmill.

Laundry Yard.

House rear view.

Gardeners house and gardens.

A friendly pair of robins.

Lots of colour to finish the post.

Back to Dunmakeever to say my goodbyes for this trip, up to Belfast early for the boat home.

Apart from the upset tummy I had a very enjoyable trip.

Time now to catch up on my blogging friends and answer some emails.

A few days in Ireland - August 2014 - Part 1 of 2

Monday the 11th of August.

Up early for the half seven boat from Cairnryan to Belfast.

Quite a rough sea, but the crossing was ok.

The M1 motorway soon had me down as far as Augher. The twin villages of Augher and Clogher soon slowed me down. I took as long getting the last third of my journey as the first two thirds had taken me.

After arriving in Glangevlin and sorting out my sleeping arrangements, I drove south through Mohill and Drumod to get to Rooskey/Roosky. 

I was hoping to meet up with the good folk, Phil and Anne from Florida that I'd visited in December.(as it happened they went up to Glangevlin, but no worries, they were on their way back and I was warmly welcomed (and fed) in the house above ). 

I headed out for a look at Rooskey.

The sign on the left intrigued me so after a Google search the only place to find 'Maanpano' in English is in Rooskey. 

As the mighty Shannon flows through the town there would be boats.

This hotel was once called the Shalimar (or Shalamar) and was run by Phil and and Anne.

 It's changed quite a bit by the look of it. 

Not really a panorama but it gives the right impression of the layout.

(You can actually get a better picture on Google Street view)

Views across the Shannon as I'm walking down to the lock gates.

These guys are heading to Dublin.

The lock-keepers told me that the gates were 170 years old.

Heading back to the village I met Phil and we called into a local hostelry for refreshments.

(I was meant to meet up with Phil and Anne later in the week in Tubbercurry, but I somehow missed them. I also missed Phil on Thursday in Glangevlin, I'll just have to head back to Florida sometime soon)
That's not Phil above though, he looks much meaner !

So it's back to the 'Peaceful Hills O' Doon' (Dunmakeever) to catch up with my other brother in law.

Tuesday morning and the weather forecast wasn't a particularly bad one.

I decided to take the chance and climb Cuilcagh.

Remember this Climb in 2012

I decided to take the easiest way up and down.

There were a few of these creatures about.

Over to the west I see Benbulben

After crossing the stile that denotes the border between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland I crossed to the path that comes up from Marble Arch.

In the last few years this has become a very popular climb from the northern side and the erosion is now beginning to show.

I see too that it's recently been closed on the WalkNI website.

Brackley Lake (note, not lough) view.

I got better pictures in 2012 but the clouds were more interesting on this climb.

Recently there has been a lot of development and promotion of the Geopark and the Brefni Burren

Marble Arch Caves and Cuilcagh Mountain Park.

Belcoo and Lough Mcnean.

 Bottom right above and not so clear is Benbulben again.

Another 'Selfie'

I might have mentioned this before, but the theodolite mounting plate in the middle has been inscribed 'P.McGovern 1948'. The last picture in this post will be the self same P.McGovern. As a young man he assisted in the construction of this 'Triangulation Station'.

Beginning my descent I saw a group heading my way. I got to the junction before they did, so I waited to say hello. They were the seniors from an outdoor group from where I can't remember. They all looked to be between seventeen and twenty one anyway. 

Onwards and upwards they go.

I was pleasantly surprised to see the litter I'd spotted on a previous climb had been cleared away.

So on my descent I begin taking pictures down towards Glangevlin.

My great nephew Barry is muck spreading.

The more I zoom in the more distant houses are foreshortened, the houses at the top of the picture are much further away than they appear here. The previous picture tells the story a little.

Now even lower, many of the houses in the valley are no longer in view.

These are probably the highest maintained meadows on Cuilcagh Mountain.

Back down to the house and after a bite to eat and a cuppa I'm up 'Brian's Hill' to take a couple more pictures.

To identify the road turning into Dunmakeever go to the last visible telegraph pole (on the left), two thirds down and a little to the right.

Zoomed in from the same spot, here's a closer look at my nephew's house.

Mr P. Mcgovern of the Trig Point atop Cuilcagh.

Part two will follow soon.

The Old Fair at Tubbercurry and Florence Court will feature.

I'm having a great time.