Archives for May 2016

Lissadell House – A Family History

May 30, 2016 by Irish American Mom 10 Comments

Lissadell House is a magnificent Georgian home in County Sligo, where the Gore-Booth sisters, Constance and Eva, once passed their childhood summers. Despite her privileged upbringing, Constance played a pivotal role in the Easter Rising of 1916.

Yeats, a frequent visitor to Lissadell penned a tribute to these sisters, a poem I vividly remember learning off-by-heart as a school girl in Dublin. Here’s a little snippet ….

In Memory Of Eva Gore-Booth And Con Markiewicz

by William Butler Yeats

“The light of evening, Lissadell,

Great windows open to the south,

Two girls in silk kimonos, both

Beautiful, one a gazelle…..

…. Many a time I think to seek

One or the other out and speak

Of that old Georgian mansion, mix

pictures of the mind, recall

That table and the talk of youth,

Two girls in silk kimonos, both

Beautiful, one a gazelle.”

I’m delighted to publish a guest post by Brighid O’Sullivan who shares her love of Ireland and Irish history on her website Celtic Thoughts. Today, Brighid is taking us on a tour of Lissadell House and Gardens in County Sligo. And so, I hand you over to Brighid…..

Lissadell House – A Family History By Brighid O’Sullivan

Lissadell House, on the west coast of Ireland, is a brilliant destination to add to your travel plans when you visit County Sligo.

Besides being the family home of the once famous rebel, Constance Markievicz (nicknamed the Rebel Countess), you’ll find history, grandeur, stunning scenery and helpful tour guides, who will explain and share stories with you as you walk through the superbly renovated rooms.

The surrounding countryside shows panoramic views of a rolling sea and the unusual topography that is Ben Bulben close by.

If you plan well, you may visit when there is a special function at Lissadell. In the past, I have seen musical concerts, lectures, hot air balloon rides, and a children’s petting zoo advertised.

Any time is good though. Part of the house is closed off as a family home but a good portion is open to the public as both a museum and forum used for historical lectures such as the Revolution and Remembrance Conference hosted the 13 – 15 of May.

The gardens are fantastic and straddle the seashore inside a walled garden filled with many rare and unusual alpine plants, some species created by the Gore-Booth family themselves.

The real history of Lissadell is in the legacy of the people who lived there. The most famous Gore-Booth is Constance Markievicz who was the only female leader of the 1916 Easter Rebellion not executed, and her husband Casmir – he painted several portraits of staff and family, still seen today on the walls of the Gore-Booth dining room. The colors are extraordinary.

My favorite part of the house, a special museum on the second floor dedicated mostly to Constance, is filled with photos, her own drawings, and news memorabilia, not just of her rebel days, but of her younger years as a social debutante and actress.

Statue of Constance Markiewicz in Dublin

A special relationship existed between Constance and her sister, Eva Gore-Booth. So intense was their relationship that they claimed to communicate telepathically, even while Constance was in prison.

Eva left behind her own legacy very different from her more militant sister’s. As a pacifist, she fought for women’s suffrage, better working conditions for women in England, and testified for conscientious objectors during WWI.

You can find out more about Eva by reading a Free biography, Eva Gore-Booth, the Other Sister. The book is available from Amazon as well as Barnes and Noble.

Lissadell House is a Greek neo-classical manor house filled with history, beauty, and grandeur located in County Sligo in the West of Ireland. The rooms, decorated and furnished with original pieces worthy of a royal country estate boast a hominess to the house that breathes family life and culture.

Sir Henry Gore-Booth loved to travel and was an adventure seeker. He brought back many of the mementos we see in the house today. For instance, you will find a stuffed grizzly bear alleged to have been shot by Henry’s valet, Thomas Kilgallon as well as stuffed birds, walrus tusks, harpoons, and geological specimens sprinkled among the elegant furnishings.

Early history of the house reads like a historical novel plagued by war, famine, and heartbreak. Built on land previously fought over by the O’Donnells and O’Connors, the land around Lissadell was awarded by Queen Elizabeth I—to Paul Gore who later became the first ancestor of the Gore-Booth family.

Around 1760 the first Lissadell House was built next to the sea with a walled garden out back. The home was demolished eighty years later and Sir Robert Gore-Booth built what is Lissadell House today.

The house is privately owned by the Walsh/Cassidy family who painstakingly restored the walled alpine gardens (once providing rare plants to much of Europe), house, riding ring, and grounds to its former beauty.

Welly Boots at Lissadell House Front Entrance — The owners’ welly boots lined up at the front door of Lissadell House

As you can imagine, the task was not without its challenges and legal issues with the property costing the family thousands in litigation.

Although previously offered money from the government (not without stipulations), the family opted to spend all their own money on renovations and turn down any grants. They have done a wonderful job as many people have attested to, with the whole family including children taking part in the repairs.

Also close to Lissadell and in County Sligo are Coole Park, the home of Lady Gregory and Yeat’s summer home, a tower house called Thoor Ballylee.

To read more about The Gore-Booths and the Famine go here.

Eva Gore-Booth, The Other Sister (Free Ebook)

The Gore-Booths of Lissadell by Dermot James is another excellent source

Thanks Brighid, for this wonderful post and information about Lissadell and the Gore-Booth sisters.

Slán agus beannacht,

(Goodbye and blessings)

Irish American Mom

Skellig Michael

May 26, 2016 by Irish American Mom 12 Comments

Skellig Michael is a craggy island off the coast of Ireland’s County Kerry. Every summer this rocky outcrop in the Atlantic ocean welcomes tourists to climb its steep, jagged steps to explore an ancient monastery built upon its stony ledges.

Beehive huts and stone oratories, constructed by monks of olden days, have stood the test of time, and now bear witness to their builders’ self sacrifice and eagerness to live solitary and devout lives.

A reader in Boston, plus another from County Cork, recently sent me some amazing photos of the Skellig.

I am honored to share this Irish cultural and historical gem with you.

And thanks to these readers for their generousity in allowing me to use their photos to create this post and video.

Together, we’ll take a trip off the Irish coast to discover the wonders of Skellig Michael.

This island is breathtakingly beautiful, especially when the sun shines and azure skies reflect in the choppy waters of the Atlantic ocean, highlighting Skellig’s steep and rugged cliffs.

Skellig Michael is also known as the Great Skellig because it is the largest of a group of three rocky islands. Little Skellig or An Sceilg Bheag is a sea bird sanctuary and can be seen in the photo above, taken from the Great Skellig.

In the summer months puffins, gannets, kittiwakes, petrels and shearwaters balance on the jagged slopes of Little Skellig.

Puffin Island, the third of the Skellig threesome, lies farther north and is also a bird sanctuary.

Featured in the last scene of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, this little island, 12 km or 8 miles off the coast of Kerry, looks spectacular as Rey rushes up the steps in search of the long lost Luke Skywalker.

With 670 steps leading to a sixth-century monastery, this national monument has been deemed a UNESCO World Heritage site. The monks who lived there, at a dizzying height of 230 meters or about 720 feet above sea level, were exceptional men with a head for heights.

This incredible ascent is over 1000 years old, and leads to one of the most amazing monastic sites on earth.

Dating from around the 6th century the stone beehive shaped huts are surprisingly well preserved, considering they are exposed to ferocious gales and Atlantic winter storms each and every year.

Monks seeking solitude and sacrifice built this monastery on the steep slopes of the Skellig. How they survived on these rocky cliffs is nothing short of a miracle.

These tenacious men lived in these tiny dwellings which seem to cling to the cliff’s edge.

It is thought a small group of men crossed the open ocean off the Kerry coast in search of a place to practice their religion in solitude and isolation. And the extraordinary location they found takes the meaning of penance to a whole new level.

Survival in such inhospitable surroundings seems impossible to us today, but survive they did. A religious community lived on the island for over 600 years.

Skellig boasts an international reputation for its archaeology, but it is also recognized as a home to many species of birds, including puffins, Manx shearwaters and storm petrels.

It has been deemed a special protection area for these bird colonies.

Sometimes I think these islands look like volcanoes, but don’t worry, there’s nothing volcanic about them, or any mountain in Ireland.

During the Protestant Reformation instigated by Elizabeth I, or Good Queen Bess as many Irish like to sarcastically call her, Skellig Michael was removed from the possession of the Catholic Church and ownership was transferred to the Butler family of Waterville.

In the early 1820s, the island was purchased from the Butlers by the predecessor to the Commissioners of Irish Lights using a compulsory purchase order.

Two lighthouses were opened on the Atlantic side of the island in 1826.

The photo above shows how the lighthouse is tucked in amongst the rocks. What a feat of engineering to build these structures in such isolated, dangerous conditions using early 19th century technology.

In 1880 the Office of Public Works (OPW) took over the remains of the island’s monastery, and eventually purchased the whole island, except for its lighthouses.

And luckily for tourists, the good folk at the OPW continue to manage this island and prepare it for exploration each summer season.

In 2016 some large boulders fell from the top of the Skellig and landed right in the middle of the main pathway. Thanks to the OPW, the rocks were removed and this ancient monastic site is ready and waiting for today’s devoted tourists to brave the Atlantic waters in search of its wonders.

For anyone planning to visit the Skellig why not first stop in Valencia Island at the Skellig Experience Visitor Center. Their exhibitions are beautifully design for visitors to further understand the wonders of these islands.

They organize a boat trip around the Skellig, but landing on the island is coordinated through private boat owners. The information required for planning a trip is available on Heritage Ireland’s Skellig Michael web page.

Wishing you all happy trails through Ancient Ireland.

Slán agus beannacht,

(Goodbye and blessings)

Irish American Mom

Here are some other ramblings from around Ireland which you might enjoy…

Mizen Head, County Cork

County Kerry – The Kingdom

Lighthouses of Ireland

The Famine Pot – Irish Historical Documentary on DVD

May 23, 2016 by Irish American Mom 48 Comments

Last year we explored the history and cultural significance of Irish Famine Pots, the giant cast iron vessels created to cook massive volumes of soup to feed the starving Irish in 1847, the bleakest year of the Great Irish Famine.

I’m delighted to report the completion of a new documentary film about the preservation of these cast iron pots and their historical significance.

Today, one lucky reader will have an opportunity to win a copy of this DVD.

But before entering let me first hand you over to Mattie Lennon, who will tell us a little bit more about these Irish Famine Pots and this new documentary which he has completed with his friend John Cassidy ……

The Coolmountain Soup Pot, Ballingeary, County Cork

The Famine Pot By Mattie Lennon:

Most features of the Irish potato famine have been very well documented. However, because of bigotry, pride, misguided patriotism and inherited false information, one aspect of the potato failure, the story of the humble Famine Pot, was almost air-brushed from our history.

The discovery of a broken famine pot in the townland of Cullenboy, County Donegal prompted a local historian to do some serious research on the subject.

Interviews with experts on the period, and contact with resources at home and abroad, revealed the extent to which the Quakers and organisations around the world came to the aid of the starving Irish.

The Sultan of Turkey contributed £1000. (He had offered £10,000 but since Queen Victoria had given £2,000 he couldn’t offend Royal protocol and was obliged to give less than the Monarch.)

Famine Pot in Lough Eske County Donegal — Famine pot, Lough Eske, County Donegal

Darby’s iron- foundry in Shropshire sent fifty-six famine-pots free of charge to Ireland and it has been established that by 1847 there were 1,850 famine-pots in operation, feeding three million people in Ireland. Over the period of the famine the Quakers supplied pots to twenty-seven counties.

At one stage, at Templecrone, Co. Donegal, there were in operation four famine-pots, being used twice a day to give out 600 gallons of soup at a cost to the local organisers of £2 10s.

Those pots were made of cast iron and many survive to this day.

The method of distribution required people to line up in front of the public Famine Pot, saucepans and pans in hand, waiting for the soup to be ladled out. Some people saw this as debasing and demoralizing, but the alternative was death by starvation.

Information received through research has led to the setting up of the website, Irish Famine Pots, and consequently the making of a short film.

The Famine Pot is a documentary, on DVD, which tells the story of this grim period in our history. It includes footage of areas which were worst hit by An Gorta Mór and features interviews with historians, Professor Christine Kinealy, Rob Goodbody, Dr Ciaran Reilly, Sean Beattie, Rev. Jack Lamb, Dr Gearóid Moran and Colum Cronin.

Matthew Jebb, Director of the National Botanic Gardens gives a scientific account of the nature of the potato blight.

The Famine Pot, new documentary is now available on DVD (€10 including postage) from, Irish Famine Pots. Details can be obtained by e-mail….

[email protected]

The Giveaway:

To enter just leave a comment on this blog post by noon on Tuesday, May 31st, 2016.

Any comment will do. What you write does not affect your chance of winning, but if you need inspiration for your entry why not tell us if your family has a story of immigration associated with the Irish Famine, or if this tragic period of Irish history is of interest to you.

A winning comment will be chosen randomly. Remember to leave your e-mail so that I can contact you should you win. Your e-mail won’t be published, just used to contact our lucky contestant for ordering and mailing of the prize.

The winner will be announced on Tuesday May 31st, 2016, at the bottom of this blog post.

You may check out Irish American Mom’s complete terms and conditions for sweepstakes’ entries by clicking here.

A big thank you to Mattie Lennon for sponsoring this prize. And thanks to everyone who supports this little giveaway and spreads the word about this important project.

Update – Winner Chosen, May 31st 2016:

Good news. Our winner has been chosen using the randomized “Pick Giveaway Winner” WordPress plug-in.

Congratulations to …..

Laura Lee

I’ll send you a quick e-mail to let you know you are our prize winner.

Thanks to everyone who joined in and entered this little giveaway.

And a big thank you to Mattie Lennon for sponsoring this prize and for introducing us to his historical research. Wishing him every success with this DVD.

Slán agus beannacht,

(Goodbye and blessings)

Irish American Mom

Dublin’s Ha’penny Bridge

May 20, 2016 by Irish American Mom 8 Comments

Dublin’s iconic Ha’penny Bridge turns 200 years young this week. The bicentenary of the opening of this ornate, metal, pedestrian bridge was celebrated on May 19th, 2016.

And so I thought today I might share some photos of this magnificent structure that elegantly spans the River Liffey, connecting the north side and the south side of my hometown, Dublin.

So why not join me as we explore the history of the Ha’penny Bridge and show off its stunning beauty with photos taken from every angle under the sun and the moon.

And believe me, this bridge really is a nighttime beauty. But first a little history…..

A Little History of the Ha’penny Bridge:

The Ha’penny Bridge was first erected in 1816 by William Walsh, a.k.a. “Leaky Walsh.” His dubious nickname referred to the leaky boats he owned to ferry Dubliners across the Liffey from one side of the city to the other.

Leaky Walsh was not so leaky when it came to money. As an alderman of the City of Dublin, he received the grand sum of £3,000 in compensation when his dangerous ferry service was eliminated.

Walsh was also granted a lease on the bridge which ran for a full century, and given the authority to charge a toll for crossing the bridge.

He charged the sum of half-a-penny for the journey each way. Hence, Dubliners came to refer to the bridge as the Ha’penny Bridge.

View of the Ha'penny Bridge from Bachelor's Walk — Ha’penny Bridge and Bachelors Walk – A view across the Liffey – © Copyright John Sutton and licensed for reuse under Creative Commons License.

Half -a-penny does not seem like a huge sum of money to us today. But back when the bridge was built it left a fair hole in the pocket of a laborer, who might only earn 6 or 8 pence in a day. In old texts you’ll see this written as 8d. (d. denoted pennies in old English money.)

This half-a-penny toll was the same as the price of a one-way ticket on Walsh’s leaky ferries. And the Liffey is not that wide a river. Walsh would have had dollar signs in his eyes if he ever laid eyes on the massive Ohio River in Louisville, my American home.

For 103 years Dubliners forked over the half penny bridge tax to cross the river at this point. The toll on the crossing was not eliminated until 1919.

A Bridge of Many Names:

Having been born and reared in Dublin, I have only ever known this bridge as the Ha’penny Bridge. In Dublin we pronounce this shortened version of half as “Haypenny.”

As I did a little research to write this blog post I was surprised to learn the “Ha’penny Bridge” is not its legal name.

Officially known as the Liffey Bridge, this boring name was assigned in 1922 when Ireland’s new government was busy renaming streets and structures that bore very English sounding names.

Before that this Liffey toll bridge was named the Wellington Bridge. The year before the bridge opened in 1816, the famous, Irish-born Duke of Wellington had defeated Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo.

Other names for the bridge were the Triangle, Metal or Iron Bridge.

Iron Structure of the Ha’penny Bridge:

Whatever name this beloved bridge may be called, there is one undeniable fact. It provides a vital pedestrian link across the River Liffey.

In the days when it was a toll bridge, penny pinching Dubliners avoided this crossing as much as possible. Average daily footfall was only about 450. Today, over 30,000 people traverse this structure on a daily basis.

It’s nice to see this first, cast iron, metal bridge ever erected in Ireland has stood the test of time. The ironworks were completed in Coalbrookdale in Shropshire, England, and assembled to span the Liffey in a single elliptical arch.

By the turn of the millennium the bridge was looking the worse for wear. In 2001 it was closed for a complete overhaul, with repair and renewal of the cast iron arches and ornate railings. Luckily the restoration contractors were able to reuse 98% of the bridge’s original cast iron.

The craftsmanship of the iron work is evident to this very day. The quality and durability of Georgian structures is a credit to the workers of centuries past.

Saved By The 1916 Rebellion:

And here’s another interesting little tidbit I read in an article published by the Irish Independent yesterday. Believe it or not, the events of the Easter Rising of 1916 may actually have saved this bridge from demolition.

1916 was the year control of the Ha’penny Bridge was handed over from William Walsh’s descendants to Dublin City Council. Some members of the council deemed this bridge to be ugly and discussed plans to remove it.

However, before they could put their demolition plans into action, the rebels of 1916 refocused their attentions to the rebuilding of the many inner city structures destroyed during the Rebellion.

A Nightime Beauty:

And so, the Ha’penny Bridge survived the events of 1916 and has stood the test of time for an additional one hundred years. Dubliners today cherish this lovely bridge, which is a real beauty, especially at night.

Photographers love to capture this iconic bridge from every angle.

A big thanks to all the generous photographers who shared their photos with a Creative Commons License, allowing writers like me to use their work to illustrate our words.

This shot is one of my favorites. The bridge looks so romantic in the evening light.

Lovers’ Locks:

And I’m not alone in thinking the Ha’penny Bridge looks romantic. In recent years couples have started a new custom of putting padlocks on the railings as symbols of their undying love.

Apparently this tradition originated in Eastern Europe. Lovers inscribe their names or just their initials on metal padlocks, then stroll hand-in-hand to lock them around the railings of the bridge. And here’s the supposedly romantic piece – together they throw away the key into the river, as a symbol of their everlasting love.

Oh please! Give me a break from all this romance. Here’s my lesson in love and romance Irish style. I understand that bridges are deemed romantic and we even explored America’s kissing bridges in a previous post.

Metal locks attached by couples to the rails of the Ha'penny Bridge in Dublin — Lovers’ Padlocks on the Ha’penny Bridge © Copyright Hywell Williams and licensed for reuse under Creative Commons License

Although I may appreciate the sentiment and symbolism of couples locking their undying love, all I can think about is the damage these locks will do to our historic bridge.

And don’t start me on the cost of cutting the locks off the bridge. Imagine if left to accumulate on the railings, the poor bridge would collapse under the weight of all those heavy metal locks.

And don’t even think about throwing the lock and key into the river. Any of our hardy Liffey fish don’t need metal poisoning.

And so, here’s my romantic advice. Give each other a hug and a kiss on the bridge, swear undying love, but lock your locks at home.

Dublin’s Iconic Bridge:

And so there you have it. A little ramble over and about Dublin’s iconic Ha’penny Bridge, with a little romantic rant thrown in for good measure.

And so, all that’s left to do is to wish this iconic symbol of Dublin and Ireland a very happy 200th birthday.

Dubliners grew to cherish their Ha’penny Bridge, once the dreaded toll was removed. So here’s hoping it will stand the test of time, and span the Liffey for centuries to come.

Slán agus beannacht,

(Goodye and blessings)

Irish American Mom

County Laois – The Land Of The Cow

May 18, 2016 by Irish American Mom 8 Comments

County Laois was once a center of Irish religious and cultural life. The ruins of old medieval stone castles dot the countryside, together with the isolated remains of once great monasteries.

Laois is home to meandering country roads, picturesque villages and towns, lonely bog landscapes, red sandstone mountains and lush green pastureland.

Field of hay bales in Whie Bog County Laois Ireland — Field of straw bales in White Bog, Co Laois – © Copyright Michael Wallace and licensed for reuse under Creative Commons License.

Today why not join me on a photographic and informational tour of this beautiful inland county.

County Laois is one of the twelve counties of the ancient province of Leinster.

I’m sure some readers are wondering how to pronounce Laois with it’s string of vowels right in the middle of its name. Phonetically it’s pronounced “Leeesh” with a long, drawn out -eeee in the middle.

Previously known as Queen’s County, the name Laois comes from the medieval kingdom of Loígis.

Another name for the county is the “O’Moore County” in recognition of the ancient Celtic clan who originally ruled the land.

Verdant Countryside:

The green pastureland of Laois is dotted with the ruins of ancient monasteries. Monks once referred to this country as “the land of the cow.”

The town of Aghaboe or Achadh Bhó (pronounced Aha-voh) quite literally means the field of the cows in Irish.

And the fields of Laois are fertile farmland to this very day.

Ruins of many large homes from the time the land was owned by English landlords can be found throughout Laois. Some of these great houses survive and are now hotels and country guest houses.

Stone Castles:

Driving around the highways and byways of Laois you’ll spot many old stone fortresses and keeps dating back to medieval times.

Gortnaclea Castle County Laois Ireland — Gortnaclea Castle

Few of these ruins are open to visitors. They stand as lonely sentinels in the fields of Laois, reminders of the days when Norman lords ruled these lands, and built their homes as fortresses to protect them from their enemies.

Rock of Dunamase:

Built atop a dramatic rocky outcrop the Rock of Dunamase soars above the green fields of central Laois. Before the arrival of Christianity in Ireland this ancient site and the surrounding lands were owned by the O’Moore chieftans.

Church with a red door near the Rock of Dunamase County Laois Ireland — The Church with the Red Door, that marks the access point to the Rock of Dunamase.

Merely a short walk from the parking area at the Church with the Red Door, the castle remains are well worth a visit.

This is one of the most ancient sites in Ireland. Believe it or not, it appears on a map created by the Greek cartographer, Ptolemy in AD 140.

This rock and castle, known as Dún Masc (pronounced Doon Mask), has seen many a battle in its day. Plundered by Vikings in the 9th century, it survived, only to be handed over to Strongbow as part of Aoife’s dowry. The O’Moore’s reclaimed it and rebuilt it in the 15th century, only for it to be destroyed by none other than the infamous Cromwell.

Stories of banshees and faerie dogs guarding buried treasure are told about the Rock of Dunamase. But I suppose, these are stories for another day and another blog post.

Emo Court:

Built in 1796 by the Earl of Portarlington, Emo Court was designed by the architect James Gandon who is most famous for creating the Custom House and Four Courts buildings in Dublin.

Open to the public, the gardens of the estate are magnificent, and boast many azaleas, rhododendrons and Japanese maples.

Portlaoise:

Portlaoise (pronounced Port Leeesh) is the county town of Laois. Originally owned by the O’Moores. A great fort called the Fort Protector was built here in 1547 to protect English settlers from the wild Irish.

The O’Moores were dispossessed and sent packing to County Kerry, under the reign of Mary Tudor (1553-1558). The town was renamed Maryborough until 1920.

Abbeyleix:

Heritage House and Museum in Abbeyleix tells the story of the oldest planned estate town in Ireland. Here you can learn many interesting facts about this little town. Luxury carpets were made here for the ill-fated Titanic.

Abbeyleix, County Laois, Ireland — Abbeyleis, County Laois – © Copyright Sarah777 and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.

Morrissey’s Pub and Grocery Store in Abbeyleix has been in operation since 1755. Way back when it was first established as a mortuary and public house. The Irish have always loved a drink to commemorate the dead, so why not have a funeral parlor combined with a pub – it makes perfect, Irish, 18th century, business sense.

Heywood Gardens:

Heywood Gardens are Italianate in design and were created in 1906 by a famous landscape artist Lutyens.

The circular walled rose garden lies at the center, and is surrounded by leafy walks. Unfortunately the Great House which stood in the demesne was demolished in the 1950’s.

Timahoe Round Tower:

The round tower at Timahoe is one of Ireland’s best preserved examples of these ancient bell towers, which also functioned as lookouts and places of retreat.

Timahoe Round Tour Laois Ireland — Timahoe Round Tower – © Copyright Sarah777 and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons License.

The entrance to the tower at Timahoe is 16 feet above ground and a rope or wooden ladder would have been used by monks to enter. Today this tower is intact except it lacks the wooden floors and ladders from centuries past, which have long deteriorated and succumbed to the elements.

The round tower lies on the border with County Carlow, but in today’s tou we’re claiming it for Laois.

Durrow:

Castellated walls in the very centre of the town mark the entrance to Castle Durrow. Today this grand Palladian House dating from 1716 is a hotel.

Durrow was declared part of County Kilkenny by the Duke of Ormonde in the 17th century, and not until the 19th century was it restored to County Laois, by an Act of Parliament.

Durrow was built as a planned estate village, and is very picturesque. Perhaps that’s why the Duke of Ormonde decided he wished it to be part of Kilkenny.

I love this photo of an old mill which stands about 5 m outside the town of Durrow.

Slieve Bloom Mountains:

There is an old legend in County Laois that claims a piper played in the west of the county, causing the rocks and trees to jig up and down to form the Slieve Bloom mountains. What a great tale and a little bit of Legendary Irish Geology.

The Slieve Blooms rise steeply from the surrounding flat plains of County Laois. Although not particularly tall when compared to the mountains of County Kerry, they appear higher because they rise above a flat landscape.

There are miles of tracks and paths throughout the glens, slopes and forests of the Slieve Blooms. These magnificent hills are a walker’s paradise especially on a sunny day.

After the Cromwellian wars in Ireland, many displaced Irish took to the hills and remote glens of the Slieve Blooms to live as outlaws.

An English settler Sir Charles Coote, turned the area around Mountrath beside the Slieve Blooms into a thriving industrial center in the 17th century.

English families were brought in to settle Mountrath, but a shortage of labor forced Sir Charles to obtain special permission to hire 500 of the wild Irish living in the hills above the town. Condition for employment required they live within musket-shot sound of the ironworks.

A descendent of Sir Charles Coote built Ballyfin House in 1826, with exquisite gardens and a lake facing the house. Lying below the Slieve Bloom mountains, today it is a luxury hotel.

Glenbarrow:

The River Barrow, Ireland’s second longest river, rises in Glenbarrow. This remote area offers visitors forest walks, peach and tranquility, and magnificent scenery.

The Glenbarrow Waterfall Trail passes an amazing three tiered waterfall, in a natural woodland setting. According to the Slieve Bloom website the area is ablaze with bluebells in springtime.

Donaghamore Workhouse:

Donaghmore Famine Workhouse Museum is housed within an old workhouse which opened in 1853.

This historic and unique attraction tells the stories of families who lived and died before, during and after the Great Hunger of 1845 – 1850.

Tourist Information for County Laois:

And so, I hope this little tour of County Laois gave you a sampling of all it has to offer. Here’s a link for Laois Tourism for anyone wishing to do some planning for an upcoming trip.

And if you’d like to visit any other Irish county check out my post on Ireland’s Thirty Two Counties where you can find links to all the posts I have completed to date.

Happy trails to all!

Slán agus beannacht,

(Goodbye and blessings)

Irish American Mom