Land and Culture | Irish American Mom

Monthly Update From Anne Driscoll

July 7, 2017 by Irish American Mom 6 Comments

It’s time for our monthly update from Anne Driscoll, an American living in Ireland, who shares her Irish adventures and insights into what it means to be Irish, and to become Irish.

And so, without further ado, let me hand you over to Anne…..

Introducing Ireland To Friends:

It’s exactly three years and eight months since I first arrived in Ireland and in the last month, I returned to Ireland after being away in Boston for two weeks and was surprised by how much longer the days are now stretching. Last night the last light was fading away at 11 pm.

Coral Fragments from Trá an Dóilín, Carraroe, County Galway.

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Two days after my arrival back, two American friends Jody and Sue arrived and in a single day, I took them to turn turf on the bog and to collect shells and coral at a rare coral beach, Trá an Dóilín.

We used the public toilets there and Sue was so fascinated by the fact that the toilet seat was made of two wood strips fixed into the toilet with screws, she took a photo.

The Galway Hooker and Currach Races:

For the kick-off of the Galway hooker and currach race season, the priest said mass and blessed the boats, including mine. He talked about Cincís, the time of year between Easter and Whit Sunday when the seas are unpredictable, volatile and dangerous and the fishermen avoid going out. They are not being superstitious; I am told there have been many drownings and disasters at sea over the years.

We do go out in the Irishman’s wooden currach that he rebuilt – an ark of a boat that easily carries 12 people with plenty of room to spare, but stay within the bay.

We have a close up view of the fleet of fine wooden Galway hookers, unlike any boats sailing the seas. The red sails and black hulls contrast deeply against the blue skies and seas, the white caps and clouds. “We are in a painting,” Trish quips.

All Things Turf:

The following week, the Irishman and I spend some time footing turf, the practice of stacking five or six sods of turf upright, leaning one against one another in pyramid shapes, which helps the turf to dry further after the turning.

My turf skills just continue to keep growing: Turning. Footing. Stacking. Laying down a fire.

Keys To The Castle:

We stopped at a bed and breakfast in Navan and when the host was showing us the room, she said, “I can give you the keys to the castle back there out your window if you want” as if it was totally normal to offer a bed, breakfast and castle access, too.

I head onto Dublin from Navan to see friends and wish Anita well as she packs up and moves to Cork. It was supposed to be an impromptu pub crawl of all Anita’s favorite pubs but it begins and ends at the Dice bar. In the Dice bathroom, I see graffiti on the bathroom stall door that says: “Three things I hate: 1. Vandalism 2. Lists 3. Irony.”

Fun Fact: We learned that night that Nora had starred in a Bollywood music video in which she appeared in a yellow bikini by a pool and did a dance that seemed more like a Zombie walk. She graciously demonstrated her dance techniques for us all.

I said my goodbyes to Anita, with teary eyes, and a love confessional. She has no idea what her friendship has meant to me since I landed on these shores.

Coastal Life In Galway:

Last weekend I brought a donation to a currach marathon to benefit the volunteer lifeboats, organized in part by one of the owners of the Galway hooker, the True Light, which once capsized and the people on board were saved by the lifeboat. Weirdly, the True Light was the only boat that was spared in a 1927 maritime disaster that claimed 45 men and eight boats in Cleggan Bay.

I got to talking to a woman about Omey Island and she said she frequently walks there. She gave me directions on how to find the ancient church that had been buried in sand until the 1980s.

I asked her if she knew Pascal Whelan, the last man living on Omey Island who had died there in February, leaving behind a car, a caravan and a dog.

She said yes and she told me his dog didn’t want to leave the island. “No one is sure whether it is because he loves the island or because he misses Pascal.”

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She said that people from the mainland were taking turns, following the tides and going out to feed the dog. She is not sure what is happening now with the dog, but she hopes the dog is okay.

I told her I had just been thinking about the pets left behind when someone dies, when their season is over. A man in the area recently died leaving behind a cart, a caravan, a house, a dog, a donkey and a Connemara pony and I watched sadly as a man lead the horse into a trailer to be taken away.

Irish Seasons:

I am growing accustomed to the seasons here. There is the lambing season, followed by the calving season. And now it is the season of the students who swell the population by half in the village. They come to live and study in an Irish-speaking region of Ireland to brush up their language skills and prepare for the leaving cert exams.

Life is strict for them. Lights out at 10:30pm. Wake up at 7:45. Breakfast at 8:15. No English. Irish only. And I can only imagine many a worried woman throughout the Gaeltacht whose oven has croaked or freezer malfunctioned just as they are about to welcome 15 students to stay at their home for three weeks.

Sign for an Irish speaking area in the west of Ireland.

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The Irish language is an important income stream for this area. The big white buses transport the students to class. The families put them up and feed them. The shops sell them drinks, chocolates and crisps, but only certain sizes and certain kinds – all proscribed by the Irish school.

There is always the turn of seasons here – when the turf is turned, when the seas are rough, when the hookers race, when the students come, when friends leave, and when old men die. And there is a quiet beauty and steadiness in that.

How To Follow Anne’s Adventures:

You can check out more of Anne’s writings on her website, or follow her on Twitter.

If you enjoyed this blog post, check out Anne Driscoll’s mini-memoir series, beginning with Irish You Were Here: My Year of Matchmaking Festivals, Fairy Forts and Mugging My Mugger in Ireland.

Irish You Were Here is for both the armchair traveler and active adventurer, the dreamers and the daredevils, the writers, poets and storytellers, and all the activists out there lead by their passions.

This is an Ireland you won’t read about in tour guides and it’s one you won’t soon forget. It’s for everyone who is Irish and for anyone who wished they were.

You can find Irish You Were Here at Amazon Kindle here.

A big thank you to Anne for another wonderful installment of her Irish tales. Wishing her a very happy summer in County Galway.

Slán agus beannacht,

(Goodbye and blessings)

Irish American Mom

Old Irish Ways Heritage Museum

August 5, 2016 by Irish American Mom 18 Comments

I believe preserving the past for the future is a very important task, and today I’m delighted to introduce a rural heritage museum where Ireland’s past is treasured and shared.

Located just outside Bruff, County Limerick, Old Irish Ways is a folk heritage museum, where memorabilia from our past is lovingly restored and preserved.

Denis O’Connor, the founder of this wonderful museum started off with only a few precious pieces of vintage Irish treasures, but over the years he has gathered many more.

Today his collection of priceless keepsakes from Ireland’s past ranges into the thousands .

Denis’ goal is to recapture what life was like over 100 years ago, to give people a sense of how our forefathers lived. With items dating back as far as the 18th century, this exhibit truly spans the generations.

Here’s how Denis describes his museum on his website, Old Irish Ways ….

“Old Irish Ways is a collection of various artifacts and collectibles

which were used as part of everyday life

down through the years in an Ireland long past.

From the kitchen to the farmyard,

the collection built up by Denis over a number of years,

represents an Ireland of bygone days.”

Denis’ exhibits are for all of today’s generations to enjoy. Younger people see a collection of items from a bygone era, enlightening them about how diligently our forebears worked to survive.

But many of us will step through the doors of this amazing museum only to rekindle memories of days gone by.

Denis reports many visitors exclaim “I remember that” over and over again during a visit.

The Irish Cottage Kitchen:

The Irish cottage kitchen with a traditional open fire, for me, is an iconic symbol of my homeland. “Bean an tí” (pronounced ban-on-tee) or the woman of the house cared for the fire both day and night, those eternal flames vital for her labors and her rest.

The fire was not simply a means of heating the home, but the central hub of the household. Used for many tasks, the bean an tí baked breads, boiled bacon and root vegetables for her family, and simmered corn for animals. Sick animals were nursed in front of the fire.

My own granny used her hearth as a neonatal intensive care unit. When my uncle was born prematurely back in the 1930’s she wrapped him in swaddling clothes and hung him in a horse harness beside the fire to keep him warm. And he survived thanks to her ingenuity.

In the kitchen display at Old Irish Ways, Denis has recreated an old Irish family kitchen, including the dresser, an attractive yet functional piece of furniture. Decorative plates and china, cups, plates, coffeepots and jugs adorn the dresser.

At Old Irish Ways, papal pictures decorate the walls, together with the traditional Sacred Heart picture.

The Old Pub

Old Irish pubs were at the heart of Irish village life, many also incorporating a local shop.

Denis has gathered many commonly seen items from old pubs around the country and recreated his very own Irish pub where he now serves visitors a lovely cup of tea.

Here you will find vintage earthenware jars and beer bottles, an array of trays and bottle tops, water jugs and the famous Guinness timber barrel.

You can sit back on an old tractor seat high stool, sipping your tea and enjoying a chat, in this highly detailed Old Irish Bar.

Old Irish School:

School life in 20th century Ireland is recreated in the classroom exhibit. If you went to school in Ireland anytime upto the 1970’s, then the classroom at Old Irish Ways will bring back many memories.

Wooden desks stand beside the black board or chalk board as we say in America. The map of Ireland beckons on the wall and the desks are laid with old school books and workbooks.

The time spent in recreating this learning space from days gone by is clearly evident.

The Blacksmith’s Forge:

In days gone by the forge was a meeting place, where locals chatted and shared stories.

Politics of the day and the welfare of the local community often dominated the talk at an Irish Forge or “Smithy.” Plots and plans for rebellion were often forged at the forge.

A raised brick hearth or fireplace dominated the forge. Here, bars of iron were heated until yellow-hot. There was always a container of water to cool the iron. Heat permeated the air. The hammer hit the anvil and horses hooves were shod.

Typically the inside of the forge was very dark to allow the blacksmith see the variety of colors of the heated iron which indicated the temperature of the heated metal.

Denis shares all these stories and more in The Forge Exhibit.

Other Displays:

The Irish Creamery is another highlight, with various implements used in the production and processing of milk and butter on display. You all know how much I love Irish churns.

Other displays in Old Irish Ways include a carpenter’s workshop, a typical old Irish hardware shop, a display of old farming implements, and turf cutting tools.

For the motoring enthusiast there is one of the largest displays of motor oil cans, advertising signs and associated memorabilia.

Visiting The Old Irish Ways Museum:

This award-winning museum represents a true and unique reflection of a forgotten Ireland.

So why not stop by if you find yourself in County Limerick and want to get off the well worn tourist track and visit a friendly welcoming museum full of vintage Irish treasures.

The museum is located about 16 miles or 25 kilometers outside Limerick city, and only 3 miles or 5 kilometers from the town of Bruff, the maternal ancestral home of President John F, Kennedy.

And remember, you can visit Lough Gur if the sun is shining.

Open 7 days a week from 9 am to 5 pm, Denis recommends you give him a call before you visit, so that you can confirm a tour.

Here’s the contact information for Old Irish Ways.

Address: Caherguillamore, Bruff, Limerick

Phone: 0861541078

Email: info@oldirishways.com

Thank You:

A big thank you to Denis and his family for all their wonderful work in preserving this important piece of Irish rural history. They are to be commended for their dedication, and commitment to preserving Ireland’s past.

This is a private museum and a labor of love for Denis and his family. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for kindling wonderful childhood memories. I really appreciate you giving me permission to share your lovely museum photos with my readers.

Next time I visit my family home in Kildorrery, County Cork, I’ll be sure to stop by for a chat and a cuppa tae in your Irish pub.

Blessings to you and yours from Kentucky.

Slán agus beannacht,

(Goodbye and blessings)

Irish American Mom

Family Fun In Killarney

July 28, 2016 by Irish American Mom 10 Comments

Did you know Trivago named Killarney in County Kerry as one of the top ten tourist destinations in the world for 2016? Wow!

Now that’s high praise indeed for one of the friendliest places on earth.

Killarney is a very special little corner of the world and this little town has so much to offer visitors. Perhaps, I shouldn’t refer to it as a “little” town anymore, since Killarney has grown and evolved into a premier tourist destination since the days I visited over twenty years ago.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/psyberartist/8058175453/in/photostream/ — Killarney

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But despite all the changes, it seems Killarney has retained its friendly, welcoming atmosphere, where the townsfolk take great pride in sharing their home with those who visit from all over the world.

Killarney is the gateway to the famous Ring of Kerry. Nestled beside the lakes and between the glorious mountains, the surrounding scenery is simply breathtaking.

http://www.geograph.ie/photo/777134 — Jaunting Car – © Copyright Graham Horn and licensed for reuse under Creative Commons License.

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There’s absolutely no shortage of activities for tourists in and around Killarney. There’s something to suit everyone.

From thrill seekers to leisurely appreciators of spectacular scenery, Killarney caters for all. Killarney National Park, Lakes and Mountains are breathtaking and are the perfect back drop for the adventurous types who enjoy boat trips, walking, hiking, horse riding, fishing,and cycling.

For those of us who may be a little more sedentary there’s plenty history and heritage to explore and what really appeals to me, is that Killarney offers plenty of family fun.

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As a mother of four I appreciate destinations that cater for young ones, keeping them occupied and entertained, and off their electronic gadgets for as long as possible.

The good folk at The Dunloe Hotel created a wonderful infographic to outline all the fun family activities in Killarney. They graciously provided permission for me to share it with you here on my blog.

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As you can see, there’s no shortage of family activities in Killarney. Come rain or shine, your vacation can be fun filled from start to finish.

Happy travels to all who plan to visit the beautiful County Kerry.

Slán agus beannacht,

(Goodbye and blessings),

Irish American Mom

Furrowed Fields

June 26, 2016 by Irish American Mom 33 Comments

In the west of Ireland furrowed fields hug the coastline. Many a passer-by pays little to no attention to this ridged farmland, totally unaware these markings are the remnants of our ancestors’ toil.

Referred to as lazy beds, these scars on the Irish countryside are evidence of an abandoned system of potato cultivation that once supported generations of Irish people, before the devastation of the Great Irish Famine.

Fields showing signs of old lazy beds for growing potatoes near Killary Harbor — Fields of old lazy beds for growing potatoes, on the southern shore of Killary Harbor, County Galway.

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As I researched photographs and information for my series of potato posts, the Spud Saga, I came across a collection of images of these distinctively furrowed fields.

I knew I just had to share them here on my blog, and let readers and Irish tourists know what exactly they are observing when they travel the highways and byways of my homeland.

Lazy beds near Portnakilly and Maum in County Mayo Ireland — Lazy beds near Portnakilly and Maum, in County Mayo, Ireland

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“Lazy beds” is the term for these ridge and furrow patterns. The term was first used by the British as a derogatory term for this ancient system of agriculture utilized in Ireland and Scotland. The British bone of contention was that all the Irish ever did was grow potatoes in their lazy beds.

But truth be told, there was nothing lazy about the back-breaking slog of our forefathers, who worked tirelessly to create arable land in an area full of rocks covered with a thin layer of top soil or ancient peat bog.

Here’s how lazy beds worked. Farmers would carry seaweed, sand and crushed shells up from the shore and pile it in parallel ridges in their fields. Seed potatoes were planted on the high ridges, then covered with earth scooped up from the sides.

Old potato fields near Renvyle County Galway — Old potato fields with lazy bed ridges, near Renvyle, County Galway

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The seaweed and sand mixed into the clay of the ridges nourished the growing tubers, ensuring they had a high level of iodine. The channels between the ridges followed the slope of the hills or the land, acting as drainage ditches.

Over the years the ridges grew higher and the furrowed ditches deeper.

By using this method, poor land which might grow little else, supported flourishing potato crops and sustained millions of Irish people, until the arrival of the dreaded potato blight in 1845.

Old potato beds near the Famine Road along Killary Harbor — Abandoned farm and potato crop markings near Salrock, County Galway

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Despite not being used for many years, these lazy beds remain untouched in parts of Ireland. They have withstood the winds and rains over a century and a half, to mark these fields as memorials to their makers.

These ridged, hilly fields remind me of the lines from the poem, The Wayfarer, by Patrick Pearse.

“Or some green hill where shadows drifted by,

Some quiet hill where mountainy man hath sown

And soon would reap; near to the gate of Heaven;”

~ Excerpt from The Wayfarer, by Patrick Pearse.

Old potato beds on the mountains in County Mayo — Furrowed fields, north of Knocknaveen, County Mayo

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And over a million “mountainy” men and their families perished during the years of the Great Hunger (1845 to 1850), and now reap on the far side of the “gate of Heaven,” which I know was opened wide during those dreadful years.

Furrowed fields in Braadillaun near Lettermore in County Galway

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Many of these photographs are from the counties of Galway and Mayo in the west of Ireland.

The photo above shows the tiny island of Braadillaun, off the Connemara coast in County Galway. If you examine the closest side of the island, and the adjacent mainland field, the remains of furrowed lazy beds can be seen.

Every square inch of inhospitable and barren land was utilized to feed the growing Irish population, prior to the Great Famine.

Lazy beds or potato planting ridges at the deserted village of Slievemore on Achill Island, County Mayo — Lazy beds or potato ridges at the Deserted Village of Slievemore on Achill Island, County Mayo

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For anyone interested in seeing the remains of these lazy beds I recommend visiting The Deserted Village on Achill Island, County Mayo. Located on the southern slopes of Slievemore, this abandoned village stretches from west to east for over 1.5 kilometres.

Dating from about 1750, there originally were 137 houses in the village, clustered together in three settlements.

View of abandoned homes in The Deserted Village on Achill Island, County Mayo

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Today, 84 ruined homes remain. One-roomed cabins, or two-chambered dwellings, some had an outhouse, and some had a stable or shed for animals.

Surrounding the village is an extensive system of lazy beds. The village was abandoned in the 1850’s, but some cabins were used during the summer months up until the 1940’s

Sheep grazing on old lazy beds in The Deserted Village on Achill Island, County Mayo — The Deserted Village on Achill Island, County Mayo with grazing sheep and the ruins of stone cottages. © Copyright Joseph Mischyshyn and licensed for reuse under Creative Commons License.

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The tradition of taking cattle and sheep to the hills for summer grazing is known as ‘booleying.’ The cabins were occupied during the summer months, but residents of nearby villages would return to their homes from the mountainside to pass the winter months. Slievemore Mountain on Achill Island is one of the last places in Europe where ‘booley’ houses were used.

The abandoned stone cottages of Achill Island, with their surrounding fields furrowed with potato ridges, are an excellent way for tourists to envisage what life was like in Ireland, many years ago.

Abandoned hamlet at Cumingeera, County Kerry, with evidence of lazy beds to the fore of the photo.

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The Irish, became a ‘silent people’ after the anguish and heartbreak of the Great Hunger.

Perhaps these mute ridges now speak for our ancestors, reminders of who they were, and their endless struggle to survive.

Slán agus beannacht,

(Goodbye and blessings)

Irish American Mom

P.S. A big thank you to all the wonderful photographers who shared their work under a Creative Commons License, allowing me to use their images to illustrate this post. I truly appreciate your generosity.

Skellig Michael

May 26, 2016 by Irish American Mom 12 Comments

This month Skellig Michael reopens for the summer season. This craggy island is ready to welcome tourists to climb its rocky steps, and to explore the 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 recently sent me some amazing photos she took of the Skellig during a trip to her husband’s home county of Kerry. Once I saw her fantastic photography, I just knew I needed to share this Irish cultural and historical gem with you.

And thanks to Barb in Boston, and her generous approval for me to use her photos, I can now bring you on a trip off the Irish coast to discover the wonders of Skellig Michael. Thanks a million Barb.

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.

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

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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 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.

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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.

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

This year 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.

Introducing Ireland To Friends:

The Galway Hooker and Currach Races:

All Things Turf:

Keys To The Castle:

Coastal Life In Galway:

Irish Seasons:

How To Follow Anne’s Adventures:

Slán agus beannacht,

(Goodbye and blessings)

Irish American Mom

Share this:

“Old Irish Ways is a collection of various artifacts and collectibles

which were used as part of everyday life

down through the years in an Ireland long past.

From the kitchen to the farmyard,

the collection built up by Denis over a number of years,

represents an Ireland of bygone days.”

The Irish Cottage Kitchen:

The Old Pub

Old Irish School:

The Blacksmith’s Forge:

Other Displays:

Visiting The Old Irish Ways Museum:

Thank You:

Slán agus beannacht,

(Goodbye and blessings)

Irish American Mom

Share this:

Slán agus beannacht,

(Goodbye and blessings),

Irish American Mom

Share this:

“Or some green hill where shadows drifted by,

Some quiet hill where mountainy man hath sown

And soon would reap; near to the gate of Heaven;”

~ Excerpt from The Wayfarer, by Patrick Pearse.

Slán agus beannacht,

(Goodbye and blessings)

Irish American Mom

Share this:

Slán agus beannacht,

(Goodbye and blessings)

Irish American Mom

Share this:

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