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Was out on the Isle of Wight last week, sailing with some friends. We moored near the Folly Inn, up the river from Cowes on the River Medina. Early on Sunday morning, I was sitting out on deck, reading, when three beautiful Embden domestic geese approached the boat. I grabbed the telephoto lens and got these....
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Sitting prominently at the junction of the Ballyvaughan, Kilfenora and Corofin roads, Leamaneh castle is an impressive gothic pile stuck onto a tower house. It was once the home of the infamous Máire Rua who apparently outlived three husbands (and may have even dispatched one or two herself.
For a 17th century woman (born around 1615), she wielded plenty of power, especially after her first husband ( Daniel Neylon of Dysert O'Dea) died and she took over his estate. Her second husband, Conor O'Brien of Leamaneh, died in a battle against the Cromwellians at the Pass of Inchicronan. This is where it gets interesting. In some versions of the story, he was taken home to be nursed. She would have realised that his rebellion would have meant forfeiture of his property, so as soon as he was dead, she got all dressed up, and headed for Limerick, offering herself in marriage to any willing Cromwellian soldier. Other versions say that she didn't marry for two years after Conor's death, in 1653.
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Either way, she married a Cromwellian soldier - Cornet John Cooper, and they had children. She managed to retain a certain amount of power over her estates - a good thing, as Cooper later ran into financial problems, leading to the mortgaging of Leamaneh. There is, however, not much evidence to support the story that she threw cooper out of an upstairs window, to his death, or that she forced him to ride his horse over the Cliffs of Moher.
Maire Rua was definitely a formidable character, and like the Mayo pirate Granuaile, wild stories have sprung up about her life. It is true that she granted a royal pardon on murder charges connected to her involvement in Conor O'Brien's rebellious activities.
More: Máire Rua from the Clare Library »
More: Legends of Máire Rua (withe some fanciful legends indeed!) »
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Was in county Clare at the weekend - went hunting and found Father Ted's House (Craggy Island Parochial House), from the hit TV comedy series.
It was a pilgrimage of sorts - chasing down the highways and byways in a very lapsed-Catholic kinda way. Nice house, but you'd think it would be taller. Turns out its on a windy backroad in the Burren, between Killnaboy and Boston both of are only a arse's roar from Kilfenora. We took turns posing stupidly in front of the house, dodgy the odd farmer hurtling buy in clapped-out Talbot Solaras, and trying to stop my sisters dog from fraternising with the pack of friendly dogs that came hurtling down the driveway. So no, Craggy Island Parochial House isn't on an island (apart from being in Ireland), and doesn't have a statue of 'herself' at the gate. Oh god, no, not at all...
No sign of the late Dermot Morgan, or the not late Ardal O'Hanlon, Pauline McGlynn or Frank Kelly. I forgot my clerical shirt, Sue, my sister, forgot her teapot, Damien omitted to bring any whiskey, so our plans to emulate Dougal, Mrs Doyle or Father Jack went by the wayside!
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Find Father Ted's House on the Blather Weirdness Map »
The Craggy Island Examiner »
Father Ted Online »
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