Month: September 2005

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Get High Resolution Versions » 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.... Get High Resolution Versions » Get High Resolution Versions » Get High Resolution Versions »

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Get high resolution version of this photograph » 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...

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Order a print, or get the high-resolution version for printing &raquo PLEASE NOTE - I POSTED THIS IMAGE IN 2006 - I HAVE NO CURRENT KNOWLEDGE ABOUT ANYTHING TO DO WITH THIS HOUSE! 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....