Category: Clare

Flights of Fancy

27/6/2015

Not a sign that one sees often

Those birds have some high standards.

No garage or run-down shack is good enough. No.

Only the inner sanctum of Ballaghaderreen Golf Club will suffice for chosen residence – and without the necessity to cough up green fees.

Many thanks to SOK for the photo which set me down on two separate memory tracks.

Flight 1.

What is the connection between Ballaghderreen and Ballyvaughan?

Other than the obvious beginning with Ball?

Flight 2.

Can you read Cork?

ABCD Birds
DMRN Birds
DR Birds
OBJURI DR Birds

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Buy A Book

26/6/2015

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Go on. Go on. Go on.

Get out and buy a book.

I have had these photographs for some time. I have had the inkling of a blog post rattling around for over a year. CornflakeGirl’s post this morning prompted some action.

For me, there is a joy and elation in seeing a book that you have never seen before, are unlikely to see again, and so must buy there and then. The book can be new or secondhand. But it is that moment when I realise what I hold and must bring home.

Dingle

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Head of a Cat

14/5/2015

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Long Eared Owl - Ceann Cait - Head of a Cat

Last year I contemplated the Irish translation of the different variety of owls at the Birds of Prey Centre at Ailwee Caves.

Most owls were translated as ‘Ulchabhán’ whereas the Barn Owl was ‘Scréachóg Reilige’.

During the year, I was speaking with SOB, who commented that Barn Owls were native to Ireland and so the name of ‘Scréachóg Reilige’ (Graveyard Screecher) possibly predates the standardisation (Ulchabhán). Regardless, I think it such an apt name to put on the Barn Owl.

Going through my photos from our visit to Santa last Christmas, I noted that the Long Eared Owl also was not translated as ‘Ulchabhán’. Again it appears to be native to Ireland.

Its name in Irish again appears so appropriate – Ceann Cait – Head of a Cat.

Great Grey Owl - Ulchabhán Liath

Snowy Owl - Ulchabhán Sneachtaí

Barn Owl - Scréachóg Reilige

UPDATE 2018.10.29

Another wonderful tweet from Robert MacFarlane educated that the Jay is known ‘as Gaeilge’ as "Scréachóg Choille" – Screecher of the Woods.

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Church Street or Ashe Street

9/5/2015

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There are very many towns in Ireland with a Church St– Listowel’s is a bit unusual.

Logainm has various translations including Sráid na hEaglaise; Sráid an Teampaill; and Sráid na Cille.

We were in Listowel on Thursday after Kathleen’s funeral and I noted that the translation was Sráid an Ághasaigh – which appears to literally translate as Ashe St.

I do not know why this anomaly in translation exists but would like to think that it is similar to Coburg Street in Cork – another on the To Find Out list.

I was in Corca Dhuibhne a few weeks back and stopped to take a photograph of the Ashe Memorial. Only a few days ago, I blogged about Andy O’Sullivan who died on hunger strike and Thomas Ashe is said to be the first who died on hunger strike while campaigning for Irish freedom. All conspire to prompt today’s ramble.

From checking my photos of streetsigns, maybe Dingle might be in a similar situation to Listowel where Ashmount Terrace translates from Irish as Ashe Terrace.

Ashe Street - Tralee

Dingle - possibly better translates to English as Ashe Terrace

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A Little Art

29/4/2015

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I have long been impressed with the quantity and quality of public sculptures in Ennis – I will sometime get around to uploading them on a separate section.

Yesterday’s update from MeticulousMick was about ‘The Passage’ art installation in Wroclaw.

It reminded me of an installation near the library in Ennis.

When I saw it first, I thought it may have been a representation of Famine times with people shrinking back into the ground but seemingly ‘with a number incomplete sculpture pieces, which signify incompleteness through all stages of life.’

I thought I’d share…

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Fr. Ted

21/4/2015

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Every news website appears to have something to celebrate the twentieth anniversary of the first Fr. Ted programme.

Why should I be any different.

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Because A Fire Was In My Head

12/4/2015

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Over Christmas 2014, we went for a walk in Carron in The Burren. The local hunt went out in force for their seasonal outing. The weather was clear and fresh. The sign-posted walk was just long enough for our needs.

We have done the walk a number of times now and what has registered, despite all my visits to Clare, was the amount of Hazel trees. There may have been more than all others combined. They appeared that plentiful.

I was reminded of that when I spotted this poetry at the start of The Rocky Road in Ennis. I walked it a number of years ago but hadn’t noted the poem, or recognised the Hazel trees – and I am a sucker for public poetry, if you had not already gathered.

To experience tradition and folklore, I have entered 23rd June as a possible return to Ennis and the walk to St. John’s Well at Killone.

‘I went down to the Hazelwood
Because a fire was in my head
I cut and peeled a hazel wand
And hooked a berry to a thread
And when white moths were on the wing
And moth like stars were flickering out
I put the berry in a stream
And hooked a little silver trout’

W B Yeats – The Song of Wandering Aengus

The poem apparently starts as ‘I went out…’ . Christy Moore’s lyrics do start as ‘I went down …’ so maybe his version also needs to be credited.

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Living with Witches

10/4/2015

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Was it done deliberately to annoy a resident of Cahercalla Estate?

Maybe the translation of Cahercalla Road, although listed on logainm.ie, is a beautification of the original Irish.

‘Cathair’ translates as city, fort or possibly dwelling place.

‘Cheallaigh’ translates as ‘of the hermit’ or arguably ‘of the Kellys’.

‘na gCailleach’ translates as ‘of the witches’, or possibly old women or, hags.

I do not think I’d have an issue living in a place with historical connection to the Fort of the Witches. Actually, I think I’d like it. I'd actually prefer it to Fort of the Hermit. But that is me.

I am certain that I would not have wondered as to the origin of the location if the handwritten amendment had not been there.

I doubt if that was the objective.

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Place T before C

8/4/2015

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In Ennis Shopping Centre at the weekend, I stopped at the sign outside the Key Cutter’s shop.

It is odd that ‘T’ and ‘C’ were placed in the correct order in ‘PATCHING’ but not in the words over and under.

If I needed engraving done, I think that I would call in person and hand over the wording rather than risk telephoning in the text – especially if it included a’C’ after a ‘T’.

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The Baby Whale

8/4/2015

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We were in Doonbeg over the Easter weekend and walked out to Tra Bán / White Strand. There, just above the beach, is the monument to Pat McDonnell from Killard.

Returning home, I found my copy of ‘Irish Athletes & The Olympic Games, Stockholm 1912’ and searched the web. I now know a bit more about the Olympic champion, World Record holder and winner of twenty-four American National Championships – the last at 54 years of age.

The family emigrated in 1899. His sister was first in the queue at Ellis Island and the Immigration Officer heard ‘McDonald’ when she said ‘McDonnell’ so the name of the whole family changed. He joined the New York Police Department as Pat McDonald. Interesting to note that the plaque at Tra Bán has the original name.

He weighed 300lbs – 21 st 6lb – which led to the nickname ‘Babe’ from ‘Baby Whale’. He was one of ‘The Irish Whales’. He was one of many Irish emigrants to win Olympic medals for other countries.

He carried the U.S. A. flag at the 1920 Olympics – winning a gold medal to add to the gold and silver from 1912. The 1916 Olympics had been cancelled due to World War I.

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Just Like The Buses

3/3/2015

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This year, I have not attended very many lectures on things Cork, things historic, or just things absurd/eclectic.

Yesterday I was in the library and saw notices for three. I would love to attend all three but for my Irish class and a trip to Ennis – maybe I will get a tour of Ennis.

To think of all the evenings when there aren’t competing attractions and then to be confronted with three at one time..........

Alas – Sin é……..

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Michael Harding - Glór - 19th Feb

18/2/2015

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Last year, I received a gift of ‘Staring at Lakes’ by Michael Harding.

JG very much enjoyed his articles in the Irish Times but me purchasing the Irish Times was a victim of the Celtic Corpse, so Staring at Lakes was new to me.

Maybe it was the ‘me’ at the time, but the book really hit home. It shot up the list of favourite books. Nearly a year later, it still remains high up the list.

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Ennis Waterfall

7/2/2015

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I spotted this wall art, close to the Tourist Office, when in Ennis some time ago.

I liked.

I still like.

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Becoming A Postman

6/2/2015

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Postcard by slow mail

My brother went to the Galapagos Islands last year on his holidays. When he returned home at Christmas, he had a postcard which he asked us to deliver, which we hope to do over the next week.

I had, until then, not heard of Post Office Bay. I had definitely never heard of the eighteenth century tradition still continuing whereby one leaves one’s mail in a barrel and it is then picked up by a sailor (or now tourist) returning home.

The postcard has taken at least six months to get to Mountshannon, Co. Clare but hopefully it will get there safe and sound - soon.

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Grotto update

12/1/2015

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I need to find time to update the Grotto sections of the website – to add the photographs that I have come across in the past few months and also to update the listings.

Thanks to Eoin at 53 degrees for allowing me to add to his map. When you see the locations like that there are quite a number around.

These two, each in the gables of adjoining houses, were spotted in Lisdoonvarna over the Christmas holidays. There is a similar type in Clarecastle but I have yet to see such a location for a grotto outside County Clare.

Grotto Map

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MIXED MESSAGES.

Flights of Fancy

Flight 1.

Flight 2.

Buy A Book

Head of a Cat

UPDATE 2018.10.29

Church Street or Ashe Street

A Little Art

Fr. Ted

Because A Fire Was In My Head

Living with Witches

Place T before C

The Baby Whale

Just Like The Buses

Michael Harding - Glór - 19th Feb

Ennis Waterfall

Becoming A Postman

Grotto update

Author

Archives

Categories

Blogs I Read & Links

MIXED MESSAGES.

Flight 1.

Flight 2.

​UPDATE 2018.10.29

Author

Archives

Categories

Blogs I Read & Links

UPDATE 2018.10.29