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In Clooneyquinn, in Co. Roscommon, they have created the impression of a telephone line to heaven. West Cork, in typical laid-back and chill-out West Cork style, appears to prefer the old snail-mail.
I have seen and photographed many grottos on my travels but this is the first in a post-box. I have also photographed very many postboxes – including quite a number of disused boxes – but this use is a first. As a positive use of old street furniture, it is definitely the best use of a disused postbox that I have seen. Yesterday was a great day in Ahakista. I spotted this as I left for home – adding to the smile and satisfaction of the day. A selection of disused/decommissioned postboxes
 In Ballydehob, I thought there was religious veneration. This, we spotted on the Naas Road and, while not definite, think that it is very probably a public display of religious admiration. The recent tweet from Irish Garrison Towns as to the smiling Jesus at the Calvary at Ringaskiddy brought me back to Inchicore. It may bring a smile to you – or maybe not…..
There are benefits to being the designated driver – not many, but some.
With the rest of the house still in a slumber fuelled by drinking into the early hours, I was up and out in the Limerick countryside early on a bright sharp Saturday morning. The rural location and time of day conspired to restrict the number of other road users that I came across to just one. We had passed the sign to St. Brigit’s Well on a few occasions when travelling to friends, but we had never stopped and paid a visit. That box was ticked firmly that Saturday, just me and nature. The Well is a bit of a walk from the road – up and over the field; down a wooded passageway beyond the electric fence; across another field; then another glade opens up to reveal the Well site. The site is enclosed by a stone wall with a solitary gate. The well itself has a concrete surround with the statue above. There is an old donation box in the wall which appears to be rusted shut. There were a small few memorial cards adjacent to the statue – nowhere near the amount left with St Bridget in Co Clare. There are two Rag Trees, one adjacent to the well; the other on the final wooded pathway before the Well site. Driving away, I spotted that there was a Lenten Walk later that day, including a visit to the well. As we were making our way home that morning, we spotted some on the walk and it brought some thoughts to the fore. The walk organisers had arranged for Stations of the Cross along the route for the participants. There were quite a few walkers that morning – more than one might observe leaving a city church after a Saturday morning mass. With Pilgrim Walks and Pattern Days, I do think that any increase in catholic religious observance may involve old traditions – but this agnostic may not be the best judge of such matters. Even with my religious persuasion, a very pleasant twenty minutes were enjoyed that morning.  I have seen former churches converted into Museum/Display Centre use, Houses, Hotels and Concert Venues among other uses. In Mary St, Dublin a church was converted to a bar and restaurant. I have heard of many pubs closing down. I think that I had only seen the buildings turned into shops or residential but I had never seen a pub converted to a church– until my recent trip to Co. Roscommon, that is.
Google Maps shows a Guinness sign in 2011 – where the Grace Community Church sign now hangs.
‘Be Prepared’ is a motto – unfortunately I was not.
Last Friday, making my way back towards the train home, I was walking along Nassau Street. A bell in my head went off.
Sometime recently, someone had mentioned something about Nassau Street that had been filed away under ‘unusual and worth checking out when next there’. But could I remember the sometime, the something or even the someone – could I hell.  I added to my bookshelf this week. There have been a number of dots joined in one year because eighteen months ago I would not have known who Monsignor Hugh O’Flaherty was. That was my thought when I read of a talk in Dingle that had happened prior to our holidays. Shortly after, his name cropped up when I was trying to find information on Delia Murphy. Then I spotted the statue in Killarney and had an item on the To Do list for the blog. This summer the murals in Tralee and Killarney were spotted and have prompted today’s blog – now to get around to reading the book…..
Have you seen these tile mosaics?
I spotted them on the gable of a building earlier this week. On what type of building would you expect to see them placed?  A first – for me anyway.
As those who stop by here regularly probably realise, I stop and photograph every grotto that I pass on my travels. I have even been known to alter my travel path so that I might find another grotto. Last week, heading to West Cork, I spotted this grotto at Gortaneidin, outside Inchigeela. Speaking with CC, he said that the statue was seen as moving which prompted a web search. For the first time, I came across a website about a grotto.
  What do you think?
Is it art? Is it religious? Does it matter, except to satisfy my heightened sense of curiosity? I had a lovely lunch today in Hudson’s Wholefoods in Ballydehob and spotted this on a house nearby. I don’t know the answers but I do know it is not something I have seen over a door before. |
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