A Place of Interest

On our travels we often find interesting places, like the one below which is almost hidden from sight by shrubbery. It is the ruins of a gate lodge belonging to a once large coastal demesne of Finavarra House in Co Clare, built in the 1800's.

I expect if it had a voice there would have been some interesting stories it could relate.

Perhaps the gate keeper would utter tales about his employers coming and going at all hours of the day and night and talk of their visitors, those who would tip him well or those who would speak kindly to him and those who would not.

There is enough of the lodge remaining that it would be an interesting project

to renovate and carefully modernise the old building.

The gate has gone now and has been replaced with a modern tubular field gate

so that only the stout stone pillars remain.

All of the windows and the doorway have cut stone features.

Through the front window you can glimpse the interior. 

I can only imagine that it was once a cosy home with a roaring fire here on the hearth.

A superb view of the coastal waters would have been seen from the lodge.

Wouldn't you love to see this view as you woke each morning ?

The Faerie Tailor of Co. Clare

If I have a fad for a particular piece of clothing it has to be that of a waistcoat. 

This all started at the age of fourteen when I became the owner of an ex-army sleeveless, leather drivers' jacket with a khaki lining; it became my pride and joy when going on long hikes across Dartmoor as it kept me warm and left my arms unrestricted to do those things that are necessary when camping alone.

Over the years I have had several waistcoats and still have quite a few in my possession.

As a consequence of this fad my eyes are always on the lookout for a new one.

We recently visited a treasure trove of books, cards, clothes and jewellery in Kinvara Co. Galway.

Ostensibly we dropped in to get Mrs H a copy of Jack Roberts' new book 'Island of the Sheela-Na-Gigs' (ISBN 978-908378-40-8) but you can imagine how delighted I was when my eyes fell on a rail of waistcoats! One in particular caught my eye and to be honest I did not know why at the time.

In our wild garden

The wonderfully comfortable waistcoat

The rear view showing its sensible length

The embroidered emblem.

After a day of wearing the waistcoat I suddenly recalled that the design

on the back reminded me of my first mantra when I first started in the practice

of transcendental meditation of over forty-five years ago!

Detail of buttons

Regina Tierney  the Faerie Tailor of County Clare who is the designer of my waistcoat.

She also creates clothes and beautiful jewellery. 

Please visit her website here - http://celticfusiondesign.com/

POINTS OF VIEW

Since buying my new camera I have found myself becoming rather attached to it. 

There are times when it is not with me that I scold myself especially when I see a particular scene that, to my mind, would make an interesting photo.

So here are just a few of those photographs, things that have recently caught my eye.

The Ship on a Stick.

This can be found on the outskirts of Portumna, Co. Galway quite close to the River Shannon

upon which I doubt very much it will ever cruise again.

A conglomeration of coastal properties that sit under the Burren uplands and on the banks of 

Galway Bay. The smallest of them always attracts my eye.

The Keep

A very well preserved circular building made of local stone. 

I often wonder whether it was once a lot higher, though I guess that we shall never know.

Kiosk Lady

She must have plenty to natter about for she is always there, 

chatting away at all times of the day and night.

Rainbows on the wall

I captured these lads early one morning floating about and looking rather attractive, 

my one complaint is that the pots of gold are nowhere to be found.

Fresh leaves in Sunlight

The scene caught my eye this morning while visiting Mrs H in her studio, 

so I dashed indoors for my camera.

The Dog in the Doorway

How could I not resist capturing the magnificent Toby

guarding the entrance and enjoying the scent of spring.

It is a rambling garden that we have, with worn down paths that flow easily amongst 

whispering wild flowers where bees and other small creatures live in harmony.

Coffee in the Old School House.

This building was once Ballinahown’s National School and was built by John Ennis of Ballinahown Court in 1863. During 1924 the interior was redesigned by Canon Denis Reynolds making all of the classrooms co-ed as opposed to the segregated classes of the previous years’. This arrangement continued until the closure of the school in 1982 when a new school was built.

The Old School building was leased for a time as a private residence before being sold by the Parish and converted into business premises. 

An tSean Scoil

The Old School House

On the ground floor is Westmeath Craft Design selling a range of handcrafted products from jewellery to bog oak carvings.

The upper floor houses ‘Woodfield at Balllinahown Tea Rooms’. 

This is a new venture opened by our friend who owns the wonderful Woodfield Cafe in Birr which, as you know from my previous posts, has an excellent menu. At Balllinahown the food is great too and as always the staff are friendly, efficient and brew a wonderful cup of coffee!

Quite literally up the wooden hill.

The Café

The rear view of Ciara at work.

 Plates of mouth watering goodies 

I wondered what that old bald fellow was doing and then I realised

that he is checking his phone and so I was...

https://aheronsview.blogspot.ie/2017/01/our-friday-treat.html

https://aheronsview.blogspot.ie/2017/04/woodfield-garden-centre-birr.html

https://aheronsview.blogspot.ie/2017/05/an-almost-village.html