Pictures of Ireland

The West

Given that I live in Galway, on the West coast, it seems strange that I have seen so little of Connemara and what other sights the West has to offer. So these pictures were shot in December of 2003, around the beginning of winter here in the west of Ireland. A friend of mine scouted these places out and later took me with her to see them-- my thanks to her.

It is close to winter here in Galway. Snow has gathered on the tops of the Maumturk Mountain Range, Connemara.

Glebe Stone Circle, near Cong, co. Mayo. This narrow neck of land between Lough Corrib and Lough Mask is dense with wonderful stone circles, castles, monasteries, and magical places.

A view from inside the circle. Most heritage monuments like this are to be found in farmer's fields, sometimes quite a distance from the road, and fully accessible to the sheep, cattle, and horses which graze there. This one was protected from animals by an iron fence, but it didn't protect the circle from me!

One of two smaller sattelite circles adjacent to Glebe Circle. Sometimes one must climb over a few walls and hedges to find things like this. (Note to foreign tourists looking for ancient sites like this: Come prepared!)

The village of Cong has an ancient early Christian monastary called Cong Abbey. It was founded in the 7th century, destroyed by fire in the 12th, rebuilt by High King of Ireland Turlough O'Connor in 1135, sacked and destroyed by the Norman knight William de Burgo in 1203, and then rebuilt all over again. This is the main entrance portal.

A sample of the exquisite sculpture around the door frames in the surviving structure. This one is on the door leading from the Chapter House to the main Abbey.

The huge and beautiful window in the Chapter House, where the business of the monastary was conducted and where the community would come to publically confess their sins. I noticed that this window faces roughly east, and so the rising sun in the morning shining through the glass would have made an extraordinary sight to the people at prayer within, performing the morning Angelus.

The gardens in the monastary grounds include a lovely avenue of yew trees, leading to a gate and a bridge over a stream. It is an ideal place for birds, animals, and fish. In this picture, you can see a beautiful blue heron walking around.

A few minutes walk from the monastary in the village of Cong is Ashford Castle. Presently the building is a hotel, and a very opulant and decadent hotel, with a lake front, golf course, terraced garden, and even a falconry school. It is possible to walk around the grounds, but not to enter unless one is a guest of the hotel.

Another view of Ashford Castle. From this angle, it appears that the building began as a norman tower-house (far right) and was extended by subsequent owners in the following centuries. It is still a playground for the rich: for example, Pierce Brosnan had his wedding reception here.

In a woodland outside the village, one can find this cave. The sun had already set by the time I reached it, and bats were fluttering in and out of the cave mouth. There appeared to be a well or spring some fifteen meters from the entrance, and I could feel warm moist air exhaling from the earth. It was a very comforting, peaceful place.

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(c) 2003 by B. Cathbad Myers. All rights reserved.

	It is close to winter here in Galway. Snow has gathered on the tops of the Maumturk Mountain Range, Connemara.
	Glebe Stone Circle, near Cong, co. Mayo. This narrow neck of land between Lough Corrib and Lough Mask is dense with wonderful stone circles, castles, monasteries, and magical places.
	A view from inside the circle. Most heritage monuments like this are to be found in farmer's fields, sometimes quite a distance from the road, and fully accessible to the sheep, cattle, and horses which graze there. This one was protected from animals by an iron fence, but it didn't protect the circle from me!
	One of two smaller sattelite circles adjacent to Glebe Circle. Sometimes one must climb over a few walls and hedges to find things like this. (Note to foreign tourists looking for ancient sites like this: Come prepared!)
	The village of Cong has an ancient early Christian monastary called Cong Abbey. It was founded in the 7th century, destroyed by fire in the 12th, rebuilt by High King of Ireland Turlough O'Connor in 1135, sacked and destroyed by the Norman knight William de Burgo in 1203, and then rebuilt all over again. This is the main entrance portal.
	A sample of the exquisite sculpture around the door frames in the surviving structure. This one is on the door leading from the Chapter House to the main Abbey.
	The huge and beautiful window in the Chapter House, where the business of the monastary was conducted and where the community would come to publically confess their sins. I noticed that this window faces roughly east, and so the rising sun in the morning shining through the glass would have made an extraordinary sight to the people at prayer within, performing the morning Angelus.
	The gardens in the monastary grounds include a lovely avenue of yew trees, leading to a gate and a bridge over a stream. It is an ideal place for birds, animals, and fish. In this picture, you can see a beautiful blue heron walking around.
	A few minutes walk from the monastary in the village of Cong is Ashford Castle. Presently the building is a hotel, and a very opulant and decadent hotel, with a lake front, golf course, terraced garden, and even a falconry school. It is possible to walk around the grounds, but not to enter unless one is a guest of the hotel.
	Another view of Ashford Castle. From this angle, it appears that the building began as a norman tower-house (far right) and was extended by subsequent owners in the following centuries. It is still a playground for the rich: for example, Pierce Brosnan had his wedding reception here.
	In a woodland outside the village, one can find this cave. The sun had already set by the time I reached it, and bats were fluttering in and out of the cave mouth. There appeared to be a well or spring some fifteen meters from the entrance, and I could feel warm moist air exhaling from the earth. It was a very comforting, peaceful place.