Ireland: The Final Frontier

County Tyrone: Strabane

Posted on October 27, 2024 by fitzjameshorse

10th July 2018. Bus to Strabane (population 13,000) a distance of 105 kilometres. A strongly republican town. It lies on the River Mourne which combines with the River Finn to form the River Foyle.

Statue of Strabane-born Brian O’Nolan (aka Flann O’Brien) 1911-1966, novelist, playwright and satirist.

The printing shop where John Dunlap, printer of the United States Constitution was apprenticed. It is owned by the National Trust.

The Tinnies a group of five sculptures, each six metres high. They are a drummer, flautist, fiddler and two dancers and on the roundabout that leads across the River Foyle to Lifford in County Donegal.

County Tyrone

County Tyrone: Clonoe

Posted on October 27, 2024November 1, 2024 by fitzjameshorse

9th June 2018. A drive 0f 30 kilometres from my home to Clonoe, a small village outside Coalisland in County Tyrone.

I have many happy memories in Coalisland. I had a maternal granny who died there in 1956. I can remember her. And I actually have an earlier memory encouraged by relatives. Seemingly when I was in a buggy/stroller my parents and my paternal grandparents and Auntie Sheila took me on a walk from Coalisland to the Catholic church at Clonoe.

Some years ago, the old church building was replaced by a new modern structure.

St Joseph and Baby Jesus holding the world in his hands.

I still want to play with him.

My wife with St Joseph and Baby Jesus.

The church furniture includes St Joseph holding Baby Jesus. And Baby Jesus is holding the “whole world in his hands” as the song says. But to a toddler in a stroller circa 1954, Baby Jesus is holding a ball and …for many years those loving people who took me there teased me with the memory that I cried because I wanted Baby Jesus to let me play with him.

It is nice to know that the statue I first saw about 65 years previously is still there. And sad that all the other people are gone. Good of course to bring my wife with me.

We never know how things will turn out. I have some relatives in the graveyard at Clonoe.

In February 1992, four members of a IRA Active Service Unit were ambushed and killed by a British Army undercover unit in the car park of the church.

County Wexford

County Wexford: Wexford

Posted on October 26, 2024November 13, 2024 by fitzjameshorse

1st July 2018. Bus from Dublin to Wexford about 154 kilometres. Wexford has a population of 20,000.

Wexford was at the centre of the 1798 Rebellion. The Pikeman memorial is in the Bull Ring.

Plaque in Main Street,

The many alleyways from the main street led to the old quays.

Memorial to John Barry, Wexford-born who was one of the founders of the United States Navy.

Wexford bar and restaurant.

County Sligo

County Sligo: Rosses Point

Posted on October 25, 2024November 1, 2024 by fitzjameshorse

29th June 2018.

Rosses Point is a seaside resort about 10 kilometres from Sligo.

Statue “Waiting On Shore”.

Statue “Waiting On Shore”,

The Post Office.

Stopping off in Rosses Point did make the day a little longer but a nice surprise on a very warm day.

County Sligo

County Sligo: Sligo

Posted on October 25, 2024November 4, 2024 by fitzjameshorse

29th June 2018.

A church outing for senior citizens. A coach trip 160 kilometres via Enniskillen to Sligo (population 20,000).

Unusual statue of William Butler Yeats.

It is impossible to avoid W B Yeats in Sligo.

Yeats Memorial Building.

Glasshouse Hotel.

River Garavogue.

Post Office.

My wife in Sligo.

Independence Monument.

The Famine Monument.

GAA Sligo colours.

When we got back on our coach, it was decided to go to Rosses Point, a seaside town about 10 kilometres from Sligo.

County Galway

County Galway: Ballinasloe

Posted on October 25, 2024 by fitzjameshorse

27th June 2018. Bus from Dublin to Ballinasloe (population 6,500) a distance of about 150 kilometres.

A town that is known for the annual Horse Fair. So the statue is appropriate.

The Catholic Church.

Some pictures from the town.

John Wesley, the Methodist preacher spoke here.

And Wolfe Tone, the revolutionary leader of the 1798 Rebellion slept here.

A long walk to the train station.

County Louth

County Louth: Drogheda

Posted on October 22, 2024November 4, 2024 by fitzjameshorse

25th June 2018. Train from Portadown to Drogheda (population 40,000). Drogheda is on the River Boyne and in Irish history is notorious as the scene of a massacre by Oliver Cromwell’s army in 1649.

The severed head of Saint Oliver Plunkett in St Peters Church in Drogheda. St Oliver was executed by hanging, drawing and quartering in London in 1681.

Cell door.

Biography of Saint Oliver Plunkett.

Inside Church.

Saint Oliver Plunketts Altar/

Augustinian Church.

Augustinian Church in Drogheda and memorial to Blessed Peter Taaffe, the Augustinian prior executed by Cromwell’s troops in 1649.

St Laurence Gate, part of the walls dates from 13th century.

The Old Gaol.

The River Boyne.

The memorial to Michael Quinn, Irish Naval Service who lost his life in the line of duty.

Joey Maher, Handball player.

Tony “Socks” Byrne (Boxer) who carried the National Flag at the opening ceremony of the Melbourne Olympics (1956) and went on to win a bronze medal.

Louth GAA colours.

County Cavan

County Cavan: Cavan

Posted on October 21, 2024November 2, 2024 by fitzjameshorse

19th June 2018. Bus direct from Lurgan to Cavan (population 10,500), a distance of 100 kilometres on a route via Armagh and Monaghan.

Town Hall.

The Cathedral of St Patrick & St Felim. Cavan is the main town in the Diocese of Kilmore.

The Post Office.

Unusual Statue.

I only had about half an hour in Cavan before getting the bus back to Lurgan.

County Down

County Down: Downpatrick

Posted on October 21, 2024November 4, 2024 by fitzjameshorse

18th June 2018. Bus at 7pm from Belfast via Carryduff, Saintfield and Crossgar to Downpatrick (population 11,000) 35 kilometres from Belfast.

Saint Patricks Grave.

St Patricks Grave is in the graveyard of Down Church of Ireland Cathedral. According to legend when St Patrick died, rival chieftains wanted him buried in their land. So the didpute was settled by putting the body on a wagon led by oxen and the burial place would be when the oxen stopped…which became Downpatrick. I have always been impressed by the modern family graves in the cemetry.

Downpatrick Gaol. now Down County Museum. Thomas Russell, United Irishman leader and subject of the poem “The Man From God Knows Where” by Florence Mary Wilson, was hanged here in 1803.

Vintage Post box,

The Mall, English Street showing the Gaol/Museum and further the Court House.

Court House.

The group of figures in Scotch Street commemorates Lynn Doyle, pseudonym of Leslie Montgomery (1873-1961) a comic writer who was born in Downpatrick. He wrote short comic stories set in the fictional town of Ballygullion

“The Silent Dog”.

I really liked Downpatrick, a nice place to be on a bright summer night. A walk from the bus station starting at 8pm to the Cathedral and St Patricks Grave, along the Mall to Scotch Street and back to the bus station for the last bus at 9.15pm

County Fermanagh

County Fermanagh: Enniskillen

Posted on October 20, 2024November 4, 2024 by fitzjameshorse

15th June 2018. Bus to Enniskillen along the the M1 and the Clogher Valley towns of Augher, Clogher and Fivemiletown, a distance of 100 kilometres from my home.

Enniskillen (population 14,000), the base of the Maguire Clan in Tudor times, has the atmosphere of a British and unionist garrison town. But Demographics have changed.