Posted in County Laois

County Laois: Portlaoise

Posted on by fitzjameshorse

1st June 2017.

My first trip actually using the free travel pass.

Portlaoise (population 25,000) is the main town in County Laois. It is about 85 kilometres from Dublin. I travelled on a train from Heuston Station at 10am and arrived in Portlaoise about 10.45am.

It is maybe on the outer limit of the Dublin commuter belt. And is probably most famous for a very large prison.

Although the Rock of Dunamase is a prominent Anglo-Norman castle ruin, County Laois is not really a tourist destination.

Portlaoise is only so called since Irish independence, having previously been called Maryborough and Laois was previously known as Queens County. Both honour Mary Tudor, 16th century English monarch who planted (colonised) the area with English settlers and expelled the native chieftains.

Portlaoise is a functional town. A railway junction where trains continue west to Galway or south to Cork and Limerick.

James Fintan Lawlor.

The monument to James Fintan Lalor, a journalist and Young Ireland leader of the 1848 Rebellion who died in 1949.

I took a train from Portlaoise at about 12.30pm to Portarlington which is a distance of about 18 kilometres.

Posted in County Louth

County Louth: Carlingford

Posted on by fitzjameshorse

30th May 2017. A wet day. Another car trip with the family. Carlingford, the main town on the Cooley Peninsula is on the southern shore of Carlingford Lough, about 8 kilometres from Omeath. The population is about 1,500.

It was a settlement founded by the Vikings in the 9th century. And was later a Norman market town.

King Johns Castle.

Fun for my grandchildren to climb King Johns Castle.

The old Mint.

The Gate.

The town has some Norman buildings including the Mint, Town Gate and Taaffes House.

Some artwork on a pub.

The village square.

Some antique shops around the village.

Visitor Centre.

The monument to Thomas D’Arcy McGee. McGee was born in Carlingford in 1825 and was a member of the Fenian Brotherhood. He emigrated to Canada where he repudiated the Fenians and was assassinated by a Fenian, Patrick Whelan in 1868. He is one of the founding fathers of Canada.

The town is also a centre for mountaineering, rambling and sea kayaking.

The Cooley Mountains feature in Irish myths and legends as the birthplace of the warrior Setanta/Cú Chulainn.

Posted in County Cork

County Cork: Cork City

Posted on by fitzjameshorse

28th May 2017.

I had only been in Cork City (population 225,000) once, one of the major Irish cities. probably around 1993 and this was my first opportunity to have a genuine long distance trip. Early morning (6am) train from Portadown to Dublin and then a coach from Dublin to Cork City. It was a simple matter of showing my all-Ireland travel card to the coach driver.

Actually the train would have been more comfortable.

The Independence Monument.

Father Mathew, the Temperance crusader from the 19th century.

Oliver Plunkett Street runs parallel to the main street and disappointing to see a bar called The Oliver Plunkett. It seemed tacky and disrespectful to a man who was hanged drawn and quartered in London in 1681.

A more respectful image of Saint Oliver in the Augustinian Church in the main street.

The Liberty Bar in Cork.

This was very much a flying visit, my first journey using the travel pass. It is actually quite simple to use and staff were friendly.

Posted in County Kildare

County Kildare: Irish National Stud

Posted on by fitzjameshorse

13th May 2017.

The National Stud is situated at Tully about 5 kilometres from Kildare Town in the heart of Irish Horse country. The area has the atmosphere of Big Money.

We travelled by car. My brother in law, Philip and his wife Ursula and daughter Deirdre and my wife and self.

The Stables.

The National Stud aims to showcase the Irish Horse, thru showing horses and foals in stables, paddocks and thru audio visual displays.

The Racing Colours of the President of Ireland.

The Agha Khan Trophy, the iconic Nations Cup trophy at the Royal Dublin Horse Show.

A weighing chair for Jockeys.

The skeleton of the 1960s champion steeplechaser, Arkle, a national hero.

The National Stud Office.

Horse Breeding and Horse Racing is big business. The Stud charges large fees for using stallions. The flags shown above are the flags of students learning about the industry at the National Stud.

Japanese Gardens.

The National Stud includes a Japanese Garden which is very nice,

Posted in County Louth

County Louth: Omeath

Posted on by fitzjameshorse

8th April 2017.

Omeath (population 750) in County Louth is about an hours drive from my home. This was a day out for my wife and self in one car and my older son’s family (his wife and three children) in a second car.

We are frequent visitors. Omeath lies on the southern shore of Carlingford Lough and across the “border” from Newry in County Down, it is the first village in the Republic of Ireland.

In the 1960s and 1970s it thrived on its bars being open on Sundays and therefore had many northern visitors by car, coach and even by boat (from Warrenpoint on the northern shore of Carlingford Lough).

My family.

On the edge of the village is a shrine to St Jude and a walkway depictng the Stations of the Cross.

Posted in Uncategorized

Introduction

Posted on by fitzjameshorse

Dia Duit. Fáilte. Hello and Welcome to this Blog.

My name is John Mooney and I live in County Armagh. In May 2017, I became entitled to free travel on public transport (train, bus, coach, tram) anywhere on the island of Ireland.

This blog “Ireland: The Final Frontier” is the journal of my travels and includes trips in the family car.

Fans of “Star Trek” might recognise that the title of this blog is a play on the words of introduction in the TV Show. Rather than Space, I regard Ireland and understanding it…history, geography, culture …as a great adventure.

The “Star Trek” image is underscored by the fact that my free travel in 2017 was guaranteed for five years so my great adventure was initially a “five year mission” to “boldly go” (the worlds best known split infinitive). The free travel was of course extended for a further five years in 2022.

And just to underscore “Star Trek” imagery, the train from Belfast to Dublin thru Portadown (my usual start to a journey) is known to train travellers as The Enterprise.

A word about the Free Travel scheme.

In the North of Ireland, where I am located, free travel is an entitlement to senior citizens, Aged 60 in 2012, I became entitled to travel anywhere in the six northern counties. In 2017, I became entitled to travel anywhere on the island of Ireland.

The “over 65” scheme is a reciprocal arrangement between the Department of Infrastructure in Norn Iron and the Department of Social Protection in the Republic of Ireland.

Not only is it an opportunity for senior citizens to see as many parts of this beautiful and historic island as we wish…especially for those of us who have a lifelong interest in History…but it keeps older people involved in Society and also importantly economically active. For example if I travel to Gorey, County Wexford, Athlone, County Westmeath or Bangor, County Down, it means that local businesses will benefit…a sandwich shop, a fast food outlet or a bookstore.

I am starting this Blog today…Saturday 5th October 2024. I have over 500 posts drafted. Travels from 2017 to date. They need editing and it is a big task.

Actually this blog is a re-boot of a blog I deleted about two years ago. I was simply frustrated that WordPress had changed some of its editing procedures and I deleted the blog and regretted it immediately. There is no way to recover it.

I have not travelled much in the last two years. I am older and not so mobile. But I need to get out again.

Finally, blogging is really about two things…writing (that is my job) and reading (hopefully your job).

Please enjoy it,