St Mobhi's Well & Church Co Dublin

                                        Above Image: Magical location of the well

                                            Above Image: Entrance stile to well

                                          Above Image: Hidden entrance gateway

                                                    Above Image: Forest track

                                      Above Image: well is located behind this tree

                                                      Above Image: Well steps

                                             Above Image: Descent to the well

                                 Above & Below Images: Hole and carvings on rocks

                                          Above Image: Entrance to graveyard

                                     Above & Below Images: Church foundations

                                               Above Image: Church doorway

                                               Above Image: A bullaun stone?

Tucked away on a country road near Skerries these ancient sites are really worth a visit. They are associated with St Mobhi who founded a hermitage here in the 7th century. He is different to the earlier St Mobhi of Glasnevin. The hermitage is thought to have been on the site of the current graveyard.
There are rectangular foundation ruins within this graveyard enclosure which are accessed by either stile or steps from the roadside. The foundations which I’m supposing to be of a former medieval church have a gap in the south side which was probably the doorway. Funnily enough although marked on modern maps these foundations are not marked on historic maps but a mention is made in the Fingal development plan of 2011 that the graveyard contains the remains of a base of a Church so maybe someone out there has a little more info as to It's origin. At the rear of the enclosure is what looks to be a bullaun stone sitting in a random locaton. Walking around this site there is Certainly a very strong atmosphere of antiquity.

About 50 yards further up the road there is a locked pillared gate and to the right a very prominent stile. This is the access point to find your way to St Mobhi’s well. Once over the wall you will see a track ahead of you but this leads to the private property of Milverton Demesne. On our first visit we accidentally followed this route in search of the well and although didn’t encounter anyone we eventually knew that we were on the wrong track as we reached some farm buildings and thought it better that we retreat. At this point I have to thank Jim Dempsey of Megalithic Ireland for putting me in the right direction. The correct route is as follows. Once over the stile turn to your right. What looks like a bunch of brambles actually conceals a gateway with the metal gate now removed. There is a sign on the tree to the left of this gate which says private property. This is new since our last visit but I think it pertains to the other track that we had gone on in error. Anyway bear this in mind while visiting that the well was in the past open to access but things may have changed. Still, with a stile provided and an open gateway one would assume it’s OK.  So, when you pass through the gateway follow the narrow track to the left among the trees. It’s about a four or five minute walk to the well with a few fallen branches to step over and some ferns to brush aside but it all adds to the mystery of this location. The well is located behind a tall tree and the rocky construction placed on top of it is megalithic in style but is more than likely of a much later date. Regardless this site has been visited for over a thousand years so the construction is probably quite old. The well itself is considered to be several thousand years old.  After the debacle of our first visit I was really excited about finding this and I think it looks amazing. A short series of flat steps leads down from the forest floor into the well but be careful if descending as it can be slippery at times near the bottom and I’m not sure how deep the well actually is. The rocks that are built up around the well are also interesting. One large boulder has what looks to be cup marks in it like mini bullauns. There are also crosses etched into two of the stones.  Although we didn’t encounter anyone else on our visit, there were signs of visitors with little trinkets and flowers being left as token offerings. The ivy has a hold on some of the stones but I imagine that in late autumn or winter a lot more would be exposed of this wonderful well. Reason enough for another trip then!

To find the ruins and well take the Junction 4 exit of the M1 for the R132 towards Skerries. Drive for approx. 3KM until you reach Blakes Cross and take a right hand turn for Lusk onto the R127. Drive another 3Km and you will reach the Dublin road roundabout. Take the right hand exit following the R127. You will encounter 3 more roundabouts. Drive straight through the first 2 and then turn right at the third still following the R127 towards Skerries. Continue on this road past a left hand turn signposted for Man O'War and then take the next left turn onto the L1275 for Balbriggan. Drive for approx. 1KM and you will spot the graveyard on your right. There is some parking space at the side of the road adjacent to the graveyard wall. The access stile for the well is a few yards further down the road on the graveyard side of the road. 


Addendum February 2016: Planning another visit here soon in 2016 but have noted some changes to the access point on Google streetview. Firstly there is a security sign on the locked gates adjacent to the stile and the gate lodge which was abandoned now appears to be occupied, so we will probably check at the lodge to see if access is still okay. The old trail access to the right of the stile which was fenced off seems as if it might be open but it's difficult to discern on streetview. We will check this in due course. In any event the forest trail to the well appears to have been cleared of debris which is definitely a good sign.

SECOND VISIT TO THE WELL FEB. 26th 2016

Well what a surprise! The Google streetview images mentioned in the above addendum must be years old. The site remains as it was in our visit last Summer. Nothing has changed. The gate lodge is still abandoned and the old track fenced off. So it was over the stile as before. We wanted to return at a different time of year in the hope that the vegetation and overgrowth would be at a minimum but it was much the same, although there was some more sunlight due to the absence of leafage on the trees. Having visited twice now I think I prefer the Summer visit when the whole site seems to glimmer in a golden glow. Below are a few photos taken on this latest visit 

                                    Above Image: Well located behind this tree

                                     Above Image: A Bullaun stone inserted into the well wall

Shrule Castle Co Mayo

                                  Above Image: Stile to right of gate overgrown

                                      Above Image: Entrance on East Side

This strong three storey tower house is located adjacent to the Black River very close to the border with Galway. It was built in 1238 by the the Norman DeBurgo family. The castle was given to John DeBurgo in 1308. Among the outstanding features are an skirt like base batter that spreads out from the walls at the bottom and four great bartizans on each corner at the top. Each bartizan would have been used as multiple machicolations for defence. The castle came under attack by the English in 1570 and was seized but a retaliation force made up of the Burkes and O'Donnells made a valiant but failed attempt to retake it. The castle passed then into the hands of the William Burke in1574 and his heir John in 1610. Eventually the Castle and lands were leased subsequently to Pierce Lynch the mayor of Galway by Richard Burke.
The Castle came under some controversy in 1642 when some English settlers taking refuge there were sent after about a week with an escort to Galway fort for safety, but after handing them over to the escort which was led by Edmond Bourke, he ordered the killing of the group along the way. This historically is now referred to as the "Shrule massacre".
The castle ruins today are in quite a dangerous condition. The stone work around the doorway and the base batter have been either removed or tampered with, the stones being pilfered for no doubt for other building purposes. This has seriously undermined the building and so it is now closed to public access. The old stile in the outer wall is covered in brambles and although we tried to get access by asking a local, he said that the owner was now in England but you could hop over the wall at your own risk. That is not that easy as the land on the other side is at a deeper level. I think discretion was the better part of valour here so we relented on this occasion. Nonetheless it is a very impressive structure and well worth taking time to stop and view.
To find the ruins take the N84 Northbound from Galway City and drive approx. 20KM until you reach the crossroads in Headford. Turn right here and continue on the N84 for approx. 5KM and you will reach Shrule. You cannot miss the ruins on your right.  Park in the Pub car park opposite.

Old Garristown Church Co Dublin

                                          Above Image: Sturdily built tower

                            Above Image: Grave slab that appears to date to 1709

                                             Above Image: Entrance door

                                      Above Image: A view up within the tower

                                           Above Image: Door to the Nave

                                        Above Image: East gable & window

                          Above Image: View of the tower through the East window

                                        Above Image: South wall windows

As you drive into Garristown village from the West side you can’t help but have your attention drawn to this large and very prominent ruin in the old cemetery. Originally the site of a medieval Church which fell into ruin in the 1600’s this later Church of Ireland building was constructed in 1791 and was apparently in use for only 80 years. It now stands de-roofed but still solidly standing at the centre of the enclosure. The tall tower’s Romanesque style windows have been sealed up but a doorway in its South face remains unblocked. It is possible to get inside and have a view up within the tower now open to the elements with it's bell long since removed. The main Church building is badly overgrown inside and uneven underfoot. The South wall has three windows with another in the East gable. The Church design is a very basic one and not dissimilar to others of its kind that I’ve visited but its slightly elevated location in a very well maintained graveyard gives it a very striking aspect all the same. The area around here is littered with ruins of various sorts including those at Grallagh and Oldtown (see earlier posts here  & here) so you could easily combine these into one outing.

To find the ruins take the exit at junction 5 of the M50 for the N2(M2) Northbound and drive for approx 15km until you reach a roundabout. Turn left on the roundabout continuing on the N2 for another 4.5km until you see a right hand turn for the L5007 (Phibblestown Wood). Turn right and follow this road for approx 3.5km and you will spot the tower of the Church on your right. You can park at the boundary wall of the graveyard and enter by the gate which is unlocked.

St Brigid's Fire Temple & Round Tower Co Kildare

                  Above Image: The fire temple foundations with Cathedral in backround

                       Above Image & Below 2 Images: Remnants from the old Abbey

                                                  Above Image: The Celtic cross

                                          Above Image: Base of the round tower

                                              Above Image: The entrance door

                                                  Above Image: The first ladder

                                                 Above Image: The top ladder

                    Above Image: View from the tower to the Celtic cross and cathedral

                                       Above Image: Aerial view of the fire temple

                   Above Image:Top of the tower. Some remnants of possible stone stairs
                                           on top of the gap
                   

                                     Above Image: View downwards from a ladder

                                       Above Image: The magnificent Cathedral

In Irish mythology St Brigid who was part of the legendary Tuatha De Danann was said to keep an eternal flame alight in a purpose built temple. This flame was continued on through the centuries throughout the spread of Christianity. It is recorded by Gerald of Wales in the 12^th century on a visit to Kildare that the flame was still alight being protected by a Brigidine order. Finally at the time of the reformation after more than a thousand years the fire was extinguished. The culprit is not completely certain but it may have been on the order of the Archbishop George Browne who was appointed by King Henry to Dublin. The fire was relit by the Brigidine order in 1993 and is now located at the Solas Bhride Centre.

The Fire temple was situated at the ancient pagan and later Christian site founded by St Brigid in the 5^th century which now facilitates the magnificent St Brigid’s Cathedral which is constructed on the site of the original Abbey that was built in 1223 but lay in ruins by the 18^th century. The magnificent new Cathedral was constructed  in the 19^th century.  A print from 1783 shows the old Abbey ruins and what appears to be the fire temple alongside. At this point its gables were still standing. The foundations of what are thought to be the temple were restored in 1988 and they stand approx. 20 inches from the ground. The shape is rectangular and a small set of steps lead into the enclosure which is now treated like a shrine with various items left by people somewhat in the manner of the Rag trees scattered across the country at holy wells.

Also on site is a large Celtic cross with the top half of the circular part missing. This ancient cross stands 9 feet tall but has not been dated. It certainly would have been part of the original Abbey and perhaps long before. There are also various stone remnants from the old Abbey placed around the outside of the cathedral.

The most prominent feature at this site has to be the 12^th century round tower. It is the second highest in Ireland the highest being at Kilmacduagh Co Galway (see earlier post here) The difference in the Kildare tower is that you can actually climb up inside it to the top. The only other tower in the Republic of Ireland that can be climbed is in Kilkenny but Kildare’s is  taller standing at 108 feet. A nominal fee (€4) is charged for entry and you ascend first to the entrance door on a set of metal stairs and then up through the tower by way of six sets of wooden ladders between wooden platforms. Daunting as this seems the Victorian ladders are quite solid and at a slight angle make the climb a little easier. Hand rails are present on each level to assist you stepping up. As you reach the last ladder you will see that the walls taper in a bit making it seem a little tight. On our visit there was a strong breeze blowing and this was really evident as we stepped out at the top. A wire cage has been constructed for safety but in no way inhibits the amazing views to be seen including an aerial view of the fire temple. Along the way you pass the bell floor which in this case has five windows where normally in round towers there are only four. The top of the tower is also unusual as its cone is missing being replaced with castellations. The floor is of stone and is a little uneven so care is needed. Descending took a little more time having to step back on the ladder with no guard rail to grip onto but really it was easy enough after that. There are 130 steps in all and the affable guide in the small hut at the base of the tower regaled us with stories of the people who had climbed it including a Canadian fireman who ran up the tower in just 50 seconds!

To find the fire temple and round tower take the junction 13 exit of the M7 for Kildare town. Cross over the motorway bridge and go straight through the roundabout on the other side and then again straight through the next roundabout at the Kildare village outlet. You will then reach a T-Junction. Turn right and follow this road into town. When you reach a set of traffic lights at a junction with Claregate St. with a large Boyle Sports building on your left, turn left here. You will see a parking area on your left. Park here and follow the line of shops behind the car park to the right passing Hartes Bar & Grill and this will lead you directly to the gates of the Cathedral.

Castle Rag Co Kildare

Here’s a small one to be getting on with. Constructed in the early part of the 15^th Century Castle Rag is typical of the type of tower house built on the £10 Castle grant initiated by King Henry VI in order to build modest but defensive Castles that would dot the perimeter of the pale in an effort to deter marauding Irish clans.  A good number of these tower houses were built and occupied as residences with battlements attached.

The ground floor in this Castle has a vaulted ceiling while the first floor is the residential part and contains a fireplace. The Battlements are constructed above this and on the North East corner there is a projecting turret. Ivy is beginning to encroach a little on the uppermost part.

This particular Castle lies on private land behind Jigginstown house on the outskirts of Naas and could so easily be anonymous as only those entering the housing estate adjacent would be likely to notice it. It can be viewed at a short distance from the roadside of this housing estate. I’d like to have had a closer look but there were several horses wandering around the field and the land had a real no go feel about it. If in the area again I will try to see if I can locate the landowner and get permission to access it.

For the best view of the ruins take the R445 from Naas main street towards Newbridge. About 1KM along you will pass an Aldi supermarket on your left. Take the first left turn after this and drive for approx. 130m until you see a right turn onto Primrose lane. Follow this a short distance to a T-junction with Primrose Avenue. Turn right at the junction and follow the road around a bend. Park along here. The castle can be seen in a field on the right behind a perimeter wall.