Burrishoole Abbey Co Mayo

                                   Above Image: Entrance gate & stile to the left

                                             Above Image: East gable & tower

                                            Above Image: Eastern cloister wall

                                         Above Image: interior view to East gable

                                         Above Image: Font just inside West door

                            Above Image & Below 2 Images: Some interior features

                                            Above Image: South chapel window

                                            Above Image: West door interior

                                     Above Image: View of inlet from West door

                         Above Image: View North with Buckoogh Mountain in distance

In 1470 Richard De Burgo of Turlough without prior papal permission founded this magnificent Abbey for the Dominicans. In this case the term Abbey is a bit of a misnomer as the Dominicans were friars and did not have Abbots, so the correct term should really be Burrishoole friary. Pedanticism aside the friars remained under threat of excommunication until 1486 when the Pope relented and a forgiveness was granted. De Burgo himself spent his last years as a friar within its walls. The friary was suppressed during the reformation and over the centuries fell into ruin leaving only the main church chancel and nave and the eastern cloister wall remaining.
This is a really picturesque ruin in a stunning location and is built on elevated ground above a narrow tidal inlet running in from clew bay. When we arrived it had been raining and the location looked a little grim but the sun broke through and the skies cleared to really illuminate this lovely spot. From the Friary the view below to small boats bobbing in the tidal water is one of the nicest sights I’ve seen in my ruin hunting.
The grounds surrounding the Friary are an active cemetery and so access was easy by way of the main gate. A gravel path leads you up to the remains of the cloister and the gable end of the chancel. As you step between the chancel and cloister there is a small door leading into the nave of the Church. The main door though is in the West gable. A large but not very high tower straddles the nave and the South Chapel is to the right of this. There are large windows in the gables of both the South Chapel and chancel. In the interior there are a number of interesting features including a stone font and pedestal located just inside the West door There are also some finely produced archways. Some burials have been made within the nave as it is deemed consecrated ground and the floor contains a number of large grave slabs. The floor of the South chapel is strewn with large blocks of fallen masonry but it is quite safe to walk around.
All in all it was a very pleasant visit to a picturesque and serene location and well worth your time to go and view.
To find the ruins take the N59 from Newport heading towards Mulranny (or Mallaranny as it is now being called) and drive for approx 1.8KM until you see a small slip road on your left which is clearly signposted for Burrishoole Abbey. Drive down this slip road for approx 1Km and you will reach the ruins. There is ample parking here.

Old St Iberius Church Co Wexford

                                            Above Image: Entrance gate & stile

                                   Above Image: West gable & South wall doorway

                                          Above Image: Slightly sunken doorway

This small ruin is all that remains of the parish church of St Iberius. The Bishop Iberius was also known as Ibar or Ivor and was a 5^th century patron of Beggerin Island. This one time parish church in the Wexford countryside was named after him.

The construction date is unclear but is likely to be medieval and is recorded as being in ruins by 1840. What remains today are the single windowed West gable and partial remains of the North and South walls. The South wall has a rounded doorway which is partially sunken as the ground in the enclosure is higher than when construction took place. Apparently this was a sizeable enough Church in its day with a nave, chancel and a round chancel arch.
The ruins sit on elevated ground by the roadside with access by way of a stile or gate. The scant ruins have a dramatic look when viewed from the road below which is what set me about visiting them but sadly they leave a bit to be desired up close. Nonetheless there is at least something to see here unlike some of the very scant ruins I’ve visited such as Old Ballybought Church in Co Kildare (see previous post here) The graveyard has a series of cut stone grave markers some dating back to the late 18^th century and a large monument from 1851 dedicated to a local surgeon named Thomas Edward Lindsey who was from the nearby townland of Broadway. The graveyard doesn't appear to have a regular upkeep and the ground inside is uneven and overgrown in places so a little care is needed. Still it’s worth a quick stop if you happen to be in the area.
To find the ruin head from Wexford to Rosslare on the N25 and when you reach Tagoat you will pass by Cushen’s bar and the large St Mary’s Church on your left. Take the next right turn signposted for Carne Beach, Lady’s island & Broadway. Drive for approx 2.5KM and you will reach Butler’s pub on your left. The ruins are adjacent to the pub. You can park in the pub car park and drop in if you like for a refreshment afterwards!

Aylmer's Folly Co Kildare

                                               Above Image: Roadside barrier

                                         Above Image: Starting point of the trail

                                                    Above Image: Altar stone

                             Above Image: Trail upward with one of the warning signs

                                         Above Image: The tower comes into view

                                               Above Image: Base flagstones

 

                          Above & Below Images: Overgrown flagstones with details of
                                                                  Royal visit

                             Above & Below Images: Two of the exterior inscriptions

                                            Above Image: Entrance door to tower

                               Above & Below Images: Two of the inscribed steps

                              Above Image: The stairs viewed from the conservatory

                                       Above Image: First view through the window

 

                        Above Image And Below 3 Images: Views from the tower of the
                                                                                  excavated hill

                                                    Above Image: The descent

This interesting tower sits atop the Hill of Allen and is commonly referred to as Aylmer’s Folly. It was a project of Sir Gerald George Aylmer a Baronet of Donadea Castle. Construction began in 1859 with the chief masons William and Lawrence Gorry at the helm and took four years to fully complete as building only took place during the summertime. The Hill of Allen on which it stands is according to legend where Fionn MacCumhaill had built a camp and his men trained on the wide flat plains below. The Hill of Allen is also the highest point in Co Kildare and the tower stands at a height of 60 feet above this and is 9 feet wide at its base.

I was really interested in ascending the hill and climbing the tower but was getting many conflicting reports regarding access. Up to a few years ago there was a Kildare Co. Council car park at the base of the hill and a trail led up to the tower. Apparently in an unusual move the Council controversially sold the rights to quarry the hill for the next 50 years to Roadstone and so up to now almost half of the hill has been quarried away leaving the tower which sat on the crest of the hill now sitting basically near the edge of a cliff. A locked barrier now blocks access to the car park but a local man told me that there was still a public right of way to the tower and that you could still park a car at the gate and walk up. So off we went.
Arriving at the roadside gate I managed to tuck the car in against it. There is a large gap on the right between the gate and the hedgerows which gives easy access on foot. The trail to the summit begins on the back left hand side of the car park and leads up to a large field gate with a sign “private property”. This was to be the first of many warning signs along the way. But yet there were many signs simply saying stick to the trail for your safety. Obviously Roadstone were not inhibiting the walker. To the left of this field gate the trail turns left you will notice a large boulder on the right which was used as an altar stone in times past for celebrating the mass during the infamous penal times in Ireland. To reach the tower just follow the trail upward along a reasonably easy gradient keeping on the straight and narrow, the ascent shouldn't take more than 12-15 minutes. Eventually the tower comes into sight. 
After the trek I was delighted to find that the doorway was open on the tower. A large detached steel door lay inside against the wall. The tower has several inscriptions in Latin on various points around its height on the outside and a flagstone partially covered at the base a little around left of the door commemorates the visit in 1861 of HRH Edward,the Prince of Wales. He apparently ascended the tower on September 16 of that year. It is not indicated how much of it was actually built at that point.
Folly or not this is a really unique tower. The date of construction 1859 is engraved clearly above the doorway. Each of the steps on the spiral stairs inside has an individual name from those involved in the construction. The stairs leads to a domed top where the original glass has been replaced by a new PVC styled conservatory. I was disappointed because it was difficult to see anything out through the glass but I then discovered a window that could be opened. The gap between the glass and the castellations outside is quite narrow and a lot of carefulness is needed but I managed to climb outside and stand up to see above the castellations and what a view is to be had. The plains of Kildare stretch out before you. One scary view is of the whole half of the hill excavated below leaving the tower virtually on a precipice. I don’t know what future lies for this tower or if Roadstone intend to continue quarrying past it but hopefully this interesting historical site will not entirely disappear.
To Find the 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 and continue on this road (R415) for approx 6.5KM until you reach a T-junction with an apex-shaped store opposite called "Davids" Turn left at the junction and drive for approx. 2.2KM until you see a small road (L7083) on your right. Pass by this road and drive another 500m keeping an eye out for a blue barrier gate on your left. It's easy to miss so drive slowly.  It is literally a couple of metres just past the brick twin pillared gates of a private house. Park in at the gate as much as possible as the road has a bend and some traffic can come around at speed. The trail to the tower begins at the back left of the old car parking area.

Moore Hall Co Mayo

                                       Above Image: Car park starting point

                                              Above Image: Entrance stile

                                         Above image: The trail to the ruins

                                        Above Image: The house emerges

                                 Above Image & Below 2 Images: Interior views

                                    Above Image: Route to the rear of house

                                       Above Image: First view of the tunnel

                                       Above Image: Dank and dark interior

                               Above Image: Intestinal-like tree roots take hold

This ruin of a once fine house had its history originate with George Moore a very wealthy merchant in the brandy and wine business trading in Spain. Upon selling his business in 1784 he returned to Ireland. George wanted to use some of his fortune to construct a fine mansion to be named aptly Moore Hall. He bought property on Muckloon Hill near Lough Carra but was repeatedly advised that it was a known to be a cursed place deriving from the story of the death of the King of Connacht Brian Orbsen in the fifth century. When Orbsen was killed his druid Drithliu fled and went into hiding on Muckloon Hill but to no avail he was hunted down and killed. George scoffed at these tales and in 1790 began the construction of the mansion. Nine years later he met a bad end when he initially went blind then died as a result of a stroke. His Son John who had been arrested during the rebellion in 1798 in which he took part died shortly later while being transported to the West Indies. Some said George should have heeded the warnings. Descendants who continued to live in Moore Hall included the famous writer George Augustus Moore who entertained many renowned people there. The house was occupied until 1910 and then went under stewardship. During the civil war in 1923 it was destroyed by fire set alight by members of the old IRA who arrived at the estate in the form of a mob and who objected to the then owner Maurice Moore’s stance on being pro treaty. There was a concerted campaign on these big houses during the conflict and Moore Hall was unlucky to be one of them. The house was completely gutted and never reconstructed. The curse continued. Today the lands are in state ownership and run by the forestry commission Coillte. As with many Coillte sites parts of the forests are available to the public for walking and this is also the case with Moore Hall’s estate.
A car park at the edge of Lough Carra is the starting point and when we visited we took the track the furthest from the entrance way which leads directly to the ruins in a short walk of a few minutes.
The atmosphere in the woods is one of silence. Rarely did I even hear birdsong along the route. The rough track eventually opens out to the large copse in which the ruins stand. Large stone steps lead up to the portico and the now gated up doorway. The bare window frames like eyeless sockets seem to glare on the modern world with some disdain. Access to the interior has now been prohibited because of incidents in the past of falling masonry. You can still look inside through the doorway and some of the windows and see what a large interior it had although the trees and vegetation now curl around corners and cling to the brickwork. I have seen pictures of this house when it was still occupied and it was indeed a fine building and even now its stonework is quite solid but the building itself has become quite stark and derelict and seems to loom over you almost balefully.
We took a walk around the rear of the building and discovered that a tunnel lay beneath our feet accessed on either side of the building at basement level. This was apparently a carriage tunnel for deliveries to the house and kitchens. In the centre of the tunnel a wooden gate gives a rear view of the house but when I tried to access I got bogged down in mud made worse by rainfall the night before. Indeed the tunnel was haunted by sounds of dripping rainwater and had a distinctly unpleasant atmosphere. I ventured no further as I really did feel I was not alone in there. Interestingly the cellar I believe is home to a colony of Lesser Horseshoe Bats which are a protected species. I would have really liked to have seen some but none were apparent in the tunnel area that I managed to traverse. They are nocturnal creatures and tend to keep hidden away. The bats are not the only fauna at Moore Hall. Legend has it that a Peist roams the water of lough Carra. (A Peist being a large serpentine creature) This folklore only adds more atmosphere to an already mysterious location. A family out walking passed through while we visited breaking the silence with jovial conversation but as soon as they left the house and its surrounds returned to that almost tangible quiesience that we had experienced since our arrival. 
An atmospheric visit then to a type of ruin that is usually tucked away from public view on private land. Many thanks go to Coillte for allowing access to this historic yet creepy manse.
To find the ruin of Moore Hall you need to take a trip down a few back roads. Entering Ballinrobe from the Castlebar direction you will see a large Pylon on your right and a shop ahead at a junction with a sign “Pete’s PC’s”. Turn left at the shop onto the High Street (L1607) and drive for approx. 6.5KM until you reach a crossroads with some large sheds on your left hand side. There are signs pointing left to Lough Carra and Moorehall. Turn left at the crossroads and it will be a 5KM drive to your destination. After 1.5KM of this section of your trip you will turn on a sharp right bend. Drive on for another 2KM and you will cross over a stone bridge known as Annie’s Bridge. 300m after the bridge the road takes a sharp bend right and 400m beyond this is a left hand turn with a sign pointing towards Burriscarra Abbey. Turn left here and drive alongside the north shore of Lough Carra for approx. 1KM until you see an entry way to a car park. It is clearly signposted “Welcome to Moore Hall”.  In the car park there are two entrance trails to the forest. Take the one furthest from the road entrance at the end of the car park.