" P@tH Im@ges "
" Loch Firrib`s Shore "
Thank you all so much for all your Faves and wonderful inspiring Comments and to Elaine for making me laugh!! Im struggling to catch up with you all and that is a compliment to every one of you out there. Im heading off hiking for the next week so I wont be here much. I will catch up with all of you when I get back though and ill put up a few photos before I go. Take it steady and best wishes to all, from me!
Slan mo Chara!
P@t.
......................................................................................................................
The wild, remote and beautiful Loch Firrib lies high up off the Gap road, a mountain pass that goes through 40 mountains here in Co. Wicklow. It sits at 682m and is not visible from any direction untill you are right on top of it. A map and a compass are essential as its very easy to get lost. The lake is fed from an underground spring that rises on the slopes of Conavala mountain. The mountain peeping above the horizon is Tonelagee 796m Which lies to the n/e of the lake.
Tonelagee means " Arse to the wind " as there is always a wind blowing on its s/w flank.
There is a road in Glasnevin in Dublin called Tonelagee Rd. Its a fairly nice area and a bit posh. The people who live there dont really know what the name means and I like that as arse to the wind road is a good place for them!! Im only poking a bit of fun really but I wouldnt live there!!! Im quite happy here in "Ballygobackwards!"
They are supposed to do Wild Swimming here but Ive never seen it. You would want to be totally mad to even chance it up there. and you could loose a lot of your important bits when they would drop off with the cold! Brrrr!
Tune!
Ive tried to find a tune to fit this scene but I struggled. I settled for " The Corrs " Loch Ernes Shore [ the correct title! ] which is beautiful. Loch Erne is in Co. Galway. People will say that the Corrs, from Dundalk are a pop group but that is incorrect. They are traditional musicians who had some pop hits. Indeed their albums are peppered with traditional Irish tunes. Ive seen them live many times and they are superb and totally natural. They are very easy on the eye too! Well, 3 out of 4 aint bad! Poor Jim Corr! Mind you didnt he marry a supermodel! Isnt that awful for him! Good man yerself Jim!!!
" Lough Ernes Shore ";
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nb5voqe5C8Q
Art O Neill And Hugh O Donnell. Escape from Dublin Castle 1592.
Hugh Roe O Donnell or "Red Hugh" as he was called, the Earl of Tirconnell was part of the family who were lords of Tir Connell, Northern Ireland, which at that period was the most catholic part of Ireland. He was born in 1572 in their stronghold which is now modern Donegal. The English had made peace with the O Donnells many years before as they had tried to defeat them many times but failed. They thought it was better to confer titles and give them land in exchange for their loyalty. However, it wasnt to be.
On the death of Red Hugh`s father there was a power struggle to see who would succeed him and after a number of fierce battles amongst the cousins, it wasnt resolved but it was expected that "Red Hugh" would succeed him which he did eventually.
At the age of 15 Hugh was bethrothed to Rose O Neill, the daughter of Hugh O Neill, the second Earl of Tyrone.
The English were frighted that this would create one of the most powerful alliances in Ireland which would be uncontrollable, so young Hugh was kidnapped by Sir John Perot to use as a bargaining tool, and imprisoned in Dublin Castle.
On Christmas eve, 1592, O Donnell, with the help of Art and Hugh O Neill, escaped and fled across the Wicklow mountains to the stronghold of Fiach Mc Hugh O Byrne, in Glenmalure about 40 miles across the mountains, in the dead of night. Unfortunately it was one of the worst winters on record and they were badly caught high up on the mountains. Young Art O Neill died of exposure at the foot of a waterfall on Conavala mountain not far from this Lough. There is a large wooden cross overlooking the place and its know as "Arts Cross" in his memory. There is an incribed plaque on the cliff in the little valley where he died. It is written in old Irish script and it is very moving to see it as they say his body is buried here.
Hugh O Donnell successfully reached O Byrnes stronghold, in Glenmalure though suffering from frostbite, he survived having lost a number of toes. He was eventually safely returned to Donegal but he and many others had to flee Ireland and live in exile in Spain as NI was resettled by Protestant planters in 1609 as England felt that it was the only way they could control it. It didnt really resolve the situation as we all know of "the troubles" there which a lot of good people from both sides, fought hard politically to resolve with it great amount of success. It cost 3500 lives, many totally innocent, unfortunately. Enough! We are all hoping and praying here! Yes! Even a total heathen like meself as the alternative doesnt bear thinking about.
Hope you like the somewhat grainy photo as it was a wild day and I suppose it does fit as a tribute to young Art O Neill who lost his life here on that dreadful night so long ago.
Best wishes to all my friends out there in the wilds!
P@t.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugh_Roe_O%27Donnell
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plantation_of_Ulster
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Curlew_Pass
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiach_McHugh_O%27Byrne
Footnote;
This period when the last great chieftains left Ireland is called "The Flight of the Earls" and it is sad as they were the last of their kind.
It was a very difficult place to get to as the ground decending by the waterfall is very unstable but it was wonderful to see the spot where Art died and to think for a moment on such a sad loss of life of such a heroic young man.
" The Art O Neill Challenge " takes place every year here in his memory where groups of "mad" Irish people run from Dublin to Conavala across the mountains, at night in all weathers in Arts memory which though totally off the wall is a very special thing really.
P.
" Loch Firrib`s Shore "
Thank you all so much for all your Faves and wonderful inspiring Comments and to Elaine for making me laugh!! Im struggling to catch up with you all and that is a compliment to every one of you out there. Im heading off hiking for the next week so I wont be here much. I will catch up with all of you when I get back though and ill put up a few photos before I go. Take it steady and best wishes to all, from me!
Slan mo Chara!
P@t.
......................................................................................................................
The wild, remote and beautiful Loch Firrib lies high up off the Gap road, a mountain pass that goes through 40 mountains here in Co. Wicklow. It sits at 682m and is not visible from any direction untill you are right on top of it. A map and a compass are essential as its very easy to get lost. The lake is fed from an underground spring that rises on the slopes of Conavala mountain. The mountain peeping above the horizon is Tonelagee 796m Which lies to the n/e of the lake.
Tonelagee means " Arse to the wind " as there is always a wind blowing on its s/w flank.
There is a road in Glasnevin in Dublin called Tonelagee Rd. Its a fairly nice area and a bit posh. The people who live there dont really know what the name means and I like that as arse to the wind road is a good place for them!! Im only poking a bit of fun really but I wouldnt live there!!! Im quite happy here in "Ballygobackwards!"
They are supposed to do Wild Swimming here but Ive never seen it. You would want to be totally mad to even chance it up there. and you could loose a lot of your important bits when they would drop off with the cold! Brrrr!
Tune!
Ive tried to find a tune to fit this scene but I struggled. I settled for " The Corrs " Loch Ernes Shore [ the correct title! ] which is beautiful. Loch Erne is in Co. Galway. People will say that the Corrs, from Dundalk are a pop group but that is incorrect. They are traditional musicians who had some pop hits. Indeed their albums are peppered with traditional Irish tunes. Ive seen them live many times and they are superb and totally natural. They are very easy on the eye too! Well, 3 out of 4 aint bad! Poor Jim Corr! Mind you didnt he marry a supermodel! Isnt that awful for him! Good man yerself Jim!!!
" Lough Ernes Shore ";
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nb5voqe5C8Q
Art O Neill And Hugh O Donnell. Escape from Dublin Castle 1592.
Hugh Roe O Donnell or "Red Hugh" as he was called, the Earl of Tirconnell was part of the family who were lords of Tir Connell, Northern Ireland, which at that period was the most catholic part of Ireland. He was born in 1572 in their stronghold which is now modern Donegal. The English had made peace with the O Donnells many years before as they had tried to defeat them many times but failed. They thought it was better to confer titles and give them land in exchange for their loyalty. However, it wasnt to be.
On the death of Red Hugh`s father there was a power struggle to see who would succeed him and after a number of fierce battles amongst the cousins, it wasnt resolved but it was expected that "Red Hugh" would succeed him which he did eventually.
At the age of 15 Hugh was bethrothed to Rose O Neill, the daughter of Hugh O Neill, the second Earl of Tyrone.
The English were frighted that this would create one of the most powerful alliances in Ireland which would be uncontrollable, so young Hugh was kidnapped by Sir John Perot to use as a bargaining tool, and imprisoned in Dublin Castle.
On Christmas eve, 1592, O Donnell, with the help of Art and Hugh O Neill, escaped and fled across the Wicklow mountains to the stronghold of Fiach Mc Hugh O Byrne, in Glenmalure about 40 miles across the mountains, in the dead of night. Unfortunately it was one of the worst winters on record and they were badly caught high up on the mountains. Young Art O Neill died of exposure at the foot of a waterfall on Conavala mountain not far from this Lough. There is a large wooden cross overlooking the place and its know as "Arts Cross" in his memory. There is an incribed plaque on the cliff in the little valley where he died. It is written in old Irish script and it is very moving to see it as they say his body is buried here.
Hugh O Donnell successfully reached O Byrnes stronghold, in Glenmalure though suffering from frostbite, he survived having lost a number of toes. He was eventually safely returned to Donegal but he and many others had to flee Ireland and live in exile in Spain as NI was resettled by Protestant planters in 1609 as England felt that it was the only way they could control it. It didnt really resolve the situation as we all know of "the troubles" there which a lot of good people from both sides, fought hard politically to resolve with it great amount of success. It cost 3500 lives, many totally innocent, unfortunately. Enough! We are all hoping and praying here! Yes! Even a total heathen like meself as the alternative doesnt bear thinking about.
Hope you like the somewhat grainy photo as it was a wild day and I suppose it does fit as a tribute to young Art O Neill who lost his life here on that dreadful night so long ago.
Best wishes to all my friends out there in the wilds!
P@t.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugh_Roe_O%27Donnell
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plantation_of_Ulster
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Curlew_Pass
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiach_McHugh_O%27Byrne
Footnote;
This period when the last great chieftains left Ireland is called "The Flight of the Earls" and it is sad as they were the last of their kind.
It was a very difficult place to get to as the ground decending by the waterfall is very unstable but it was wonderful to see the spot where Art died and to think for a moment on such a sad loss of life of such a heroic young man.
" The Art O Neill Challenge " takes place every year here in his memory where groups of "mad" Irish people run from Dublin to Conavala across the mountains, at night in all weathers in Arts memory which though totally off the wall is a very special thing really.
P.