I See You See

Castle of the Ferocious O’Flaherty Clan!

On our way south from the Connemara, we stopped off at a secluded old castle – found down a 2km winding narrow track.  It was at one time the fortress and home of the war like, ferocious O’Flaherty clan. We climbed up the winding stairs of the tower and decided that life in such a castle was definitely not for us – not then, not now!

O’Flaherties in action

Even much larger and better trained armies were afeared of the O’Flaherties. They were known as ‘the battle-axes’

A depiction of a hunt in the castle interpretive tower.

Even the wildlife had to be afeared of the O’Flaherties.

A modern day ferocious O’Flaherty pig!

In what is left of the castle’s old banquet hall we first heard and then saw this ferocious O’Flaherty pig. It shares the area with a fairly timid grey horse and it gives the poor horse a hard time. It would be best made into bacon!

Entrance to Brigit’s Garden – donated shoes filled with plants.

Our second wander off the main road on Saturday took us down yet another narrow winding lane that brought us to Brigit’s garden – an unusual garden run by volunteers as a place of peace and meditation. Many who have felt the magic peace of this place have donated a shoe that becomes part of the garden’s decoration. I’ve no idea why!

‘Spring” Garden at Brigit’s Garden

There are four main sections of the garden each representing a season of the year. This one with the lovely bronze leaved sculpture representing birth is for spring. Each section is surrounded by wildflower meadows.

Garden dedicated to St Brigit.

The central section is dedicated to St Brigit with a more formal flower bed that’s surrounded by fruit trees.

The herb and medicinal plant garden

Another area of the garden is dedicated to culinary and medicinal uses for herbs and other plants.

It’s definitely a different type of garden but one that we enjoyed.

Wellington Boot plant pots.

We thought the wellington boots were an appropriate symbol for this trip to Ireland!  We have often wished that we had some as our walking shoes have often been saturated.  But shoes do dry out – and so do feet and socks.

A and J