Sites visited 29/ 1 / 2011
1/ Ullard.
2/ St Mullins Monastery.
3/ Motte and bailey.
4/ St Mullins holy well.
5/ Curraun Standing Stone.
6/ St Patricks well.
7/ Templenaboe
8/ Duiske Abbey
9/ St Lazarians well.
Our first stop was Ullard and what an interesting site it is with its 12th century church originally founded in the 7th century by St Fiachre patron saint of gardeners and taxi drivers. Incongruously tacked onto the back of the church ruins is a handball alley,just behind and to the left is a very weathered Celtic cross. In the field beside the church is a special treat in two beautiful bullaun stones and as an added bonus a holy well. All in all a site well worth visiting. ( Click on images to enlarge )
OS Map 68. Grid Ref S 723 482
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| Ullard Church. |
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| Romanesque arch.. |
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| Celtic cross |
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| Handball alley tacked onto church ruins. |
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| Double bullaun stone. |
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| Bullaun stone. |
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| With its attendant tree. |
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| Holy well. |
Our next port of call was St Mullin's (Moling) Monastery. Here's a link for some background information on the site http://www.askaboutireland.ie/reading-room/history-heritage/folklore-of-ireland/carlow-folklore/st-moling/st-mullins-ancient-site/ We spent quite a bit of time here trying our best to be unobtrusive as there was a funeral due, in fact it arrived while we were there.
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| General view of site from top of motte. |
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| Front of Celtic cross |
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| Detail on bottom of cross |
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| Back of cross |
Remains of round tower.
Next came the Motte and bailey. I really liked this site, I hadn't seen a motte and bailey quite so defined before in Ireland. Re Hagers question as to whether there was a cairn here before the motte was built we talked to a local lady and she said there was reputed to be. I know that's not a definitive answer but at least its in folk memory. Had great fun trying to get to the top of the Motte I had to pick the most difficult way,while the others just strolled to the top by an easier path....
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| Here you can see the bank clearly running round the motte. |
Here's a video for Hager,taken from the top of the motte. Hope it brings you some happy memories....sorry about the sound ..........
Having finished our visit to the "St Molings Complex" we got into our cars and headed a couple of miles up the road to visit what to me was the highlight of the day a standing stone.... yippie...
OS Map 68. Grid Ref S 759 354.
Another mile or so further on we visited another holy well spotted by "Holy Well" on the OS map.
OS Map 68. Grid Ref S 784 353.
Yep its a bad pic but it was pissing rain and was cold and there was a hedge and electric fence to be negotiated so I took a long distance photo and left the serious exploration to "Holy Well" while I sat in the comfort of my car. He subsequently discoverd its called "St Patricks Well"
We then drove back to St Mullens and up the hill en route for Graiguenamanagh and on the right hand side as you leave the village theres "Temlpenaboe"
The sign says everything that needs to be said.
The next port of call was Duiske Abbey in Graiguenamanagh . I found this a strange name and discovered it came from the Gealige dubh uisce meaning black water . Link to background information on abbey http://www.discoverireland.com/us/ireland-things-to-see-and-do/listings/product/?fid=FI_11170
OS Map 68. Grid Ref S 709 437.
Having had something to eat we bid farewell to Standing Stone and friend,while Holy well and I drove to Old Leighlan and our last site of the day St Lazarian's Well.
OS Map 61. Grid Ref S 656 654.
Sorry for quality of pictures here but the light was fading fast and it was raining. Tired but happy at at what we had accomplished for the day we beat a hasty retreat for Dublin...........
Most of the sites above are on http://www.megalithomania.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=645&start=10
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