ANCIENT SITES

                                         Something Old 

     At Craggaunowen we picked up a docent who showed us around the recreated medieval ecomuseum. She told us, “John Hunt bought the property in 1965 and initiated this project. He and his family lived in this 1550 castle for several years.  This 16^th century tower house is restored with furnishings of the 14-17^th centuries. McNamara built the castle to fortify the town and used it as a town house. Cromwell destroyed it leaving only the walls.”

      Entering the castle there was a distinct aroma of burned peat, which reminded me of the incense aroma of Tibetan monasteries. Among the utensils were some turtle shells that were used as serving dishes or as covers for others. I walked up the 60 narrow pie-shaped spiral stair steps leading to the top of the tower where there was a pretty good view of the area below. The whole setting is a lovely wooded area.

     We crossed a narrow wooden footbridge leading to an island in the lake where replicas of early Celtic–style dwellings are housed. The Bronze Age clay and wattle Crannog (Lake Dwelling) stands on a man-made island in a small lake as it might have in the 6-7^th centuries when Celtic influence dominated Ireland. Canoes provided transport to and from the island. Often rocks just under the water’s surface provided a ‘secret’ path to the mainland.

      Reconstruction of a small Ring Fort showed how ordinary farmers lived in the 5-6^th centuries. Underground passages provided storage as well as an escape route.

      We also viewed an Iron Age Roadway of oak, which was covered with peat for preservation and an outdoor cooking site. After a successful hunt the men would cook the animal in a deep water pit. A huge fire was lit behind the pit that heated stones. Enough stones were thrown into the water to make it hot to cook the meat. I wonder how well done that meat got!

      A clay storage pit was new to me and I was fascinated with a foot controlled and driven lathe for turning wood.

     One day on a drive in the countryside we detoured to see the Cahergal stone fort. This 1000 year old ring fort was in excellent condition. These forts are also referred to as fairy forts. There are some 40,000 of them in Ireland. Most of them are overgrown, but 200 have been excavated. People lived in the round stone walled forts and grazed cattle outside during the day. At night the cattle were brought inside. The forts were common in the 5-6^th centuries but go back as far as the Celts. Now the forts are national monuments and it is illegal to destroy them. People believed fairies lived in them.

      On another day we were on a narrow two-lane paved road that passed right by some beehive huts. Of course we stopped to visit. The huts were made of stone in the shape of a beehive and also date back to the 5-6^th centuries. They were in remarkably good condition and amazingly large inside.        

Sometimes life is amazing and it’s awesome to see and learn about such ancient things.

ZAGREB, CROATIA

                                     Croatia's Capitol

      Only 30 min from the Slovenia border, Zagreb, Croatia’s capital is a contrast to tourist coastal towns.  After centuries of being the de-facto religious, cultural, and political capital of

 Capitol is hard to miss

Croatia, Zagreb became the official capital after independence in 1991.  With a population of one million, one in every five Croats lives there.

     The 11^th century city, located on the southern slopes of the Medvednica hills, spreads up from the Sava River. The present city started as two medieval towns, Kaptol and Gradec, separated by the river. They merged in 1850, and like most medieval towns it has an Upper and Lower Town (Donji Grad).  Civic and historic monuments are in Lower Town as well as landscaped parks and open spaces while medieval landmarks are in Upper Town.

     Lower & Upper Towns are separated by Jelacic Square, the city’s main square. It is the hub of the city with its cafés, shops, trams, and baroque buildings. The gracious and hospitable city suffered little fighting or damage during the recent war.  A funicular runs every ten minutes to Upper Town. For a fee of 3kn one can enjoy the quick 55 second ride. We did.

       In Historic Upper Town street names can be confusing, as locals call them something other than what the signs say. Upper Town is the medieval heart of the city. At the overlook we had a great view of the city below.

      Our docent-led walking tour started at the Mirgoj cemetery. It is a lovely quiet area where many locals come to get away from the busy city. All religions are buried there. The cemetery is large and is bordered on the front by big long arcades. Walking down the wide walkway we noted crypts in the outer wall. Many were also buried under the walkway.. The arcades had several cupolas that were topped with the religious design of each religion housed within its section. There was a conventional cemetery beyond the arcades. These arcades provide quite a collection of lovely and varied sculptures. 

      It is a most unusual cemetery and was a very lovely landscaped quiet place. The landscape provided a lot of shade and it was easy to understand why people might take a respite here

On a simply gorgeous day

      The 1841 St. Marks church had a most unusual mosaic roof. There are several mistakes in the coat of arms. It is reversed and the lion heads do not form a proper Y. The proper red is replaced with blue. None the less it is a beautiful colorful roof.

      The inside of the Church of St. Catherine is intricately decorated, while the outside is Zagreb baroque. This is typical of the mansions also--simple outside, but ornate inside.  It is still the most important church. In the mid 13^th century Tartars destroyed the church and used it as a stable. The quake of 1880 destroyed the rebuilt church. The present church, built to protect against Turks, is of neo-gothic design with Renaissance towers.    

      Zagreb has much to offer and although we would have liked to spend more time here, it was the very end of a fantastic trip and I think we all were anxious to get home. The city is on my return list.

           

SOME IRISH TOWNS

                                  Irish Towns Vary

          To stay awake on arrival day in Ennis we made our way to the River Fergus and walked along the river. A river walk is called a bar in this part of the world.  The ruins from the 13^th century Franciscan Friary are visible from most all parts of the city where the main attractions are the rich carvings and decorated tombs. The 17^th century house next door is now the Cruise Restaurant. Its low beam ceiling is well preserved. We intended to eat there one day, but with so many other places to eat we never made it.

     We spent the afternoon wandering around Ennis, a vibrant medieval town that is the capital of County Clare. The quaint shops line winding cobblestone walkways so typical of medieval towns. The market town is a major crossroads and stop between the west and southwest. In the 13^th century the O’Brien’s, Kings of Thomonds, were the feudal landlords. We found the inner city somewhat littered, but there were lots of lovely flower boxes, hanging baskets and gardens. The outskirts of the city were clean and tidy. In 2003, 04, and 05 Ennis won the Tidy City award.

      The pedestrian center has been attractively renovated. In 1990 in observance of the city’s 750^th anniversary many modern sculptures were placed around town. The sculptures were generally large, but I’m not a modern art fan. The town has always fostered traditional arts especially fiddle playing and step dancing. Singing pubs abound and the city is known for its music festivals.

      A tall limestone statue of Daniel O’Connell (1775-1847), who was instrumental in bringing about Catholic Emancipation, stands in the town center. The statue is okay but stands on a very tall ugly pedestal. A statue of the politician De Valera also has a prominent place in town.

Glengariff means rugged glen. Wooded and sheltered picturesque Glengariff, tucked between the Caha Mountains and Bantry Bay, reveals a variety of landscapes. The Gulf Stream moderates the weather so sub-tropical plants thrive. Rhododendrons line the shore paths that reveal beautiful views of inlets and lounging seals.  Being on the tourist agenda, craft shops abound as well as boatmen soliciting business. Its mild climate has turned this city into a winter resort town. In Glengarriff we boarded the Harbour Queen for a ten minute ride to Garnish Island. Harbor seals were sunning and resting all over the rocks in the harbor.

     The Burren, from a Gaelic word meaning stony place, is a unique habitat for a rich variety of flora and fauna in spite of its barrenness. Three-quarters of the country’s native plants are found here. This giant rock garden, occupies 1% of Irelands’ land mass.  The 116 square miles of limestone formations stretch endlessly in all directions resembling a basalt moonscape. As far as the eye can see are vast irregular slabs of limestone, known as karst, with deep cracks between. Rivers have all disappeared underground. In spring this area looks like a well-planted rock garden including 23 species of orchids. Spring also sees the appearance of seasonal lakes on the plateau surfaces. The area supports a large variety of small wildlife including frogs and lizards as well as birds.

       Beside the Burren are the ruins of the 12^th century Cathedral of St. Fachan, which has been restored to a parish church. There is a large concentration of burial sites in the area including Poulnabrone Dolman---some 6000 years old.

You might like to read post of Garnish Island 10-30-10

MORE ABOUT IRELAND

                                       Irish Tid Bits
         From 1939 to 1945 air travel from America was by flying boats that landed at Foynes, County. Limerick after a long 18 hour flight. The passengers, chilled by the boat trip from the seaplane to the terminal, sometimes in cold, damp weather conditions, appreciated a hot cup of coffee or tea on arrival. The youthful manager of the Foynes catering service believed that passengers would welcome something stronger. The head Chef at Foynes rose to the occasion, developing, after some research, what is now known as Irish Coffee.

         In 1929 Guinness advertising proclaimed, “Guinness is good for you.” 

         In 1971 Gilbeys of Ireland set out to create a uniquely Irish drink that would embrace two of the country's finest products: fresh dairy cream and Irish whisky, and celebrate one of Ireland's finest traditions - just passing time and chilling out with friends. No one had managed to blend cream and whisky before, and it took years of patient work, plus a little chocolate and vanilla, to create the truly amazing taste.

         Finally, on November 26th 1974 a new type of drink was born: Baileys® Irish Crème, a cream liqueur.  Now it is the best selling liqueur brand in the world.  Baileys® uses the finest fresh cream from local dairies and whisky from Ireland’s most renowned distillery. The alcohol in Baileys® preserves the cream in a wholly natural way and guarantees its freshness over long periods.

   Gallagher’s in Temple Bar (an entertainment area of Dublin) is known for its traditional Irish food, but we passed it up. First we’d had plenty of Irish food and secondly we had no desire to return to Temple Bar. Music in the pubs does not start until about 9:30ish, and everyone was emphatic about the ish. It ends at 11:30. If one wants a drink after that he must go to a bar which is open until 2:00AM. The pubs have been smoke free for a decade but were always very crowded and noisy in the evenings. We concluded that such a scene is for the young, not us old folks.

  

          At City Hall there was is an interesting multimedia display of city history. In 1867 there was a proposal to move a marble statue of O’Connell inside the building as it was not considered to be weather proof. It still stands in the refurbished rotunda. In the center of the marble rotunda floor is a 1898 mosaic of the coat of arms. The ceiling is beautiful. In 1915-19 frescos were added at the ceiling. Repairs due to dry rot were made to the building in 1926 and a wonderful restoration was done in 1998. Outside, the front façade still shows some bullet davits from the civil war.

        Dublin was the first place we ran into having to use your room card to start the elevator. It’s a common occurrence now.

       St. Stephen’s Green, occupying 27 acres, is an oasis in Dublin’s city center. It was once an open common for punishment. It is the oldest park in the city (1664). After a long period of decline, it became a private park in 1814 and mid century residents had keys to enter the park. In 1880 Lord Ardilaun, chairman of Guinness, bought all the keys and landscaped the area before giving it to the city. Among the meandering paths are a Victorian bandstand, flower gardens, formal lawns and ornamental lake with waterfowl, bridges and islands. Buildings surround the green.  We were in and out of the green several times. The park seems always to be pretty crowded, especially near the entrances.

       Oscar Wilde’s house is directly across the street from Merrion Park. Wilde’s father was a well known eye and ear physician who was knighted. His mother was a poet and he probably got most of his literary

urge from her. At the corner of the park is a lounging Oscar Wilde on a huge rock. Fourteen different rocks are used in the statue. His face is a bit unusual as it portrays different moods when viewed from different angles. From the left he appears rather sad, face on he appears contemplative and from the right he appears happy. He is high enough to peer over the fence onto the busy street.  The Georgian homes were primarily built by Protestants as Catholics were excluded from representation and were not allowed to vote 1690-1840. In 1794 the Free Men were 3000 strong in a city with a population was 130,000.

  The round metal covers in the sidewalks in the Georgian area of Dublin are old coal shoots where coal was once delivered for heating.