The source of the Wren Boys tradition is lost in the mists of time and while I wasn’t partaking in any hunting of the wren on this St Stephens Day, I came across a few on my fantastic cycle today along the Nurney Plateau. The road up through Nurney across by Augha gives beautiful views of the Barrow Valley but also access to some great lesser known heritage sites of County Carlow.
I love the climb up to the highest point above Nurney village, its only 226 metres but it’s a good pull rewarded by views of the Wicklow Mountains to the east, the Blackstairs to the south, across the Barrow Valley and up onto the Killeshin Hills in the west, with Carlow Town spread out to the north. I sped down into Newtown and swung right towards the townland of Kildrenagh. There’s a well hidden large head of an old cross and a stoup, or holy well, located in a hedge along a cul de sac. If you didn’t know it was there you would never find it.
Kildrenagh Cross and Stoup.
The Dúchas website is an amazing anthology of folklore collected by school children in National Schools during the 1930s. Here are two stories written by a Joseph Mahon of Augha and a May O Brien of Ballybromell, Fenagh.They make lovely reading as the following extracts show about this site and Augha Church which was my next stopping off point.
Kildrenagh (Cill Droighneach) means The Church of The Blackthorn or Sloe Bush and there are remains of a monastic site and bullaun stones in the fields alongside the road dating back to the 2nd Century BC. The Celtic Cross is 10th or 11th Century and you can see the outline of carvings of a Christ figure in the central panel with various crucifixion symbols on the side panels, a ladder, nails, hammer. They were uncovered in the early 1800s by workmen laying a road for Captain Bruen of Oak Park to link Newtown with Ballywilliamroe Bog. They reerected them on the opposite side of the road to where they were discovered.
I love visiting this well which supposedly has the cure for warts. Time to keep moving and it was on then in the direction of Dunleckney – another interesting place to visit, but this time I turned in the direction of Augha. The 7th Century Church ruins at Augha are considered among the most beautiful pre-Romanesque architecture in Ireland. It’s amazing to see how the granite stones are so uniform in size and shape.
Augha ChurchAugha Church Augha ChurchAugha Church
The Vikings paid it a visit in 866 and did their usual plundering and pillage…!
At Augha Church.
It was time to head for home now and I retraced my route from Nurney back towards Tinryland but first stopping off to visit Ballyloo Castle, built in 1390 by Art Óg Cavanagh, King of Leinster who was poisoned in 1417! Isn’t it amazing the history that is around us in plain sight but which we can’t see? The Castle ruin is barely visible as it has become overgrown with ivy. It is another important part of our heritage. All three sites today are in need of protecting or they will sadly crumble into heaps of stones in the next 50/100 years. And there will be no markers to our past.
“A Zen teacher saw five of his students returning from the market, riding their bicycles. When they arrived at the monastery and had dismounted, the teacher asked the students, “Why are you riding your bicycles?”
The first student replied, “The bicycle is carrying this sack of potatoes. I am glad that I do not have to carry them on my back!” The teacher praised the first student. “You are a smart boy! When you grow old, you will not walk hunched over like I do.”
The second student replied, “I love to watch the trees and fields pass by as I roll down the path!” The teacher commended the second student, “Your eyes are open, and you see the world.”
The third student replied, “When I ride my bicycle, I am content to chant nam myoho renge kyo.” The teacher gave his praise to the third student, “Your mind will roll with the ease of a newly trued wheel.”
The fourth student replied, “Riding my bicycle, I live in harmony with all sentient beings.” The teacher was pleased and said to the fourth student, “You are riding on the golden path of non-harming.”
The fifth student replied, “I ride my bicycle to ride my bicycle.” The teacher sat at the feet of the fifth student and said, “I am your student.”’
Zen proverb
I can so relate to this when I go on a long cycle, as I did on Saturday, when I took to my bike cycling to Wexford Town from Carlow. Believe it or not I was going to a 70th birthday party (she looks 30 and I put it down to all the hill walking she does and of course her doting husband!). Every journey brings so many benefits; I love to look over the hedgerows, up onto the hills, down at the fast flowing Slaney and marvel at the beauty of it all. Something that cannot be truly appreciated from inside a tin box travelling at 100kms per hour. And getting lost in the art of cycling. The simple act of cycling for cycling sake.
The network of local roads is so expansive, it’s possible to go anywhere on your bike and feel perfectly safe. Saturday’s route took me out via Kellistown, a tough little hill with the old church ruin commanding great views of the surrounding countryside.
Kellistown Church
From Kellistown its cross country towards Aghade. Fr. Murphy, of Old Kilcormac, made his last journey across these roads and the route is commemorated with signposting. The events of 1798 resulted in a lot of death and destruction in the south east principally in Wexford and Carlow and as I was heading for Wexford it was nice to cross the path.
And the Yeos at Tullow took Father Murphy
and burned his body upon a rack
Boolavogue by Patrick Jospeh McCall
I had a route on mind to head via Ardattin to Clonegal but when I met a fine gaggle of geese at Aghade, forcing me to ask the question…. ‘goosey goosey gander, where shall I wander?‘ Interestingly one theory about the origins of this nursery rhyme is that it refers to Catholic persecution in England which forced parishioners to hide their priests, similar to here during the time of the penal laws and entirely apt when we talk about Fr, Murphy! So they stopped me in my tracks and I had a rethink, deciding to head over by Altamont Gardens and on to Kilbride Cross where a recent memorial caught my eye while driving but where it was too dangerous to stop.
Goosey Goosey Gander, where shall I wander?.
On the last few occasions I drove past Kilbride Cross, I spotted a memorial to 9/11, it seemed to consist of a large poster with all the names of those killed in the Twin Towers and an American Flag alongside the Carlow and Dublin Flags and another which I couldn’t make out until today. The poster was gone unfortunately when I got to the Cross but it was nice to see plaques honouring Kevin Barry, the 1916 Rising and Michael Fay of Altamont who was killed in the Ballymurphy Massacre of 1921. The mysterious flag was a United States Marine Corps flag! Not sure why.
Kilbride Cross
By changing direction and heading to Kilbride, it meant an unpleasant 800 metres on the busy main road. I was glad to turn left just before the White Mills pub and take a nice local road down to the River Slaney at Kilcarry Bridge, on of our favourite swimming spots when the lads were young.
It’s only a short few kilometres from here to one of the prettiest villages in Carlow, Clonegal. Full of history, Clonegal is worth a weekend ramble. The first sight you meet are the Weavers Cottages and on the opposite side of the road is a small garden featuring a number of interesting artefacts.
Continue down the street and look out for this fascinating gateway!
This stone is in the Arched entrance to the yard beside what once was the Church of Ireland Presbytery and earlier the home of the Captain of the Yeomen In 1798 this was the home of Captain De Renzy and the stone marked an execution site. The hangman who carried out the executions was Bob Young. Chilling reminder of the persecution our ancestors suffered…. and of course close by is Huntington Castle, well worth a couple fo hours to explore both the castle and gardens. It has a fascinating history but today I was just passing by.
Entrance to Huntington Castle.
The Derry River flows through Clonegal and forms the county boundary with Wexford and divides the village of Clonegal in two. The part of the village in Wexford is known as The Watch House. The name comes from the fact that when the 1798 Rising commenced a hut was built at the Water House cross which was manned by Yeomen or soldiers day and night. A person bringing an animal to the fair of Carnew had to get a permit at the Watch House cross, and if he failed to sell he had to get another permit from the Yeomen in Carnew to bring the animal home.
I’ve always loved the colours of the Derry River…
I turned right in the Watch House and pointed the front wheel in the direction of Kildavin, all the while admiring the views of the specimen trees across the river on the grounds of the Castle. In no time I was at the Geata na nDeor.
Another sad reminder of our troubled past.
The back roads in Carlow are superb; all of them are well surfaced but that does not seem to be the case in Wexford and the further I travelled the worse the surfaces became. Thankfully my Giant Tough Road is made for just about every surface; I wouldn’t dream of taking a road bike on these roads. Its a lovely scenic route through the Slaney Valley and that more than makes up for the bumpy ride. I was able to avoid Bunclody and instead take a quiet road through Clohamon all the way to Enniscorthy. The great thing about the back roads is there is always something to stop and stare at.
This beautiful thatch cottage was once the local post office in Ballycarney
I took a long way round to get into Enniscorthy to avoid the main road and truth be told I was just barely hanging in at this point. So I was glad to finally make it to the Bus Stop on Abbey Quay. Sitting outside having a reviving snack and was glad to meet with Wexford goalie Conor Swaine and have a chin wag about our clashes in recent years! The route continued to provide reminders of 1798 as I head up towards Vinegar Hill and cross country towards Oilgate. I was surprised when I came across this as I didn’t know such a facility existed!
Unfortunately the road was blocked just here and I had no option but to retrace my steps down the hill and head out onto the busy main road. Time was pushing on and I had to up the effort to make the party in time! I was to finally catch sight of Ferrycarrig and head into Wexford Town. The sun finally broke through as it had been promising all day!
FerrrycarrigYellow bellied giraffe, only found in Wexford..Believe it or believe it not!
Wexford Town is always a great spot to visit and I enjoyed cycling down along the Quayside.
Kerry fishing boat tied on the quays.
It was a long 87 kms but full of interesting sights and with plenty of stops for photos it was a great Saturday spin; in between stops, I did as the fifth Zen student did; I rode my bike to ride my bike.
With county wide travel allowed in recent weeks, it was nice to be able to visit beautiful South Carlow and enjoy cycling routes along the Barrow and under the Blackstairs.
I noticed a revival of an old tradition with the decoration of the May Bush. It seems to have been revived in County Wexford in recent times and is now catching on in the south of the County. Below are a few of the examples I came across in the past few days.
As with much of our traditions, it appears to have its origins in Pagan rituals as much as Christian traditions and some suggest they are to provide sacred protection against the fairies who are very active around May Day! Another theory associated it with the start of summer and in more recent times are linked to honour the Virgin Mary.
Before the advent of mass produced bicycles at the end of the 19th century, most people would not have ventured beyond their parish, whether in the countryside or in the small towns of the provinces.
Work would have been local, socialising would have been confined to the village hall and tavern and spare time activities included visits to rambling houses for story telling, dancing at the cross roads, playing caid or hurling, a bit of fishing or hunting. And that was probably about it. A simple existence. A hand to mouth existence for most.
Romance was confined to the local population and outsiders were few and far between.
I often think of one of the stories Peig Sayers recalled of ‘the old hag’ who decided to travel from Corca Dhuibhne to Dublin. She set out from Dun Chaoin but when she got over the hill at Sliabh an Iolar she was shocked at the extent of the country side spread out before her and she turned around and never again thought of leaving her local surroundings.
Travel to larger towns or cities was very difficult and lengthy – only a privileged few would have made it to Dublin.
Night cycle to Ducketts Grove
One of the factors that brought social change was the arrival of mass produced bicycles. It extended the range of peoples horizons; for many it was the mode of transport and we all have heard the stories of football and hurling supporters cycling the Dublin from places like Carlow and Portlaoise for Championship games – and home again!
The arrival of Covid-19 and 5kms travel restrictions brought this into focus for me as we found ourselves in lockdown, confined to our own areas, just like previous generations before us. And it was strange and hard to adapt. One business that has boomed since Covid arrived has been the Local Bike Shop. Sales of new and second hand bikes have gone through the roof. Imagine there are waiting lists for new bikes!
Day time visit to Ducketts Grove!
There are a few positive knock ons from Covid – it’s not all doom and gloom and it will be interesting to see if the effect lasts when vaccines are widely available and we get a return to the old normal; but in the meantime people are rediscovering there own localities, the pace of life has slowed down, more people are exercising – especially walking and cycling. People are looking for new routes all the time. There is less commuting with many people working form home. And people are liking what they are experiencing.
Myself and Mary have never done as much cycling, even though we are limited in where we can go; but we have not allowed weather or darkness stop us from getting out for fresh air, exercise and some exploring and rambling around Carlow and environs.
It has been great to see families out together on their bikes, along the fantastic network or local roads that are very safe for cycling. Here’s hoping it continues as we get a sense of what our forefathers experienced 100 years ago!
The Spréach sculpture by Niamh Sinnott erected when the new Bennekerry NS was built
On a day when thousands are marching in London for the right to kill their Grannies, it was a tonic to get out on the bike today and take in the wonder of Autumn. People find the Covid guidelines stressful and restrictive, especially the 5k limit. But if you think of it differently it can actually help you to enjoy your local area so much more. When we were in school (many years ago..) we learned that the circumference of a circle is measured as π (3.14) multiplied by two times the radius. And so instead of the limit being 5km it is more like 31kms!!
Today we cycled 40kms – all inside the 5k limit, and it was magnificent. At a time of pandemic there is a real threat to our mental well being and we can be stressed out by worry, fear, restrictions and lack of contact with others. Its important we look after ourselves and the good news is there are simple measures we can take to not only cope with Covid but to thrive in a time of Covid.
Gretchen Reynolds had a great article in the Irish Times last week and it dealt with the benefits of walking compared to the benefits of walking with your eyes open to the wonders of nature and our heritage. Studies have been conducted on this which prove that ‘awe walks’ are really good for our mental health. Highly recommend you read this article!
Browneshill Dolmen
So much to take in today! Our route took us out past the Browneshill Dolmen, which has the largest capstone of any megalithic tomb in Europe, Urglin Church, around by Oak Park, across to Graiguecullen and the Cruachán, over to Lanigans Lock on the River Barrow, back into Town, visiting Carlow Castle before heading out the Blackbog Road to Tinryland, Staplestown, Kernanstown, Bennekerry and home by the Browneshill Road. 40kms along mostly quiet local roads, virtually traffic free with lots to stop and photograph. The stops are as important to me as the cycle and there is so much to see, if we only open our eyes and take time to admire the beauty and remember our past!
Urglin ChurchWe popped into Oak Park Forest Trail to see the autumn leavesOak Park GateOne of the Autumn sights of Carlow that I look forward to each year.Lanigan’s LockGatekeepers House at Lanigan’s LockCycling The Barrow Way, despite the best efforts of WWI is always worth the effortRain shower at the weir at Mickey Webster’s Lock I said I better take this photo of the Castle before it tumbles completely… Mile marker on the railway line. 58 miles to Dublin from the level crossing at Blackbog Staplestown Church, kinda Halloweenish…The River Burren
After a good cycle I like nothing better than a hot bath and a good book! I avoid reading too much about Covid etc and prefer to read something positive, interesting, funny and hopefully that involves epic journeys by bike or any other means for that matter! I’d highly recommend Bill Bryson and the one I am reading at the moment is ‘Neither Here nor There’, an ode to an American Anglophile travelling in Europe. It’s hilarious!
Here’s a funny piece of him travelling in Paris with a friend of his…. you probably need to read the full chapter to really get it… but I was hugging laughing!! Laughter truly is the best medicine.
I’ve gone on a bit, but the gist of my post today is to recommend exploring your neighbourhood, 5k gives you much more latitude than you might think, keep your eyes open as you go on your walks or cycles. There’s a lot to be said for fresh air, exercise and stimulation, followed by a hot bath and a good book! I hope this might help anyone struggling with Covid worries at this time and If anyone wants to join myself and Mary at any stage, please get in touch!
