I promised myself, when I visited the Seven Wonders of Fore, almost a year ago to the day, that I’d return with my bike to further explore this ancient land full of mystery. This morning was sharp, good and dry, not too cold – ideal or the bike. These are the places I love to visit and I knew today would be special; I was embarking on a journey through time, from the Legendary Seven Wonders of Fore to the ancient hilltop cairns of Loughcrew and then on towards Lough Sheelin in Cavan.
Fore is nestled between two beautiful hills, the Ben of Fore to the north east and Carrick Balor (Of the Evil Eye) in the south west. I pedalled past ‘The Water that runs Uphill’, surely an optical illusion – or is it magic! It was then over the ‘Water which will not boil’ as I headed into the grounds of the Monastery Built in a Bog – still standing defiant against the marshy land beneath! A magical lands for sure!
I left Fore behind and took to the winding roads, leaving thoughts of the mysterious Wonders behind as I headed the relatively short trip into County Meath and one of it’s most important sites in the Boyne Valley region at Loughcrew. This corner of Westmeath and Meath has a feel of Ulster about it, with beautifully striking drumlins to struggle up and to speed down. Big grassy knobs full of sheep nestled above numerous little lakes, hardly known outside the locality. Lough Bane (Lough Ban – White Lake), is a long sliver of water with beautiful views on both sides.
The climb to Loughcrew is steep on a bike and today I was having deraileur problems, which didn’t help. I managed to sort it when I got to the entrance to the site. I didn’t go in today as I couldn’t leave the bike unattended and the walk to the top and back takes a good 40 minutes. I’ve been here before and the sight at the summit is spectacular and the Cairns, older than the Great Pyramids of Egypt, stand as guardians of time, the chambers holding the secret’s of Ireland’s first people. The Loughcrew Cairns are a group of 30 passage tombs, comprising one of the most important prehistoric cemeteries in Ireland, dating from 3200BC and feature some of Europe’s finest megalithic carved stone art.
Rock Art at Loughcrew
I took these photos at Loughcrew on my last visit in September 2020.
It was downhill towards Lough Sheelin then and what I thought was County Cavan, but there is a narrow sliver of County Meath that juts into the lake and I did not actually set foot in Cavan! I paused and took in the view, realising today’s journey hadn’t just been one of kilometres cycled but a journey through time. From the mystical wonders of Fore to the ancient spirits of Loughcrew and the quiet beauty of Lough Sheelin, a cycle through the soul of Ireland. In the whispers of the stones and water, stories of the past rode with me as I turned for home.
As the morning mists lifts over our beautiful country bóthríns, the rolling of my tyres is the only sound I hear. This is bike touring – intimate, unhurried and endlessly rewarding. You see every road has a destination, some are hiding in plain sight.. here are 10 that brought me quiet satisfaction when I visited them during 2024:
1 Fourknocks Passage Tomb
15 kms south of Newgrange is the much lesser known Fourknocks Passage Tomb. Keys are available from a neighbouring house and you can explore this fabulous 5,000 year old tomb all on your own. Off the beaten track and all the more impressive for it.
2. The Seven Wonders of Fore
The Seven Wonders of Fore include the monastery in the bog, the water that flows uphill, the tree that won’t burn, the water that won’t boil, the anchorite in a stone, the mill without a race and the lintel raised by St Feichin’s prayers! This is a magical place in County Westmeath with a lovely 4kms walk to visit all the sites. Check it out!
3. Meelick Weir Crossing of the Shannon
The weir was damaged in severe storms in 2009 and again in 2015/2016, when the walkway was also damaged and was subsequently closed and is now reopened. It links the historic village of Meelick in east Galway to Lusmagh in west Offaly and forms part of the Hymany Way and the Beara-Breifne Way walking trails. It’s a unique spot – the three provinces of Leinster, Connacht and Munster meet right here. Lots of interesting historical sites on both sides of the Shannon here.
4. The Shannon Pot
The Shannon, Ireland’s largest river, at a magnificent 360kms, literally comes bubbling out of the ground close to the border between Cavan and Fermanagh in the Cuilcagh Mountains, at a place quaintly called The Shannon Pot or Log na Sionna as Gaeilge, “The Hollow of the Shannon”. It’s a large pool of golden brown water about 16 metres in diameter and at least 9 metres deep. The water reaches the Pot through a network of underground streams and many say that it actually starts in County Fermanagh at a place called the Pigeon Pot.
5. Clonfert Cathedral
I stumbled on a unique burial tradition here in Clonfert, where graves are lined with chicken wire and branches of laurel are woven into the wire to provide a beautiful resting place for the deceased. I was delighted to see this being done while I was being regaled with the true tale of the incredible 9 legged cycle! Anthony Flanagan lost his leg many years ago in a combine harvester accident. He didn’t allow it define him or inhibit him and he undertook an incredible charity cycle a couple of years ago along with 4 others. With just ONE LEG he completed a 420km cycle IN 24 HOURS for some local causes. The following year they cycled to Croagh Patrick AND HE CLIMBED IT! I came out of Clonfert graveyard with my head spinning, full of amazement at the spirit of Anthony and his absolute determination to get on with life regardless of the cruel hand he was dealt. St Brendan the Navigator founded his monastery here and it became a great seat of learning with over 3,000 monks here in its heyday.
6. Presley Ancestral Grave
It’s hard to reconcile the glitzy image of the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll with this peaceful corner of Wicklow, but perhaps that’s the magic of it. As I stood there, the connection between past and present felt palpable. There’s a QR code on a sign at the entrance to the graveyard, which gives a detailed account of the Presley connection. Nearby Hacketstown also claims to be the birthplace of the Presley ancestors. There are court reports from the 1870s of a savage beating William Presley received on land he rented in Hacketstown, possibly by the ‘Whiteboys’, a secret agrarian society which defended tenant farmers land rights… I don’t think Elvis was singing the ‘Green Green Grass of Home’ in honour of the old sod!
7. Mount Melleray Monastery
Sad to say, but since I visited Mount Melleray over the Summer, news has broken of its imminent closure. It’s a Cistercian Abbey located in the Knockmealdown Mountains. The Abbey was founded on 30 May 1832 by a colony of Irish and English monks, expelled from the abbey of Melleray after the French Revolution of 1830, and who had come to Ireland under the leadership of Fr. Vincent de Paul Ryan. It was called Mount Melleray in memory of the motherhouse. I had a great chat there with Father Denis Luke, Prior of the Abbey, about cycling and the Camino, a really nice man who had a kind word for everyone. Soon there will be no one to greet visitors. Another loss…
8. Baunreagh 1798 Camp Field
I finally saw the sign for the 1798 Camp Field, where Father Murphy and the Wexford Rebels were camped out during the 1798 rising. What an epic march they made from Vinegar Hill, then were betrayed and badly beaten at the Battle of Kilcumney, got up as far as Castlecomer and forced back down country before he met his dreadful end at the hands of the Yeomen in Tullow, where he was stripped, flogged, hanged, decapitated, his corpse burnt in a barrel of tar and his head impaled on a spike in the Main Square. Hard to forget or forgive those terrible deeds.
9. W.B. Yeats Grave
The village of Drumcliffe, County Sligo is famous for being the final resting place of W.B.Yeats, whose grave is in the churchyard under this simple headstone. Yeats died in 1939 in a hotel in the south of France. He was buried in a pauper’s grace in the village of Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, close to Monaco. His body was returned to Ireland in 1948 and buried in Drumcliffe. The release of State Papers this week express serious doubts over the identity of the ‘Yeats bones’ .
10 Mullaghgarve Mass Rock, Sliabh an Iarainn
Mass Rocks were rocks used as altars during the Penal Laws in the 1700s and were usually located in out of the way locations. This one is perfectly hidden from view behind a tall pinnacle, on the side of Sliabh an Iarainn, County Leitrim and is quite difficult to find. Once you turn at the pinnacle there is a short little section of roughly cut steps that take you to this unique mass rock. It’s perfectly secluded and with watch outs on duty the priest and his flock could safely celebrate mass without fear of the redcoats or peelers surprising them.
Spent a marvellous few hours on a gorgeous Saturday morning wandering St. Fechin’s Way and around the ancient and historic village of Fore, Co. Westmeath. ‘Ireland’s Ancient Heartlands’ is a patchwork of many incredible sites, that do not feature high on the public radar but are all fascinating places to visit. I’ll be back for more visits and surprises!
The view across Fore Valley
Fore isn’t a place you would normally drive through, you need to seek it out, but it is worth the effort. It must have been a thriving place in the heyday of the early Christian Church. It was a target for Viking raiders and Fore was burnt to the ground on at least a dozen occasions. Fore became a great centre of learning with 300 Monks and 2,000 students – akin to a modern university town! Ireland truly was the land of the Saints and Scholars. Poor Fechin however died from the Yellow Plague in 664.
The graveyard at St. Fechin’s Church.
The Seven Wonders of Fore ar a curious mix of Pagan and Christian beliefs that must have been written by the earliest Travel writers trying to promote the village of Fore!
The Benedictine Abbey was a much later construct in the 13th century, with the first monks being French. It too was plundered often. It’s a striking ruin that you can wander through. I was especially taken by the Dovecote or Columbaria built close by. The Dovecote was built to house pigeons as a source of food and feathers!
Dovecote or Columbaria
St Fechins Walk continues for 4 kms in a beautiful scenic loop along the edge of a wood and there are lots of new trees planted, all sponsored by local families.
The oldest beech tree in the Valley.
Fore is nestled between two beautiful hills, the Ben of Fore to the north east and Carrick Balor (Of the Evil Eye) in the south west. The walk way has lovely display boards about legends and lore. Some of the stories are from the Dúcahs collection that I often refer to.
Looking for some wisdom in the Wisdom seat!
I love these folk tales which we all learned in our youth, hopefully they will continue to be passed down the generations.
The key to the Anchorite can be had from the Seven Wonders Bar, unfortunately I was too early and it wasn’t open.
The tree that will not burn with coins hammered into the trunk!
