A visit to an old church always demands reverences but here in Youghal, St. Mary’s Collegiate Church held a deep magic that almost brought us to tears. At over 800 years old, the care with which it has been maintained tells everything about its importance as a place of worship, ceremony and social cohesion for […]
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One of Ireland’s most impressive sites of medieval architecture, The Rock of Cashel was once the seat of the kings of Munster. One of most visited tourist attractions in Ireland, ‘The Rock’ was deserted this grey evening until a rent in the western sky let the sun stream in for our own personal experience.
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Just under two kilometres north east of Skellig Michael is its smaller sibling, ‘Little Skellig’ or ‘Sceilig Bheag’ in the native Irish tongue. I first laid eyes on Sceilig Bheag seven years ago and was introduced to the home of one of the northern hemispheres largest colonies of gannet, along with its incredible accompanying smell. […]
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What a strange sight among the graves of Cill Mhic Dhuach, a man in a hazmat suit power cleaning a tombstone with the precision of a dental hygienist. Perhaps the cleaning is required as part of some study where researchers need unrestricted access to the stone surface. Perhaps it is part of some tourist beautification […]
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Nearly seven years ago I got to circumnavigate the famous Skellig Michael off the south west coast of Ireland, symbol of the archangel Micheal and spiritual haven of the Mainistir Fhionáin monks that made this sacred rock their home. I planned to return one day with the anticipation of climbing to its pinnacle. Last Saturday […]
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