Posts filed under 'Carlow'
St Patrick’s Day is celebrated all around the world. However, for many it is simply a party, rather than a chance to celebrate Ireland’s patron saint. This is strange, because Saint Patrick had a dramatic life.
As a young lad of sixteen years he was captured by a band of raiders near Bologne in Gaul and taken with many others to slavery in Ireland. He was first brought to Mayo, but later sold to an Antrim farmer and he spent six years in captivity as a shepherd on Slemish Mountain.
One cold winter’s night, while Patrick slept, he heard a voice telling him “it is well that you fast, soon you will go to your own country” and a short time later the voice said to him “Look, your ship is ready”.
The spirit guided Patrick to the south of Ireland near Wicklow where he boarded a ship with a cargo of dogs bound for Gaul.
At this time an invasion of Gaul had left much of it desolate. Patrick and the crew of the boat wandered for 28 days until all food had run out. Patrick said to the crew “turn to God and he will provide” and suddenly a herd of pigs appeared and they had food once more. Patrick had performed his first miracle.
For a number of years Patrick wandered through Gaul. Conscious of his lack of formal training in theology and law he spent his time talking to and learning from the wise deacons and Bishops and soon he was made a Bishop in Rome.
He was lonely in Gaul so he went to visit his relations in Britain. While he was there he had another vision in which a man arrived from Ireland with many letters, including one for himself. The letter said “We ask you boy to come and walk once more among us”. Patrick was delighted and went to Ireland immediately.
The people of Ireland at this time were pagans under the influence of the Druids. Patrick had first to rid the country of these “magicians”. This is symbolised by the banishing of the snakes forever from Ireland.
He now set about converting the people to Christianity. His deep faith and belief in the Blessed Trinity made this doctrine a centre piece of his instruction. To help explain the mystery he used the simple 3 leaf shamrock to illustrate 3 persons in one God.
St Patrick died in 461. By this time he had created an established structured church throughout the country. His converts were across the entire social classes from Princes to slaves and many of his priests and deacons were from the youth of Ireland. He is still to this day the most famous figure in Irish history and is one of the best known figures throughout the Christian world.
February 27th, 2008
Leinster are preparing for their Heineken Cup clash at Leicester on Saturday 19th of January.
While the Leicester side is strong, Leinster coach Michael Cheika is confident they will be able to get a result.
He said: “What we’ve got to do is go up there and make sure we keep sowing a bit of doubt in
their minds in their home base, where they don’t lose very often.
“We’ve got to make sure we continue to play well…and try to sneak a win up there.”
Leinster’s preparations were given a boost with the news that both injury worries Shane Horgan and Ollie le Roux have recovered enough to be included in the squad. They will face fitness tests oon Thursday, but are expected to be at near 100%.
The full squad to face Leicester is:
Forwards (15): Cian Healy, Ollie le Roux, Ronan McCormack, Brian Blaney, Bernard Jackman, Stephen Knoop, Stan Wright, Leo Cullen, Trevor Hogan, Cameron Jowitt, Malcolm O’Kelly, Stephen Keogh, Keith Gleeson, Shane Jennings, Jamie Heaslip
Backs (12): Guy Easterby, Chris Keane, Felipe Contepomi, Jonathan Sexton, Luke Fitzgerald, Rob Kearney, Gordon D’Arcy, Christian Warner, Brian O’Driscoll, Gary Brown, Shane Horgan,
Girvan Dempsey
Ireland duo Gordon D’Arcy and Malcolm O’Kelly, need only three more appearances for Leinster to equal who both joined Reggie Corrigan’s record for the province.
Over 1,000 Leinster supporters are expected to travel to Leicester for the Heineken Cup match, which kicks off at 3.30PM at Welford Road.
January 16th, 2008
There’s a lot going on at Donnybrook, as Leinster prepare for the new season.
First, a new Rugby Development Officer has been named. Everyone at Leinster Rugby is delighted at the appointment of David McAllister.
The former Leinster and Ireland Under-21 out-half will be responsible for the North Midlands area. Hopes are high that his experience will help him unearth some exciting new talent.
But that’s not all. You can now sport the colours of your favourite team, as the new home jersey for the 2007/08 season is now available at the Leinster Rugby Store. Short sleeved jerseys are only €77, with long sleeved shirts costing €80.
The 2007/08 season looks to be a very exciting one for Leinster. Season ticket applications have almost doubled since last year. Priced at just €199, a new batch of Bronze season tickets has been released after the initial tickets were snapped up within weeks. Make sure you get yours quickly to avoid disappointment.
For devoted Leinster fans who can’t make it to all the home games, Leinster Supporters Memberships are available for next season.
Exile packages (€50) are designed for those Leinster fans all across the globe. The kids can join the Leinster Cubs for just €30.
Look out for more rugby news as the 2007/08 season approaches.
July 24th, 2007
Strolling through parks, touring the unique countryside, superb nightly sessions and lively annual festivals are some of the things that make County Clare a perfect sanctuary for that get-away relaxing break or longer holiday. Excellent accommodation and dining will fortify you well to enjoy the activities and amenities of the region. If you are in search of the outdoors, look no further than Clare County. Sea, lake and river fishing, walking and cycling and of course golfing are all popular activities in the county. Doolin, Fanore and Ennistymon are charming villages famed for their traditional music sessions.
Visit http://ireland.dublinevents.com/clare/ , learn about accommodations that County Clare offers and get reserved of your choice.
April 9th, 2007
The tenth and final section of Barrow Way starts from Graiguenamanagh and extends all the way to St. Mullins. This last section of the Barrow Way is located in County Carlow in the Leinster province. The difficulty grading of this walking section is easy with not much climbing involved. This section is relatively shorter with only eight kilometres to traverse. Walkers will be able to easily complete this route in about three hours. The walking terrain on this route is largely comprised of grassy track. Walkers can look forward to a relaxing walk by the riverside on this trail. The landscape surrounding this walking trail mostly consists of forest, farmland and small dams called weirs. Bahana Wood and the Scar are two forests that walkers will see on this route. At Graiguenamanagh, walkers can view a bridge dating back to the 1760’s. This bridge was built to replace a 15th century stone bridge. The thirteenth century Abbey of Duiske is a well known attraction in Graiguenamanagh. Walkers will find Tinnahinch Castle located beside the lock to also be an interesting place to visit.
March 20th, 2007
The ninth section of Barrow Way starts from Goresbridge and ends at Graiguenamanagh. This section is perfect for getting acquainted with the beautiful sights and sounds of County Carlow in the province of Leinster. Average walkers will find this section to be pretty easy. There is very little climbing to be done on this route. This section of the Barrow Way stretches over a long distance of fourteen and a half kilometres. Most walkers should be able to finish this walking trail in about four and a half hours. This trail provides walkers with an opportunity to enjoy some riverside walking that will surely have a calming influence on their minds troubled by everyday worries. The walking terrain on this route consists mostly of a grassy track. Walkers will be intrigued to know that the bridge at Goresbridge dates back to 1756 when it was built. This village is named after the Gore family. Barrowmount House used to be the residence of this family. Borris Demesne is linked to the MacMurrough Kavanagh family. This family is said to be the descendents of the kings of Leinster. Walkers can also witness the ruins of Ullard House and castle near the Ballinagrane Lock.
March 19th, 2007
The eighth section of Barrow Way is a delightful walk from Leighlinbridge to Goresbridge. This section is also located in County Carlow in the Leinster province. This is an easy section to enjoy walking with a minimum of climbing involved. The distance to be covered on this walking trail amounts to thirteen and a half kilometres. Walkers can expect to spend about four and a half hours in order to finish walking on this route. Like most sections on the Barrow Way, the majority of the eighth section is also comprised of grassy track. If walkers feel a need to enter Bagenalstown, a walk along the canal bank will take them there. The Leighlinbridge is the oldest bridge on the river that dates back to 1320. Going downstream, a hill will become visible after a short distance on the west side of the Leighlinbridge. This hill is known as the Dinn Righ and it is thought to have served as the ancient seat of the Kings of Leinster. Mount Leinster’s magnificent view will once again become visible once walkers have been walking a few minutes out of Leighlinbridge. The west bank of the river is home to the Dionn Ri hill fort.
March 16th, 2007
The seventh section of Barrow Way begins in Carlow and ends when walkers reach Leighlinbridge. This section introduces walkers to the sights and sounds of County Carlow in the Leinster province. This is an easy section with little climbing involved. A distance of eleven kilometres will have to be covered by the walkers on this track. Walkers shouldn’t have much difficulty in completing this walking trail in less than four hours. Almost half of the walking terrain on this route consists of grassy track. This path takes walkers across the county border into County Laois. There is a house called Locks located here where accommodation can be found. The river here is divided by an island adorned with a good number of trees. Once the walkers are past this island, Mount Leinster will come into full view. Walkers will appreciate seeing the Clogrennan Weir here. This weir is a small dam and it is the only naturally occurring one of its kind on the Barrow Way. Walkers can also witness the ruins of Clogrennan Castle on the west bank here. Also located close by is the Cloydagh Church dating back to 1805.
March 15th, 2007
The Borris Golf Club is a 9-hole parkland course that is maintained in excellent shape for golf through modern sand based greens and an automatic watering system. Practice area and putting green are available. Visitors will enjoy the warm and friendly atmosphere coupled with the panoramic views of the surrounding countryside. Full bar facility with light snacks is available for the refreshment of visitors. Full meals are available on request. Carlow Golf Club is a 27-hole parkland course in Deerpark. It is a free draining course hence it remains playable throughout the year. Golf lessons can also be taken from PGA Professional Andrew Gilbert.Â
February 15th, 2007
The third part of the South Leinster Way takes walkers on a relaxing journey from Borris to Graiguenamanagh. This part of the walking route is easy on the walkers and won’t introduce them to any hardships they can’t handle. This route stretches over a distance of about twelve kilometres. There is minimal climbing involved on this walking path. Walking at a steady and average pace, walkers can hope to finish walking on this path in less than four and a half hours. There is a road between Borris and Ballytiglea Bridge that should be crossed with caution. Walkers will enjoy the grassy path on this walking trail and will appreciate the forestry of the Borris House Demesne. The river bed of River Barrow offers a pleasant walking experience with a soft surface and will prove to be a soothing influence on the walkers. Delightful views of Brandon Hill can be caught at various parts of this route. Those interested in exploring ruins and historical buildings will find much to their liking. The ruins of a town house from medieval times can be found near Ballykeenan Lock. A bridge with seven arches dating from the eighteenth century is located in Tinnahinch near this route.
January 24th, 2007
The second part of the South Leinster Way stretches from Nine Stones to Borris. This is an easy walking path that most walkers will have no trouble in completing. Just like the first path, this section of the walking route is also about eleven kilometres long. There is very little or no climbing involved on this section of the route. Three hours is the estimated time that average walkers will likely take to finish walking on this path. Walkers will get to admire the Nine Stones which is a pre-historic alignment of stones. Slievebawn is also located close to this trail. The meaning of Slievebawn is White Mountain. It becomes obvious why it is called by this name when you walk up this heap of stones or cairn. There are large pieces of quartz and other metal containing rocks at this site that can shine quite brightly in the sunlight. There is also a huge quartz outcrop here that is a beautiful sight to behold. The views at this place are also fantastic. The beautiful Valley of the River Barrow is a nice place to visit that offers peace and tranquillity amid some spectacular views. The Comeragh Mountains and Slievenamon can also be seen from here.
January 23rd, 2007
South Leinster Way is a walking trail that extends over a long distance of about hundred kilometres. This walking track is divided into eight sections. Each of these sections takes about half a day to complete. The first part of this trail starts from Kildavin and ends at Nine Stones. This walking path is quite easy for average walkers to complete. This section of the South Leinster Way is located in County Carlow. The walking distance is quite long at about eleven kilometres. The height walkers will have to climb on this route is a bit high at 480 metres but it’s not too steep so climbing will be easy. Most walkers will be able to complete this walking route in a little more than four hours. The N80 road on this walking path is often populated with fast moving traffic so care should be exercised in crossing it. The surrounding landscape of this area is quite marvellous. Walkers will be treated to breathtaking views of Blackstairs Mountains, Mount Leinster and the Greenoge Hill. The village of Kildavin is a beautiful place to explore on this trail. If you happen to visit Kelly’s Quarter here and the day is clear, you will be rewarded with exhilarating views of the Irish Sea.
January 22nd, 2007
Reddy’s consists of a lounge, bar and restaurant. Traditional and international dishes are offered with steak and fish being a specialty. Expect to be showered with personal attention from the Reddy Family and their friendly staff. Whether it’s hot lunch or cold buffet, everything is served at this successful and long thriving emporium. The ingredients used are the freshest available and everything is home cooked to order. One can check out the Lotus Chinese Restaurant for some Oriental taste. Beams Restaurant is a top quality restaurant in Carlow with interesting menus and a nice selection of quality wines to choose from.
January 12th, 2007
Otterholt Riverside Lodge with a majestic Georgian architecture, unforgettable breakfasts and stylishly comfortable bedrooms makes this a great place to stay in Carlow Town. You can make a reservation or send a booking request to this beautiful hotel from our website.
November 15th, 2006
For all you fine folks who happen to be in County Carlow, check out the Weeping Thaiger Restaurant. The food there has to be tasted to be believed. The food is not only delicious, it’s cooked especially for those of us who put their health before anything.
November 15th, 2006
