Some Laois photographs.

I have barely been out on the roads or offroad for that matter in Jan/Feb. Now it looks as though I've caught another chest infection.

 The last chest infection put me off the bike for almost 2 months but hopefully this will clear up a bit faster. People seem to be spluttering and coughing everywhere at the moment.

 So because I've been using an indoor trainer and a power metre instead of being outside in the real world I've done a "lazy mans load" again and I'll just drop a few photos from around Laois into this short post.

Keep the wheels turning. 

Ballaghmore Castle, Laois. There's a Sheela na Gig on the outside walls.

Giants Grave, Cadamstown, Offaly. Fallen megalithic burial monument. Not quite Laois but close enough to the Laois border.

Poets Cottage, Camross, Laois.

One of the many medieval and early christian crosses and slabs at Clonenagh, Mountrath, Laois.

Fiddlers Rock Standing Stone, Glenafelly, Slieve Bloom mountains... Close enough to Laois for inclusion.

Saint Marks Church of Ireland replete with beautiful Round Tower style bell tower, Borris in Ossory, Laois.

1840's and medieval Church's at Newtown Skirk, Laois.

Portnahinch, Laois. 1600-1700's Church ruin.

Henry Grattan, Irish Parliamentarian buried at Westminister Abbey, London. Included here as his home was Moyanna in Laois where he wanted to be buried originally.

Pictures across Millennia

Very busy recently, not much time to think of the blog.

A few random snaps from travelling here and there in Ireland last year.

The Rock of Cashel, Tipperary.
A beautifully decorated sarcophagus in "urnes" style at Cormac's Chapel.

Neolithic passage tomb tumuli at Knowth, Meath.

Early 1800's Gothic Church Ruin, Camross, Laois.

Ballaghmore Castle
 (Tower House), Laois.

 Ballyadding Medieval Church ruin, Ballybrittas, Laois.

Neolithic passage tombs at Carrowkeel, Sligo. 

They predate those of Newgrange.
Wonderful location, skillful builders and architects.

 Ballyquaid Mass Pit
(a relic from the penal laws), Killasmeestia, Laois.

Cathedral of the Assumption, Carlow.
A beautiful building with relic of Saint Willibrord inside.

 Clonaslee Cross Slabs, c. 7th Century, Laois.

Conolly's Folly, Celbridge, Kildare.

Fiddlers Rock Standing Stone, Glenafelly, Slieve Blooms, Laois.

One man and his bicycle.
Jim on a rural Boreen, Laois.

Kate Shelley Homestead, an Iowa/Irish heroine, Dunkerrin, Offaly. Locomotive and bridge named in her honour.

Kilmanman Church ruins, Clonaslee, Laois.

Queen Maeve's Cairn, Knocknarea.
A neolithic passage tomb, Sligo. 

Lemanaghan, early christian site and Saint Mella's Cell (kell) associated with Saint Manchan, Offaly. 

Beautiful bogland, Mountmellick, Laois.

Site of Oughaval Mass Rock
(a reclic of the penal laws),
the Windy Gap, Stradbally, Laois.

"Rathdown" Slabs. Unique early Scandinavian/Viking influenced christian slabs.
Rathmichael, Dublin. 

Saint Peachauns Church ruins and antiquities, Tipperary.
Early christian Saint of obscure origin.

Sheela na Gig.
Hard to spot Sheela na Gig on the wall at Rock of Cashel, Tipperary.

 The High Crosses at Sleaty Church.
Beautiful and yet rarely visited for some reason, shhhush, it's our secret... Laois.

A rare partial Tau Cross, Killegar, Enniskerry, Wicklow.

Two of the nearly 200 Standing Stones at Timoney Hills, Tipperary.
An enigma, amazing and beautiful at the same time.

Tinnakill Castle (Tower House) near Mountmellick, Laois.
First owner charged with maintaining the Gallowglass to put down the natives.

Pyramid at Kilcooley Abbey, Tipperary. A family mausoleum.

High Cross at Durrow Abbey, Tullamore, Offaly.
Site originally founded by Saint Columba (Colmcille).

Charleville Castle (Gothic revival style).
Tullamore Offaly.

Gallen Priory, Ferbane, Offaly. Fantastic collection of early christian cross slabs.
Early Church ruins and a "Pillar" style cross on site. Stunning.

Clonfert Cathedral Galway. Burial place of Saint Brendan - the Navigator.
As wondrous inside as it is outside. Listed on Worlds Monuments Watch.

Skirk Standing Stone, Newtown Skirk, Laois.

 Fore Abbey, Westmeath.
The 7 wonders of Fore.
Beautiful and panoramic area.

 Saint Berriherts "ecclesiastical enclosure." An Irish Saxon Saint.
Over 60 early christian crosses, origins unknown. Tipperary.

 Loughcrew, Meath. Neolithic rock art, passage tombs, and standing stones.

 Monastic Site at Saint Mullins, Carlow.

Athassel Priory, Golden, Tipperary.
Outstandingly picturesque.