Freshford, Kilkenny

Freshford

I passed through Freshford in County Kilkenny last year when we weren't "locked down" because of Covid 19. Not knowing much about the place I was delighted to see a beautiful Hiberno-Romanesque doorway at Saint Lachtain's Church beside the village green.

Freshford would be quite close to South Laois so it's easily accessable and within easy reach for anyone living in the Laois area. This area previously lay in the ancient Kingdom of Ossory.

The village was quiet and the sun was shining brightly so it was a pleasure to take a quick time out here before continuing my journey.

In a twist of fate I had previously seen a relic of Saint Lachtain at the archaeology museum in Dublin. His relic is in the shape of an arm and dates from A.D. 1120.

The Church was closed so unfortunately I had to make do with a wander around outside.

 The graveyard has every grave marked on a map board in the grounds which would be very helpful if you were looking for the resting place of a particular person or doing some research.

Patrick Comerford has a very comprehensive article on Saint Lachtain's Church here.

There is some beautiful script in Irish around the doorway which mentions the Stonemason and the Patron. The whole edifice is stunning in close up detail and my photographs cannot do it justice.

The Doorway dates from the 12th Cty and was incorporated into a later 1730's Church.

Saint Lachtain is believed to have died in the year 622 and was born in County Cork. His birth name was Senecha. Sometime in the 600's he founded and became Abbot of a Monastery at Freshford.

The village green in Freshford is well maintained and there are a couple of different water pumps located on it which are brightly painted and colourful.

Beside the green are the remains of the Freshford Cross/Shee Wayside Cross which was built in 1622 in memory of Lucas Shee. 

The Roman Catholic Church is also quite close to the village green.

All in all Freshford turned out to be quite beautiful and interesting but I didn't have long to hang around. 

Hopefully when Corona movement restrictions are lifted I'll get to revisit and spend more time in the locality as it's a beautiful and scenic area.

For those interested in walking there is a local looped walk.

 

Coordinates for Freshford here: 

52°43'56.8 N 7°23'54.2 W

52.732454 - 7.398375

 

Old 1890's Vent Pipe manufactured by Drogheda Iron Works. 

It's beside the Church in Freshford, a late 19th Cty industrial relic.

 

Slieve Bloom MTB

 There's hasn't been much Snow or Ice this year.

The Slieve Bloom Mountains got a light dusting in January which just lasted for a couple of days before it melted away.

Wide tyres suited the conditions nicely and the clear crisp air and solitude was nice.

Hopefully things pick up a bit in 2021 and perhaps Covid vaccination programs will help get things underway.

There are now dedicated single track MTB trails on both the Laois and Offaly sides of the mountains and it looks like work is underway on further MTB trails. Hopefully both sides will be joined by a trail "interconnector" which I presume is the final plan.

There are both Red and Blue trails at present with the Blue being more flowing and faster while the Red trails are more technical with steeper drops.

Just over 2600 people have died in Ireland so far from this novel Corona virus and most things are closed down except for essential services and grocery shopping.

It seems a little careless writing this as people are struggling with the disease however this is my second post mentioning Covid 19.

I thought it wise to write a few lines at this time so that at some time in the future it serves as a reminder of these strange days. 

May all those globally who have suffered or lost loved ones find peace and calm and may those who have left us early rest in peace.

Snow dusted Singletrack (Hardtail) at Kinnity side

Laois/Offaly Singletrack in light Snow (no music)

Keep the wheels turning if you can.

Ballinaclough Sheela na Gig, Tipperary

 This is just a quick post of a couple of photographs of the Sheela na Gig at Ballinaclough not far from Nenagh in Tipperary. There is easy access to the lovely roadside Church ruins.

Well worth visiting if in the area. It's an unusual Sheela na Gig and she seems to have one hand resting behind her head.

 

It's a nice tranquil spot and with only around 120 or so Sheela's in Ireland each is worth a visit in its won right.

Coordinates here : 

52.825582 - 8.160583

Saint Molua in Laois

 Saint Molua

 

Saint Molua was a mid to late 6th Century monk and is remembered in Laois chiefly at a place called Old Kyle or Clonfertmulloe where he is reputedly buried and at Ballaghmore.

 

 

 

Molua is also remembered at Killaloe on the River Shannon in County Clare. It's place name Killaloe, means the Church of Lua. 

 

 

It's believed Molua was known by several other names as well including Lugidus, Lua and Lughaidh. His feast day falls on the 4th of August.

 

 

Not a lot seems to be known about Molua and it appears he died in the early 7th century. 

 

 

As well as founding a monastic site at Killaloe he is credited with founding another at Clonfertmulloe in Laois along with many others throughout the country.

 

 

There are some fragmentary remains at Clonfertmulloe from an early Romanesque Church and Saint Molua's Stone is also located here. The stone is a large multiple Bullaun Stone on which it is said, two of the marks were made when Molua used to kneel while praying.

 

 

 

Molua's grave is at Clonfertmulloe but when last I visited unfortunately I couldn't locate exactly where it lay. There were no markers for it and I think it may have since  become overgrown.

 

Saint Molua's Trough is an interesting artifact and is located in the grounds of Ballaghmore Roman Catholic Church which is not far from Clonfertmulloe/Old Kyle. 

It's believed the trough may once have been used as a reliquary containing remnants or relics of Molua. As far as I am aware it was moved from its original location of Clonfertmulloe to Ballaghmore.

There are some early christian Cross Slabs at Clonfertmulloe but they are difficult to make out and are decaying and degrading badly as time passes by. 

 

I have no idea why we haven't come up with some kind of epoxy clearcoating process to save Ireland's outdoor relics from the ravages of time and acid rain. Most will be unrecognisable within a century, lost forever and remembered only in print and photographs.

In County Clare Saint Molua's Church/Oratory in Killaloe was originally located at Friar's Island on the River Shannon.

 

 

In 1929/30 a hydroelectric scheme was begun which would submerge the Island. The 9/10th  Century Oratory was deconstructed, placed on a barge and shipped to Killaloe and rebuilt in order to save it.

 

 

Interestingly Molua has strong connections with Ulster and there's even a Saint Molua's Church at Stormont.

 

  

If you are passing through Laois or are living nearby you might enjoy a short detour to Old Kyle/Clonfertmulloe or Ballaghmore to take in some of the history of Molua in Laois.

There is also a medieval ruin (just a partial wall) in Offaly at Roscomroe which is roughly midway between Kinnity and Roscrea and where once stood an early Irish Romanesque Church.

 

The remaining medieval Church ruin is called Saint Molua's Church.

 

There are several fragments from the earlier Romanesque Church in the graveyard which have mostly been reused as gravemarkers.

In the adjoining field is Saint Molua's Holy Well and what I refer to as a Raggedy Tree on which pieces of cloth have been hung devotionally in hopes of spiritual intervention or protection.

Molua of Clonfert Molua

Keep the wheels turning............