Saint Manchan, Boher, Liss, Ballycumber and Raheen Offaly.

This week has been a washout for Cycling, just two spins on the Turbo versus nearly 500 Kms last week. There's just no consistency but what can you do? Anyway I was off to Raheen today and Ballycumber and Boher to see The Shrine of Saint Manchan, a 7th century Saint.

The Shrine is a reliquary which contains some of the Saints bones. It is exquisite and a copy of it is in the National Museum of Archaeology in Dublin but thankfully the original is closer to home in Boher, Offaly.

There are also some beautiful windows from Harry Clark who was an internationally recognised craftsman of Stained Glass windows.

 

Anyway enough here as I will do a full page post on Boher, Saint Manchan and Raheen later.

 

 

 

Moone High Cross - Kildare - Life gets in the way of Cycling

I've been doing a lot of cycling indoors recently using Zwift and a Power Meter. I just seem to be pushed for time. Today I got out and headed across Wicklow but I was on a Carbon bike whizzing along thinking I was next in line for a spot on a UCI team but doing half their speed.....

No photo's today so I'll post a few from a trip yesterday around Kildare offbike.

The High Cross of Moone, Kildare. It's staggeringly tall and stunningly beautiful with fantastic carving.

A truly beautiful High Cross with enchanting biblical details.

Ballitore Quaker Museum, Kildare. A fantastic little hidden gem often overlooked.

The Black Abbey, Kildare.

The White Abbey, Kildare.

The Grey Abbey, Kildare.

Saint Brigid's Cathedral and Round Tower, Kildare.

Saint Brigid's Well, Kildare.

Random Sights in Kildare Town Square.

Apologies if the photo's are misplaced. Blogger is full of bugs. I'll move to another platform when I get time.

Below are a few more photographs from the site of the High Cross at Moone.

Wolftrap Mountain and the Cut

Wolftrap Mountain

 

A couple of runs up Wolftrap Mountain and the Cut today in atrociously bad visibility alongside gale force crosswinds made for sketchy riding.

I noticed someone had painted the word "brake" on the road, it seemed very apt for the weather that was in it. 

I dropped into the back of Saint Finian's Church of Ireland at Kinnity village to get a photo of the Bernard Mausoleum, a Pyramid shaped structure. Coincidentally I had just been at another Pyramid in the grounds of Kilcooley Abbey yesterday.

There's a beautiful Cross Slab inside the Church if you're ever passing and it's open.

Cycling in Laois

Cycling in Laois

 

Another short spin around Laois today saw probably more photography than actual cycling.

Heading out of Mountmellick Fisherstown was the first stop on the agenda. I wanted to get a couple of snaps of the lovely Fisherman's Thatched Inn.

Then it was up to nearby Vicarstown on the Grand Canal. I noticed that as well as boats and barges for hire they also have a place hiring out bicycles as well, good thinking there. There's a stretch along the canal all the way to the outskirts of Athy that's fully tarmac and a great family spin with very few cars about.

There's also lot's of cycling to do on a Gravel or MTB along the grassy banks of the Canal.

 

Coming back I stopped at Lea Church of Ireland near Killenard in Portarlington. A lot of the grave markers and headstones at the back are covered in Moss and Ivy but I noticed one which marked the resting place of a Naval Captain. I couldn't quite make out the full name but Loos was mentioned which was a First World War battle.

Then it was off onto the boreens before cycling into Emo Court along it's old "main" entrance which is unpaved and not used by cars. There's actually wooden bollards to keep cars out of this approach to the house.

Out of Emo Court and then around and into Emo village I decided to stop and go into Saint Pauls Catholic Church to see the Effigy Tomb of Aline (Alexandrina), Wife of the Third Earl and Countess of Portarlington.

I had been meaning to visit for a while so it was good timing as I met a nice gentleman inside who regaled me with a bit of local history.

 

I've just added some random photo's from the cycle below. One of these days I'll have to leave the photography for another day and get on with the cycling.

 It never ceases to amaze me how much we are surrounded by history in Laois.

Silvermines Man, Tipperary

No spin today but I came across this chap on the Laptop. A photo from some time ago of the sculpted miner at Silvermines in Tipperary.

 

I've had occasion to cycle through here and it's a nice spot for an Ice Cream stop on the bike.