The Ballybunion thread

A90Six

snow scorpion wrote:

A90, what's a Holy Well?

From:http://website.lineone.net/~geoff.burton/wells/wells.html
Holy Wells

Right across Europe, and probably beyond, there are places were water is held to be sacred. Offerings are left, and prayers said. In England there are hundreds, possibly thousands of holy wells dotted through the landscape, often neglected and overgrown. Hundreds more have been lost.
There are hundreds, too, in Scotland, Wales and especially Ireland, where a much higher proportion are still in regular use.
In many places, rags, handkerchiefs or clothes are tied to the trees above or around the well. The sympathetic-magic idea about this custom is that as the rag rots away, so does your illness. This seems to be an incredibly widespread custom - I have seen rag-trees in Armenia (though not associated with wells) and come across referneces from as far afield as Tuva in central Asia.

snow scorpion

Any idea where in North Lahesheragh?

I know where there's a well in North Lahesheragh. Whether or not it's a Holy Well I couldn't say.

A90Six

SandhillRoad wrote:

One more to come

What a great read it must be. I have read some extracts from the book before on the net, but it must be great to have the whole thing there in front of you. I would really like to see the next page if possible - combustible what? I had heard of the fire before. It was given to me as the reason for the colouring of the cliffs.

"A long time ago, the very stone of the cliffs themselves spontaneously combusted and burned for weeks. That is why the cliffs are so black and you can still see the orange of the flames on the cliff wallls."

I was once discussing the much pondered question of whether Knockanore translates as "The Hill of Gold" or "The Hill of Slaughter" with my uncle. While I suspected that there was no gold, I felt that it may have been named such because of the furze that grows there; in the autumn it has a golden colour above the green of the surrounding fields. My uncle told me that this could not be the case as the furze was first planted there not so long ago (probably a couple of hundred years) in the boggy ground as fodder for grazing animals because no grass grew there amongst the heathers.

He then told me of a legend that there was a might battle fought on Knockanore and the local leader "The Cat Woman" was losing and eventually retreated and hid in catacombs beneath the Castle Green. Some even say that there is a tunnel from the mountain to the Castle Green although it has never been found.

A myth perhaps, but ten or twenty years ago a tunnel was found at the side of the Castle Green cliff on the Men's Strand side. Archaeologists had a look at it and it was then sealed up. I never found out what was discovered or how far in it went.

My uncle then said that while he felt that there was no gold, "Fools' Gold could be found in plenty along the cliffs. I had never seen it, but I wonder of the orange colour on some of the cliffs and cave walls could be rust from the iron pyrite - that's if iron pyrite rusts?

Does anyone know if a geological study has been done of the cliffs? If so, let me know. I imagine they are just made up of sedimentary layers, but why is it so black?

A90Six

snow scorpion wrote:

Any idea where in North Lahesheragh?

I know where there's a well in North Lahesheragh. Whether or not it's a Holy Well I couldn't say.

Head out from Ballybunion towards The Listowel Road and take a 90 degree left up The Moohane Road just before the Grotto at Ahafona. This road goes north and then curves around east until it comes out to a crossroads on the road that goes up from The Barra Road up to Tullamore. If you go straight across from The Moohane Road the road ends after a few hundred yards. At the road's end, according to the map, is the site of the Holy Well.

A90Six

The book was published in 1756. The writer says, "...about 14 years ago, there was a kind of volcano... ." The note at the bottom of the page says "The following relation ... was published in 1733...", so,does anyone know exactly when the fire was?

snow scorpion

I was in Tullamore only once so I'm probably wasting your time and mine trying to figure where the well is, but wasting time is 90% of what the interweb is about.

A90Six

You've got to take a look at this.

How to save $1,000!!!
Cut your lawn and make a couple of holes!

SandhillRoad

reic wrote:

Jeez, I've been away for a while and these Ballybunion/Listowel threads have gone mad!

Keep it up!

Reic, hope all is well in Cork.
Welcome back.
Thought you might be interested in th LIXNAW item of the 1756 Book on County Kerry.

SandhillRoad

A90SIX quote:
What a great read it must be. I have read some extracts from the book before on the net, but it must be great to have the whole thing there in front of you. I would really like to see the next page if possible - combustible what? I had heard of the fire before. It was given to me as the reason for the colouring of the cliffs.
*******************************************
I do not have the book in front of me now. Tomorrow I will give you the exact title. I know it has been re published in modern times.
The print is pretty small and only when I blow it up can I read it better.

I just picked pieces at random.

I will follow up on your request re Volcano.
Are the BLACK ROCKS the same composition as the cliffs?
If I remember right the Black Rocks were very rough and cutting on the bare feet.

Yes, we always wondered about Cnoc an Oir. Was there gold there? Was it a place of Pagan worship?

A90Six

Moohane is pronounced "MOO" then a hard H like a soft K and the "ANE" rhymes with DAWN. That's close enough "MOOKAWN".

The grotto (built by my grandfather) is on the right of the white northerly facing road that goes into Keneiry's (not sure of the spelling) Farm, under the "knew" of "I never knew that."

A90Six

SandhillRoad wrote:

A90SIX quote:
What a great read it must be. I have read some extracts from the book before on the net, but it must be great to have the whole thing there in front of you. I would really like to see the next page if possible - combustible what? I had heard of the fire before. It was given to me as the reason for the colouring of the cliffs.
*******************************************
I do not have the book in front of me now. Tomorrow I will give you the exact title. I know it has been re published in modern times.
The print is pretty small and only when I blow it up can I read it better.

I just picked pieces at random.

I will follow up on your request re Volcano.
Are the BLACK ROCKS the same composition as the cliffs?
If I remember right the Black Rocks were very rough and cutting on the bare feet.

Yes, we always wondered about Cnoc an Oir. Was there gold there? Was it a place of Pagan worship?

Yes the black rocks are of the same composition, but the cutting texture is created by millions of small crustacea that have clung to the rocks. You can see them on the lower part of the cave walls in the pic just above. They make the sort of pinky colour.

Cnoc an Óír. As far as I can make out (and it holds with my colour of the mountain theory) it translates as "The Golden Hill" or The Golden Mountain". "Ar" is slaughter. "Ór" is the noun, gold. "Óír" is the adjective, gold or golden.

SandhillRoad

Cnoc an Óír. As far as I can make out (and it holds with my colour of the mountain theory) it translates as "The Golden Hill" or The Golden Mountain". "Ar" is slaughter. "Ór" is the noun, gold. "Óír" is the adjective, gold or golden.
__________________
Remember the story in school of the GOLDEN WINDOWS ( Na Fuinnoige Orha ? my Gaelic spelling is long forgotton).

Looking at Knockanore from a distance could it be that they had a look of a mountain of gold ? Or a golden sunset shining on it?

_________________ your quote:
My uncle then said that while he felt that there was no gold, "Fools' Gold could be found in plenty along the cliffs. I had never seen it, but I wonder of the orange colour on some of the cliffs and cave walls could be rust from the iron pyrite - that's if iron pyrite rusts?

Wouldn't the iron rust ?I see you have new photos up ?.

snow scorpion

Cnoc an Óír

I like that. Almost looks like something out of Tolkein.


Ah, I see the Holy Well now.


And now stories of a Cat Woman and battles on mountains and mountains of gold and tunnels to castles. It's getting more and more like Tolkein.


And A90, brilliant map! More detailed than anything I've ever seen anywhere on the intrawebnet. Jeez, it's even got the dirt roads leading into farms! If you have more of it and if it's not too much trouble, I would love to see the entire way from Ballybunion to Listowel, all the way up Doon Road, and all the way out to Killahenny Cemetery.

A90Six

SandhillRoad wrote:

Remember the story in school of the GOLDEN WINDOWS ( Na Fuinnoige Orha ? my Gaelic spelling is long forgotton).

Looking at Knockanore from a distance could it be that they had a look of a mountain of gold ? Or a golden sunset shining on it?

_________________ your quote:
My uncle then said that while he felt that there was no gold, "Fools' Gold could be found in plenty along the cliffs. I had never seen it, but I wonder of the orange colour on some of the cliffs and cave walls could be rust from the iron pyrite - that's if iron pyrite rusts?

Wouldn't the iron rust ?I see you have new photos up ?.

I don't remember the story, but you are right. "Na Fuinneog Órga" is The Golden Window. According to my dictionary, "órga" is the adjective "golden", but "Óír" is a noun genetive as adjective, which probably now makes it "My Golden Mountain". I doubt we'll ever get to the bottom of it!

That's what I was wondering - does iron pyrite rust? It has an iron content so maybe that's what the orange is. If not, what could the orange colouring be?

New photos: I added four to the collection. A nice yellowy sunset behind the Castle, clouds over Ballyb, the Galey River after the rains, and the Smearlagh River.

A90Six

snow scorpion wrote:

I like that. Almost looks like something out of Tolkein.


Ah, I see the Holy Well now.


And now stories of a Cat Woman and battles on mountains and mountains of gold and tunnels to castles. It's getting more and more like Tolkein.


And A90, brilliant map! More detailed than anything I've ever seen anywhere on the intrawebnet. Jeez, it's even got the dirt roads leading into farms! If you have more of it and if it's not too much trouble, I would love to see the entire way from Ballybunion to Listowel, all the way up Doon Road, and all the way out to Killahenny Cemetery.

Not the best, but... . Big map, small scanner. You know how it is!

SandhillRoad

Thank you A90SIX from SANDHILLROAD too for the map.

First snowflakes here in Rhinebeck .New York at 10:17AM

Will look at Kerry History now.
Regards.

snow scorpion

Not the best, but... . Big map, small scanner. You know how it is!

Christ, I'll get nothing done today; I'll be studying the map!

SandhillRoad

Lots to follow !

SandhillRoad

Interesting

SandhillRoad

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SandhillRoad

Now I will go back and read.
A90SIX time to get out the magnet !I know you are going to go back for another look, feel, chip away!!! Wonderful new photos from you , Thanks

SandhillRoad

This is such a wonderful picture I thought I would include for you. Nothing to do with Ballybunion or Listowel. Note the ships.
After reading the past pages on Kerry I hope you are not saying LiFtowel, LiFFelton !:eek:





Got to go read the KERRYMAN and KERRYSEYE .Slan go foil

SandhillRoad

Just checking in on you.


SNOWSCORPION: WAKE UP ! WAKE UP !
CHECK THE FIGURES !!!!!!!!!












Who waxed the bloody bar top ?!?!

C
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snow scorpion

SandhillRoad wrote:

Just checking in on you.


SNOWSCORPION: WAKE UP ! WAKE UP !
CHECK THE FIGURES !!!!!!!!!



C
O
N
G
R
A
T
S
!

I came here just now to leave a note for myself.

We were at exactly 3000 views when I went to bed at 3:00 AM - November 18.

And we're gone past 3070 now. 70 views in less than 12 hours!

Sandhill, our momentum is growing. Kinda like a little fledgling planet. It's gravity pulls in more interstellar dust which increases the mass which increases the gravity which pulls in still more dust and so on and so forth.

Imagine how fast we'd be growing in there more than half-a-dozen regular posters.

SandhillRoad

Do you have your sound on?

Enjoy!

See you on the Strand sometime.