By the end of our tour the weather improved a little bit; a way to try to bring us back one day...
"ENNISKILLEN CASTLE, located by the River Erne in County Fermanagh, was built in the fifteenth century by Gaelic Maguires. It was strategically important throughout its history, as it was the guard of one of the few passes into Ulster. In the 17th century it became an English garrison fort and later served as part of a military barracks"
"DERRAGARRA INN - According to the publicity in the Internet, «The main bar & restaurant will cater for 70 people in comfort and style. The Auld Bar is a separate function room for private parties, so why not have your birthday, christening or any other celebration here. Outside, there is a beautiful wooden decked area overlooking the River Annaly, where you can eat & drink with only the geese to disturb you». Impressed?"
"RIVER ANNALY - As the picture was next to the Inn, I believe this is the Annaly River. Correct me if I'm wrong..."
"TOURIST GROUP arriving at Newgrange"
"NEWGRANGE - The Megalithic Passage Tomb at Newgrange in County Meath was built about 3200 BC, thus being more than 500 years older than the Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt, and predating Stonehenge by about 1,000 years. It's the most famous of all Irish prehistoric sites and one of the most famous in the world"
"ENTRANCE STONE - Named «one of the most famous stones in the entire repertory of megalithic art», the entrance stone includes a triple spiral motif found only at Newgrange and repeated along the passage and again inside the chamber"
"ROOFSTONE - According to Wikipedia this motif «is reminiscent of the triskelion motif of the Isle of Man, of ancient Sicily and of several passage tombs on the island of Anglesey in North Wales»"
"WINTER SOLESTICE - The passage and chamber of Newgrange are illuminated for some 17 minutes at sunrise on the Winter Solstice and for a few minutes in the mornings either side of the Winter Solstice. A shaft of sunlight shines through a specially contrived opening, known as a roofbox, which is directly above the main entrance, and penetrates the passage to light up the chamber. Nowadays, the phenomenon occurs four minutes after sunrise, but calculations show that when it was built, the event would have occurred right at sunrise"
"CARROUSSEL - Always loved merry-go-rounds..."
"CHURCHES - Somewhere in Ireland. Maybe some Irish expert will identify the temples..."
"NICE COTTAGES"
***
LONDON STOPOVER
On the way out from Ireland, we made a stopover in London. St. James Park was at its best!
"ST. MARTIN IN THE FIELDS and the wonderful concerts of the Academy conducted by Neville Marriner; try Vivaldi's Four Seasons..."
"ST. JAMES PARK, probably my favourite park in London..."
