{"id":455,"date":"2015-10-21T15:38:35","date_gmt":"2015-10-21T14:38:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.guidekillarney.com\/?p=455"},"modified":"2015-10-21T15:38:35","modified_gmt":"2015-10-21T14:38:35","slug":"throwing-autumn-leaves-in-the-air","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.guidekillarney.com\/index.php\/2015\/10\/21\/throwing-autumn-leaves-in-the-air\/","title":{"rendered":"THROWING AUTUMN LEAVES IN THE AIR"},"content":{"rendered":"
– surrounded by mountain, lake, woodland and story <\/em><\/strong><\/div>\n
\"Sarah<\/a><\/div>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Ross Island’s constantly varied experiences of woodland, lake, mountain and story is special all year.\u00a0\u00a0 It is at it’s splendid best these weeks.<\/div>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 In front of the 15th century Norman tower house that is Ross Castle on the shore of Lough Leane one might wonder about the land\u00a0 under the water where, legend says, there is eternal spring and nobody ever grows old.\u00a0\u00a0 Is Lough Leane the lake of youth?<\/div>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Across the water Innisfallen Island with its extensive remains of a monastery. \u00a0The monks wrote part of the island’s annals and there was a major university.\u00a0 Perhaps Lough Leane translates to the lake of learning.<\/div>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Imagine out in front the fleet of flat-bottomed Cromwellian boats that blockaded the castle in 1652. \u00a0Ross Castle was the last fortress in Ireland to be captured by the invading army.\u00a0 And thus began the darkest period in Irish history. \u00a0During those Penal days there was no such person in law as an Irish catholic. \u00a0The ambition was to obliterate Irish identity.<\/div>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 In complete contrast in August 1861 the huge crowd and great ceremony of Queen Victoria arriving here by carriage to spend a day on the lake. \u00a0An elaborate etching in the Illustrated London News captured the scene.<\/div>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Now along the course of the road developed here in the 18th century for the wagons drawing the loads of copper ore for smelting in Wales. \u00a0The shattered stone and flooded mine shafts further along on the shores of the lake are ample evidence of the 18th and 19th century activity.<\/div>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Legend tells of a blacksmith Len L\u00ednf\u00edaclach (Len of the White Teeth)\u00a0who worked his craft here. Perhaps the lake bears his name.\u00a0\u00a0 Mining here goes back 4,500 years making it the oldest copper mine in north western Europe.\u00a0 If you search you might come across a shattered piece of a glacial-rounded sandstone that was part of a prehistoric axehead. \u00a0Look out for the grooves cut in the stone to hold a binding.<\/div>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 A little further on Governor’s Rock was the first Irish nature reserve. \u00a0The headland offers a\u00a0 great high panorama over the whole extent of Lough Leane with its dominant mountain backdrop.<\/div>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The demesne road goes on to the Library Point but we didn’t get there because we were anxious to see ‘that’ match. \u00a0But on the return we stopped long enough for three year old Sarah to throw colourful maple leaves in the air.<\/div>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 And all of that is only five miles from Gallan Eile.\u00a0<\/em><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\"Maple<\/a><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 – Frank Lewis<\/strong><\/div>\n

Share this:<\/h3>