West Limerick Way

The West Limerick Way
(with a nod to the East)
a virtual trek
Light of Spring, Curraghchase

Fallen Drum, Kilmallock Priory

Supporting Acts, Kilmallock Priory

church steeple at Ballynoe, Bruree

Reach for the Sky – tower house ruin at Ballynoe, Bruree
Mill on the weir, Bruree

waterpark, Ballingarry

De Lacey castle, Ballingarry
(Miles C. Parkinson, Pinterest)

Maigue crossings: Adare and Ferrybridge
photo: Kildimo Community Council

Augustinian friary cloister, Adare
Dunraven mausoleum vaulting, Adare

chapterhouse building, Trinitarian abbey, Adare

Adare time

Oculus: Trinitarian abbey dovecote, Adare

Kilkeedy churchyard
and Monsell memorial cross, Clarina/Tervoe

The mouth of the Maigue – Carrigogunnell in the distance
Carrigogunnell, perched on a volcanic ridge over the Shannon

the keep, Carrigogunnell

A
upside-down staircase, Carrigogunnell, a result of the demolition by gunpowder in 1691
as the shoreline would have looked in 1691 A

sunlight on the lawn
the pavilion at Mellon House
a welcome sight when glimpsed from the remoteness of Rinekirk Point
A. Ó Ciardha
Shannongrove House, Ringmoylan, early 1700's
(the river bank would once have lapped the lawn)

spirit level
flooded polder at Mellon-Ringmoylan, new year 2016
dyke ridge at Ringmoylan, looking to Woodcock Hill

Dromore castle and lough, 2km west of Kildimo, off the N69
tower house ruin at Bolane, 1km west of Kildimo, off the N69

Killeen church at Cowpark, Kilcornan, just off the N69
note the unusual built-in bell cote (it allowed the bell to be rung from inside)
carved holy-water stoup and chancel window

karst terrain, near Curraghchase
Blue Lough, Curraghchase

Curraghchase: springtime woods
Glenisca Lough, Curraghchase

Yellow Pool, Glenisca
Winter sedge, Curraghchase

Curraghchase woodland oddities: memorial pillar, ziggurat

Woodland ponies, Curraghchase
Everglades, Curraghchase

Halloween dusk: Knockfierna and Liskennett Hill from Curraghchase woods
Knockfierna, evening profile from the terrace
at Curraghchase House

West gate, Curraghchase

DeVere memorial cross, Curraghchase

Milltown Lake, off the N69, north (1km west of Cowpark)
Milltown Lake: a crannóg-like islet
Milltown Lake: a waterside birch grove

Bushyisland dyke, W of Ringmoylan: looking westwards to Beagh Castle in the distance
November sky: the Clare coast from Bushyisland

Bushy Island (the island gives its name to the townland)
Washpool Creek, as it enters the Shannon at the Bushy Island sluice

Waller's Island (above) – an eroded glacial kame, off Bushyisland dyke
Bushy Island, western profile
Bushy Island sunset

views off Bushyisland dyke

Beagh piers and the view to Slieve Bernagh

Beagh Castle, northern elevation
Beagh Castle, western elevation
Ballinvoher foreland
Sliabh Bearnach under snow, from Ballinvoher

lag trá, Ballinvoher
sponge fossils, Ballinvoher

shingle beach, Ballinvoher
Rineanna Point, from Ballinvoher
Coney Island in the Fergus estuary, from Ballinvoher

Aughinish jetty and Beeves Rock lighthouse, from Ballinvoher Point
Ballycanauna Point and Aughinish from Ballinvoher west

'Beast from the East' squall (Feb 2018) off Ballycanauna Point
Ballycanauna Point at dusk, from Ballysteen Quay

wetland shore at Ballysteen Quay
water's edge, Ballysteen Quay

Ballysteen Quay shoreline
bollard guard, Ballysteen Quay

Glenagauran shore, Ballysteen townland
Glenagauran Point: creek in foreground marks the boundary of the barony of Kenry

Gortnagranagher wetlands
Gortnagranagher Lough
This miniscule lough is tucked away in these wetlands at Moig North, midway between Askeaton
and Ballysteen. The name is intriguing: Loch Ghort na gCrannchur = the lough of the field of the
casting of lots. Gambling seems improbable for such a location, but crann-chur piseogach
(Dineen), the divination of piseogs, or spells, is much more tempting, and one can well imagine
our Celtic forebears casting offerings to spirit world into the waters at this spot.

Courtbrown Point, near the mouth of the Deel
rock formation at the mouth of the Deel

The Deel: May weirs, Askeaton

cashel and rath at Milltown North, Askeaton

Askeaton: Quarried Water
A stolen view: this otherwise most pleasant stretch of water lies within an industrial complex and
for well-considered safety reasons is out-of-bounds to the public.

Askeaton: mediaeval tower at St Mary's Church

Desmond earldom: castle and banqueting hall at Askeaton

Askeaton's Hellfire Club, one of Maurice Craig's Classic Irish Houses of the Middle Size (1976), a
volume now itself a classic and a collector's item. The building had two-storey Venetian windows,
on the north and south gables, which feature Craig praised especially. The north window survived
until recent years and might have been saved or even rebuilt, had the conservation works, now
apparently stalled, begun in time. The surviving fragment of the south window is visible in this
photo.

Wintering Out: boats laid up at Deel boatyard
Deel Boat Club marina

cloister at Askeaton Franciscan friary, on the Deel estuary
crossing the Deel: Toomdeely mediaeval hall

Holly Island inlet, Toomdeely West
Moreena Point, high water
Moreena Point, low water

Poulaweala inlet, Aughinish
Poulaweala Lough
Poulaweala tidal pond

Foynes: Poultallin wood, Foynes Island sound
Foynes: reservoir above 'Árd an Óir'

Foynes: Poultallin strand, looking east
Foynes: Poultallin strand, looking west

tidal swell, Foynes Island sound
Foynes / Mount Trenchard: winter cascade on Boniska strand

greywacke stoup, Boniska strand
jetsam abstract, Boniska strand

woodland sump, Boniska strand

Mount Trenchard burial ground, Mary Spring-Rice gravestone inscription:
'the souls of the faithful are in God's hand'
Mount Trenchard burial ground: a Vere O'Brien memorial inscription;
the work of the Cork sculptor, Seamus Murphy

sunset over Mount Trenchard Point
offshore vista: Poultallin foreland to Mount Trenchard

A diversion inland: the 'Black Hag' nunnery at Oldabbey, Shanagolden
A much maligned lady, probably a religious recluse and herbalist;
cailleach dhubh, in any case, is an old term in Irish for a nun.

dovecote at Oldabbey

Loghill-Kilteery: Killacolla, view to Mountshannon wood
Killacolla: shell midden
Killacolla: springtime woods

Loghill-Kilteery: Hiphall Point
Glin and Labasheeda Bay, from Furry Wood

The splendid memorial shield of the last Knight of Glin
old Church of Ireland churchyard, Glin

study in blue and grey, Glin
vitrine, Glin

old hotel entrance door with cobweb fanlight, Glin
note the Art Nouveau relief plasterwork

grey wisteria, Glin
corbel console, Glin

the lie of the land
see also on ISSUU.com: Shannon Estuary Way
author: williamjokeeffe@gmail.com