Day 8 - Early rain, - Six Mile Bridge and Quin

Day 8 - Early rain,  -  Six Mile Bridge and Quin

Wild Atlantic at last

So I've been hanging out to see the wild Atlantic roaring in and I got my wish - pity about the cold and rain that came with it!!! I guess you can't have everything! I love to see the ocean when its rugged.

Lahinch Beach

Lahinch Beach

After Mass, I went for a quick walk along the Promenade, (which of course was deserted today) but only stayed a few minutes to take the pics, then headed for the nearest coffee shop - Dodi's. 

Dodi's Coffee Shop

Lovely coffee, but sadly no internet access in the shop, and even the phone signal didn't work!!! How quickly we have become so dependent on these things!!!! At least it was warm and dry, and, as I said, the coffee was lovely.

So after coming home and drying out a bit, the next question was... Where to, today...??

I had 2 little jobbies to do on the way. One was to pick up my washing. The other was to buy a vegetable peeler.

Last night I was all set to make my Chow Mein. Had everything out in front of me ready - apart from one small piece of vital equipment.... a vegetable peeler! Looked everywhere.... nothing in my flat. Went to the two general stores in Lahinch - no joy there either. So I gave up and bought some take away spag bol!!! I was able to pick up one peeler (actually three in a pack! ) in Ennistymon, so tonight is the night for Chow Mein!!!

Anyway, as both those jobbies were in Ennistymon I needed a journey that went through there. I had a look at all the places I had already "starred" on my google maps, and for some reason Six Mile Bridge stood out for me - just on an hour away. So that was my destination.

Lahinch - Six Mile Bridge

And it was a lovely little village. It's also close to Limerick and wikipedia says it's a "dormitory town" for workers in Limerick.

Six Mile Bridge

The Miller returns

Six Mile Bridge Town

While I was driving there, I saw that I was also very close to Quin, which was another town on my list... So I set the GPS for Quin which was just down the road. By this time I was hanging out for a coffee and there was a lovely pub across the road from Quin Abbey. So I had my coffee then wandered over to look at the Abbey. I seem to be viewing an awful lot of Church ruins here in Ireland, But that's the story of the Irish history.

This was a Franciscan Monastery which was obviously thriving once...

Wikipedia again tells us its story

The present abbey was rebuilt either by Mac Cam Dall Macnamara^[3] or by Sioda Cam MacConmara between 1402 and 1433, using the south curtain-wall of the old castle. It was this structure which the MacNamaras subsequently rebuilt as the present abbey, properly called a friary. In 1541, during the Reformation, King Henry VIII confiscated the friary and it passed into the hands of Conor O'Brian, Earl of Thomond. In about 1590 the MacNamaras regained control of the site and once again set about repairing and restoring it. The monastery was repaired by 1604.^[3]

In about 1640 the building became a college and is alleged to have had 800 students. Oliver Cromwell arrived only 10 years later, killing the friars and destroying the friary. In 1671 the building was once again restored, but never regained its former status.

In 1740 Bishop Pococke described it thus: "Quin is one of the finest and most entire monasteries that I have seen in Ireland." As late as 1808 the monastery was reported to be in much the same condition as Pococke had found it.^[3]

In 1760 the friars were ultimately expelled, although the last Friar, John Hogan, remained there until his death in 1820, by which time the buildings were ruined by neglect.^[5]

There was only one way in and that was through a working farm... hope they're friendly!!!

Welcoming Committee!!

There were some Americans just in front of me, so I let them go first!!!! Wasn't that generous of me!!!

It was a beautiful old ruin.... once again I'll let the pictures tell the story...

Tombstone of the last Friar

Quin Abbey Cloister

After all that, it was time to return and recover from my big afternoon out. As you can see from the pics, the sun came out shortly after I left Lahinch, and it was a very pleasant day - although still a bit chilly.

I think to finish the day I might wander down and see how the Atlantic is rolling in now... I love watching its changing moods.

Then I might make some Chow Mein!!!