HISTORY ACROSS THE FENCE

​Sitting in the outdoor gazebo, we can see a tall round stone tower beyond the pasture behind the house. Slightly restored by tea and lemon cake (well, me anyway), we decided it was walkable and we should get some exercise, despite being desperately tired from the long journey. So off we went, remembering to walk on the right side of the road facing traffic rather than the left.

I don't think I will ever stop being fascinated by the stone walls that line the roadways. They are both picturesque and terrifying. Picturesque when you are strolling along admiring the carefully placed vertical rocks on top and flowers growing along them, trying to absorb how long these walls have been standing. Terrifying when you are in the car on the narrow roads with oncoming traffic and not 100% sure where the left side of the car is, but knowing your only option if you are squeezed is the stone wall. And those stone walls have been standing longer than Canada has existed, so....we know who's  going to budge in that scenario.

Along the road to the site, cars whizzed by and people waved and nodded. I have noticed the "Irish nod" - a quick tilt of the head - is a common response to a wave or a nod at someone. We also saw familiar plants and flowers, and some unfamiliar ones. Rows of bales shone in the evening light. A field of dairy cows observed us carefully as we passed. I stopped to talk to one and she was definitely curious. Probably curious if I had been sent to milk her as it was clearly time.  

The site held a cemetery, a church and the tower. The foundation of Dysart Oenghus (pronounced DIE-sert ING-usa) is credited to Saint Oenghus, known as the great reformer, in the 8th century.  The subsequent church structure was built over many periods, but dates back to the 14th century, remaining in use as a parish church until 1418.  The large round tower is a bell house, representing 11th century monastic architecture. Despite the claim of being "incomplete", it still boasts 5 storeys, including windows and a wonderfully built arch doorway on the first floor, which is well off the ground. The story board says this would have been reached by a set of wooden stairs or a ladder and internal wooden floors and ladders would have provided access to the top where the bell would be. It is mind-boggling to think that they constructed these structures without modern tools and technology. The stone wall of that church was straight as an arrow!

Excavation of the extensive graveyard by the church and tower have revealed the remains of at least 61 individuals - men, women and children, and items such as bone pins, shroud pins and iron coffin nails dating from as early as the 13th century and as late as the 20th century.  Right there in our proverbial back yard!

Sites such as this dot the landscape in Ireland everywhere you go. We see them and are awe-struck. The locals are "Meh - whatever. Another old building".  Perhaps we will get there too. They will certainly soon blur together if I don't write their stories.  The round trip walk was about 4.5 kms and we were ready for our bed when we headed up the driveway of our home away from home.  A good night's sleep and we are almost turned around, replacing night with day.  Enough to go exploring today. But that story is for another day....