Glentornan is a deserted village in County Donegal, nestled beside Lough Dunlewey, with a magnificent view of Errigal mountain. Who lived there years ago, and why did they leave?
The Mythology around the Robin
Restoration of Secret Victorian Walled Garden at Kylemore Abbey
We were staying at Leenaun in Connamara recently for a school reunion of my husband’s class from over four decades ago! I hadn’t been there for many years, and it was wonderful to see how unspoilt it is; still with its beautiful golden and purple landscape at this time of year. Best of all, from my point of view, was the story of Kylemore Abbey’s restoration of an abandoned garden from decades ago.
Intricate and Intelligent Mystery Books by Anthony Horowitz
True Stories with an Odd Twist
A Mysterious Tapping from a Crate
In October 1941, a porter at Dublin’s North Wall Docks was surprised to hear tapping from a large crate that had been unloaded from a ship from Liverpool, the Slieve Bawn. At first he thought he was imagining this, but he decided to tap back and was immediately answered with another tap from inside.
Upon opening it, he found a 40-year-old French artist, Maurice Carcassus de Laboujac, semi-conscious and encased in a plaster cast…
The Forty Elephants – A female criminal gang in the Victorian era
London, 1890. A crowd jostled on Oxford Street amidst the cries of market traders, the smell of roasting chestnuts rising into the yellow fog. Two well-dressed women lingered at the corner, watching and waiting. Not long now. A tall gentleman walked past, top hat shining on his dark curls. His hand gripped an ebony cane, which he extended to ward off two urchins lounging against a nearby lamp post. The women exchanged glances. With a nod at her accomplice, Mary stepped forwards and hurried after him, her fingers snaking towards the pocket of his greatcoat.
Dunguaire Castle and its stories
I know why old Irish castles and towers stand on picturesque sites on the edge of the sea or on hillsides. Yes, our ancestors probably admired the views like we would do nowadays, but for them the main purpose was safety. Their homes required prominent positions because they needed to be able to see their enemies advancing from a long way off. It was vital they had time to prepare for an attack. Dunguaire Castle, near Kinvara and situated on the rocky coastline of Galway Bay, is a perfect example.
New Year... New Novel
A happy New Year to you all! We’ve just recovered from a ‘cold snap’ here in Ireland, which is unusual in these days of global warming. My county got away lightly with only a minor dusting of snow, followed by ice for about five days, but many parts of the south were covered in a thick blanket of snow. In Cork and Tipperary, people were stuck in their homes, some without electricity or internet. A group of enterprising teenagers in County Cork, bored without their wi-fi, built a snow igloo of impressive proportions and they ended up on the national television news. It makes a change to see such creativity being highlighted.
A Rare Discovery at Heywood Gardens
On a recent visit to an old estate in County Laois, I was excited to find something very rare in Ireland: an old bathing house. Mr Winterly and I took advantage of a recent dry Sunday to visit Heywood Gardens in County Laois. The bathing house is set into the hillside down by the lake but the small and elegant landscaped garden was designed by the famous Sir Edwin Lutyens, and is one of only a handful he completed in Ireland. He also created the War Memorial Gardens in Dublin. In England, he was known for his garden collaborations with the legendary plants person, Gertrude Jekyll.
Novels and audiobooks that I’ve returned to
I thought I’d do a different sort of post today. I often like to hear what my friends and family are reading and they help me decide what to read next. I’ve decided to recommend one Victorian novel and one modern novel every now and then. My enthusiasm has already run away with me because, in choosing Anthony Horowitz’s Hawthorne detective series, I’m actually recommending five books instead of one!
Obviously, because I am a mystery author, I read a lot of mysteries, especially dual timeline mysteries which I love, but I also like psychological thrillers and literary fiction. I re-read some of the classic novels over and over. I’m a big fan of Jane Austen, the Brontes, Daphne du Maurier and many others.