I’ve visited a lot of ruins in Ireland. They seem to attract me but they also inspire ideas for my novels. I wrote about a few of these old houses before in ‘Scrapbook’ such as Moore Hall, Dunluce Castle, and also some of the more ghostly ones like Loftus Hall and Leap Castle, but if I were asked to pick a favourite ruin to walk around, I would have to choose Duckett’s Grove in County Carlow.
Family Stories at Curraghmore House
Mr Winterly and I celebrated our wedding anniversary with a trip to Curraghmore House in County Waterford. This beautiful property is the home of the 9th Marquis of Waterford and has been in his family since the arrival of the de la Poers, who were Anglo-Normans, in the middle of the twelfth century. Over 800 years have gone into the creation of Curraghmore as it is today. The tour of the house was fascinating because it focused on what I like best: family history, with many stories of wild escapades and colourful characters.
Mystery room discovered at 800-year-old castle
Exciting news broke in August this year about 800-year-old Johnstown Castle in Co Wexford where a hidden room, previously unknown to historians and caretakers, was stumbled upon by a joiner conducting conservation work.
The revelation of the secret room occurred during repairs to windows inside the castle. Contractors knocked through a section of the wall, revealing a concealed space that had remained untouched for decades. Johnstown Castle, which dates back to Norman times, was owned by various aristocratic families before entering public ownership in the late 20th century.
Wandering in old graveyards - St Canice's Cathedral, Kilkenny
This is the beautiful and peaceful graveyard of Saint Canice’s Cathedral in Kilkenny. Graves here are decorated by nature with wildflowers like poppies, roses and valerian. Some of the headstones are hard to read because they’re so weathered but tombs inside the Cathedral building date from mediaeval times.
Autumn leaves, abundant fungi and a tragic family story
What time of year do you like? I’m a summer person really. I love the early summer months of May and June best but autumn is the season that comes a close second. Walking in an autumn like the one we’ve just had, with bright blue skies and unusually warm dry weather for Ireland, I find uplifting and inspiring. Read on for a celebration of autumn leaves, deadly poisonous fungi and a tragic family story in Menlo Castle in Galway.
The inspiration of trees
The Hero Dog - a true story
It’s a wet, windy day here in Ireland and I thought you might like to hear a story. This one is true. It’s about a dog who saved his owner’s life.
The reason I know it’s true is because the old man who was rescued by his dog lay in a bed in hospital across the ward from someone I know. This happened years ago but I have never forgotten it.
Summer drought brought ghostly reminders of the past
One of the most interesting things that happened during this summer's unusual and prolonged heatwave in Britain and Ireland was the mysterious reappearance of historic gardens and buildings. Outlines of old houses and villages that had been lost and forgotten for centuries emerged and brought the past vividly to life, if only for a short few weeks. Why does this happen?
Dramatic setting for two walled gardens at Duckett's Grove
Duckett's Grove. A ruin of an Irish Victorian Gothic mansion, abandoned and mysteriously set on fire. Home now only to the birds that swoop amongst its turrets (and several ghosts, according to locals).
I love walled gardens and their history. I was fascinated to find Duckett's Grove last week in County Carlow, with its two interconnecting walled gardens built of red brick with curved corners. The first garden has large lawns and long borders with a mix of shrubs and herbaceous planting. The second garden is smaller than the first and includes a row of fruit trees.