photo taken 2015
linking to signs signs
Lough Foyle, Moville co. Donegal
31 January, 2018
30 January, 2018
29 January, 2018
Ballinrobe Public Library 3
This is the story that Mary, our local librarian in Ballinrobe, told us how the library moved in to the converted church.
The library moved into their current location about 17 years ago, all because of a library patron named Dorothy, who had a dog friend named Coco.
Dorothy was "Church of Ireland" member and she was increasingly disturbed by the sorry state of the unused church. She was also a book lover and frequent visitor to the library. One day she approached Mary and asked if the county council might be able to use the old church building as a library. Mary said to talk to the council about it. Dorothy did and in the end, Church of Ireland leased it to the Mayo County Council for 1 cent.
It needed some restoration work, not least on the stained glass window, which was sent to Dublin piece by piece and cleaned at a cost of 70,000 pounds (this was just before the euro, I guess).
Dorothy, the woman that set the move in motion, continued to use the library a lot. She always came in with Coco and Coco was the only dog allowed in the library. Once, when Mary was away on holiday, her sub told Dorothy that the dog was not allowed in the library and Coco had to be tied up outside. Dorothy was not happy and I'm guessing that Coco wasn't, either! When Mary returned, she said, "Don't ever do that again! Do you know whose dog that is?" Coco was never banished again!
When it became difficult for Dorothy to get into town, Mary would pick her up on her lunch hour and bring Dorothy to town to do her shopping and pick up her library books. When Dorothy was unable to get to the library, Mary brought her books to her. Dorothy was found passed away in her bed with an open library book in her hand and Coco at the end of her bed. Coco died two days later.
This story was first published by Shari, my wife, back in 2014.
Shari blogging at the library
The previous library before the church was converted. As you can see, it was very small.
The library moved into their current location about 17 years ago, all because of a library patron named Dorothy, who had a dog friend named Coco.
Dorothy was "Church of Ireland" member and she was increasingly disturbed by the sorry state of the unused church. She was also a book lover and frequent visitor to the library. One day she approached Mary and asked if the county council might be able to use the old church building as a library. Mary said to talk to the council about it. Dorothy did and in the end, Church of Ireland leased it to the Mayo County Council for 1 cent.
It needed some restoration work, not least on the stained glass window, which was sent to Dublin piece by piece and cleaned at a cost of 70,000 pounds (this was just before the euro, I guess).
Dorothy, the woman that set the move in motion, continued to use the library a lot. She always came in with Coco and Coco was the only dog allowed in the library. Once, when Mary was away on holiday, her sub told Dorothy that the dog was not allowed in the library and Coco had to be tied up outside. Dorothy was not happy and I'm guessing that Coco wasn't, either! When Mary returned, she said, "Don't ever do that again! Do you know whose dog that is?" Coco was never banished again!
When it became difficult for Dorothy to get into town, Mary would pick her up on her lunch hour and bring Dorothy to town to do her shopping and pick up her library books. When Dorothy was unable to get to the library, Mary brought her books to her. Dorothy was found passed away in her bed with an open library book in her hand and Coco at the end of her bed. Coco died two days later.
This story was first published by Shari, my wife, back in 2014.
Shari blogging at the library
28 January, 2018
Ballinrobe Public Library 2
Ballinrobe Library was converted from St. Mary's Church, an 18th century
Church of Ireland church which was in very poor condition. The building was carefully restored in 1996. The library is accessed
through an archway on the Main Street.
Medieval Irish Churches, were frequently converted to suit the practices of the new Protestant religious requirements, and had been built usually of roughly coursed limestone. Few of the Church of Ireland denominations places of worship retain their original features especially, the seventeenth or eighteenth century physical arrangements of Churches as is the case with St. Mary's.
Photos taken - 2014
Info courtesy of Historical Ballinrobe
The current architectural style of the St. Mary’s Church is typical of the early 19th century ‘Board of First Fruits’ Church which was used as a term describe an architectural style. This re-introduction gothic elements of architecture and decoration in the late 18th and early 19th century in Ireland. They were a result of the British Government funded, and Church of Ireland controlled Board, which made grants and loans available for the repair or building of Churches and Glebe Houses.
St. Mary's was a simple oblong, gable-ended structure and was probably converted for use by the Established Church sometime between 1660 and 1780. Many refurbishments and alterations took place over the centuries with the removal of the box pews c. 1860 and the triple tier pulpit.
There was a steeple erected on a tower around 1815 which lasted only 9 years and must have sustained serious damage, perhaps from a great storm before its permanent removal.
Medieval Irish Churches, were frequently converted to suit the practices of the new Protestant religious requirements, and had been built usually of roughly coursed limestone. Few of the Church of Ireland denominations places of worship retain their original features especially, the seventeenth or eighteenth century physical arrangements of Churches as is the case with St. Mary's.
Photos taken - 2014
Info courtesy of Historical Ballinrobe
The current architectural style of the St. Mary’s Church is typical of the early 19th century ‘Board of First Fruits’ Church which was used as a term describe an architectural style. This re-introduction gothic elements of architecture and decoration in the late 18th and early 19th century in Ireland. They were a result of the British Government funded, and Church of Ireland controlled Board, which made grants and loans available for the repair or building of Churches and Glebe Houses.
St. Mary's was a simple oblong, gable-ended structure and was probably converted for use by the Established Church sometime between 1660 and 1780. Many refurbishments and alterations took place over the centuries with the removal of the box pews c. 1860 and the triple tier pulpit.
There was a steeple erected on a tower around 1815 which lasted only 9 years and must have sustained serious damage, perhaps from a great storm before its permanent removal.
27 January, 2018
Ballinrobe Public Library 1
The archway on Main St. that leads to the library. I'll be showing more of the library in the next few days.
photo taken 11/09/14
photo taken 11/09/14
26 January, 2018
skywatch friday
taken this past Monday 09:00am. The church on the left is the Moville Presbyterian Church
linking to skywatch friday
linking to skywatch friday
25 January, 2018
24 January, 2018
signs - drink deals
seen back in August this past summer. Kilgallen's Pub, The Mall, Rathquarter, Sligo
linking to signs signs
linking to signs signs
23 January, 2018
an unusual style
house seen on Ballynally Road. This is the back which faces the road.
ceramic cat in the window, at first I thought it was real.
the front entrance
the parking area with a real cat
ceramic cat in the window, at first I thought it was real.
the front entrance
the parking area with a real cat
22 January, 2018
21 January, 2018
wall repair
a few places around town have to be repaired. I wonder if the stormy weather caused some of the problems.
this house is on Ballynally Road.
this stone wall is on the main road.
this house is on Ballynally Road.
this stone wall is on the main road.
20 January, 2018
19 January, 2018
a bird on the wall
when I first saw the bird, I thought it was real. I had to look closely and then realized it was not a real bird. It had me fooled. :)
18 January, 2018
window washer
making sure the windows are clean. I thought it was strange to see especially in the fog. I took this photo last week. It has been some real bad weather this week so I've been staying in and reading. Hope your weather is better.
17 January, 2018
donegal castle
photo from 16/12/15
Donegal Castle is a castle situated in the centre of Donegal Town in County Donegal in Ulster, Ireland. For most of the last two centuries, the majority of the buildings lay in ruins but the castle was almost fully restored in the early 1990s.
The castle consists of a 15th-century rectangular keep with a later Jacobean style wing. The complex is sited on a bend in the River Eske, near the mouth of Donegal Bay, and is surrounded by a 17th-century boundary wall. There is a small gatehouse at its entrance mirroring the design of the keep. Most of the stonework was constructed from locally sourced limestone with some sandstone. The castle was the stronghold of the O'Donnell clan, Lords of Tír Conaill and one of the most powerful Gaelic families in Ireland from the 5th to the 16th centuries.
Donegal Castle is a castle situated in the centre of Donegal Town in County Donegal in Ulster, Ireland. For most of the last two centuries, the majority of the buildings lay in ruins but the castle was almost fully restored in the early 1990s.
The castle consists of a 15th-century rectangular keep with a later Jacobean style wing. The complex is sited on a bend in the River Eske, near the mouth of Donegal Bay, and is surrounded by a 17th-century boundary wall. There is a small gatehouse at its entrance mirroring the design of the keep. Most of the stonework was constructed from locally sourced limestone with some sandstone. The castle was the stronghold of the O'Donnell clan, Lords of Tír Conaill and one of the most powerful Gaelic families in Ireland from the 5th to the 16th centuries.
16 January, 2018
a dog day
just another day in the life of a dog. Not much happening, we are in for a terrible week weather wise with rain and sleet coming back for a visit. I always see this dog around, he's friendly, slow and old. I really enjoy seeing him, he's a survivor, one day at a time. A very wise dog!
15 January, 2018
14 January, 2018
moville well woman 2000
anam chara (dear soul)
The group founded in 1998 to help women with information on health and well being, bringing women from rural areas together in a social environment for information talks, alternative medicine information etc. Aims to try and improve the health and skills of women who will benefit their families and their community.
The group founded in 1998 to help women with information on health and well being, bringing women from rural areas together in a social environment for information talks, alternative medicine information etc. Aims to try and improve the health and skills of women who will benefit their families and their community.
13 January, 2018
the shower man
A lot of people have electric showers and sometimes they just don't work right. We had a problem and asked who fixes these and we were told, that's a job for the shower man, he comes up to Inishowen on Wednesdays. Our unit needed some replacement parts and a new hose. The shower works like it was new.
12 January, 2018
11 January, 2018
can barely see
a very foggy afternoon.
heading toward her car which was across the street.
on his way to town which is about a mile away with no light or hi vis vest.
heading toward her car which was across the street.
on his way to town which is about a mile away with no light or hi vis vest.
10 January, 2018
Slí na Sláinte
means "Path of health". It is an initiative developed by the Irish Heart Foundation, with the aim to encourage and increase the number of people walking. It provides an easy accessible and inexpensive environment for regular exercise for walkers throughout the country.
Yellow signs on blue poles are placed at one-kilometre intervals along each established walking route. These signs allows walkers to keep track of how far they walk and the signs are not numbered so walkers can start and finish at whatever point they like.
Info courtesy of Wikipedia.
Linking to signs signs
Yellow signs on blue poles are placed at one-kilometre intervals along each established walking route. These signs allows walkers to keep track of how far they walk and the signs are not numbered so walkers can start and finish at whatever point they like.
Info courtesy of Wikipedia.
Linking to signs signs
09 January, 2018
08 January, 2018
from tree to chair
Gusty winds most likely contributed to this dead tree being transformed in to a chair. It's safer for the public and offers a place to rest with a view.
