Lough Foyle, Moville co. Donegal
31 October, 2019
30 October, 2019
29 October, 2019
28 October, 2019
monday mural
this mural was part of the Ballina Fringe Festival held earlier this month. They painted a series of murals and this was one of them.
to see other mural from around the globe visit Sami's colourfulworld
to see other mural from around the globe visit Sami's colourfulworld
27 October, 2019
electronic recycle day
happened yesterday down at the car park. It's amazing how these big trucks fill up so fast. We recycled one of our old laptops.
26 October, 2019
24 October, 2019
bus washer machine
the bus going through the process of being washed. The tall metal machine maneuvers on the yellow track and the bus moves forward when it's required. First time I ever seen this being done.
23 October, 2019
22 October, 2019
21 October, 2019
monday mural
I saw this mural when I was on the bus passing through Sligo. The gantleman is Joe Carroll, a local resident of Sligo. Unfortunately it was raining when we passed it.
Joe was a regular sight around Sligo town with his navy trench coat and famous cap. He was often mistaken for a garda or traffic warden as he liked to direct the town's traffic on certain occasions. His own mode of transport was a black bicycle which was a regular sight around Sligo in the eighties and nineties. Info courtesy of independent.ie
to see other mural from around the globe, stop by Sami's ColourfulWorld
Joe was a regular sight around Sligo town with his navy trench coat and famous cap. He was often mistaken for a garda or traffic warden as he liked to direct the town's traffic on certain occasions. His own mode of transport was a black bicycle which was a regular sight around Sligo in the eighties and nineties. Info courtesy of independent.ie
the photo below courtesy of the Sligo Champion
to see other mural from around the globe, stop by Sami's ColourfulWorld
20 October, 2019
19 October, 2019
saturday critters
a couple of busy sheep up in the hills of Donegal
to see other critters from around the globe, visit Viewing Nature with Eileen.
18 October, 2019
17 October, 2019
waiting
for the bus in Bundoran early Monday morning. A bus window shot on our way to Ballina, Co Mayo. On the left is the children's playground at the beach.
16 October, 2019
15 October, 2019
ELVTF
end of life vehicle treatment facility. Fancy wording for a junkyard.
If interested you can read more about it HERE
Info courtesy of the Citizens Information website
If interested you can read more about it HERE
Info courtesy of the Citizens Information website
14 October, 2019
13 October, 2019
12 October, 2019
saturday critters
he just flew in and stood there, so I took his photo. Now the wee bird is thinking what to do next. :)
to see other critters from around the gobe, click HERE
to see other critters from around the gobe, click HERE
11 October, 2019
Spanish Armada
The Story of La Duquesa Santa Ana
In May 1588, Phillip II of Spain sent an ‘invincible’ armada on a mission to conquer England, dethrone Elizabeth I, and reinstate the Catholic religion in that country. The voyage that followed involved severe storms, battles, injuries, and sickness until finally, in August 1588, a decision was made by the Duke of Medina Sidonia, commander of the fleet, to return to Spain via a route that would take him and his ships around the coast of Scotland and sail well out into the Atlantic so as to avoid Ireland. At this point the fleet had been at sea for nearly five months.
Tragically, due to raging storms and the notoriously inaccurate nautical maps of the 16th century, many of the original 130 ships foundered on the Irish coast. This is the story of one of the most unlucky ship captain’s in the whole of the Armada story.
On the 28th/29th September 1588, the Andalusian hulk La Duquesa Santa Ana was shipwrecked off Loughros Mor Peninsula. All nine hundred sailors, soldiers and crew (which included some of Spain’s nobility) on board managed to scramble safely ashore under the captaincy of Alonso de Leyva, second-in-command of the entire Armada fleet. It appears that the ship was successfully beached in or near Tramore strand, Rosbeg on the 29th September. The survivors spent nine days in the area; one camp of ordinary soldiers and seamen encamped at the ship’s side and a second at the island castle of Kiltoorish, where the young noblemen and senior officers were stationed. We can only imagine that 900 foreigners camped around the Rosbeg area must have looked like a small town had popped up from nowhere overnight, which must have confounded the local community of Rosbeg. A similar situation had developed in Killybegs, where the crews of La Girona and two other ships wrecked in the harbour had taken shelter and were given assistance by McSweeny Banagh, the local chieftain whose castle was located at the head of McSwyne’s Bay.
Back in Kiltoorish, and with the assistance and welcome of another of the McSweeny family (McSweeny Na Doe), Alonso de Leyva’s plan was to escape the current ordeal of his second shipwreck (the first being the La Rata Santa Maria Encoronada in Blacksod Bay, Mayo on 15 or 16th September). When news came that La Girona had been forced into Killybegs to undertake repairs as a consequence of the storms that raged off the Irish coast in the autumn of 1588, de Leyva prepared his plan to save his men. Preparations were made to make a one day march to Killybegs and ‘a hoped for escape back to Spain’.
On the 8th or 9th of October La Duquesa Santa Ana survivors, accompanied by McSweeny Na Doe, broke camp and traversed difficult terrain, including negotiating a tricky mountain pass. The first sight of La Girona, which had been lying at anchor in McSwyne’s Bay since the 15th of September, must have lifted the spirits of the men under de Leyva’s leadership. It promised them the hope of seeing home and families. But as they got closer they may have been dismayed when they saw the numbers of Spanish already camped in Killybegs – there was no way everyone would fit on the La Girona.
Notwithstanding, de Leyva took control, and, once La Girona was repaired, set sail for Spain via Scotland with some 1,300 on board a ship that had the capacity for about half that number. There is evidence that up to 240 foreigners were left behind in the Killybegs area. Where did they go?
Heartbreakingly, La Girona sunk off Lacada Point, Co. Antrim with the loss over one thousand lives. It is reported that there were only between five and nine survivors.
During our 2018 Spanish Armada walk we laid specially commissioned stone memorials to mark this story of human tragedy. One is set into the ground on the pier at Rosbeg, and a similar one rests in Killybegs.
Info courtesy of the Irelandxo website
The memorial is located down below St. Catherine's Well that I posted the other day.
In May 1588, Phillip II of Spain sent an ‘invincible’ armada on a mission to conquer England, dethrone Elizabeth I, and reinstate the Catholic religion in that country. The voyage that followed involved severe storms, battles, injuries, and sickness until finally, in August 1588, a decision was made by the Duke of Medina Sidonia, commander of the fleet, to return to Spain via a route that would take him and his ships around the coast of Scotland and sail well out into the Atlantic so as to avoid Ireland. At this point the fleet had been at sea for nearly five months.
Tragically, due to raging storms and the notoriously inaccurate nautical maps of the 16th century, many of the original 130 ships foundered on the Irish coast. This is the story of one of the most unlucky ship captain’s in the whole of the Armada story.
On the 28th/29th September 1588, the Andalusian hulk La Duquesa Santa Ana was shipwrecked off Loughros Mor Peninsula. All nine hundred sailors, soldiers and crew (which included some of Spain’s nobility) on board managed to scramble safely ashore under the captaincy of Alonso de Leyva, second-in-command of the entire Armada fleet. It appears that the ship was successfully beached in or near Tramore strand, Rosbeg on the 29th September. The survivors spent nine days in the area; one camp of ordinary soldiers and seamen encamped at the ship’s side and a second at the island castle of Kiltoorish, where the young noblemen and senior officers were stationed. We can only imagine that 900 foreigners camped around the Rosbeg area must have looked like a small town had popped up from nowhere overnight, which must have confounded the local community of Rosbeg. A similar situation had developed in Killybegs, where the crews of La Girona and two other ships wrecked in the harbour had taken shelter and were given assistance by McSweeny Banagh, the local chieftain whose castle was located at the head of McSwyne’s Bay.
Back in Kiltoorish, and with the assistance and welcome of another of the McSweeny family (McSweeny Na Doe), Alonso de Leyva’s plan was to escape the current ordeal of his second shipwreck (the first being the La Rata Santa Maria Encoronada in Blacksod Bay, Mayo on 15 or 16th September). When news came that La Girona had been forced into Killybegs to undertake repairs as a consequence of the storms that raged off the Irish coast in the autumn of 1588, de Leyva prepared his plan to save his men. Preparations were made to make a one day march to Killybegs and ‘a hoped for escape back to Spain’.
On the 8th or 9th of October La Duquesa Santa Ana survivors, accompanied by McSweeny Na Doe, broke camp and traversed difficult terrain, including negotiating a tricky mountain pass. The first sight of La Girona, which had been lying at anchor in McSwyne’s Bay since the 15th of September, must have lifted the spirits of the men under de Leyva’s leadership. It promised them the hope of seeing home and families. But as they got closer they may have been dismayed when they saw the numbers of Spanish already camped in Killybegs – there was no way everyone would fit on the La Girona.
Notwithstanding, de Leyva took control, and, once La Girona was repaired, set sail for Spain via Scotland with some 1,300 on board a ship that had the capacity for about half that number. There is evidence that up to 240 foreigners were left behind in the Killybegs area. Where did they go?
Heartbreakingly, La Girona sunk off Lacada Point, Co. Antrim with the loss over one thousand lives. It is reported that there were only between five and nine survivors.
During our 2018 Spanish Armada walk we laid specially commissioned stone memorials to mark this story of human tragedy. One is set into the ground on the pier at Rosbeg, and a similar one rests in Killybegs.
Info courtesy of the Irelandxo website
The memorial is located down below St. Catherine's Well that I posted the other day.
10 October, 2019
09 October, 2019
08 October, 2019
St. Catherine's Well
Feast Day 25th of November
Just at the western edge of the village of Killybegs, up a little hill is St. Catherine's Well. The well is dedicated to St. Catherine of Alexandria (Egypt). We have done some research into this and it seems that the well was dedicated to St. Catherine by three monks who were washed ashore at Killybegs after a bad storm. The name Killybegs in Irish is ‘Na Cealla Beaga’, meaning ’small cells’ which refers to the small cells built by monks who onced lived in the area.
It is said that the monks prayed for their safety while at sea in a heavy storm and promised that they would build a well to St. Catherine wherever they landed should they be saved. And it is is Killybegs they landed in, hence the well and the fact that St. Catherine is the Patron Saint of Killybegs.
Above the well is the ruins of the 14th century Kit's Castle and the ruins of the 15th century Franciscan Third Order Foundation and graveyard. The gates at the entrance to the path up to St. Catherine's Well were donated by the Sharkey family in honour of their late mother, Peggy.
Info cortesy of welovedonegal website.
Just at the western edge of the village of Killybegs, up a little hill is St. Catherine's Well. The well is dedicated to St. Catherine of Alexandria (Egypt). We have done some research into this and it seems that the well was dedicated to St. Catherine by three monks who were washed ashore at Killybegs after a bad storm. The name Killybegs in Irish is ‘Na Cealla Beaga’, meaning ’small cells’ which refers to the small cells built by monks who onced lived in the area.
It is said that the monks prayed for their safety while at sea in a heavy storm and promised that they would build a well to St. Catherine wherever they landed should they be saved. And it is is Killybegs they landed in, hence the well and the fact that St. Catherine is the Patron Saint of Killybegs.
Above the well is the ruins of the 14th century Kit's Castle and the ruins of the 15th century Franciscan Third Order Foundation and graveyard. The gates at the entrance to the path up to St. Catherine's Well were donated by the Sharkey family in honour of their late mother, Peggy.
Info cortesy of welovedonegal website.
the view from the well
07 October, 2019
strange
and unusual building made with wood, stone with a metal roof. I like the look but wonder what it is used for, maybe storage? Seen on Main Street, Mountcharles, Co Donegal
06 October, 2019
05 October, 2019
saturday critters
up in the hills these guys are free to walk around and enjoy the landscape.
to see other critters from around the globe, click HERE
they're following us
to see other critters from around the globe, click HERE
04 October, 2019
skywatch - lorenzo
Storm Lorenzo is stopping by for a visit. Heavy rain and gale force winds starting tonight (thursday).
to see other skies from around the globe, click HERE
to see other skies from around the globe, click HERE
03 October, 2019
02 October, 2019
01 October, 2019
monthly theme: orange
the boat repair yard. This was the first time I seen the yard with no ships being worked on.
to see other interpretations of the monthly theme click HERE
