As lathair

I've been so busy with the day job for the last few weeks, I've had very little chance to visit places (though I did get to see a few places on Saturday). I'm on holidays for the next fortnight, and hopefully, I won't be next nor near a computer during that time. So the site won't be updated until the middle of June, but feel free to look around, and leave the odd comment (the odd ones are always better than the normal ones). Ciao.

Errew Priory

Errew Priory lies on the shore of Lough Conn, and is at the end of a lane off the road between Castlebar and Crossmolina. It has to be one of the best signposted sites in the west´- from the main road, there are five signposts pointing to the priory (though one has been ripped down by vandals - typical). It's a good thing too; there are plenty of other little boreens leading off the lane.

Which is why it is all the more disappointing to arrive at the gate of the field to find a Beware of Bull sign. When I arrived, a carload of tourists had just returned from the site (you have to walk through a couple of fields and along the lake shore to reach the site). But I wonder how many would be deterred by the sign. Now, I make a point of not entering a field where there is a No Trespassing sign (of course, I'll usually try to find the farmer and ask his permision, and normally, there's no problem), but this sign seemed to indicate that you could enter, but only at your own risk. Walking into a field where there is a bull is not smart - just this week, a farmer was gored to death by a bull on his farm. At this time of year, sucklers herds are out in the fields. Bulls can be very protective of the cows and calves in the herd, and can attack without warning. There was a field of cows and calves in the field behind the priory, though I could not see a bull.

If Mayo County Council go to the bother of signposting an attraction, surely they can come to an arrangement with the farmer involved to ensure safe access to the site?

It's easy to start them...

Now that it's time to cut turf, it's also the time of year for burning off the the furze and other vegetation to clear the bog for harvesting. All too often, the fires are uncontrolled and it's the Fire Brigade that get a day out on the bog instead. Top photo shows fire burning in Galway yesterday - there was a few firemen out trying to beat down the flames with shovels. Bottom picture shows a fire burning in north Mayo on Saturday.

Dooncarton Stone Circle

Almost a year after the landslide in Pollatomish, I went back there on Saturday for a look, and to look at the stone circle at Dooncarton.