One of six stained glass windows are being released each week as the last season of Game of Thrones airs on TV. The windows are being laid out in a three kilometer-long trail around Belfast, which will end in the Titanic Studios where much of the show was produced. Each window pays homage to one of the Houses from the show: House Stark, Targaryen, Lannister, etc, and depicts key moments from the plot.
Week one - House Stark, reveled outside Belfast City Hall.
Week two - House Lannister, revealed outside Waterfront Hall.
Week three - House Baratheon, revealed at Lagan Weir.
Week four - House Targaryen, revealed outside SSE Arena.
Week five - White Walkers, revealed outside Titanic Museum.
Week six - The Iron Throne, behind the Titanic Museum, overlooking Titanic Studios where Game of Throne was filmed.
Tourism Ireland hopes the windows will become a major tourist attraction for the city, providing fans of the show some selfie opportunities as they make their way to the production studio where they can take one of the coach tours out to filming locations, and an opportunity to sit on the Irish Throne!
How big of a GOT fan are you? Is this on your must see list for your visit to Ireland? Check this if you want to see the Doors of Thrones (hand-carved timber felled from the Dark Hedges during Storm Gertrude in 2016)
OK, I don't actually live IN Drogheda, but it's the main town to where we actually live.
Drogheda is full of history and interesting things to see and places to visit. Yesterday, a bank holiday in Ireland, the sun was shining and we decided to take in one of the town's tourist attractions...aka Millmount Fort. We drive past the fort one or two times a week and always said we should stop in and see the place. So we finally did.
According to history, there has been a fortification on this site since pre-12th century. However, it's thought that beneath the first fortification is a Neolithic Passage Tomb, most of which date back to sometime between 4300-2000BC! To visualize what a passage tomb looks like, consider the Newgrange tomb.
It was in the 12th century that a motte was constructed and upon it a timber fortification.
A motte, for those who don't know, is a tall earthen mound, vs a moat, which is a ditch dug around a structure and often filled with water or effluent to deter marauders. It's a little confusing, like raise (to lift/build) and raze (to level/destroy).
But who is buried in the tomb? No one knows for sure, but Irish legend says it's the burial place of Amhairgin mac Míled (Amergin, whose name in Irish is: "Amhair" = singing; "gin" = give birth...Or literally, the one who gave birth to singing). In ancient Irish mythology, he was regarded as the creator of the arts: song, poetry, and music. How cool is that? Ireland has long been known for her arty types :)
In more modern times, Hugh de Lacy, who came to Ireland on the foot of Richard 'Strongbow' de Clare, in 1272 and was granted the Kingdom of Meath by Henry II. By this time, de Clare had been in Ireland for three years, having secured the Leinster kingdom for its king and subsequently marrying his daughter, Aoife/Eve. And Henry had laid claim to the rebellious Celtic nation.
At that time, Meath was the fifth province in Ireland, and called the Royal County because the High Kings sat at Tara in the heart of the region. Meath has now been incorporated into the province of Leinster...the other three being Ulster (Donegal, Cavan, and Monaghan, including all of Northern Ireland), Munster and Connacht.
Hugh de Lacy became the Lord of Meath, which was the most extensive liberty in Ireland...a very high honor indeed. Henry II allowed de Clare to remain south of Dublin in Leinster, but directed de Lacy to begin constructing stone castles in Meath and north Leinster. This includes the amazing Trim Castle (used in the filming of Braveheart).
It was while Hugh was in Drogheda that he saw to the fortifications, which included the walls, towers, and gates* on both sides of the River Boyne. Here's a map of what Drogheda probably looked like by 1649, according to Ravell's Map, c. 1749.
de Lacy went back to his holdings in England after leaving Hugh Tyrrel in charge of the construction, but returned in 1177 as Procurator General of all Ireland...essentially a lawyer of sorts who represented others in court...and as Irish governor.
It wasn't all rosy for Hugh though. He was eventually recalled to England where he faced charges against him by the Irish for his cruel and unjust treatment. In 1181, he was recalled again for marrying the deposed King of Connacht's daughter without Henry'ls permission! And so his life went...going against his king who lived in another land...until he was finally killed in Durrow, County Offaly, while supervising the building of a motte and bailey similar to Millmount Fort.
It wasn't until September 1649 that Drogheda really made the history books with the now historical battle, the Siege of Drogheda, also called the Rape of Drogheda, led by Oliver Cromwell. You can follow the links to read up on this battle and the subsequent Cromwellian War in Ireland, but I'll say that Drogheda was the first major battle on Cromwell's landing in Ireland, where his troops ransacked and murdered over 3000 people who inhabited the barracks, and untold numbers of civilians, before taking the next several years to do the same throughout Ireland.
367 years later, the people of Drogheda still well-remember this atrocity and have their own stories to tell...whether it be stories passed down through the family or personal grudges against those who committed the murders.
Sorry, got a little sidetracked ;) Back to Millmount.
Millmount Fort, c 1808
Governor's House, c. 1810
After the massive destruction around Drogheda at Cromwell's orders, Millmount rebuilds itself, as soldiers are now carrying gunpowder weapons rather than axes and pikes. The Drogheda Militia is formed to fight the 1798 Irish Rebellion.
But until the early 18th century, the motte was all that remained, as the timber structure had been part of Cromwell's destruction, which included soldier billets, and most of the walls and gatehouses*.
There had always been some military occupation on the site, known as Richmond Barracks, as the Duleek Gate was just one hundred yards behind this area along the western wall, and had a line of site to both the Butler Gate and Dublin Gate, north and south gates, respectively, on the south side of the river. But also as the highest point in the town, the barracks here had a commanding view of the entire town, so a very strategic location. So by the 1700s, it was time to rebuild.
Some of the structures already on this site before the stone tower construction were mainly billeting quarters for the soldiers who protected the gates and the connecting walls.
It was in 1808 that the Martello Tower that we see today was completed. These towers, aka Martellos, were built around Irish, and British, coastal areas as protection against French forced during the French Revolutionary Wars. While the wars officially ended in 1802, many of these towers still went up around the Irish coastline for continued defensive purposes.
Courtyard at Richdmond Barracks
overlooked by Millmount Fort
Today, many Martellos are either museums or private homes, including Joyce's Tower in Sandycove, south County Dublin, which was home to the writer and now a museum.
Along with the tower construction, new billeting buildings were constructed.
Then in 1831, the stone arch and iron gate were erected, to replace the timber ones.
And finally in 1850, the Governor's House was built at the foot of the tower, as well as the officer's mess.
Richmond Barracks remained a barracks for another seventy years until 1922 when the barracks and fort saw more action during the Irish Civil War/War for Independence.
Millmount Fort, Drogheda
Irish Free State Forces
c. 1922
On 4 July 1922, the fort had been occupied by Anti-Treaty Forces...until Collins was forced to negotiate for the Anglo-Irish Treaty, the Irish largely remained on the same side as the Irish Republican Brotherhood, fighting for independence from England.
When Collins came back to Ireland with only 26 of the 32 counties, the Brotherhood split between pro-treatyists and anti-treatyists. That is to say, for anyone with a little knowledge of the time, that Eamon de Valera and Michael Collins had a falling out. de Valera and his followers became Anti-Treatyists, and Collins and his followers became Pro-Treatyists, aka the Free State Forces.
Under the command of Michael Collins, with the backing of Winston Churchill, the fort, occupied by de Valera soldiers, underwent many hours of shelling until it fell into Free State hands.
While the fort had been 'put back together', it did not undergo proper restoration until the 1990s, and eventually reopened as a museum in 2000, part of the country's millennium celebrations.
What visitors will find on the site today includes the restoration of all buildings and rooms. Some have been rented out in the past to special interest groups, such as the Drogheda Photographic Club, and at one time a cafe in a glassed in atrium room at the back of a billeting house, overlooking the Boyne River.
Dueling Pistols
Millmount Fort, Drogheda, Co Louth
The tower itself contains some of the original and reconstructed artifacts from the Cromwellian War, the 1798 Louth Militia, and a large cache of weapons, including a small collection of dueling pistols.
Outside the tower are two canon reconstructions, both of which are fully operational and are fired in August during Heritage Week for the Drogheda Festival.
Below are some of the other photos taken during our visit, including some views from the tower overlooking Drogheda.
Millmount Fort
new interior roof, c 2000
O'Neill and Cromwell Sieges, 1641-1649
Soldier kitted out as a Cromwellian Roundhead,
a term given to Presbyterian Puritan cavaliers
for the short hair they wore, not the shape of the helmets.
Irish Free State Forces
general infantry uniform, c 1922
Millmount Fort
Dueling weapons
Millmount Museum
Original Irish phone box
Where would you like to make your call?
Millmount Fort
one of two working canons
directly ahead, St Peter's Cathedral
St Peter's Cathedral, rose window
keepers of the head of St Oliver Plunkett
martyred July 1681
Drogheda, County Louth
toward the medieval quarter
St Mary's Cathedral, the viaduct rail bridge
* St Laurence's Gate, c 13th century
last remaining barbican in Drogheda
originally the Great East Gate
the last portion of the city wall remains nearby
Enjoying the River Boyne
on a sunny June bank holiday Monday
I hope you enjoyed seeing some of Millount Fort and learning something about the history of Drogheda. There's SO much about the place to learn, if you look beneath the surface.
The area surrounding the town is rich in history as well, as Trim Castle is about 30-40 minutes drive, Newgrange/Nowth/Dowth are 15 minutes from town center, the Battle of the Boyne (c 1690) and Oldtown House is 5 minutes drive, and more, including amazingly scenic drives.
Here's view of Drogheda from Millmount Fort...the beautiful River Boyne, the cathedral spires, and the medieval quarter. Please ignore McDonald's, the ugly modern buildings, and the haze. ;)
If you've ever been to Drogheda, drop me a note and share your experiences! You can email me from the handydandy, emailer on the side bar :-)
Dracula Pen
Vials containing sand from Whitby, and Silver Sand and earth from the Carpathian Mountain Region of Romania near Count Dracula's home.
So, I got this in the post today.
A pen, you say?
Who cares, you say?
What if I were to tell you that this pen has connections to Vlad Țepeș...
Vlad Drăculea...
Vlad the Impaler...
Vlad III, Prince of Wallachia...
Dracula!!
Well, it's all true, and I have a certificate of authenticity to prove it!
Signed by the Reverend Canon David W. Smith, Rector of St Mary's Parish Church in Whitby and Ruswarp, England.
The timber used to craft this unique pen is reclaimed from the old church after renovations, and has been certified that the timber felled for the church dates back to the 17th century.
It's real, and I can prove it.
OK, so Vlad III, Prince of Wallachia, was alive in the 15th century, but Bram Stoker's Dracula had slightly more recent ties to the church with his creation of Count Dracula, in his work Dracula, published in 1897.
The box contained a great little booklet with history about St Mary's and the connection to Count Dracula of Bram Stoker fame.
It includes some photos and some interesting narrative.
I think just as interesting are the vials of earth and sand included in this nifty box. Why have they done this?
Well, based on the story, the ship, The Demeter, sailing from Varna to Whitby was full of silver sand for ballast, and several coffins filled with 'mould', or earth.
Whitby, being a coastal community, would have sandy beaches.
So a bit of sand from both countries and Bulgarian earth to represent what was in the coffins.
From Chapter 7:
9 August -- The sequel to the strange arrival of the derelict in the storm last night is almost more startling than the thing itself. It turns out that the schooner is Russian from Varna, and is called the Demeter. She is almost entirely in ballast of silver sand, with only a small amount of cargo, a number of great wooden boxes filled with mould.
From Chapter 8:
For a moment or two I could see nothing, as the shadow of a cloud obscured St Mary’s Church and all around it. Then as the cloud passed I could see the ruins of the Abbey coming into view; and as the edge of a narrow band of light as sharp as a sword-cut moved along, the church and the churchyard because gradually visible. Whatever my expectation was, it was not disappointed, for there, on our favourite seat, the silver light of the moon struck a half reclining figure, snowy white. The coming of the cloud was too quick for me to see much, for shadow shut down on light almost immediately; but it seemed to me as though something dark stood behind the seat where the white figure shone, and bent over it.What it was, whether man or beast, I could not tell…
How cool would it be to visit Bran Castle (you've got to see this video with the volume up!)?!
And I've only to drive down to Dublin City to see the house at 30 Kildare Street where Stoker lived while writing Dracula.
For anyone interested in buying one of these one of a kind hand crafted pens (they also do ballpoint), just contact York and Beyond, who also sell pens with historic timber from Yorkminster Abbey, and timber felled on the Bronte estate.
From the lid of the presentation box - hand etched and smoked.
Here are a few photos from my new camera (Canon PowerShot SX60 HS). Still playing, but loving the zoom. What do you think?
Moon on 30 April 2015Taken at 1365mm/260x zoom...full zoom. Hand-balanced on a 5 foot high retaining wall: I aimed, held my breath, and hoped for the best ;-)
Corbie Crow A type of raven with a grey body and black tail and wingfeathers, and black hooded head. Taken through the office window at approximately 40 feet.
Ring Neck Doves One of two pairs which frequent our patio. Taken through the office window at approximately 25 feet.
El Rato! Taken across the garden at approximately 40 feet.
Male Sparrow Taken across the garden at approximately 40 feet.
Since it's been a while since I've posted to this blog, I thought I'd start updating with one of the most recent things we've done. While in Cork recently, we visited the newly opened Fort Camden.
For concise history of Fort Camden, go to the history page on Rescue Camden's website. Briefly --
The first fortifications were built in Cork Harbour in the 17th century, although these were primarily to protect Cork City. In the 18th century, fortifications were built on Haulbowline Island to protect the anchorage in Cobh. Fort Camden, and Fort Carlisle across the harbor entrance, were both built during the time of the American War of Independence, aka the American Revolutionary War (1775–1783). This should give American readers some context of the history of the time. But while a revolution was being fought in the Americas, there were still troubling times in Ireland and north Europe, and the location of forts around the entrance to Cork Harbour were instrumental in guarding the English Channel and into the Irish Sea.
Fort Camden was fortified and extended throughout the 18th and 19th centuries and has become one of the world's finest examples of a classical Coastal Artillery Fort.
Cork Harbour, the second largest natural harbor in the world (second to Australia's Sidney Harbour), at one time maintained four such forts -- Camden and Carlisle protecting the harbor entrance, and Spike Island and Haulbowline Island in the harbor center. Anyone daring to try to get into Cork Harbour would have been met with serious difficulty from all sides.
During the Second World War, the Irish Army formed its own coast artillery service with headquarters at Spike Island. The Coast Defence Service was maintained at Camden until it was dissolved in 1949, at which time the fort was closed and remained in disuse and un-maintained until recent times, as you can see from the massive overgrowth from a once dry moat.
In 1989, the Cork County Council acquired ownership of the fort and planned to restore some facilities and create The Military Heritage Centre and tourist attraction, including visitor accommodation, watersport facilities (boating on Cork Harbour and safe swimming locations around the docks), craftshops and restaurant.
Sadly, that did not come to pass. But locals would not be deterred. After twenty years of talks between the Cork County Council and Crosshaven Community officials, an agreement was made in July 2010 for the restoration of Fort Camden as part of a FAS program working with local volunteers. Over the last year, teams of men and women worked hard all over the site clearing debris, cutting back overgrowth and making safe many of the buildings. And in July 2011, Fort Camden welcomed in a new history for the fortm as visitors were now allowed onto the site.
Above is the main Casement Building which once housed soldiers' sleeping quarters (sleeping ten to a room in peace times and twenty to a room in war times), latrines, showers, medics, mess hall and more. Today, while they've been made safe for exploring, only a few are set up for displays. The chamber below has been filled with a shallow pool of water, the corners of which contained submerged pumps that keep the water circulating under and otherwise still surface. Local children made 'boats' which seem to sail on their own steam around the pool.
In another chamber is a display of letters, orders, and other notable items that were discovered on the site when volunteers were allowed in to clean-up. Letters like this one give an interesting account from a soldier's point of view. This letter includes --
"Monday (25/6/17) {25 June 1917} Another bright morning. It is a shame to be in bed until 8 in lovely weather like this. Usual routine. Nothing much going . . . Seven men arrive from Curragh . . . Don't know what to do. Am thinking about the pictures. But it is too rainy . . . Something like rosary beads the droplets. This is Irish . . . News of rising in Cork . . . Off to the pictures. Not much chance of getting a girl . . ."
This soldier apparently hoped to find a willing girl that night except it was raining too much! He also referenced going joy riding. But again, the rain put a hold on that too. Maybe a good thing for the car owner!
Remember that the Easter Rising started in April 1916 and this letter was penned just 14 months later. News of a rising in Cork was probably common during the time as Irish rebels fought for independence from Britain. It would be interesting to know whether or not soldiers from Fort Camden were enlisted to subdue rebel fighters or if they were strictly guarding the harbor. The letter also mentions a local boating accident which enlisted had attended, saving two men. There are, I believe, five tunnels through the hillside to various points around the fort. Two of them lead to the two harbors around the site, one of which is currently open and it the longest one on the site. Here's the entrance --
Once through the gate, soldiers would have been met by a long, dark tunnel before reaching the stairs. There are no windows along the tunnel so it would have been very dark without a lantern. Once at the stairs (seen below), there are narrow windows along the left side of the tunnel. They would have allowed in some light, maybe just enough to see by, but not terribly bright. Electric lights are now fitted for visitors, and make for interesting photography.
There are level areas between sets of five steps as one descends the hillside through the tunnel. I lost count at around 100 of how many steps down to the gunnery area. There was a lot more than that, I'm sure! At least it felt that way.
The tunnel leads to a gunnery area where cannons were mounted on raised platforms along the gunnery walls. Munitions buildings face the cannons, as did other related occupations such as smithing and a hospital room for the injured. The photo below is the main entrance into the gunnery area if one arrived by vehicle from the other direction. Impressive architecture!
Just outside the stone entrance above is also the entrance down to the main harbor. Below are a couple pictures of the seafront harbor area. Storage, barracks and other chambers are built into the hillside. As you can see by the date, 1871, this area would have been refortified in that year. The second harbor or dock area is seen in the background on the harbor side of the site.
Here is a view from the main harbor/docks looking out at Fort Carlisle, which guarded the opposite side of the harbor entrance. To the right, the wide open Atlantic. To the left, Cork Harbour.
Unfortunately, due to the disuse and not being maintained while closed, the dock has been destroyed by undercurrents, which are collapsing it. The piers seem to be solid enough.
A bit of trivia -- My husband's family used to spend summers in Crosshaven. There's a sandy beach on the Atlantic side of the fort where they rented a house by the week. Kids used to scale the cliffs around the fort walls (see the above aerial photo!) to the harbor and fish for mackerel for their dinners and swim within the pier arms. Our visit on this day was nostalgic for him in this respect and allowed him to finally see what was beyond the barriers in the fort.
From the harbor, one must either retrace their steps back through the tunnel (remember all those stairs!) or take the zig-zag road. When I say this road is steep, I mean STEEP. At each bend in the zig-zag are benches to rest upon. What they really need it one of those stair lifts people put in their houses! Maybe, eventually, they'll have enough funds when restorations are done, to put in some form of transportation for people not really fit enough for mountain climbing. And let me tell you, it's a climb. Scroll back to the top of this page to the aerial photo and you'll see the long, straight tunnel going from the top of the site to the harbor, and the zig-zag road.
At the top of the site is a stunning view of Cork Harbour. Seen here is Spike Island in the center of the harbor and Cobh in the background. Cobh was the last stopping place for Titanic, where she picked up Irish immigrants, before sailing to America. I think we all know how that ended!
The Irish tricolor flies from the highest point on the island. Below it are a number of buildings, including officers quarters, more barracks for enlisted, repair shops, motorcade, and more. Here's one of the work shops below -- What I find incredible about this site, aside from some interesting architecture, the tunnel systems, the location, the view and the history, is that simple things like an original brick path still exists and with it's original gutter. It shows a sign of the times when roads were traditionally cobbled. Considering the bland nature of today's road surfaces, I think seeing old cobbling like this brings a certain level of class or style to something as important as a military instillation.
There was so much to see at the fort and from the fort. One really would want to visit personally to really understand the importance of the site. One might get an inkling from seeing pictures, but to actually be there is another story.
I'll leave you with this last image. A broken piece of pottery with the insignia Óglaıġ na hÉıreann, which has several translations -- soldiers of Ireland, warriors of Ireland, volunteers of Ireland and simply Irish volunteers.
The phrase Óglaigh na hÉireann was coined as an Irish-language title for the Irish Volunteers of 1913, and it was retained when the Volunteers became known in English as the Irish Republican Army (IRA) during the War of Independence of 1919–1922.
Following the Treaty which created the Irish Free State, the Provisional Government in 1922 formed the National Army. To establish itself as carrying on the tradition of the pre-independence movement, the Army adopted Óglaigh na hÉireann as its Irish language name, and also adopted the cap badge and buttons of the Irish Volunteers, the former of which incorporates the title in its design. Since 1922, Óglaigh na hÉireann has remained the official title in the Irish language for the Irish Defence Forces, which are recognised by the Irish Government as the only legitimate armed forces of the independent state on the island of Ireland.
That means this piece of pottery, and thousands more like it found around the site, was in use when the fort was Irish occupied . . . from at least 1917 (re the above letter) to 1949 (when the fort fell into disuse).
Be sure to log into the website for Fort Camden for information on the restoration of the fort and their gallery of images.
Also, check out the Wiki page for Cork Harbour for detailed military history for Cork and Cork Harbour.
For concise history of Fort Camden, go to the history page on 
Fort Camden was fortified and extended throughout the 18th and 19th centuries and has become one of the world's finest examples of a classical Coastal Artillery Fort.
In 1989, the Cork County Council acquired ownership of the fort and planned to restore some facilities and create The Military Heritage Centre and tourist attraction, including visitor accommodation, watersport facilities (boating on Cork Harbour and safe swimming locations around the docks), craftshops and restaurant.
Sadly, that did not come to pass. But locals would not be deterred. After twenty years of talks between the Cork County Council and Crosshaven Community officials, an agreement was made in July 2010 for the restoration of Fort Camden as part of a FAS program working with local volunteers. Over the last year, teams of men and women worked hard all over the site clearing debris, cutting back overgrowth and making safe many of the buildings. And in July 2011, Fort Camden welcomed in a new history for the fortm as visitors were now allowed onto the site.
There are, I believe, five tunnels through the hillside to various points around the fort. Two of them lead to the two harbors around the site, one of which is currently open and it the longest one on the site. Here's the entrance --
From the harbor, one must either retrace their steps back through the tunnel (remember all those stairs!) or take the zig-zag road. When I say this road is steep, I mean STEEP. At each bend in the zig-zag are benches to rest upon. What they really need it one of those stair lifts people put in their houses! Maybe, eventually, they'll have enough funds when restorations are done, to put in some form of transportation for people not really fit enough for mountain climbing. And let me tell you, it's a climb. Scroll back to the top of this page to the aerial photo and you'll see the long, straight tunnel going from the top of the site to the harbor, and the zig-zag road.
At the top of the site is a stunning view of Cork Harbour. Seen here is Spike Island in the center of the harbor and Cobh in the background. Cobh was the last stopping place for Titanic, where she picked up Irish immigrants, before sailing to America. I think we all know how that ended!
