Lake Muckno - County Monaghan - Things to Do in Monaghan
Yes, we love parks, lakes, and everything else that is related to nature, especially those places which we get the chance to walk through and explore the different routes which they might carry for us - just like Lake Muckno and the different paths we got the chance to choose from.
Lake Muckno - which is also known as Lough Muckno in the Irish language - is a freshwater lake in the northeast of Ireland, which is located in county Monaghan beside the town of Castleblayney - where other attractions are located as well.
The main purpose behind the trip was to have a walk by Lake Muckno and see this freshwater, but in order not to get easily bored and not to make it a trip that is not so much welcomed by the kids, we had to get inside the park and have a walk of trail exploration inside there - that's why we decided to go through the black island walk in Muckno Peace Park - where there was the nature trail that the kids got excited about.
I have already mentioned above that Lake Muckno lies beside the town of Castleblayney and that is one reason why lots of people consider it located in it. Actually, Lough Muckno is considered the largest lake in Castleblayney.
There is a history behind Muckno Peace Park that is located in Castleblayney; it was originally part of the estate family Balyney after which the town of Castleblayney is named before it was given to Henry Thomas Hope who the Castle Hope was named after - that castle which we witnessed with the kids from far away while exploring the park and walking through the trail we have chosen to take.
Following the trail with the kids, there were really beautiful scenes which we came across - especially the castle we have seen on the other side - and the most interesting thing about the walk was choosing a path or trail to follow - and telling the kids that we are lost in the middle of it all :-) - before we managed to reach the end point or the place where we have started the walk once again.
County Monaghan is a county in Ireland that is part of the Border Region and is in the province of Ulster. Lake Muckno is one of the different places of nature that are located in county Monaghan but there are also some other destinations that tourists could head for - even Irish people who might have never been to these places will have some good and fresh time there.
From the different places that one could go to and visit, there is County Monaghan Museum, Patrick Kavanagh centre, the Celtic High Cross, St. Tiernach's Grave, the Clones Round Tower ( the Inniskeen Round Tower, and different other places which one could get the chance to discover and know more about.
Lough Muckno Leisure Park is one of the different parks that one could visit in county Monaghan and enjoy a little bit of nature and have a walk through it with the rest of the family, but there are other ones which one could visit as well and which include the Billy Fox Memorial Park in Latton, Dartrey Forest in Rockcorry, as well as Rossmore Forest Park; so one could always choose between different parks in order to enjoy a walk through nature.
There are actually a lot of adventures done in this area which might be more held for school students and which include camps, riding boats, as well as having a walk in the park in general. We actually went for a little bit of adventure with the kids by just following the trail and enjoying the view of the lake and its freshwater, but unfortunately we didn't get the chance to ride a boat or camp there.
We have been through different experiences with the parks in Ireland and Northern Ireland such as visiting the Lough Muckno Park and which is all about the walks there as well as enjoying the view of nature and being close to the water. From those other experiences in parks which we have been to, we visited Sir Thomas and Lady Dickson Park in Belfast ( we have also visited the Colin Glen Park in Belfast where the kids enjoyed following the Gruffalo Trail ( we have also been to the Phoenix Park in Dublin ( we went to the Tollymore Forest Park in Newcastle ( - there are actually different parks in Ireland and Northern Ireland which one could visit and enjoy with the rest of the family, alone, or even with some friends.
We truly enjoyed our experience in Lake Muckno Park and we might come back for it if we want to have a walk around. Share with us your experience if you have been to the Lake Muckno before and what you have done there, and if you haven't ever been there, did our video excite you and get you more interested about the place? Tell us more about your experience or your plans.
The best locations around Ireland / Northern Ireland and further afield. A travel blog/vlog of the hidden treasures that are on our doorstep.
Newgrange KNOWTH Stone Age Passage Tomb Our Visit
We are down at Trim Co Meath for a few days break. Trim is a great base to visit the many ancient ecclesiastical/military/ burial sites/ and passage tombs, dotted round this whole area.
Here we visit World Heritage site Newgrange. This is the awe-inspiring passage tomb at Knowth.
It is important to note that all visits to these ancient monuments are conducted through the visitor centre. You will not see them otherwise. All visits are broken into 4 sections. The Visitor Centre foyer, cafe and gift shop experience. The Exhibition Area telling you what you will see. The Bus Trip Ride to the sites. The tour of the two passage tomb sites at Knowth and Newgrange.
Having visited both sites I would suggest not to leave out Knowth as I feel it provided the more interesting and authentic experience of the two. at Knowth you were able to get into the passage tomb. You were also able to climb on to the top of it. It had many many art decorative carvings on it's surrounding kerb stones. It also had a large number of satellite tombs around it. I believe it to be the more authentic experience. The white stone work around the front of Newgrange just does not look right at all. It is largely one man's interpretation of how things at Newgrange may have looked.
The Brú na Bóinne Visitor Centre (Irish: [ˈbˠɾˠuː n̪ˠə ˈbˠoːn̪ʲə], Palace of the Boyne) is the starting point for all visits to the monuments of the UNESCO World Heritage Site at Brú na Bóinne, notably the passage graves of Newgrange and Knowth. It is located in County Meath, Ireland.
Flanagan's Wake - St. Louis, MO - Sizzle Reel
The hit show from Chicago, Flanagan’s Wake, is the hilarious interactive show that brings Flanagan’s Irish family to St. Louis where they will memorialize his passing. Audiences participate in this comedic memorial with plenty o’ pints, crazy sing-a-longs, telling of witty tales and mourn the passing of one of their own: Flanagan.
Audiences will pay their respects to glowering Mother Flanagan and to poor grieving fiancée, Fiona Finn. Listen to a eulogy written by County Sligo's best-known writer, Mickey Finn, and tip a pint with Brian Ballybunion, himself a weaver of tales. You can cross yourself with the blessings from St. Gregory's parish priest, Father Damon Fitzgerald, or cross your fingers that local pagan Kathleen Mooney doesn't cast a spell on you. Mayor Martin O'Doul will preside over the proceedings with an iron hand (and a parched throat).
The Playhouse @ Westport Plaza is a 230-seat venue filling a niche for a variety of Broadway and Off-Broadway entertainment that would otherwise not find its way to the St. Louis area. Programming at the venue is offered at affordable ticket pricing so that anyone can have dinner at one of the many restaurants in the area as well as see a great show. For additional information on upcoming events, please visit playhouseatwestport.com.
Celtic Legends-To drive the Cold Winter Away (promo mix1)
Listen to more music at:
A few soothing and haunting tracks from Gian Castello's new cd To Drive the Cold Winter Away, featuring Devon MacGillivray, Marco Canepa and Paul Gurney.
A tribute to Scottish, Irish and English tradition with original, progressive arrangements. Enjoy!
All tracks arranged by Gian Castello and Marco Canepa
Recorded live at studio in Italy and Ireland by Marco Canepa and Paul Gurney
Mixed and mastered by Marco Canepa
The recital Celtic Legends - Words, Music and Songs inspired by the Bardic tradition by Gian Castello is now on tour in Ireland and has already performed in:
All Ireland Poetry Day, Mohill Story Telling Festival, Longford County Library, Jamestown Sacred Heart Church, Yeats Society Memorial Building in Sligo, Boyle Arts Festival, Lough Ree Environmental Summer School & Arts Festival, Cavan County Museum in Ballyjamesduff, Words and Harps Day 2011 - Co. Sligo, A Magical Night To drive the Cold Winter Away at Ballaghboy Lodge Farm, Daly's Pub in Boyle (cd launch), Saint George Heritage Centre in Carrick on Shannon (cd launch), Ballymahon Library (cd launch), Carrick Water Music Festival 2012 (Carrick on Shannon), Joe Mooney Summer School 2012 (Drumshanbo, Methodist Church) .
Newgrange Centre, Passage Tomb Exhibition
We are down at Trim Co Meath for a few days break. Trim is a great base to visit the many ancient ecclesiastical/military/ burial sites/ and passage tombs dotted round this whole area.
Here we visit World Heritage site Newgrange. This is the informative exhibition centre detailing and explaining what visitors will see at the passage tombs of Newgrange and Knowth. It is important to note that all visits to these ancient monuments are conducted through the visitor centre. You will not see them otherwise. All visits are broken into 4 sections. The Visitor Centre foyer, cafe and gift shop experience. The Exhibition Area telling you what you will see. The Bus Trip Ride to the sites. The tour of the two passage tomb sites at Knowth and Newgrange.
Having visited both sites I would suggest definitely going to Knowth as for me it provided the more interesting and authentic experience of the two. You were able to get into the passage tomb. You were also able to climb on to the top of it. It had many many art decorative carvings. It had a large number of satellite tombs around it. I believe it to be the more authentic experience. The white stone work around the front of Newgrange does not look right at all. It is largely one man's interpretation of how things at Newgrange may have looked.
The Brú na Bóinne Visitor Centre (Irish: [ˈbˠɾˠuː n̪ˠə ˈbˠoːn̪ʲə], Palace of the Boyne) is the starting point for all visits to the monuments of the UNESCO World Heritage Site at Brú na Bóinne, notably the passage graves of Newgrange and Knowth. It is located in County Meath, Ireland.
Cessna 182 flying from Waterford Airport to Weston Airport in Ireland
This is our flight back to Weston from Waterford Al Ryan is PIC on this leg and Paul Moore in charge of story telling and slaggin' Beautiful summer's day in Ireland. All in all a great day's flying.
Dan Healy Memorial
Here is one of the tracks from the album Whispering Strains from the Past. Dan Healy and Ciaran O'Reilly. A local committee of friends and relatives of the late Dan Healy has been set up to implement plans to permanently remember Dan, his music, and his contribution to South Sligo music. Plans include a blessing at the family grave, a bronze memorial plaque in Ballymote, Co. Sligo, and a traditional and story-telling session for family, friends, and contributors.
Robin Williamson - A Tale of the Deeds of the Tuatha Dé Danann - Megalithomania 2009
CLICK HERE to download, or get DVD of the full length lecture: and here: Watch it for free here: Filmed at the Megalithomania Conference in Glastonbury on 23rd May 2009 by Nautilus AV Productions.
A bardic account of the two battles of Moytura, the sacred megalithic complex in Sligo. From the magical lore of ancient Ireland, this tale recounts conflicts of the ancestors at the dawn of the world. Stark, strange, beautiful, violent and hinting always at hidden truths, this of all ancient Celtic stories presents an insight into Druidic allegorical teachings.
Robin Williamson, founder in the 60's of the influential Incredible String Band and the Merry Band of the 70's, has been a key figure at the forefront of the storytelling revival in Europe and America since the 80's. He has authored a number of books including The Craneskin Bag (re-telling and re-versifications of Celtic lore) and Celtic Bards, Celtic Druids (co-authored with R.J. Stewart). Robin is Honorary Chief Bard of The Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids.
Websites:
sligo people love to dance
concert sligo live boney m concert ..... sligo having fun ... loving the music ....
Ronan Kelly's Ireland: Pat's East Galway Fairies
MARIA WHEATLEY - ANCIENT ARCHEOLOGY & OUR TOUR OF IRELAND
I interviewed MARIA WHEATLEY about ancient archeology and dowsing. UPDATE: We are very sorry to say that due to unforeseen health issues Maria Wheatley is not able to co-lead the 2 day tour of Ireland so we have decided to cancel and reschedule for the future.
Please accept our profound apologies. ALL TICKET PRICES HAVE BEEN REFUNDED TO PURCHASERS. --KERRY CASSIDY
NOTE: KERRY will still be speaking at the BASES CONFERENCE IN DUBLIN, SEPTEMBER 15-17TH.
Thank you for your kind support of our work!
Kerry Cassidy and Maria Wheatley
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Celtic Legends - The Little Cascade
You can listen to more music by Gian Castello and his Celtic Legends at:
The Little Cascade from
The Secret Kingdoms - a musical journey to Fairyland
by Gian Castello
Words: Gian Castello
Music:
The Little Cascade - MacLennan/Hardie arr. Gian Castello
Gian Castello: tin whistle
Roger Visonà: Scottish bag-pipe
Marco Canepa: keyboard, percussions
Fabio Casanova: keyboard
Images from Ireland (Co. Leitrim, Co. Roscommon, Co. Sligo), Scotland (Birnam, Perthshire), Italy (Region Liguria)
The recital Celtic Legends - words and music inspired by the Bardic tradition by Gian Castello is now on tour in Ireland and has already performed in:
All Ireland Poetry Day, Mohill Story Telling Festival, Longford County Library, Jamestown Church, Yeats Society Memorial Building in Sligo, Boyle Arts Festival, Lough Ree Environmental Summer School & Arts Festival, Cavan County Museum, Words and Harps Day 2011
With:
Gian Castello: Concert Flute, Tin Whistle, Tenor Flute, Dulcimer, Guitar, Vocals, Bodhrán, Texts, Arrangements
Devon MacGillivray: Fiddle, Vocals
Kitia Benedetti: Recitation, Bodhrán.
Extracts from Gian Castello's poetical and musical works: Merlin-Taliesin-The Secret Kingdoms (available on cd).
Find Gian Castello on cdbaby.com and celticworld.it
Traduzione del testo del video per il pubblico italiano:
Chi sono i Fairies? E dove vivono? Sul mare o sulla terra?
Si racconta che la loro dimora si trovi dentro le colline,
con ampie sale e porte d'erba.
Si giunge a loro sulla via del muschio
attraverso valli e posti sconosciuti,
in un chiarore che non è giorno né notte.
S'incontra il popolo fatato
dove l'acqua segna un confine con la terra:
la riva di un fiume
il bordo di un lago
l'onda del mare quando si infrange sulla spiaggia,
una sorgente che sgorga con una piccola cascata.
1981 Irish hunger strike
The 1981 Irish hunger strike was the culmination of a five-year protest during the Troubles by Irish republican prisoners in Northern Ireland. The protest began as the blanket protest in 1976, when the British government withdrew Special Category Status for convicted paramilitary prisoners. In 1978, after a number of attacks on prisoners leaving their cells to slop out, the dispute escalated into the dirty protest, where prisoners refused to leave their cells to wash and covered the walls of their cells with excrement. In 1980, seven prisoners participated in the first hunger strike, which ended after 53 days.
The second hunger strike took place in 1981 and was a showdown between the prisoners and the Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher. One hunger striker, Bobby Sands, was elected as a Member of Parliament during the strike, prompting media interest from around the world. The strike was called off after ten prisoners had starved themselves to death—including Sands, whose funeral was attended by 100,000 people. The strike radicalised Irish nationalist politics, and was the driving force that enabled Sinn Féin to become a mainstream political party.
This video is targeted to blind users.
Attribution:
Article text available under CC-BY-SA
Creative Commons image source in video
Celtic Legends - A musical journey to Fairyland
facebook.com/CelticLegendsbyGianCastello
The music you're listening to is the first track from Gian Castello's cd The Secret Kingdoms.
The Story Teller's Reel accompanies some images of the picturesque village of Cappelletta di Masone - Liguria - Italy; beautiful in every season, enchanted in Autumn and Winter.
The recital Celtic Legends - words and music inspired by the Bardic tradition with Gian Castello, Devon MacGillivray, Kitia Benedetti is now on tour in Ireland and has already been performed at:
All Ireland Poetry Day, Mohill Story Telling Festival, Longford County Library, Jamestown Church, Yeats Society Memorial Building in Sligo, Boyle Arts Festival, Lough Ree Environmental Summer School & Arts Festival, Cavan County Museum, Words and Harps Day 2011, Celtic Legends-a magical night to drive the cold Winter away in Ballaghboy Lodge Farm, Daly's pub in Boyle (cd launch), Carrick on shannon Saint George's Heritage Centre (cd launch), Ballymahon Library (cd launch).
Gian Castello's poetical and musical works Merlin-Taliesin-The Secret Kingdoms available on cd.
New release December 2011: To Drive the cold Winter Away available on vibedeck and facebook.com/CelticLegendsbyGianCastello
Gian Castello is on cdbaby.com and celticworld.it
James River Day School Ice Bucket Challenge
James River Day School eighth graders take the Ice Bucket Challenge to raise awareness of ALS.
RMM Creativity Conversation with Marie and Catherine Heaney
This Rosemary Magee Creativity Conversation, held in the Woodruff Library at Emory University, served as a celebration of the US book launch of “100 Poems” by the late Irish poet Seamus Heaney. Moderated by Emory University’s Irish Studies director Geraldine Higgins, the conversation featured Heaney’s wife, Marie, and their daughter, Catherine, as they talked about how the family chose the poems for the book. In between parts of the conversation, the three took turns reading poems.
Poems include:
“Digging,” read by Catherine Heaney (21:37)
“The Seed Cutters,” read by Marie Heaney (27:30)
“The Rain Stick,” read by Geraldine Higgins (33:03)
“The Clothes Shrine” read by Marie Heaney (40:30)
“Clearances” No. 5, read by Geraldine Higgins (44:16)
“Clearances” No. 3, read by Catherine Heaney (47:35)
“Postscript,” read by Catherine Heaney (52:05)
Kathleen Kilbane - A Pilgrimage to her Grave
This is our latest film we shot this summer in Ireland. It is inspired by Kathleen Kilbane. In the film, the main character is an old man whose wife has recently passed away. One day while sorting through his wife's possessions he comes across the book, No More Tears in My Eyes: The Story of Kathleen Kilbane. He connects the picture of Kathleen on the cover of the book with the framed photograph which his wife kept on display. He remembers once asking her who it was and she had replied, “That’s my little friend. Perhaps some weekend you could take me to her grave.”
He reads the book and is so moved by Kathleen’s story and so regretful for not having fulfilled his wife’s wish, that he decides then and there that he will walk from where he lives in County Donegal to Kathleen’s grave on Achill Island so he can leave on her grave his wife’s rosary beads and a photograph of her. The film is the story of that journey. It was filmed across 5 counties in Ireland. It is a fictional story, but it includes factual elements, for example, my dad who plays the main character keeps his real name in the film and his wife as seen in the film in photographs, is his actual wife, though in real life she sadly passed away in 2005.
We weren’t planning a film about or inspired by Kathleen this year (2019) but my dad, Victor had one of his ideas back in late March-early April this year, the idea being what has grown into this film. He thought it was something we could do next year (2020) but we both thought - why wait – we could be dead by then! At this point, we must mention and sincerely thank Caroline Curtis for facilitating our stay on Achill. The film wouldn’t exist without her generosity and help.
We would also like to thank May & Peter Molloy and their family & friends, first of all for May agreeing to appear in the film (she’s quite the big star in Donegal!) and to thank Peter and his helpers for the epic and excellent work done in creating the Our Lady of Fatima Shrine beside their home – the idea for this was brewed and mulled over when we met with them in the summer to film May’s scene. (The video of the making of the shrine and it’s opening ceremony is in the video section of Kathleen’s Facebook page)
We must also thank Sister Anne Hurley (The Order of Consecrated Virgins) from County Cork who created the Novena prayer which features in the film. We also say a big thank you to the usual suspects we rope into the films we make, my wife & daughter Bet & Sophie, big sister Jacqueline, and my Camogie-playing niece (and Jacqueline's granddaughter) Kaitlyn. Everyone else you see in the film are unsuspecting passers-by who played their parts perfectly!
The film is 50 minutes long so make sure to set aside the time to watch it. We welcome your comments if you like the film and please consider sharing it with your family and friends. We don’t make any money from these films - hearing from you if you enjoyed the film is more important to us than money. If you have a smart/internet TV you can watch the film on the big screen through the Youtube & Facebook apps that are on such televisions.
Note: the film has been shot and uploaded in 4K (UHD) remember to change the quality setting to the highest setting on the little gear cog at the bottom right of the viewing screen
Seidean Staire TG4 Mountbatten The I.R.A.
Documentary about the assassination of Lord Louis Mountbatten by the Provisional IRA. Mountbatten was Prince Philip's cousin, the last Viceroy of India and Prince Charles's mentor. He was also a lover of Ireland. He holidayed at his home in the seaside village of Mullaghmore Co. Sligo, each summer.
On 27 August, 1979, Mountbatten, his family and a local teenager, Paul Maxwell, who he had hired as a deck hand, went lobster-potting in his boat.
An IRA member, Thomas McMahon, had slipped onto the boat the previous night and attached a radio-controlled bomb. When the boat was en route to Donegal Bay, McMahon detonated the bomb from shore. The blast killed Mountbatten, his elder daughter's son and Maxwell.
The aftershocks were immense. The event rocked the sleepy fishing village, provoked an already delicate political situation and devastated families from both sides of the divide.
On the day of the bombing, the IRA also ambushed and killed eighteen British soldiers in Northern Ireland, sixteen of them from the Parachute Regiment, in what became known as the Warrenpoint ambush.or Narrow Water ambush, in Co Down. It was the deadliest attack on the British Army during the Troubles
Celtic Legends - Merlin (The Magic Circle) - rehearsals
From the cd Merlin the Enchanter by Gian Castello.
The stones of the magic circle are nine.
Each one a young woman,
fascinating, terrifying
for the energy she unleashes.
The stones used by the young Merlin are nine,
sometimes for play, sometimes for magic.
Let the wind pass over him
the better to hear its own echo.
The stones of the magic circle are nine.
Irreverent children who dance beneath the moon
when all is still
but for the light breath of night.
Music:
The trees they grow high (John Renbourn's version)/arr. Gian Castello
Words: Gian Castello
Translation from Italian: Peter Deville
Images: Ireland (Co. Leitrim, Co. Roscommon)
The recital Celtic Legends - words and music inspired by the Bardic tradition by Gian Castello is now on tour in Ireland and has already performed in:
All Ireland Poetry Day, Mohill Story Telling Festival, Longford County Library, Jamestown Church, Yeats Society Memorial Building in Sligo, Boyle Arts Festival, Lough Ree Environmental Summer School & Arts Festival, Cavan County Museum, Words and Harps Day 2011
With:
Gian Castello: Concert Flute, Tin Whistle, Tenor Flute, Dulcimer, Guitar, Vocals, Bodhrán, Texts, Arrangements
Devon MacGillivray: Fiddle, Vocals
Kitia Benedetti: Recitation, Bodhrán.
Extracts from Gian Castello's poetical and musical works: Merlin-Taliesin-The Secret Kingdoms (available on cd).
Gian Castello is on cdbaby and celticworld.it
The Irish Brigade - Ranger Angie Atkinson
Join Supervisory Park Ranger Angie Atkinson for a look at one of the more famous units to see action during the American Civil War, the Irish Brigade. From the Sunken Road at Antietam to the Bloody Wheatfield at Gettysburg, Angie describes the history and significance of this storied group of American soldiers.