The Lakes Tour, Ballingeary, Co. Cork, Ireland.
thelakestour.com The Lakes Tour, Béal Átha an Ghaorthaidh (Ballingeary) - Inchigeelagh, County Cork, Ireland.
Tel: 086 0887861 for 1 hour guided Lakes Tour on Lough Allua which is less than 10 minutes drive from Gougane Barra Oratory and National Forest Park and close to all Cork and Kerry attractions.
Scenic Drive: Healy Pass, The Beara Peninsula, County Cork/Kerry, Ireland
Typical Irish Scenes with rain and sunshine in the most beautiful part of Ireland.
The southwest.
Sit back and enjoy the ride!
The R574 is an Irish regional road in the Beara peninsula which crosses the Caha Mountains via the (Tim) Healy Pass.[1] It runs from the R571 at Adrigole in County Cork to the R572 near Lauragh in County Kerry.[1] It is a popular tourist route with the pass at an altitude of 300m giving panoramas towards Bantry Bay to the south-east and the Kenmare River to the north-west.
The original track, called the Kerry Pass, was cut during the Great Famine as a poor relief public works project. It was renamed for Timothy Michael Healy, former Governor-General of the Irish Free State, who died in 1931 shortly after the road was improved.[2] The name Healy Pass is now also applied to the pass itself, previously called Ballaghscart or Ballyscarta, anglicisations of Irish: Bealach Scairte, which remains its Irish name
A Love of Ireland - Gougane Barra - Wild Atlantic Way
The marvelous poem by JJ Callanan, Gougane Barra recited by Edward Fitzgerald. I've subtitled this video for the hard of hearing or for those who'd like to learn the poem. Just turn on the Closed Captions.
The name Gougane Barra comes from Saint Finbarr, who is said to have built a monastery on an island in the lake nearby during the 6th century. The present ruins date from around 1700 when a priest called Denis O'Mahony retreated to the island. During the times of the Penal Laws, Gougane Barra's remoteness meant that it became a popular place for the celebration of the Roman Catholic Mass. The nineteenth century oratory which stands near the original monastery is famous for its picturesque location and richly decorated interior and is a popular place for weddings.[2]
Today[edit]
Afforestation of the area around the settlement began in 1938 and Gougane Barra is now home to a 1.42 square kilometre (or 138 hectare) forest park with 20 different species of tree, mainly Sitka Spruce, Japanese Larch, Scots Pine and Lodgepole pine, and a large number of native species of flora and fauna. The source of the River Lee rises in the hills above the park and flows into Gougane lake. The forest park has 5 km of motor trail and 10 km of hill walks, nature points and vista trails.[3]
-Gougane Barra-
‘There is is a green island in lone Gougane Barra,
Whence Allua of songs rushes forth like an arrow;
Valley Desmond a thousand wild fountains down to that lake, from their home in the mountains.
There grows the wild ash; and a time-stricken willow
Looks chidingly down on the mirth of the billow, like some gay child that sad monitor scorning,
It lightly laughs back to the laugh of the morning.
And its zone of dark hills-oh! to see them all bright’ning,
When the tempest flings out its red banner of lightning,
And the waters come down, ‘mid the thunder’s deep rattle,
like clans from their hills at the voice of the battle;
And brightly the fire-crested billows are gleaming,
And wildly from Malloc the eagles are screaming:
Oh, where is the dwelling, in valley or highland,
So meet for the bard as this lone little island?
How oft, when the summer sun rested on Clara,
And lit the blue headland of sullen Ivera,
Have I sought thee, sweet spot, from my home by the ocean,
And trod all thy wilds with a minstrel’s devotion,
And thought on the bards who, oft gathering together,
In the cleft of thy rocks, and the depth of thy heather,
Dwelt far from the Saxon’s dark bondage and slaughter,
As they raised their last song by the rush of thy water!
High sons of the lyre! oh, how proud was the feeling
To dream while alone through that solitude stealing;
Though loftier minstrels green Erin can number,
I alone waked the strain of her harp from its slumber,
And gleaned the gray legend that long had been sleeping,
Where oblivion’s dull mist o’er its beauty was creeping,
From the love which I felt for my country’s sad story,
When to love her was shame, to revile her was glory!
Least bard of the free! were it mine to inherit
The fire of thy harp and the wing of thy spirit,
With the wrongs which, like thee, to my own land have bound me,
Did your mantle of song throw its radiance around me;
Yet, yet on those bold cliffs might Liberty rally,
And abroad send her cry o’er the sleep of each valley.
But rouse thee, vain dreamer! no fond fancy cherish,
Thy vision of Freedom in bloodshed must perish.
I soon shall be gone-though my name may be spoken
When Erin awakes and her fetters are broken -
Some minstrel will come in the summer eve’s gleaming,
When Freedom’s young light on his spirit is beaming,
To bend o’er my grave with a tear of emotion,
Where calm Avonbuee seeks the kisses of ocean,
And a wild wreath to plant from the banks of that river
O’er the heart and the harp that are silent forever.’
Gougane Barra - Early Christian Refuge - Cork, Ireland
Backroads & Byways is a short video detailing a nice day out in West Cork. The site is so stunning and textured I couldn't resist shooting some footage. Enjoy! Share! But ultimately visit, it's on your doorstep.
Gougane Barra (Irish: Guagán Barra, meaning the rock of Barra) is a settlement, west of Macroom in County Cork, Ireland. The name Gougane Barra comes from Saint Finbarr, who is said to have built a monastery on an island in the lake nearby during the 6th century. The present ruins date from around 1700 when a priest called Denis O'Mahony retreated to the island. During the times of the Penal Laws, Gougane Barra's remoteness meant that it became a popular place for the celebration of the Roman Catholic Mass. The nineteenth century oratory which stands near the original monastery is famous for its picturesque location and richly decorated interior and is a popular place for weddings.
Afforestation of the area around the settlement began in 1938 and Gougane Barra is now home to a 1.42 square kilometre (or 138 hectare) forest park with 20 different species of tree, mainly Sitka Spruce, Japanese Larch, Scots Pine and Lodgepole pine, and a large number of native species of flora and fauna. The source of the River Lee rises in the hills above the park and flows into Gougane lake. The forest park has 5 km of motor trail and 10 km of hill walks, nature points and vista trails.
Quin - County Clare
Although quite a small village, Quin, located about 15 minutes drive from Ennis, is home to a number of interesting tourist attractions and is certainly worth a visit.The River Rine offers fishing enthusiasts a year-round fishing opportunity while there are a number of historical attractions located in the vicinity of the village that are must-sees on your visit to County Clare.
For more info -