Cows

I love cows.  Don't get enough of cows in New York City.

La breithe shona dhuit, Tricia

Patricia and I went to Lough Rynn Castle to have afternoon tea to celebrate her birthday today.  What a place.   Amazingly beautiful grounds, great service, and a glorious estate where people get married and have affairs.  (But with sufficient time in between I am sure.)

This place was the home of Lord Leitrim under the British occupation. He did a lot to make this the magnificent estate and grounds what it is. But he was horrible to all his workers and tenant farmers. He, of course, was assassinated. 

And now they have a lovely tea service.

All the best for a great year, dear friend.  Happy Birthday.

My Pants - Leitrim, Ireland

Gentleman Farmer- Leitrim, Ireland

A hard day on the farm chopping wood and collecting peat for the fire.   I worked up a big appetite for my breakfast. 

Big City Boy

I love, LOVE living in New York City. It is in me bones.  I cannot imagine being away from the madness of it all for long.  But being in the country where the cows replace the coppers and the subway is a good pair of walking shoes, well that gives me a sense of peace and a chance to regroup.

Here in Leitrim there are cows a plenty and peat fires and tea and toast and good craic.  For today that is all I seek.

I leave the rest with the doorman.

Carlingford, Co. Louth

Fidelma, Declan and meself took a drive north of Dublin to the stunning village of Carlingford, Co. Louth.

I was happy because they had never been there before and then happier because I was there and got to see this place.

It is one of those towns that location scouts would check out as the possible place to shoot one of those cheesy romantic comedies where Gerard Butler is about to marry a local girl to please his parents who are convinced that these same nuptials will finally break the 300 year old curse against the family, but an antique buyer from Salem, MA (played by Jennifer Aniston of course) is on the run from a broken heart seeks refuge in Carlingford and knocks over Gerard's sausage purchase at the local victualler straight out his hands while trying to text her business partner back home about this amazing chest that they must buy from the craggy local innkeeper played by Milo O'Shea. Gerard and Jen fall in love, but the village is convinced she is a witch and come to wreak havoc.  Comedy and romance ensues.

Fidelma's, Dunshaughlin

My cousin Fidelma and my common law cousin Declan took me to Fidelma's in Dunshaughlin this morning for a fry, or fry up or proper Irish breakfast.  Whatever you want to call it.

This place already has deserved write-ups on-line and I heard from my other cousins that I would never be able to eat the large fry.  (Like the Three Little Bears they offer the large, medium and small frys)

The large consists of:

Two eggs
4 rashers of bacon
4 sausages
Black pudding
White pudding
Tomato
Mushrooms
Brown bread
Hashbrowns
Toast
and.....chips!!

Save for some of the ample portion of chips I ate it all!!!  It was a triumph.  And not only is this breakfast HUGE, heart attack-inducing and all around piggy, it is excellent!  I will think about this place and come here every time I come "home."  It is that good.

Back to the Future

My cousin Justin took me and my cousin Fidelma on a journey through our family's past.  My big hope was to find out more about my grandmother whom I never knew.  And to find out more about her older brother John who moved to the States and according to us was never heard from again.

We set out for Cavan and went first to Mullagh where my Uncle Alphonsis and Aunt Annie are buried along with their son, my cousin, Father Michael.  It was very moving on this wet day standing there and remembering them all.

Then we took off to my cousin Seán's house where I got to see my cousins Ann and Uná and 3rd cousin Shauna and Jack and Alex.  Seán even took me out to show me his amazing Angus cattle.  Black and sleek and beautiful. 

My truly spectacular cousin Justin with a local friend. 

Justin then took us to the Hyannisport of the Ward Family, Baileborough, Cavan   This is where my grandmother was born and we got to see the house. 

We also went to the grave of Fidelma and my great-grandparents, Michael and Maggie.  It has a great story behind it about the stolen headstone of a priest!  Ah, the Wards!

The biggest surprise was popping round to see our cousin Philomena. So many of our mysteries were solved. Our Uncle John who vanished? "Oh, sure he died in Ft. Lauderdale. He was married twice (his first wife died) and your cousin Dierdre knows all about it.  Oh and here are his wedding photos."  As my cousin Justin says, "UnbeLIEVEable." 

Les belles tantes: Pat, Phil, Mona and Lou

But much like Dorothy when the Lion and the Tin Man and the Scarecrow are taken care of, I still did not get anything conclusive on my grandmother.  Philomena showed me photos that she said were of my grandma and grandpa, but I don't think so.  She is going to ring a cousin up the road who I found out my grandma used to write to his mum!  This is key.  So the trail is not dead. 


Are you my grandma?

We finished off the day with an excellent dinner at my cousin Grainne's house.  Such a great family, her husband Thomas and kids Amy and Kevin.  Their house sits on a hill overlooking a lake and loads of green. 

As sappy as it sounds, wherever you are here, you are home.

My great, great grandma's hoos!

Bloom, Dublin

My cousin Fidelma and my common-law cousin-in-law, Declan took me to Dublin today to Phoenix Park to go to Bloom, the Chelsea Flower Show of Ireland. 

Unlike the wedding day, today was a dreich, miserable kind of day, but we had a great time.  The grounds were beautiful and the highlight for me was seeing the walled Victorian kitchen garden that Declan oversaw the creation of.   Lovely flowers and rows of veg that are grown organically and sustainably to be used in the restaurant right next door.

Declan is the youngest foreperson in Phoenix Park's history and he and his colleagues did an amazing job with this garden.  Declan had his photo taken with the President of Ireland, Mary McAleese AND he was interviewed on an RTE's programme, Nationwide about the President and the park. 

I met a couple in the park sitting under a tree. The woman was holding an umbrella and they were having a picnic in the pouring rain. I thought it looked like such a classic "Irish picnic" I asked to take their photo and we got to talking.  Sean gave me a radish he grew himself and Laura offered me some capers.  We saw them later in the park and Sean said "Hello, Pat" and I said hi back to Sean and Laura as if we were old friends to the amazement of my local cousins.

The Dog, the Knight and the Castle

As is fitting of Irish weddings we all stayed the night at the castle (ie NO DRIVING) and got up to a great Irish breakfast and a lovely luncheon. I tell you I have never had a better time laughing and telling stories than around the luncheon table.  Brilliant.  Gas!

Cabra Castle is and old estate and befitting it has an Irish wolfhound and a Knight.  My newly married cousin Corinne posed with him like he was her knight, Denis. 

Wedding Day

T-shirt weather in Ireland is a rarity and to have it on your wedding day is a miracle.  Corinne and Denis were definitely shined upon today.  We had lovely weather at the church in Kilbride, Co Meath.  So lovely in fact, my cousin Justin, Corinne's da had a ice cream van serving vanilla ice cream and fresh strawberries to all the guests upon exiting the church.  (I think a Mr. Softee van could increase church attendance!)

Corinne was lovely and the wedding a wonderful.

I took off in the limo with the bridesmaids (planned, I was the piper!) and we crossed counties to Cavan and arrived at the reception at Cabra Castle.

I got see loads of rels and had a great time at such a wonderful feast and celebration.

My wee cousin Justin had the time of his life getting drenched in the chocolate fountain.  He was quite proud of his messy self!  What a lad.