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Finally get to the rutted lane that Marc described |
Stage 96: Co. Clare: Carrigaholt to Kilrush: Monday 8 July 2024: 37.1km or 23.1miles
'Dúiseacht le dúthracht le breacadh an
lae' (wake with enthusiasm at the dawning of the day) Micheal
O’Muircheartaigh
At least I had a break from running yesterday and we got to visit Roisin
and the Howley family in Kilfenora. Roisin is the girl who’s joined me on a few
stages in Co. Clare. Kilfenora is such a lovely historic village with its
medieval Cathedral built as far back as 1058. Also, on Roisin’s guided tour she
told us how the Pope is the Bishop of Kilfenora under a Papal Dictate from
1883. With Clare’s great win yesterday to reach the Hurling Final we have been
listening to Clare FM and hearing the beautiful song by the Kilfenora Ceili Band called ‘Clare, my heart, my home’
‘Kilfenora
of the crosses, seven carved from Burren stone
Standing tall as sentinels of faith in Clare, my heart, my home’
Maureen, Brian and I stayed the night again at Glencarrig B&B (in
Carrigaholt) run by Mary Aston who looked after all our needs. It was an early
start for me and yes, as the late Michael O’Muircheartaigh suggested, I did
wake early with enthusiasm. I had a light breakfast, helping myself to three
weetabix with milk and a banana at about 5.30am. Strava tells me I started my
run at 5.53am.
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Saying goodbye to Rehy Hill at 6.00am |
I’m now at the spot where the longest river in UK/Ireland flows into one
of the world’s biggest oceans in the world. I’m leaving the Atlantic coast but entering
the mouth of the River Shannon, so I do feel very small and insignificant. Running
along the Shannon estuary means I’ll have the river as my constant companion
for the rest of 2024 and even for the first few stages in 2025 in Limerick and
Kerry.
The sun has just risen as I leave the B&B and there is a beautiful
mist lingering over Rinevilla Bay on this side of Carrigaholt. I think this
area is called ‘An Portach Báite’ (the drowned bog). Thousands of years ago a huge wave destroyed a forest
that was here and there is still evidence of tree stubs in the vicinity. From the Guest House, I headed south first towards Kilcredaun
Lighthouse. Unfortunately, there is a ‘No Admittance’ sign in
front of a gate leading to it so I just do a loop around this little peninsula
without getting close to the Lighthouse. The building was decommissioned in
2011 due to improvements in GPS technology.
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Meeting Shona in Carrigaholt village |
By the time I reach Carrigaholt I’ve already run 4k. It’s now 6.30am and
very quiet in the village. I stop to take a picture and get chatting to the
only person around. Her name is Shona. I tell her what I’m doing, and she says
she knows a Paula Kelly that works in Rosedale Special School in Galway City (remember
I’m supporting Rosedale on this run).The sun is shining as I follow the coastal route east (L2006). This road is called 'An Bothar Uaigneach' (the lonely road) and yes I don't meet even one person along here. Although I suppose it's still only 6.45am. When I
reach Doonaha village I take a right down to the coast. The OS map shows a
small beach on the coast but as it is now high tide I can’t really get onto the
shore. However, there is a campsite here and I’m able to run quietly
through the camping grounds. Lots of caravans and tents around but everyone is
still asleep. I arrive at a rocky beach and at least I can walk on the stones along
the shore. I then take a slight detour inland and join up with a lane that runs
parallel to the coast. I shortly arrive at an area called Querin. There is a
slip of land that I could have run along here. Locally it is called ‘the
island’ even though its always accessible by land on the west side, so
not really an island. |
Perfect early morning weather |
|
Impressive handball alley near Querin Pier |
|
Querin Pier |
However, because its high tide now I stay by the coast
road. I run down to the pier at Querin Point and pass a handball alley which
seems to somehow blend into the sunny landscape. Some of these neglected old handball
alleys can look ugly in the countryside but this one is an exception. I follow
a road inland up a hill and after a few kilometres I take a right turn to the
shore at Cammoge Point.
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Palm trees by the Shannon |
Cammoge Point Famine Disaster: I’m really glad I ran down to this pier
even if it was a 3km trip down and back. Cammoge Point is the closest point
across the bay and here was the scene of terrible disaster on December 12,
1849. This happened during the Great Famine, when a boat, returning from Kilrush, sank. Forty-one people drowned
within a mere 30 metres of completing the journey. Some of those drown had been
refused relief in Kilrush. This is a tragic story and reminds me very much of
the Doolough tragedy in Mayo which happened earlier that year, in March 1849. I
wrote about Doolough in Stage 68 but in some ways this tragedy here in Co. Clare was
even worse. It was if lessons were not learned from the Doolough suffering only
nine months earlier.
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So close to Kilrush across the bay |
After leaving Cammoge I follow the country roads until I cross the five-arched
Blackweir Bridge. Before I reached the bridge, I was tempted to run down to the
shore to check on an old railway line that ran from Kilkee to Kilrush on the
south side of Poulnasherry Bay. Not only was this railway line unused, but it was also, never
used because the original Kilkee-Kilrush railway line went on the north side of
the bay and eventually through Moyasta. My OS map no. 63 shows both the used
and unused ‘dismantled railways’. In any case once I crossed Blackweir
Bridge at Poulnasherry Bay I was able to take an immediate right turn and run
on a little bit of the old railway line.
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Crossing Poulnasherry Bay at Blackweir Bridge |
Unfortunately, after this I had to
join the busy N67 road and run and walk on it for about 5k almost all the way
to Kilrush. I passed through Moyasta, but it was too early for the pub to be open,
which was a pity as I was so thirsty. It was 10.00am now and I haven't had anything
to drink since 5.30am. About 2km before Kilrush I came to a small crossroads. I took a right
turn and was able to follow a circular and much quieter route into the town. I ran
all the way down to the shore to see if I could follow the old railway line,
but that route was blocked by a gate with a ‘beware of the bull’
sign.
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No access to investigate the old railway line |
I was totally exhausted now and ended up walking this back road (Leadmore
West) into Kilrush. However, I was pleased that my foot didn’t get any worse. At
the Marina in Kilrush, I was so delighted to meet Maureen and Brian. It was
still only 11.30 and Maureen brought some water and a very tasty scone from Glencarrig
Guest House. At the Marina there was a
van selling coffee so the three of us sat on a bench in the warm sunshine. No
drinks or scone ever tasted so good!
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Perfect finish line in sunny Kilrush |
|
Later we visit Lahinch Beach and bathe our feet |
Stage 97:
Co. Clare: Kilrush to Labasheeda: Saturday 13 July 2024: 41.2km or 25.6miles
‘It’s
just at the point where rock n roll tips over into noise, where melody turns
into sonic soundscaping and where song structure becomes untethered and unruly,
that you find Labasheeda’
You might wonder what this opening statement is all about. It
actually refers to a Dutch rock group called ‘Labasheeda’.
Apparently one of their original members had connections to the Co. Clare
village so they took this name. Maybe they were related to the Dutch Vandeleurs who were the most prominent
family in this area. I’m not sure if they were popular landlords in the area
but one of the main throughfares in Kilrush is called Vandeleur Street and
there is a beautiful garden in the grounds of the Vandeleur estate. In fact,
the Kilrush/Vandeleur parkrun is where my story starts today.
|
Pat O'Driscoll & Gerry Coy join me at Kilrush parkrun |
I
decided that I would complete this section with the sea on my left for a change, so starting
in Labasheeda and finishing in Kilrush. The reason for this (and for doing the
parkrun too) was for logistic and practical reasons. I figured that if I ran
the parkrun, I would make contact with someone who would drive me to Labasheeda
afterwards and that’s exactly what happened. Also, two of my Bangor friends
joined me at parkrun. Gerry and Pat had been staying in Doolin and met me for
the run and we enjoyed coffee afterwards.
At
Kilrush (Vandeleur) parkrun Mary and her team of volunteers were so friendly
and helpful. They even found someone who volunteered to drive me to Labasheeda
so I could start my run there. Her name was Michele Dillon and as we chatted in
her car on the journey, I realised that she was the RTE Weather presenter.
|
With Michele Dillon who drove me to Labasheeda |
Not only has
Labasheeda got the most beautiful sounding name it is also a pretty little
village on the Shannon Estuary. The name translates as ‘silky bed’ and
this is where I started Stage 97.
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Labasheeda village |
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All quiet in Labasheeda |
So first I tackled
the Labasheeda peninsula which is a 15k loop that brought me back to the same
spot in the village. From here there are two country roads running almost
parallel to each other heading SW towards Kilkerrin Point. I took the road on
the southern side of the peninsula, hoping I could return on the northern side.
I also thought that, on the way, I might be able to run down a trail to reach ‘Mountshannon
Wood’. I did take this lane but there was a ‘No Trespassing’
sign on a farmgate, so I turned back again.
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No access to Mountshannon Wood |
When I eventually got to the very bottom
of the peninsula, the road ended abruptly, so I had to rough it through a field
before reaching the Shannon shore. I walked on the rocky coast for a while
and then came inland and arrived at an old monument called ‘Kilkerrin
Battery’. In the early 1800’s the British built six battery forts along
the Shannon Estuary as a deterrent against a possible invasion by French
forces. There is also a moat all around the fort which still looks
impressive, 200 years later.
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Kilkerrin Battery with moat around it |
However there doesn’t seem to be great access to or
from the Battery. I struggled to find a way out from here. I had to climb over a shaky wooden barrier and then scale a few more farm gates before I eventually reached the road to head north again.
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Back on country road again |
I shortly arrived
back in the village of Labasheeda again, taking a quick detour down to the quaint
little pier. A hundred years ago there was a regular service from here across
the Shannon to Foynes and to Limerick City. Also, I was reading about a man
called Tom Mangan, who in 1902, pedalled across the wide estuary from Glin to
Labasheeda in his homemade water-cycle machine.
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Labasheeda Pier |
I would definitely
recommend this beautiful wee village. I continue running, following the main
road west (R473).
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Spotted on wall in Labasheeda: Life is better with music! |
Michele, who’d given me a lift, had told me that there was a
lovely coffee van when I eventually reach the shore again, at a place called Knock. Even though I
was tired and struggling a little, I decided to keep going, determined to get to Knock before stopping for a break. I passed through Kilmurray
McMahon and then took a left onto an even quieter road, crossing the river ‘An Crompan’
(the creek) and finally, totally drained, I did reach the pretty little
harbour at Knock.
If you’ve read any
of my previous blogs, you’ll know that I regularly mention the Spanish Armada
as so many of their ships crashed along the west coast in 1588 due to terrible
storms. The king of Spain famously commented. ‘I sent the
Armada against men, not God’s winds and waves’
Co. Clare was no
exception to the Armada’s difficulties, and I wrote about the disasters at Spanish
Point in Stage 93. Four more large Armada ships and three small ones sailed into
the Shannon Estuary and anchored by the Scattery Rocks, probably for protection
against the elements. One ship, the Annunciada was damaged so
badly that it was stripped and set on fire by her owners to destroy any
evidence that they were there. (Remember, Fitzwilliam who was the Lord Deputy
of Ireland in 1588 didn’t take too kindly to the Armada and many Spanish
sailors were executed under his instructions). Thankfully, all the six remaining ships sailed from the Shannon Estuary
on September 11th and more than likely made a safe landing on the Spanish
coast. Not many ships did survive the battle of Gravelines in the south of England or the Atlantic ‘winds
and waves’
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I'm getting closer to Knock |
Anyway, back in
July 2024, I'm arriving down on the Shannon shore at beautiful Knock. Michele’s recommendation was spot on. This was
the perfect place to stop at ‘Rosie’s Coffee by the Quay’ and I
got chatting to Rosie herself, who supplied me with water and coffee.
|
Rosie looked after me in Knock |
|
Knock Pier |
Reluctantly I continued
my run and shortly I come to Killimer. I’m sure people reading this are
thinking why I didn’t just take the ferry across from here. I could have arrived
quickly in Co. Kerry and saved myself a long run up the Shannon Estuary to
Ennis, Shannon and Limerick City. However, on this coastal run, I don’t do
ferries! Yes, so far on my adventure around the coast of Ireland, I resisted
taking a ferry short-cut on four or five different occasions.
|
Curious onlooker |
Soon I pass Moneypoint Power Station. This brought a
large economic boost to the region as one of the main employers in West Clare.
However, recently I did see a documentary about how coal imported from South
America to Moneypoint in Kilrush is destroying a community in Colombia. What
was once a fertile green area is now a massive mine. A local representative, Yalenis Medina said.
"It was all grass but... now, it’s totally dry, the
grass doesn’t grow, we have the noise of the trucks, pollution, and coal dust
24 hours a day."
However, thankfully due to a governmental climate change,
there is a plan to cease burning coal in Moneypoint by 2025. Hopefully this will happen.
I’m
getting closer to Kilrush, but I decide to follow a coastal road over the last
few miles. I take a left turn at Ballynote East. This probably added 4km to my
journey but I’m glad I did take this route. From here on the shore, I can
clearly see Hog Island and Scattery Island a bit further away with its
beautiful round tower so visible.
|
Scattery Island |
Scattery Island (or
Inis Cathaigh) is an ancient monastic settlement where St Senan once lived. It
had five churches, a cathedral, a magnificent Round Tower, and a working
Lighthouse in addition to the recently restored island street village. Today
the island is uninhabited. I
refer again to the notorious Keane family who had in their possession the bell
shrine of St Senan from the abbey of Inis Cathaigh. In 1919 they sold St
Senán's bell shrine to the National Museum for 1,250 guineas.
|
Hog Island |
Compared to
Scattery, perhaps Hog
Island doesn’t have a lot to offer. Even the name doesn’t entice you to visit. However,
Marc O’Riain in his book, ‘The Last of the Light’ talks lovingly
of Hog Island and how ‘every year it beckons you over’ and the ‘rich,
sweet scent of bluebells is everywhere’. It sounds like a round trip to
both islands would be worth it.
Once I leave
this coastal route, I run up to the main road again and return to Vandeleur
park. It’s been a long day and its now after 5.00 pm. I was starting to worry that
my car might be locked in the lower car park but thankfully it was still
accessible. However, when I got there the ladies in the café were counting
their day’s takings and closing up.
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Back in Vandeleur Garden |
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Vandeleur Garden: Perfect finish line after completing these three stages |
Still, I was able to get some orange juice
and crisps. I then relaxed in the pretty surroundings, embracing the afternoon sunshine in
the beautiful Vandeleur Garden. Very satisfied with myself to get these three stages
completed in just eight days. That’s 100.3 km or 105.3k (65 miles) if you
include the parkrun I did earlier.
Next up on Sat 17 August is Stage 98 Labasheeda to Ennis. Then Sat 14 Sept: Ennis to Shannon and finally Sat 28 Sept: Shannon to Limerick City. I'll then take a Winter break until 2025.
If you are thinking of joining me or want more information please email me on gerry@oboyleaccounting.com or ring/text/WhatsApp me on 00 44 (0) 7725613308.