My Weekend in the West of Ireland

Hello all, hope you enjoyed the weekend, weather has been very cold here in Ireland but no rain where I was Had a lovely weekend away with my boyfriend. Only problem was that it went too fast. What did you get up to? Here are a few photographs of my weekend away. Our hotel was really nice, very trendy and good value. The photograph below is a lovely canvas in the hotel, how pretty and very

girly.

 

We went to the seaside on Saturday to Strandhill with its long strand and the seaside village of Rosses Point, it was extremely cold and got very foggy too. Here are a few photos of the beach and views in and around  Strandhill

   

   

   

   

      

   

The further north we travelled it started to get very misty and foggy so the next few photographs aren’t very clear, we couldn’t even see the sea.

So as you can see the visibility on the West Coast of Ireland wasn’t great, so we decided to head back to town and looked around the shops and got some food.

Sunday we relaxed and visited the seventeenth century Markree Castle on the way home. It is surrounded by mature demesne woodland and the River Unshin runs through the grounds. It is now a hotel and has been home to the Cooper family since Cromwell’s time. Here are the charming entrance gates and some more views of the Castle.

Here are two photographs of the entrance, how elegant is that??

Up…

And back down…

Check out the website for some more photographs Markree Castle Hotel

The River Unshin

There are also luxury self catering cottages at Markree Castle Home Farm

This was such a wonderful demesne with its weatlth of built and natural heritage. We then said goodbye to Markree Castle and headed on the road for home.

Along the way we spotted a nice scenic viewing point of Lough Key

This sculptured metal horse with a Gaelic Chieftain marks the site of the Battle of the Curleius, which took place in 1599.

So thats the end of my lovely weekend away and as they say time flies when your having fun. What all did you get up to this weekend?

Think of these things

If nobody sang and nobody laughed

and nobody cared much about you,

If nobody spoke a word of cheer

to help your long day through;

If all the joy went to the great

and nothing was left for the small,

Then surely the world would be upside down

and life hardly worth while at all.                            ~Author Unknown

 

The powerful force of nature

These days in Ireland is like living in an aquarium, water dripping, flowing and moving everywhere causing devastation to peoples homes and livelihoods. With lakes, rivers, streams & bogs bursting their banks almost engulfing all in their path.  Puddles dotted everywhere filled with water. With the noise of the constant rain beating on the windows and wind howling around the house, one thinks of those less off who have been affected by this flooding. On the other hand across the miles others are dying daily from a lack of water, the dry drought of the desert lands. Oh how life is dynamic and diverse!  As Rollo May says Courage is not the absence of despair; it is rather, the capacity to move ahead in spite of despair. Spare a thought for those less well off than you today!

Today I like…

Some of the art in my home completed by myself and my mother, she is better than me. Although we may be amateurs I am very proud of our attempts at painting and art

Pennies from Heaven

I found a penny today

just laying on the ground.

But it’s not just a penny

this little coin I’ve found.

Found pennies come from heaven,

that’s what my Grandpa told me.

He said angels toss them down.

Oh, how I love that story.

He said when an angel missed you,

they toss a penny down.

Sometimes just to cheer you up,

make a smile out of a frown.

So don’t pass by that penny

when your feeling blue.

It may be a penny from heaven

that an angel has tossed by you.

                                                                        ~Charles Mashburn

A Weekend Break Away??

I was just online looking up a few hotels in Ireland for a weekend trip away. The weather is awful here and depressing so I was thinking of escaping to somewhere nice for a couple of nights. I came across the Glasshouse Hotel in Sligo which looks really modern and stylish and it is reasonably priced too. I can then potter about Sligo looking through the shops, cafes, tea rooms, the heritage and the culture. Here are a few photographs of the hotel, so fingers crossed I might go there in a few weeks before Christmas.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*All images are of the Glasshouse Hotel Sligo

Sunday Morning Sunshine

Hello everyone,

Hope your all enjoying the weekend, it’s sunny here today in Ireland so I’m off out for the day after dinner. Here are some lovely gift boxes I bought on Thursday from Dunnes Stores, they were so cheap €6.00 for the three. Just thought I’d share them with you, they are very festive too.

World Remembrance Day for Victims of Road Traffic Accidents

World Remembrance Day for Victims of Road Traffic Accidents is on this Sunday 15th November, 2009.   Please take a moment on the 15th to remember those who have died on our roads. May they all rest in peace.

This Christmas- Charity starts at home!

This Christmas why not support a local charity by buying charity Christmas cards, that way you get something for your money too.  Below are only a  few examples of Charity Christmas Cards in Ireland, click on each photo for more information, and remember there are lots of other charities which you can support in your area. The ones below are just some examples of what’s on offer.

Irish Charity Cards from Rehab

 

 

 

 

Irish Heart Foundation

 

 

 

 

Enable Ireland

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Oxfam Ireland

Trócaire

Today I like…

The Muppets & Sesame Street!  I remember watching this as a child, my favourite characters were Kermit, Miss Piggy, Elmo and the Cookie Monster. Elmo’s voice was so cute (go listen to this Elmo and Andrea Bocelli it is soooo sweet!), I loved him, always wanted an Elmo teddy bear Big Bird was too big for me, so he wasn’t one of my favourites