17th - 19th August 2018
Cavan is one of those counties that people think has not a lot within it, a poor neighbour to the likes of Meath and Sligo, but it is ancient and charming because it isn't visited as much, it therefore has the feeling of being undiscovered and relatively untouched.
Our accommodation was near Killashandra (Cill na Seanrátha meaning ‘Church of the Old Rath’). The cottage, only 2km from the Leitrim border, was a welcome sight; seemingly on its own, it was actually one of a number of gate lodges for the nearby large manorial site and was perfect for the occasion.
Parke's is the later name for the site, previously known as Newtown or O'Rourke's Castle. The courtyard excavations revealed the foundations of an earlier 16th century tower house - the original O'Rourke stronghold - with a pentagonal bawn wall surrounding it.
The original [white] gatehouse was subsumed by the later additional manor house which was built using stone from the earlier tower house.
The towers are later additions, the tower closest to the camera is a dovecote, currently inhabited by Swallows.
The journey to Ballindoon Friary is on the R284, at times nothing more than a track between seemingly baron fields or solemn trees, the surface was rutted and challenging; in many areas I had to stand on the pegs not only for my own sanity, but to give the suspension a break!
Credits:
All images by Peter Moore