Journeying through a Hidden Ireland of picturesque landscapes & fascinating histories

 

Journeying through a Hidden Ireland of picturesque landscapes & fascinating histories

In an effort to introduce many of my university colleagues at DSI/Insight and my fellow volunteers at the Tuatha of Terryland Forest Park who may not be familiar with the rich heritage of Ireland, I organised for their benefit a series of summer excursions to parts of rural Galway that are ‘off the beaten track’. That is, destinations that are not on popular tourist trails.

Yet they are undoubtedly fascinating and beautiful places in my humble estimation.

 

The first excursion was on Saturday July 20th.

 

1. Our first stop was to the lovely wooded hill of Knockma, supposedly the birthplace of the legendary Queen Maeve of Connacht and where there are many pretty wooden sculptures of animals and mythological figures. Actually it was a lot busier than I expected with locals and people from nearby Tuam enjoying its walking hill trails.

 

2. Then it was onto Monivea Woods where we visited the neo-Gothic castle-like mausoleum with its ornate marble Christian chapel and eerie crypt. It was completed in 1900 to serve as the final resting place of the British diplomat Robert Percy Ffrench within the demesne of his Irish landed estate by his daughter Kathleen de Kindiakoff with monies provided from her mother's aristocratic family estates along the River Volga in Tsarist Russia.

 

3. From there we went to the nearby Eddie Ned’s pub for lunch. A fine hostelry, it is located in the in the picturesque little village of Monivea that still bears the characteristics of its linen industry and colonial plantation past.

 

4. Our next stop was to the historical Castle Ellen, the home of the amazing 89+ year old Michael Keaney who happily showed us around his historical mansion and secret gardens which were built in 1820. This historical house was the birthplace of Isabella Lambert, the mother of arch-Unionist Edward Carson, a member of the British Imperial war cabinet in World War 1 and one of the founders of Northern Ireland which led to the partition of Ireland in 1921.

 

5. Finally we visited the woods and walked the trails beside Woodlawn House (which sadly is not now publicly accessible). Originally built in the 1760s with its 26 bedrooms, walled garden, courtyard, gatehouse, gardener's house and artificial lake, it was the home of Baron (Lord) Ashdown and was one of the finest houses of the landed nobility during the British colonial period.

Woodlawn House- the most Haunted House in Ireland?

Three schools projects that I am involved in 'swept the boards' at the recent annual Galway County Heritage Awards.

These awards are unique in Ireland and represent an important morale booster to the diverse range of communities and organisations involved in preserving and promoting our rich native traditions. Enthusiasts range from the big tourism business interests such as the 'Dartfield Horse Museum' through to little neighbourhood groups such as a village committee looking after the upkeep of their local graveyard.
The awards were the brainchild of the energetic Marie Mannion, probably the best Heritage Officer in the country. Since their inception four years ago, I have promoted the involvement of primary schools that I manage under the 'Fionn' Science programme. Named after a mythological Celtic hero, 'Fionn' provided the children and teachers with digital media training and technology for the production of yearly science documentaries. Yet I have always encouraged participants to take an interdisciplinary approach to science and allow the inclusion of art, drama, local history, music, public speaking, languages ... So not surpisingly many schools include heritage themes in their films. For instance traditional lobster fishing in Inis Óirr has both a science as well as a heritage element.
We have always done exceptionally well in these County Awards.
2006 (our last year sadly) was no exception:
a) Doorus National School won the top Schools prize for its fascinating film documentary on the Tidal-powered Mills that once were a major source of industrial power in south Galway until destroyed by a tsunami that hit the coast in the 17th century! b) Kiltartan Primary School was runners-up for its movie on the local Gort River. c) The tiny Woodlawn School (population: 12 pupils) won the special 'Merit Award' for its outstanding film on the history of 'Woodlawn House'- one of the finest examples of Georgian architecture in Ireland.
The Woodlawn school principal, Maureen Duhan (photo- in centre with family), is the wife of the famous singer-songwriter Johnny Duhan (writer of such classics as the Christy Moore song 'The Voyage'). She is also an excellent innovator and has over the years helped her pupils produce some vintage projects.
The locality is a quiet rural backwater dominated by the old demense and its awe-inspiring mansion now sadly falling into dereliction.

But in its heyday, Woodlawn was a hub of economic actvitity with its aristocratic owners possessing considerable wealth and political power. The estate was home to an army of specialised servants including coopers, blacksmiths, maids, cooks, chefs, gamekeepers, gardeners, stable boys and coachmen. Look at the size of these stables!

The most famous owner, the first Lord Ashtown, was powerful enough to have the new Dublin-Galway railway line diverted to go through his lands. He built a quaint railway station that is still in existence today. In fact his building programme included many other fine buildings of architectural beauty that still stand today including an Anglican Church, a Gamekeeper's Lodge, a family Mausoleum, an Ice House, artisan cottages and above all Woodlawn House itself. In fact over 150 years later, there are few other buildings of note in the area.
The team that produced the independent American film 'The Blair Witch Project' came to Ireland a few years ago to undertake a documentary on the most haunted houses in Ireland. They stayed in many but found Woodlawn House to be the scariest!

Still I don't think that Woodlawn will be a sleepy village for much longer. With the recently announced plans for the re-development of the railways in the West of Ireland and the selection of nearby Athenry as a transport hub, the locality is a prime location to re-emerge as a satellite town of Galway City. Woodlawn House may be recognised as a prime site for a hotel and golf club complex. Hopefully though the area's rural ambience is not destroyed in the process as is too often happening nowadays in Ireland.

Finally, check out my next article on Woodlawn House written as a result of some interesting corrispondence from Lord Ashtown's son