Thursday 14 September 2017

Killarney House and Gardens, Craftshop na Méar and another instalment of Vincent's racing memories

Chris Grayson took this photo of a peacock butterfly....more beautiful than any best dressed lady

<<<<<<<

Killarney House and Gardens

Since it opened to the public I have been planning a visit here. It is breath taking. If you can at all, go there before the winter. I'm sure it will be still lovely but at the moment its magnificent...and it's free.






This is the entrance on the Muckross Road. These things on top to the wall and gates look to me like a sceptre and crown, letting you know that this is no ordinary estate you are entering. It was once the seat of Lord Kenmare. It is now part of The National Park.


The restored gate lodge

The avenue at the front of the house is beautifully kept and the lawns are pristine but nothing prepared me for the staggering beauty of the formal borders and gardens behind the house.








The house itself is a fine house but it is the gardens that make a visit here a must. This present house of the McShain family is actually converted stables which was transformed into a dwelling house after their other house burned down.  The McShain family sold their estate to the Irish people for a peppercorn rent. The state spent seven million euros on the restoration work.




The restoration work here is faultless. Killarney House is now another jewel in the crown of Killarney's many visitor attractions.




The dining room and living room are furnished just as the McShains left it. Mrs McShain died in 1998.  Many of the furnishings and fittings are relatively modern. In this it is very different to Muckross House. Both houses are well worth a visit.

<<<<<<<

Listowel Tidy Town's Vintage Day at Listowel Races

Saturday is my favourite day at The Races.  As they ramp up the excitement for this year's event, Listowel Tidy Towns Committee have mounted a photo collage in their window display. There I am enjoying Vintage Day 2016..   Happy memories!


>>>>>>>

Perfect Pairs Stylish revamp



<<<<<<<

The Work of Some Local Artists on Craftshop na Méar Church St. Window




My Silver River Feale pendant by silversmith, Eileen Moylan


Listowel drawings by Maurice Hannon


Donkeys by Viveca Amato


Michael Tea Cozy by Frances O'Keeffe

<<<<<<<

Some photos from Vincent Carmody







Here are some more of the photographs which I took on the trip over to the racecourse last Sunday morning, September 10 2017.

Nos 1 & 2 The entry to the stands from the town end along the river bank.
For those unfamilar with the course, it  is linked to the town by two foot bridges, one just off The Square and the second from the Greenville road.  There is a roadway that runs directly from the Tralee road to the racecourse.

There has been a tradition among traveller children to stand in the river under the bridge, crying " Throw me down something, " to those passing on the bridge above.  This year, I am afraid, due to the floods, the habit will be dis-continued. 

No 3, The Castle in the backround continues to play an important role in the tourist attractions of Listowel. Even though the races were first run in Listowel in 1858, the Fitzmaurice Castle has been the central and focal point of the town since the 1300s.

No 4,  A fellow course spotter that I met on Sunday morning, I suppose if you met him there next Saturday evening, he would be called,, " The Last Man Standing"

No 5,  Gypsy Kathleen has a very prominent location in the Square. She might, just might, have a few winners before the week is out. One would never know what she would see in that crystal ball.

No comments:

Post a Comment