The View From My Bowl

I looked out the window to see if the world had ended...
And I could not tell.
More whiskey I think, It will make things clearer.



From Pier To Here


Across to Leenaun

Experimenting with off site image storage. Shots from both sides of Killary Harbour, Irelands only fjord.

>Enter slightly deranged thoughts on the weather and the nature of Pain from Rsds
More thunder storms have been rattling my cage. And so much rain has fallen that I think it diluted my brain.
It has certainly left something with more that a passing resemblance to a lake in my back garden.
Kip is not impressed I might add.

In an effort to return my brain to its more normal, unbalanced state I will listen to a great deal of Tom Waits, drink a "little" and pop in a pain pill or two.

...Just to be clear - Pain Pill is not a pill to cause pain, quite the reverse in theory...

The only question that remains- Is it a software or a hardware problem. Even the profesionals dont know!
>Exit
Sorry about that, it had to be done.

Seriously, feeling a bit better today. I had more sleep yesterday that I had in the whole of last week. Also had a cinnamon sweet that traveled all the way from japan just to end up being eaten by me Mm mm Mm-mm thanks bro.

All being well, tomorrow I shall return to doing something..Anything

The North Cross
All that remains of this cross is the shaft and a part of the base, there is a smallt tenon projecting from the top, where the head of the cross would have fitted. It is carved on 3 sides with abstract human and animal designs.
Thought to date from around 800A.D.










The South Cross

Dated from the early 9th century, its surface is nearly entirely covered in interlacing patterns and large and small bosses. It has a crucifixion scene, but unusually it is in the shaft rather than the center of the cross, there are another two figurative panels on the sides of the base one of a horse and riders and the other of several small animals.















The Cross Of The Scriptures.
This cross was carved from a single piece of sandstone and dates from the 9th century. A clue to the origins of The Cross Of The Scriptures lies in a weathered inscription on its base it includes two names - Flann, High King of Ireland, and Colmán The Abbot of Clonmacnoise. The same names are recorded in the Annals of Clonmacnoise where they had collaborated in having a large stone church built (probably the Cathedral).
Regardless of the who and why it is an impressive monument and a highpoint in the stonecarvers art

The surface of the cross has been divided into panels, showing scenes including the Crucifixion, the Last Judgement, and Christ in the Tomb.

What you can see in my photos here are all replicas, the originals of the three crosses have been moved to the museum on site, to protect them from the weather.

Still a few more shots to go, hopefully tomorrow.
Click on any of the images for a larger version

The Pilgrim
"Aedh, son of the chief of Oriel,
died on pilgrimage. 606 A.D."
Jackie McKenna, Sculpt.
Heading into the main site you find a fellow travler sculpted in wood by the side of the path, through the museum buildings where you pay the entrance fee and out into hte open air again where one of the first things you see is -


O`Rourke`s Tower
Believed to have been built by Fergal O`Rourke - King of Connaught who died in 964, it was restored around 1120 and repaired again in 1135 when it was struck by lighning.

Temple Finian
Skipping past a couple of items you come to Temple Finian/Finghin (MacCarthy`s Church) which includes the second round tower on site. It dates from the 12th century, it is an unusual sample of round tower in that it has a door at ground level rather than the usual elevated entrance several meters above ground.

More to come