WestofIreland | Gloria McBreen

Day 90 #100DaysOfOldDays

Today’s post is linked to Marsha Ingrao’s PPAC #48

Rosserk friary was founded around 1460 by a member of the Joyce family for the friars of the Third Order of St Francis.

The Third Order of the Society of St. Francis is an Anglican/Episcopal religious order for people of all kinds—single and in committed relationships, lay and ordained—who live by Franciscan principles “in the world.”

This late Irish Gothic style building is situated on the banks of the River Moy – on the north side of Ballina and on the west side of Killala Bay. It is one of the finest reserved ruins in Co Mayo and one of the finest preserved Franciscan Friary ruins in Ireland.

The kitchen, dormitory and refectory were on the upper floor. The photo below shows one side of two back to back fireplaces.

On the right pillar of the piscina (below) is a unique carving of a round tower and two angels.

Lucy’s drawing of the steps leading to the bell tower.

Rosserk Friary is accessible to the public.

We spent a couple of nights last week in Carna in Connemara. Oh…to be away! It was Heaven. And the best thing was, we booked into a pet friendly hotel so we got to bring our dog Cotton.

It was meant to be a two hour drive to Carna Bay Hotel, but Stephano took the scenic route. Which I didn’t mind until our satnav, Bridie, announced after two and a half hours, ‘You have reached your destination’.

‘Excuse me Bridie…what did you say?’ I demanded.

We were in a beautiful place indeed, but I couldn’t see a hotel, or a shop, or people. I could see the sea, stone walls, and loads of graves!

‘Stephano, where did you tell Bridie to take us?’

‘Carna.’

‘Not the hotel?’ I scowled. The dog was hungry and so was I.

‘No, I put in Carna, just to see where she’d bring us.’

JUST TO SEE WHERE SHE’D BRING US!

So I instructed Bridie to take us to Carna Bay Hotel. She obeyed and got us there a half an hour later.

Even though the drive was three hours long, it really didn’t matter because the scenery was idyllic. The West of Ireland truly is a beautiful place to be.