TheRamblingWombat Enniskillen (Co.Fermanagh)

Monea Castle

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This is most complete and the best preserved of Ulster’s plantation castles and well worth a visit. I have also written reviews on a number of others.

The so-called plantation castles were built in the 1610s and 1620s to consolidate the Ulster plantation of that period – when Ulster was colonised (following the Flight of the Earls in 1607) and planted with loyal wealthy landowners (from Scotland and England) to prevent further rebellion. Ulster had been the region most resistant to English control during the preceding century. Continue reading “Monea Castle” →

TheRamblingWombat Enniskillen (Co.Fermanagh)

The Church of St. Molaise – Monea

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A century after St. Patrick’s death and paralleling the growth of monasticism in Ireland in the sixth century, St. Molaise, founded a monastery on nearby Devenish Island. The Reformation and defeat of Ulster’s Irish Chieftains by the English and Scottish Plantation settlers finally brought the monastic communities on Devenish to an end in 1603. Continue reading “The Church of St. Molaise – Monea” →

TheRamblingWombat Enniskillen (Co.Fermanagh)

Crevenish Castle

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The remains of Crevenish Castle are south-east of the village of Kesh on the Crevenish Road, or ‘the back road’ as the locals call it – a beautiful drive in itself.

The Castle (originally called Castle Hassett) was built by Thomas Blennerhassett a native of Norwich, England. Blennerhassett secured his land here – confiscated Maguire property – in 1610 as part of the Ulster Plantation. A church, built around the same time has long since disappeared. Continue reading “Crevenish Castle” →

TheRamblingWombat Enniskillen (Co.Fermanagh)

Janus and the Lusty Man

Boa Island Figure – Janus
Lustymore Figure – Lusty Man

I have to say I was rather surprised when I visited Caldragh Cemetery on Boa Island, Lower Lough Erne. For many years I have seen just close-up pictures of “Janus” and the “Lusty Man” (properly referred to as the Boa Island and Lustymore figures respectively) and accordingly, or for whatever reason, assumed them to be at least a couple of metres high. On entering the cemetery I could not see the said figures. Wandering around I happened upon them – Janus being about 73cms tall and the Lusty man about 60cm – sitting in the centre of the graveyard among random stones that mark long-forgotten dead. A nearby base – which some think belongs to Janus – would, if that were the case, increase its size to nearly 2 metres. Continue reading “Janus and the Lusty Man” →

TheRamblingWombat Enniskillen (Co.Fermanagh)

Drumskinny Stone Circle – Fermanagh’s Stonehenge!

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There are many examples of stone circles in high bogland in North Fermanagh and neighbouring counties. Based on the recovery of artefacts, which I refer to later, in the 1962 excavation of this site it is thought to date from around 2000 BC or earlier – the early bronze age – and apparently the peak of the “stone circle era”. Continue reading “Drumskinny Stone Circle – Fermanagh’s Stonehenge!” →

TheRamblingWombat Enniskillen (Co.Fermanagh)

Irvinestown Famine Graveyard

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It is generally accepted that during the ten years, 1841 to 1851, Country Fermanagh lost over 40,000 people or 25% of her people due to a potato blight which lead to the famine (1845 to 1850) which reeked havoc throughout the island of Ireland. What is less clear is how many of the 40,000 died as a result of hunger or disease and how many emigrated. Of course thousands who might happily have emigrated perished, as they could not afford to leave their home areas. Continue reading “Irvinestown Famine Graveyard” →