This St Patricks Day on SAMC, we decided to give you a wee tour of some monuments from
West Cork, Ireland where our Admin GardenSavvy lives.
The first of the three monuments is Drombeg Stone Circle. It’s on the outskirts of Savvys
local town, Rosscarbery and is a heritage site dating back to the Bronze Age. 13 of the
original 17 stones still stand today and during winter and summer solstice the area becomes
gridlocked with locals and visitors visiting the circle, also called the Druids Altar. Nearby the
circle is the remains of two primitive huts and a cooking hearth. The circle was restored in
1957 and during that excavation, remains were found that dated back to roughly 1100 BC.
The next monument you can wander through is a remake of the Timoleague Friary which was
founded in 1240 and closed in 1631. It is a Franciscian Friary, one of the few with remains
still standing in Ireland. The grounds are an a mass of graves nearly overlapping each other
with stones dating back to the 1600s and as recently as 2004. There used to be an
underground passage to the waters edge to receive goods, and the entry for that passage is
visible while walking the grounds. The bell tower was added later to the building and still
stands.
The final monument for you to peak at is the Baltimore Beacon. While it’s lacking in wow
factor in the minecraft world, the beacon stands a top a steep cliff with a long drop to the sea
below with stunning views from the edge. It’s creation was ordered after the 1798 rebellion
by the British Government and is one of many beacons and lighthouses dotted along the
coastline as a warning system. It’s nicknamed Lots wife as it looks like a pillar of salt. It
looks over the entrance to the Baltimore harbour, a fishing town and the ferry point to some
of the outlying islands like Sherkin Island, and a whale watching site for Minke Whales and
dolphins.
In the holiday area you’ll find all three monuments, a wishing well for a wee Irish Blessing
and a small cottage with a villager with goodies for ye. Wishing you all a Happy Paddys
Day! Drink your Guinness responsibly <3 🙂