The Quill #7: Book Travel

Firefly Summer by Maeve Binchy is set in the Midlands of Ireland in the small rural town of Mountfern. Mountfern is a fictional village full of history and the destination of Patrick O’Neill. Overtly proud of his Irish heritage, Patrick sees Mountfern as a place filled with family ties, traditions, and history. His plan: to live there with his children, re-establish roots, and build a luxury hotel in the place of an old estate that is in a condition of ruin. This rural town isn’t so accepting of rich, American expat Patrick and the changes he plans to bring. Follow the stories of the villagers and how their lives intertwine with newcomer Patrick and the effects his hotel has on the locals.

While in magnificent middle Ireland, let’s travel around and see what is there of a nonfictional sort. Keep reading for my list of places that make the Irish midlands seem fictional!

1. Newgrange, located North of Dublin, is a 15,000 square-foot prehistoric passage tomb built around 3200 B.C. — older than Stonehenge and the pyramids of Giza. During sunrise on Winter Solstice mornings, a beam of sunlight penetrates the roof-box and travels up to 62 feet along the passage, illuminating the chamber — almost like magic! Was this the home of the banshees from Irish folklore, the omens of death? Is Newgrange a tomb for gods and demigods, or was it built in the spirit of Triskele, as a symbol of life overcoming death? We may never know, but its beauty endures.
2. Rock of Cashel. Picture a tall hill of limestone, plateauing at the top, covered with an emerald-green blanket of grass. On this hill sits a Medieval stone castle, covered with etchings of ornate designs — lions, hunters, Sheela-na-gig (etchings depicting female goddesses), and a backdrop to the only surviving Romanesque Frescoes in Ireland. Listen for the ghostly sounds of vicars (mission priests) chanting in the choral room, echoes of their songs bouncing from wall to wall. The Rock of Cashel is a place that enchants all of your senses and entices your imagination for what once was.
3. Quin Franciscan Friary originated as stolen land in the 1200s, upon which a castle was built as part of the Kingdom of Thomond. It was burnt down in 1278 and rebuilt in 1281. In 1318, it was reclaimed by the O’Brien’s in 1318, but then the castle was destroyed by the MacNamaras in 1350. After the destruction of the castle, the MacNamaras founded the Abbey. In 1433, the friars were invited in. In 1547, the O’Briens reclaimed their property once again, allowing the friars to stay. In 1584, Donough Beg O’Brien was gruesomely hanged from the steeple. After it was burnt and rebuilt again, the friars regained occupancy and remained until 1820. Then after a 60-year vacancy, Irish Board of Works took it over as a national monument. I don’t know about you, but I have to go to this Abbey to find out why people kept stealing this castle from each other!
4. Blarney Castle is home to the world-famous Blarney Stone. As legend goes, “There is a stone there that whoever kisses, OH! He never misses to grow eloquent.” Its origins are steeped in myth — linked to Jacob’s ladder, a witch’s spell, fairy lore, or the Stone of Scone — but its charm remains strong. The stone is set high in the castle wall, in the highest tower. In that same tower, the highest room is the kitchen, which was placed there to reduce the risk of fire and defend against intruders with boiling oil. Below it lies the priest’s room, then the shared room of the three daughters — watched over quite strictly by the priest above.  I’m glad my parents skipped that arrangement!
5. The Dark Hedges of County Antrim, Ireland, are not only home to my great-great-grandfather but also a famous Game of Thrones filming location. The avenue, lined with towering beech trees, served as the Kingsroad and is one of the most photographed natural phenomena in Northern Ireland. Equal parts breathtaking and eerie, these mighty trees have been rooted there since the 18^th century.