A coldness lingers at the reception hall of the workhouse at Portumna, no matter how big of a fire is blazing in her hearth, as if the walls cannot relax, cannot allow themselves to forget what they have seen. One of 163 workhouses built in Ireland in the mid-1800s, Portumna workhouse is now home to a group of dedicated staff and volunteers working hard to preserve the memory of a period in Irish history that both fascinates and haunts.
Tyrone House, County Galway
There is a determination about Tyrone House – standing forlorn yet unbroken, like an old war horse too stubborn to finally let its legs rest. Instead, it faces out to the bay, windows now strung with ivy, the tatters of a once great house, beaming defiance at the sea.
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Copyright © 2017 Claire Loader. All Rights Reserved.
Killeenbrenan Abbey, County Mayo
We came to Kileenbrenan on the hottest day of the year, the summer sky a hazy blue as we pushed open the rusty gate. A modest abbey, tucked in off the road just past Shrule, the spate of good weather saw her awash with swaying grass – her long-empty rooms silent but for gently rustling green.
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Copyright © 2017 Claire Loader. All Rights Reserved.