Since I moved to Nenagh I haven’t visited Killaloe so often. That’s why I am trying to take every chance to get there. Last Sunday there was opportunity due to the soccer game between two Polish teams – representations of two Irish archaeology companies.
I targeted 13th century St Flannans Cathedral and the monuments hidden inside. The most important one is Romanesque portal taken from pieces of a couple of ones and built together into a church wall.
Another historic monument is a massive, but not tall, both runic and ogham stone. While the ogham is not so clearly visible the runic inscription is very well preserved and it means that Viking Thorgrim has carved those runes. This stone was probably erected by Thorgrim himself in the memory of his convertion to Christianity. This is a good example of Viking assimilation and integration with Gaelic Celtic native folk.
It is also not very hard to find a 3 or more meters tall stone cross rebuilt from pieces founded somewhere nearby Killaloe.
Worth of interest is early medieval baptismal font or just a holy water stone vessel.
Just aside of cathedral, 12th century St. Flannans oratory with nice Romanesque portal, stands at the cemetery.
After visiting cathedral I went towards Lough Derg to visit Bael Boru – ring ford, a property of the great, and probably only one king of Ireland – Brian Boru.
Walking on the bank of river Shannon and on the little streets of Killaloe I have realised that the autumn has come for sure
After a couple of days in Dublin I moved to Ballina a small village on the Shanon River, placed oposite to Killaloe. In fact both town and village form a one body joined together by old stone bridge. The valley of the river and hills above it are very beautiful, but… this town is at the end of the world.
Internet access is almost unavailable for somebody who stays here only temporary. There is no Internet Café. There is no public HOT SPOT in any place. It is strange because Killaloe/Ballina Marina is full of expensive yachts, and sailors have their laptops on boards.
The same strange experience I got on Huston Station, where I found O2 Wi-Fi zone, unfortunately, I couldn’t buy a special access vouchers, so the access remained denied.
I have a GPRS card in my laptop, but unfortunately Irish Mobile Networks haven’t known that it is profitable to assure to their customers pre paid GPRS access – sim data cards. It seems that Poland is far far further than Ireland in developing internet and communication technologies, because I have a unlimited GPRS internet access in every place of Poland for only 15 Euro / month.
Internet Access in Poland is really much more simple and easy than in Ireland.
Here is some pictures of Killaloe and Ballina, and some views from my new excavation site.
Marina in Ballina
Marina in Ballina
Marina in Ballina
Shanon River
Bridge that links together Killaloe and Ballina
Ballina, houses on the hill - the place I am living at the moment.
Old channel in Killaloe
Streets of Killaloe
Shanon River
View from excavation site
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