Cul na Long

What day!
On my way to work I spotted J Divine walking his dogs on the strand. I stopped and accosted the poor man as in his ground is a magnifcient, but now derelict fortified house. I asked whether I could come and see him sometime!!! He said yes and we arranged ot meet later in the day.

I arrived at school to find Clara, the princiapl, on an adrenalin rush - one teacher poorly (signifcant in a staff of two and a half); a parent having a nervous breakdown and the news that RTE (equivalent to the BBC) were coming down to school on Monday. Clara is chairperson of the SOSS (save our small schools) campagin and is a vigorous and inspiring leader - she is good at making a lot of noise and doesn't take prisoners!! RTE will be filming and have asked that the school stay open an extra hour to facilitate this. Will the kids stay clean that long? Art is banned on that day! Will the infants cope? Will it do any good? I was in the classroom all day - exhausting - we did self-portraits, always hilarious!

After work I headed off to see Mr Divine (how I wish Divine was my second name). He live in an 18C hunting lodge originally owned by Lord Bandon, the local Protestant landownerat the time. It is a magnificent building but everything needs doing! He showed me around all 4 floors - a huge, daunting and incredibly expensive job and he is currently living in squalor in a tiny bit of it whilst working. He had ready armfuls of information for me about the fortified house. I was delighted and impressed. He then showed me around the ruins of Cul na Long , nook of the ships. It is 16C and in a terrible state - there are only 4 other comparible buildigns in county Cork. It is covered in ivy but JD has ripped it off at ground level so it will die. It is amazing that this, a protected building, is just being left to rot. It was owned by the wonderfully named Tadgh McCarthy Mucluch who apparently lived till he was 92 and was found of keeping pigs. Unfortunately he supported the wrong side in the Irish Rebellion (ie the Irish side) and had the house and lands confiscated and a pal of Cromwell put in instead. What an adventure. . You can see another view of it here. Last time I went round I was too shy to ask to see in the 18C house- I've got bolder!!