Katie O Connors

Manchester Martyrs

by grandmaR

In the center of the square is the monument to the 'Manchester Martyrs', also known as 'The Three Fenians', were Irish nationalists who were executed for the murder of a policeman during a prison break. William O'Mera Allen, Michael Larkin, and William Goold (aka O'Brien) were hanged in Manchester, England on November 23, 1867. These men were caught and convicted for their rescue of Colonel Thomas J. Kelly and Captain Timothy Deasy. The rescue took place on the borders of West Gorton and Ardwick, to the immediate south east of Manchester City Centre.

(Spparently these guys who attacked a van that was transporting some Irish nationalists from one prison to another had to bad luck to kill a policeman when they fired at the lock on the van at the exact moment that the policeman was looking out the keyhole to see what was going on).

Listed Heritage Town

by grandmaR

According to Wikipedia, Kilrush features a popular eighteen hole golf course, a marina with access to the Shannon Estuary and the Atlantic Ocean, plus an impressive walled garden on the grounds of the old Vandeleur estate (landlords of Kilrush up to the end of the 19th century).

Kilrush also hosts a traditional Irish music festival in August of each year - Eigse Mrs. Crotty festival, so named after a famed concertina player from the town.

Kilrush

by wild_julia

"Kilrush"

Kilrush is a small town in Co.Clare. I visit it often because my boyfriend's parents live there.

It has a beautiful marina with lots of yachts and ship. Your can sail to Scattery Island which is not very far. There's usually a lot of tourists in Kilrush in the summer. It has a good golf course about 2 miles from the town centre and it's always very busy.

People are very friendly. They great you on the street even if they don't know you and it gives you this warm feeling inside and makes you feel at home.

"Kilrush Marina"

"Scattery Island"

A lovely stopover on a road trip

by lenoreva

This is a lovely little place to stay the night in - esp. if you decide to take the ferry across the Shannon between your visits to Dingle and the Burren (to avoid going the long way around though Limerick).

The restaurants weren't that great but our B&B (see tip) made up for that.

Ferry Crossing

by grandmaR

We drove from the Cliffs past some modern windmills

through the town of Kilrush, which has a big golf course and a marina in addition to a statue to the Manchester Martyrs (apparently these guys who attacked a van that was transporting some Irish nationalists from one prison to another had to bad luck to kill a policeman when they fired at the lock on the van at the exact moment that the policeman was looking out the keyhole to see what was going on).

At Killimer, we took the ferry across the Shannon River.

I think the lighthouse in the picture that we could see looking up the river may be Scattery Island Light which was built in 1872. It is a 41 ft round stone tower with lantern and gallery, painted white. There is a 1-story keeper's house nearby appears abandoned. The Fresnel lens, removed when the lighthouse was converted to solar power in 2002, is on display at the Scattery Island Centre in Kilrush. Scattery Island, site of a sixth century monastery, is now a nature reserve; tours of the island are available from Kilrush. The lighthouse is located on the south side of the island in the Shannon estuary about 5 miles southwest of Kilrush.

We were able to get out of the bus on the ferry and I got some good lighthouse pictures.

This is the Tarbert Light (built in 1834) which is a harbour light to guide vessels passing up or down the Shannon estuary, it helps to clear the Bowline Rock and also guides vessels into the Tarbert Roads anchorage.

The lighthouse is built on a tidal rock off the north side of Tarbert Island.

It is a 74 ft round limestone tower with lantern and gallery, painted white. A spidery cast iron bridge, built about 1840, connects the tower to shore. Keeper's house has apparently been demolished. The lighthouse is now dwarfed by the huge smokestacks of an electric power generating plant built immediately behind it. There are good views from the ferry.

After we got off the ferry, we drove to Tarbert for lunch.