Sign in with Facebook- Join for free
- Sign In
Sign in with Facebook
Ballylee Castle, WB Yeats home
dustmon Says: This was rather eerie in the drizzle rain that happens alot in Ireland, but was a pretty fun side trip. The River Cloon slides gently by under the trees and the Tower Castle broods over it all, water stains reaching up the walls towards the crenellated top. Not much to see...
sourbugger Says: If you know anything about modern ceramic artwork (and I know bugger all) then you would know that Michael Kennedy is a leading light.He has picked Gort (Boland's lane) to convert a rather nice stone courtyrad area into a pottery and showroom. The stuff he produced are all...
sourbugger Says: Coole park lies just to the north of Gort. It was the seat (and i am sure she had a very nice seat) of Lady Gregory who played a leading roe in the Irish literary revival. The house has gone, but the ground and especially the woodlands provided great inspiration for writers...
Thoor Ballylee, home of William Butler Yeats
sourbugger Says: When it comes to generating tourist income, you really have got to bag a famous name. Call aplace 'Thoor Ballylee', then you will only get a trickle of anoracked tourists, but add 'home of WB Yeats' and you have a viable proposition.Down a delightful back road a few miles...
sourbugger Says: Right in the centre of town stands a very well restored weigh house from the 18th century. i presume it was used for all manner of things on market days, and some kind of 'official' status to it.Good to have such a bit of history hanging about, although it could be much...
MAIGO Says: This was a home of Augusta, Lady Gregorya center of the Irish literary Revival, which once played host to many Irish writers and poets.(but, destoyed in 1941)The only physical reminder is the "Autographed Tree"a copper beech inscribed with the initialsW B & J B Yearts, G B...
Lady Gregory's hotel: Solid choice for the Burren
sourbugger Says: A well run and throughly presentable three star establishment.Not exactly cutting edge, but doesn't feel dated either.Lively bar with very reasonable lunchtime buffet items. Good base for exploring the Burren and other surrounding areas/
Helpfulness
Gort is sits fimly on the main road between Galway and Limerick. This whole transport corridor is being upgraded over the next few years. It is likely that the west coast motorway will by-pass the town in the next few years, but Gort never had a strong tourist trade anyway and the drop in traffic volume may benifit the look of the town. Gort is more useful as a base to travel from rather than a destination in itself.
The rail line will also be reconnected at some point when they get around to it. This development may well bring in more tourists as it will the most convenient setting off point for much of County Clare with the Cliffs, Doolin and all the rest of it.
Written Jan 17, 2008
Helpfulness
A rather odd cultural phenomenen has happened in the quiet little rural town of Gort. The population has swelled in the last few years with an influx of Brazillians who most work in the local agricultural based industries.
I don't know what percentage of the town it adds to, but I do know that the local football teams are much more feared these days.
I found two shops in the town that cater to Brazilian tastes. The 'Brazil Real' shop sold foodstuffs from Brazil including some amazingly big sausages. They also seemed to sell vast quanities of Basmati rice.
A second shop, a clothes one, sold the sort of dresses and underwear that are just not built for the Irish Climate. You call a postage stamp and two shoelaces sensible daywear ? Fine by me.
If you time things right you may also have the good fortune to hit Gort's Brazilian festival. Rio it ain't, but it certainly shows that Ireland is becoming more ethnically diverse by the day.
Updated Jan 18, 2008
sourbugger Says: If you are a fan of the surreal comedy series “Father Ted” then you will already have some kind of introduction to the area around here. Although made by a British company, and for a while banned in Ireland, the series became hugely popular.The use of the word ‘Feck’ was...
sourbugger Says: Deep in the annals of Irish History are many accounts of rebellion against British rule. The United Irishmen rebellion right at the end of the eighteenth century was one such affair. It is perhaps often ignored due to the fact that apart from a brief success in Wexford it...
sourbugger Says: This area of Ireland is not exactly short on the old castle front. When I visited, I had a good look at the map in the centre of the town and saw some dotted lines depicting a castle just behind the bank in the centre of town.I was quite aware of the fact that within justy a...
MAIGO Says: One of the finest Irish-Romanesque architecture which wasfounded by St. Brendan in 563, and is believed to bethe burial place of the saint.
MAIGO Says: Reputedly founded by St. Colman MacDuagh in 610.The restored round tower, 34m high with its doorway 8m from ground,and leans 60cm out of the perpendicular.
MAIGO Says: 3thc stone an oval granite block 90cm hogh with curvilinearrelief ornament in a style of the La-Tene.Turoe Farm & Leisure ParkBullaun, loughera, Co.Galway
Sponsored Links
A four-storey 16thC keep which was bought and restored by W B Yearts, who lived in it from 1912~1929. Now contains a museum with mementoes of the poet.
Build your own Gort page
Sponsored Links
Comments