The Vernal Biking Weekend (Videologue)

The Vernal Bike Weekend

The new biking season (except for the hardcore) is now upon us; as we travelled to Meath and through Drogheda the scent, to me, was like cut grass, simply adding to the sensation that Spring has sprung. The night was unseasonably warm and our old haunt of Newgrange Lodge had been booked as we had (wrongly as it turned out) thought that camping would be too cold. The sense of excitement was tangible, the long and dark winters increasingly seem to take their toll on me, the fog lifts around early March when the nights start to get longer. The problem these days is the wait for March to come seems to get ever harder and more frought. Newgrange and the whole Brú na Bóinne area seems to exert some force, a 'vibration' if you'll forgive the rather hippy-ish language. But we have visited much of what this World Heritage area has to offer, so this weekend would be around visiting new places and new sites and experiencing what they have.

The bikes parked at Fore

After an exceptionally chilled out Friday night discussing an upcoming week long Ireland trip in May (much like the one we completed around Galway and Clare last year), we were up early on Saturday - heralded by Anthony's arrival on his BMW airhead - for a continental breakfast before the biking began. But where to go, and to what? Flicking through my coordinates book west seemed the obvious answer, Westmeath in fact and to the phenomenal multi-phase site[s] of Fore. Initially we took the N51 towards Athboy and Delvin, passing Jamestown Bog. Athboy (from the Irisnh Baile Átha Buí meaning 'Town of the Yellow Ford' after the Yellow Ford River) is a walled medieval town, the Church of Ireland still retains a tower that is a remnant of the 14th century Carmelite priory. 

Now travelling almost due west, the next town is Delvin; this is now the second or third time I have been through here and, if I am honest, the place has an oppressive feeling. The old architecture of the castle is heavy and dark which transposes and imposes itself onto the rest of the settlement somehow. The castle looms over the road and although it is believed that it was built around 1180 by Hugh de Lacey for his brother-in-law Gilbert de Nugent, I would agree with some sources that suggest the building was commenced in the 13th century (1200's) rather than the late 12th century (around 1180). 

The Fore Complex & Abbey

It was after Delvin that we left the main roads and onto the R395 towards Fore. The roads here were glorious with twisted turn after twisting turn before a stretch of tree-lined straight and more sweeping corners. The road surface did not do the route any favours though, often rutted and broken up - being the lead rider I was the first to come across any potholes which although sometimes jaw-shaking for me at least gave Kivi and Anthony notice of where to avoid! 

7th century church ruins at Fore

Fore is, initially, almost too much for the eyes to take in - the site[s] are spread on both sides of the road with the major Benedictine monastic abbey site, mill and holy wells to the north of the road - closer to the historic Lough Lene (Léinn) - and the earliest 7th century church and medieval 'cell' to the south of the road. Fore is from the Irish Mainistir Fhobhair / Fobar referring to water or springs and the holy wells here (as well as the main site). The first monastic site was founded around 630AD by St. Feichin and the 7th century church ruins are still in good order. Although the east end has a later medieval extension. The Annals of Inisfallen in 666AD refer to a disease that swept through the monastic community, stating: "Féichíne of Fobar rested in Christ, and many others fell asleep on the same night as a result of the mortality." The mortality is thought to be Yellow Plague (or Yellow Fever). It was around 1200 that Hugh de Lacey built the main monastic site, fragments of the arcaded cloister are still in situ. The site was raided frequently between 771 and the late 12th century by Vikings, including warriors led by the famous Viking Chief Turgesius. We meandered around the ruins, shooting the breeze simply euphoric to be touring on the bikes again.  I could feel the stress lifting.

The interior of the cell building and carved floor slab

We climbed the hill beside the earliest church, avoiding curious cows, to the later cell building that stands almost aloof on the hillside from the rest of the ruins. Crenellated, it has a slightly austere appearance, but we entered to find an interior that wouldn't be out of place on a film set. The stiff door had to be shouldered open, but once inside it was like something out of the 'Da Vinci Code'. The little tower is obviously the earliest part of the building, with a later rectangular extension to the western end. But at the altar are several human bones, including skull fragments and a femur. In the centre of the building is a carved slab set into the floor; possibly a gravestone, but I couldn't help but think that it was carved and placed for a knight or similar such person - perhaps a little overly romantic a notion, but it seemed to fit!

We made our way back down the hillside towards the bikes, ready to hit the road again. The day had become humid and warm and I was starting to overheat in all the Dainese gear, I needed the air rushing over me again. We returned eastwards on the same R395 before turning northwards and approaching our next destination, Kells, via the small R163; the new Tom Tom Rider sat-nav has the 'twisty roads' option permanently turned on! As before, the surface of the road wasn't the best, but the route it carved through the countryside again more than made up for it. Kells is perhaps most famous for its association with the Book of Kells, now resident in Trinty Dublin, but the original name was from the Irish Ceannanas or Ceannanus - the Annals of the Four Masters refer to: "The battle of Ceanannus (Kells), in Meath by Conall Grant (i.e. the Grey) Ua Cearnaigh, wherein were slain Tuathal Ua Faelchon, and Gormghal, son of Aedh, son of Dluthach, and Amhalgaidh Ua Conaing, and Fearghal, his brother." (O'Donovan, 2002, M716.7). The monastic settlement, like most others, was probably victim to raids, the Annals of Ulster record that: "All Cell Dara was burned about the feast of St. Michael 29 Sept.. Ceanannas was burned; Dún dá Lethglas and many other churches were burned." (Bambury & Beechinor, 2000, U1040.7).

Kells and the Bóinne

The High Crosses at Kells

I found it unusual that we had the entire site to ourselves. The first monument instantly recognisable is the 10th century round tower, along with high crosses and high cross shafts, but there are early carved stones littered around the graveyard, including one that is either a very early incised cross or a sun-dial remnant. If I am being honest, the remains at Kells were a little underwhelming, perhaps because of its association with the Book of Kells I was maybe expecting something more spectacular. But my expectations are, with hindsight, unfair - I place too much emphasis on what I think should be there, rather than what will be there. By this stage, though, we were all getting hungry and with the humidity I was getting quite dehydrated. We turned south-east towards Navan, taking the R147 to avoid the main roads. The ride from Kells to Navan is only about 20 minutes, but with my visor up and the air accelerating ever quicker onto my face I felt the winter 'blues' fade. My whole body relaxed, my shoulders untensed and what I can only describe as a childish grin became etched on my face. We devoured our burgers in Eddie Rockets after which we took the L1600 'back road' to Newgrange. By this stage the light was beginning to fade, but the sky appeared like an orange and purple watercolour in my mirrors as we travelled east. Peace at last!

Townley Hall reconstruction and excavated passage tomb

The next morning we packed the bikes, now heavier loaded with their panniers, I was initially taken off guard by the weight difference as we exited the lodge and a quick correction had to be made, but that unpleasant 'heart in the mouth' feeling stayed with me for several hundred metres. Our first destination was Townley Hall (Little Grange) Passage Tomb. We had to park on the grass verge at the side of the road, with the site accessed via a style in the field hedgerow. The small mound is unassuming, now truncated and any possible surrounding ditch silted up, but the site size belies its importance as it is part of the larger Boyne Valley Passage Tomb Complex that includes Newgrange, Knowth and Dowth. The tomb was excavated in the 1960's by George Eogan. The excavations revealed the there was a settlement at the site that pre-dated the passage tomb; the tomb itself is aligned northeast - southwest with only two orthostats (uprights) surviving, the locations of the others are shown by the concrete footprints placed in the ground. The tomb originally consisted of sixteen uprights and was enclosed within four concentric rings of stones, lined in places by radial lines of stones. The mound was originally surrounded by a kerb of stones, thirteen of which survive. It's easy to miss the site, but its location between Drogheda and Slane make it an ideal stop. Especially for us as we were en route to Navan and to Chekhov's Cafe and a second breakfast!

Louth and the Journey Northwards

Louth medieval church ruins

Sundays on a biking trip are, for me, contradictory; I love being on the bike but the ride is homewards and so each mile is a mile closer to the end of the trip. We had, though, one or two more spectacular places to see; Louth Churches and Oratory had long been on the 'list'. The remains here are huge, the church measuring some 46.5 metres in length, but the first element of the site is quite impactful; namely the headstones and graveyard. Little stones are, literally, everywhere. Many are now weathered to simple pieces of rock, but every step is seemingly on a grave. The site also has a strange and eerie quality, for me there was a sense of wanting to leave quite quickly. In the main complex the only standing remains are parts of the large medieval church. The site is thought to have been founded by St. Mochta in the 6th century, but the Monastary of the Virgin Mary (the present remains) were re-founded in 1148. There would, at one time, have possibly been the remains of a central tower or rood screen and the Visitation Books (1690) record a steeple with three bells (Leslie, 1908, 195).

The long nave has the remains of a three-light tracery window in the western gable, but again even in the church interior we were tripping over graves and headstones. The two stone crypts in the main graveyard were littered with skulls and human remains when we looked through the grates. We were, though, unable to see any way to visit the neighbouring (and associated) stone oratory building; the building has been extensively restored, but would have had a chamber in the roof. It could be as late as 12th century, but it has a curious appearance, like a grey stone island in the green sea landscape. It was after this visit that Anthony split to go home, leaving Kivi and I to head northwards to Carlingford and the Mourne Coastal route home. Even though I knew the trip would be over within a few hours, I still felt unbeliveably relaxed and in a 'zone' on the bike. Concentration was, though, required as the R171 to Knockbridge was in the fine tradition of the Irish 'B' road with a thin veneer of dirt - thankfully baked dry - pulled onto the roads from the adjoining fields.

Carlingford and Ruby Ellen

Carlingford Dominican Priory

Skirting round Dundalk took us onto the motorway, and it instantly felt large and unfeeling compared to the smaller roads we had travelled on throughout the rest of the weekend. It immediately felt like returning to the 'rat-race' and all that that entails. But our destination - Carlingford - is quaint enough to dispell these thoughts quickly. Alongside towns like Kilkenny, it is perhaps one of the best preserved remants of Ireland's medieval past. The town can be a bit touristy as a result of its plethora of medieval remains and picturesque location.

We stopped just before the town centre at Carlingford Dominican Priory. An unusual site as its immediate outward appearance is almost of a fortified tower, indeed, if my archaeology days serve me there is a machicolation arch above the main door at second floor level (used to throw things onto would-be attackers below). The priory was set up as an anathema to the other monastic orders that had become obsessed with land, title and wealth generation (funny how man always seems to bastardize religion[s] of the world). The Dominicans were one of the orders set up to combat this and in 1305, at the request of Richard de Burgo, set up the priory in Carlingford. My subsequent research since returning from the trip confirmed my suspicions about defensive aspects of the site: following attacks the buildings were fortified with the battlements added to tthe church walls in 1423. After the dissolution of the monasteries by Henry VIII in 1539 the site fell into disrepair. Again, we were the only people at the site, perched unassumingly on the edge of the narrow medieval streets it was exceptionally tranquil.

We went straight to Ruby Ellen's Tea Rooms - real hardcore biker destination! - for a bite to eat and a drink. What arrived before me was a moutain of carrot cake. Some might laugh at the thought of some bikers in such a place, but for me (and I know for Kivi, Dee and Anthony), we are too long in the tooth to negate comforts whilst away; as it is when you are a touring biker, you already spend a lot of money to live like a pauper without throwing away all creature comforts! The final leg of the route home was a familiar one, the Mourne Coastal Route that initially flanks Carlingford Lough to Rostrevor then hugs the coast from Kilkeel to Annalong and Newcastle. The route can be busy on a Sunday though, and sure enough we had to overtake our fair share of 'Sunday drivers'. Before the main roads to Belfast the trip had one final sight; the Mourne Mountains with the sun slowly setting. Phenomenal!