Thursday, July 24, 2008

Councillor Andy Brennan Park and Ramparts Navan

21 July 2008 I went for a stroll down the Ramparts Navan and on
the way back i walked through Councillor Andy Brennan Park.

Here's a few images I captured on the way.


Below are three plaques on Summervill Bridge with year of construction and years in which alterations were carried out.

Click photos to read.































Councillor Andy Brennan Park and right viewed from the Dublin Road.








Summervill Bridge viewed from the Ramparts.











































Ruxton's bridge and lock















Summervill Bridge viewed from Andy Brennan Park




















Rowley's Bridge and opposite with the ruins of the lock keeper's cottage. Just above right/left Rowley's Lock redundant and overgrown. Rowley's Lock is both a lock and beautiful arched bridge to allow for access. The locks were a means of lifting boats from a lower water level to a higher level.





































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Saturday, July 5, 2008

THE WORMDIGGER'S DAUGHTER


Congratulations to John Farrell on the publication of his book ( The Wormdigger's Daughter)








One night in the early '50s when John was a young man returning home to his mothers house, he came across a man and woman sitting on the roadside. They engaged him in conversation and he soon realised that they were living in a tent behind the ditch.



They began to relate to him a tragic story, a story that was to bring John back to their tent a number of times.




Their story begins in the 1920s. Molly and her husband Frank worked on a large country estate . They had four children but hardship had already claimed the lives of three of their children whose names were: Frank, Peter, Jim and the little girl who survived her name was Angel Marie.


One day when Angel was 12 years old Molly had to go on an errand she told Angel to open the gate if visitors called. When Molly returned a short while later she noticed two men on horseback friends of the master of the estate talking to Angel. Unknown to the men Molly observes one of them give a half crown to the little girl and hears him say " I'm going to ask the master if I can have her to work in my place isn't that something to look forward to ". Molly was alarmed and feared for her daughter's safety. She tells her husband Frank about her fears for Angel. Some time later when the master and most of his household go to England on business Molly and Frank flee from the estate with their daughter Angel. After they flee they are falsely accused of stealing from the estate and they become fugitives.


Branded as criminals, they disguise Angel as a boy to avoid being identified as the thieves who fled the estate. They travel the length and breath of Ireland living on the roads. At times they blended in with the travelling community who were sympathetic to their plight and helped them to avoid detection. They were also helped by sympathetic farmers they met along the way. They lived in fear of what would happen to their daughter if they were caught. Their only hope of escape lies with the " Brotherhood " and some influential Americans who befriend them, offering the possibility of escape, but at a terrible price.




Published by Mercier Press,


John's book can be bought in Book Wise Medges Lane Navan Co. Meath and in Easons Navan Shopping Center

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Friday, July 4, 2008

PREJUDICE

PREJUDICE
What do you see when you look at me?
Do you see an open book, or have you already,
written the pages?
Has the cover made you imagine the content?
Do you see what is in front of you or
what you choose to see?
Ask yourself these questions and
drag the waters some more.
Your mindless conclusions show more of the real
you than they do of those you judge.
Conditioned hate a passed down fate.
You become accustomed to hating
those you do not know.
A senseless view handed down to you,
breathing lies infecting your mind.
Do you say or is it what you have learned to say?
Are these misconceptions your own or are they
inherited from your forefathers and then passed on to
your own children?
Do I see the real you or reflections
of those you illuminate?
No intelligent word ever comes from a racist mouth.
Just words of hate, sadness and pain.
The hate of the unknown, the sadness
of this state of mind and the pain it brings.
When I look at you I see misguided intentions,
pathetic imitations, images of your misinformation.
Whether it be to judge someone for class, colour,
sex or creed only leads to separation.
A divided human race, prejudice the shame of man.



Austin "Ozzy" Sheils
From Austin's book, Stream of Consciousness