Dunmanus Tower House

After all the wildness, the day dawned bright, calm and warm - we were awoken to the sound of a thrush warbling away outside our bedroom window. Mindful that severe storms and more rain are forecast for tomorrow, I decided to head out while I could. I went off towards the Mizen, then left the main road and ventured into untamed country towards Dunmanus townland right on the coast. No a soul was around yet it felt as though I was being carefully watched! I found a large boulder burial slowly sinking into marshland, a small quay with colourful paraphernalia, a pretty window with a wooden curlew and this magnificant and brooding tower house. On a clear day you can see it from our side of the water. It is remarkably well preserved - originally four storeyed with a five storeyd extra tower attached, teeny windows, thick walls and the main entrance on the first floor - Donogh Mor O Mahony was obviously expecting trouble when he built it in 1450. It sits up high on natural rock and is moated by the sea. It was quite hard to get too and involved furtive climbing over a barbed wire fence and ancient pallet. Inside there is still a curved roof existing and you can spot the plaited willow used to make the framework. Damp and gloomy, it must have been a tough place to live. To see how this may have once looked like, have a peek at jeremy Irons' rather magnificent castle not too far away.
We shall attempt to go to the cinema again tonight - The Wolf of Wall Street - and hope hell and high water doesn't stop us. If there's no sign of me tomorrow, I'm still in Ma Murphy's!