After a morning of driving through the countryside (and taking photos), I headed to Newcastle for some groceries. Since I am in a wandering mood, I continued my drive though the southwest side of the Knockmealdown Mountains to the town of Lismore. On the edge of town, sitting on the side of the River Blackwater, is Lismore Castle. The original castle was built in 1185 by Prince John, Lord of Ireland.
As with many castles, it has gone through many versions of ruin and reconstruction. What stands today was part of a large reconstruction phase of the 1800’s. It is closed to the public since it is actually a private residence. There is an art gallery on the premise that is open to the public, as well as its gardens.
On the way to the castle, I passed the ‘Holy Well and Spout’. It is tapped into a natural spring and was once used by estate workers who lived nearby.
One of the things that I am noticing is the large amount of moss. We are getting rain daily and it is staying warm enough not to freeze. There are places were the grass is still green and fir trees are plentiful. But I see moss growing everywhere, from the local roads to walls.
Location via Google Maps: