SCHULL

SCHULL in West Cork (SCHULL VILLAGE - Cobh & Drombeg Stone Circle - Sheep's Head we will be staying [|here] - we recently joined [|Home for Exchange] and contacted a number of people on the site in Ireland. Ann and Tim responded inviting us to stay with them and they will hopefully visit Australia and Merimbula some time in the near future.

=**WATERFORD TO SCHULL**= We left Waterford and began our trek to Schull - going the long way of course, via the coast where possible. The roads were generally narrow, windy and with tall hedges on both sides providing only occasional glimpses of the scenery. And yes, Ireland is ** GREEN **. We paused at Dunmore East not far out of Waterford. A pretty seaside town as the pics below show. Another brief stopover at Annestown and other scenic sights on the way ... And, finally, we stopped at Ardmore for lunch and to visit the 5th century monastery established by St Declan (he preceded St Patrick). The buildings still standing date from the 12thC and the round tower is one of the best preserved examples in Ireland. Although there is some disagreement about their purpose they seem to have been used to store valuable relics and manuscripts in times of upheaval - the door was about 3-4 metres above the ground necessitating a ladder for entrance, effectively sealing the tower against raiders. Whatever, they certainly chose a pretty good piece of real estate - high ground overlooking the seaside and surrounding country. and now .........SCHULL VILLAGE
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 * [[image:k-s5.jpg caption="The round tower and graveyard"]] || [[image:k-s11.jpg caption="Interior of St Declan's Cathedral"]] ||
 * [[image:k-s8.jpg align="center" caption="Ogham Stone - earliest Irish script dating from AD300"]] || [[image:k-s7.jpg align="center" caption="Celtic Crosses abound in the graveyards"]] ||
 * [[image:k-s9.jpg caption="Romanesque sculptures survive on the west wall (obv away from prevailing weather)"]] || [[image:k-s6.jpg caption="the ruined St Declan's Cathedral"]] ||