Some Irish Rivers, Aibhneacha Éireannacha (with birds and bridges and more)

Ireland is wet. When I think of past experiences in Ireland I think of chasing the waves on sandy beaches or watching them crash against ragged cliffs. I have taken shelter behind rock walls as brief  showers rushed over.  I have walked along many a stream and through the morning mists. I have loved it all.

At the end of the last visit I realized I had many photos of rivers (and found a couple more from an earlier trip) so I gathered them here.

NOTE: These photos and notes do not include the Shannon and many other rivers famous, infamous, and otherwise. Sorry, this is what I have to share. Irish cities located along waterways have developed beautiful bridges and walks.

Because we were mindful of Yeats' wild swans we saw them almost everywhere.* But they shared the waterways with other wildlife and domestic animals. Come walk along some rivers with me.


Dublin - The Liffey

No, Guinness is NOT made from the waters of the Liffey (although the Liffey begins in County Wicklow and Guinness IS made from Wicklow water).

Dublin has so many bridges -- over the Liffey and over different canals.  We saw a few - both pedestrian and vehicular. We did not see Hamilton's famous bridge, but see the final note for a link a mathematicians' adventure in search of the Brougham Bridge.

Sunset - we took a romantic walk along the river, down Bachelor's Walk and on.

DH walking along the Liffey

I thought the tide must be out as we looked at the concrete banks. Note the metal ring for tying up boats.

It was early evening and many people were enjoying the riverside.

Ha'penny Bridge

The Ha'penny (half pence) bridge** opened in 1816 to replace dilapidated ferries that took passengers across the Liffey. It was originally called the Wellington Bridge after the Duke of Wellington. But as he was no friend to Ireland, soon enough the name was changed to the Liffey Bridge. Its common name comes from the original toll charged to cross the bridge - one-half penny (1/2 pence or a ha'penney). The toll was removed in 1919. This cast iron footbridge was renovated in 2001 and again in 2012 when "love locks"*** were removed and forbidden (but see below).

Love locks*** are not loved by cities trying to maintain bridges (locks on the Ha'penny Bridge):

Locks

Locks

And more locks.

Looking upstream from the Ha'penny Bridge.

How does one get down the concrete banks?

We found a ladder, but did not use it.

Mellows Bridge****

We saw a grey heron through one of the arches but it flew off before we could get a closeup. We talked about what kind of heron it was, but couldn't see well enough from the distance...little did we know we would see another across the country in Sligo in a few days.

Seagulls swim along

The ducks (mallards) were swimming towards us.

Rory O'Moore Bridge*****

Galway - The Corrib River

When walking along the Corrib it seems like side streams and waterfalls are everywhere. The banks are well developed and people fish, relax, picnic and generally enjoy the riverside. We had to cross the Corrib every time we went anywhere and used the river walk as a place to pass the time.

I was a little fixated on the swans.

The family and the Corrib.

One of the many streams feeding the Corrib.

Fig tree on the banks of the river. It was about 20 or 30 feet tall - enormous!

We often saw seagulls flying over and swimming in the river.

The family on a foot bridge. MC has climbed over the railing (kid must have bad parents).

Swans near a tiny fall of water. Good things to eat must be stirred up.

One of the bridges over the river.

Swans swimming along the far shore.

The swans moved so effortlessly. We watched them move up and downstream and fish/feed along the way.

It must be amazing to live or work in one of the riverside buildings.

Sunsets were amazing - even those we could not watch entire.

There are so many channels to the Corib. Here MC walks toward what we believe to be a lock of some kind (Yes, he climbed ov er.

The lock again.

Sligo - The Garavogue River

We spent little time in Sligo town and did use the river as a landmark as we visited a few spots in the downtown area. It felt a little wilder than some and we saw some patient waterbirds - more swans and seagulls and one grey heron.

DH on the river walk

Drake

Seagull

Mallards

The Glass House Hotel is an impressive site from the river.

mallard female

DH and YC watch the birds

More gulls and swans

Gulls and swans

Beautiful markings

A gull flaps its wings and swans

Swans and a gull

A little turbulence.

Saw this guy from a distance and he hung around for photos.

I knew he was a heron, but unfamiliar kind. Ducks in the background came swimming up.

He groomed himself for the photos.

And he stood proud - this  grey heron.

 
Kilkenny - The River Nore (Photos taken by YC, 1997-98):

I love Kilkenny. In 1977 I was "sick as a dog" when I arrived. The operator of a B&B (which was closed for the off-season) welcomed me in and housed me in the warmest room of the house. I will always remember her kindness. Before I moved on I spent some quality time with the children of the house, answering all their questions about America.

My poverty on that first trip prevented me from touring the castle, but I walked the grounds and along the river.  In 1997, I returned with the children. We were forced to stay longer than planned (blizzard conditions to the south and west made the roads a little treacherous). We toured INSIDE of the castle as well as enjoying the Canal Walk (a canal runs along the river). And YC took these pictures.

MC walking along the river outside of Kilkenny Castle.

Is this the canal or the Nore?

Thoor Ballylee - Streamstown River

Lesson: Never build your castle too close to the river. Yeats' summer home Thoor Ballylee stands along the Streamstown River. And sometimes it stands in the flood waters of the Streamstown.
 

YC standing at the tower looking towards the bridge (ancient one was blown up in 1922 while Yeats' family in residence).

Another view of the river. It seems so placid, but its flooding has caused the tower to be closed for many years.

River at Coole Park

Map at Coole Park showing the turlough - a type of seasonal pool (rather a large one).******

The river/stream flowing towards the turlough at Coole Park

Cattle grazing here

Small rapids/crossing and horses grazing beyond.

There were many paths down to the water.

Limestone hints at the secrets of the stream and turlough.

NOTES:

* The Wild Swans at Coole

By William Butler Yeats 
 

The trees are in their autumn beauty,   

The woodland paths are dry,

Under the October twilight the water   

Mirrors a still sky;

Upon the brimming water among the stones   

Are nine-and-fifty swans.

The nineteenth autumn has come upon me   

Since I first made my count;

I saw, before I had well finished,

All suddenly mount

And scatter wheeling in great broken rings   

Upon their clamorous wings.

I have looked upon those brilliant creatures,   

And now my heart is sore.

All's changed since I, hearing at twilight,   

The first time on this shore,

The bell-beat of their wings above my head,   

Trod with a lighter tread.

Unwearied still, lover by lover,

They paddle in the cold

Companionable streams or climb the air;   

Their hearts have not grown old;

Passion or conquest, wander where they will,   

Attend upon them still.

But now they drift on the still water,   

Mysterious, beautiful;   

Among what rushes will they build,

By what lake's edge or pool

Delight men's eyes when I awake some day   

To find they have flown away?

Source: The Collected Poems of W. B. Yeats (1989)

Hear it on Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wdic4rNp_gY

**http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ha%27penny_Bridge

***http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Love_lock

****http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mellows_Bridge

***** http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rory_O%27More_Bridge

******http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turlough_%28lake%29

The bridge not taken: We did not know to look for Hamilton's bridge - the Brougham Bridge (over the Royal Canal, not the Liffey) - famous for Math graffiti of the quarternions formulas. My research disclosed a bit of math nerd information on the net. I love Math nerds:  http://math.ucr.edu/home/baez/octonions/node24.html

And Math poetry by the good Sir William Rowan Hamilton:

THE TETRACTYS

Or high Mathesis, with her charm severe,
   Of line and number, was our theme; and we
   Sought to behold her unborn progeny,
And thrones reserved in Truth's celestial sphere:
While views, before attained, became more clear;
   And how the One of Time, of Space the Three,
   Might, in the Chain of Symbol, girdled be:
And when my eager and reverted ear
Caught some faint echoes of an ancient strain,
   Some shadowy outlines of old thoughts sublime,
Gently he smiled to see, revived again,
   In later age, and occidental clime,
     A dimly traced Pythagorean lore,
     A westward floating, mystic dream of FOUR.