ceatharlach

Contemplation and Easter were both themes in an article in Carlow Sentinel - Saturday 24 February 1844

A VISIT TO OLD LEIGHLIN THE CATHEDRAL What a venerable object is the old cathedral church! -What sources for contemplation does its time-honoured presence afford!

after which the writer shares lengthy contemplations with us, but then rather fittingly for this time of year,

And upon this spot it was that, no less than twelve centuries ago, the congregated chiefs of the Irish heirarchy assembled in council to discuss no less important a question than the proper period for the celebration of Easter.

followed by several hundred words detailing 7th century church politics. Rather more prosaically, the writer mentions "the completion of its late repairs.". EDIT: these repairs included removing a spire and building a wall to keep pigs out of the graveyard. Several hundred words later, back to contemplation

Its situation in a quiet nook, defended from the blasts, and secluded from the busy world, is such as the most desiring retiree could desire

The 1844 external description is:

The structure, built after the plainest Gothic model, consists of a nave and chancel, united by a square belfry tower of considerable dimensions, and from the north project two roofless structures, apparently more ancient than the present building

More repairs in 1865: Carlow Sentinel - Saturday 25 November 1865.

the side-aisle, hitherto in a state of comparative ruin, has been newly roofed and restored. One other part of this ancient building, however, still remains in a roofless and almost ruinous state

The lady chapel was reinstated about 5 or 6 years* ago. I sang at the opening ceremony for it. Bruckner's Christus Factus Est, and for some reason, as far as I remember (which may be extremely badly) also Bear Necessities, and a few other bits and bobs. *I'm old, any my perception of how long ago anything was may be a bit flawed.

Streetview At the NIAH: Reroofed c. 1899

Look more like an airport these days- www.dublinairport.com/images/default-source/cip-2020-imag...

Here's a Streetview from St Clare's Road at the centre - one can rotate to look down the twin roads of Pearse Road (with the grassed rectangles in the middle) and then rotate again to see the curving line of houses on Staunton Avenue: www.google.com/maps/@52.8399914,-6.9416993,3a,75y,104.56h...

Modified herring bone pattern in field is for land drainage. What I can't see are the terracotta clay pipes. Maybe they have been laid and are awaiting to be back filled. The heaps along the headland look to be stone to be laid over the pipes.

That's Graiguecullen GAA pitch bottom right - drainage works underway... And Carlow Castle is visible across the river in the background

www.flickr.com/photos/89316281@N04/41185593912/in/photoli...