enniskillen

To the memory of Dennis McCabe, who doesn't appear to fit on his headstone very well. Maybe it's a music joke - maybe he always held on over the bar line.

This is wonderful!

To the memory of Denis M'Cabe, Fidler who fell out of the St Patrick Barge belonging to Sir James Caldwell Bart and Count of Milan, and was drowned off this Point Aug. 15, 1770- 'Beware ye Fidlers of ye Fidler's fate Nor tempt ye deep lest you repent too late You ever have been deemed to water foes Then shun ye lake till it with whiskey flows On firm Land only - Exercise your skill There you may play and safely drink your fill'. D.D.D. J.J. "Originally erected at the point of the Rossbeg peninsula, it was moved a couple of times before being set in its present location at the entrance to Castle Caldwell Country Park." From - www.enniskillencastle.co.uk/collections/mapping-the-colle...

Flickr is sometimes amazing! In 2011 via Hector

"Sir James had a genuine interest in music but this was not because he had any talent in that direction himself and only because of the pleasure it gave to others. He organized a series of concerts to amuse his friends and he helped organize similar functions in Dublin for the Rotunda Hospital to aid a fund for the charitable purpose of helping the blind poor of Dublin. His own band featured in the Jubilee celebrations which marked the winning of the improvement premiums he gave to the local tenant farmers. It is likely that Major Ridsdale, tutor to his sons composed the Fiddlestone inscription. TO THE MEMORY OF DENIS McCABE FIDLER WHO FELL OUT OF THE ST. PATRICK’S BARGE BELONGING TO SIR JAMES CALDWELL, BART., AND COUNT OF MILAN & WAS DROWNED OFF THIS POINT AUGUST YE 15 1770 BEWARE YE FIDLERS OF YE FIDLERS FATE NOR TEMPT YE DEEP LEAST YE REPENT TOO LATE: YE EVER HAVE BEEN DEEMED TO WATER FOES, THEN SHUN YE LAKE TILL IT WITH WHISKY FLOWS; ON FIRM LAND ONLY EXERCISE YOUR SKILL, THERE YOU MAY PLAY AND DRINK YOUR FILL. D.D.D. J.J. Arthur Young, the English writer on agricultural topics in his famous Tour of Ireland, when leaving Castle Caldwell records taking his leave of the place in a six-oared barge with colours flying and a band of music playing and he also records the exact place where the fiddler was drowned as he journeys up the lake towards Enniskillen: “Eagle Island first salutes us, a woody knole. Others pass in review; among the rest Herring Island, noted for the wreck of a herring-boat, and the drowning of a fiddler, but the boat-men love herrings better than music, and gave their name to the Isle rather than that of the “Son of Apollo”. The island in question lies near the southern shore of Lower Lough Erne near Magho Cliffs but has had its name altered in concept though not in sound by being recorded now as Heron Island and not Herring Island. In relation to the cryptic initials J. B. Doyle records the fiddle stone in 1854 as “stone shaped into the form of a violoncello but he does not mention the letters D.D.D. or J.J. so perhaps this settles an uncharitable argument as to what they mean, e.g. Denis Died Drunk or Denis Died Damned. These letters are most likely an addition by a later and more uncharitable hand." fermanaghastoryin100objects.wordpress.com/2014/10/24/fidd...

12:11 - Good afternoon !

Perhaps taken from up in the church grounds? Nice to see that the pub still has the same wooden front. "Blake’s of ‘The Hollow’ is a finely preserved Victorian bar in a 3 storey property erected in Church Street, Enniskillen. It was established as a pub in 1887 by the Herbert family. ‘The Hollow’ as it became known, was bought from the Herbert family in 1929 by Catherine Blake, grandmother of the current owner, for her son William whose name is still proudly displayed on the front façade of the building." (Taken from blakesofthehollow.com/about-us) Streetview: www.google.es/maps/@54.3460406,-7.6404332,3a,75y,152.45h,...

Blanc (“Blane”), Mayers and Shannon are all on Church St. in 1901, but I only see Blanc (“Blane”) and Mayers (“Magers”) in 1911.

Red Herring - St Macartin's Cathedral (behind the photographer) has an interactive virtual Advent Calendar. Peace, Joy, Goodwill... tuerchen.com/f6e26c24 en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Macartin%27s_Cathedral,_Enniski...

Enniskillen Town Hall (see clock tower) was "opened in 1901" according to - www.fermanaghlakelands.com/Enniskillen-Townhall-Enniskill... So post 1901 certainly. Ed. From the same link - "The two figures in the tower represent the two regiments raised by the town in 1688 - the Royal Inniskilling Dragoon Guards and the Fusiliers." The statues are not yet there, but are evident in this Eason photo - catalogue.nli.ie/Record/vtls000557831 . So when did the statues happen ?

Wow. Does that still exist? Why yes it does. It's like something out of Camberwick Green. And I've found out a small bit about it. Fort Hill Gardens is a hilltop town park on the site of a 17th-century fort, opened in 1846. Features include a column with a statue of about 1845-7 and a bandstand with a clock tower of 1895.

lovely image!

It's a lovely walk around Fort Hill, great views to be had of the town....

[http://www.flickr.com/photos/eyelightfilms] Excellent, so this is definitely post-1895 then! And do you reckon the "large embossed head" is of Mr Thomas Plunkett, Chairman of the Town Commissioners?

Great image and capture.