Glendalough was lucky enough to receive a visit from Paddy during the recent trip up the country.

A beautiful place but the tranquility was non existent ‘cos twas mobbed with people.

Bloody tourists!

Duckett’s Grove was the 18^th, 19^th and early 20^th century home of the Duckett family. It was the centre of a 12,000 acre estate that dominated the Carlow landscape for over 300 years.

The mansion was transformed into a castellated Gothic fantasy by Thomas A. Cobden for J. D. Duckett in 1830.

The estate house was used as a training camp in the early 1920^s by the Irish Republican Army (IRA). It was owned by a local farmers’ co-operative after that until it was taken over by the Land Commission.

In the early 1930^s the house and surrounding lands was owned by a local firm called Thompson’s Engineering Works.

The main building was burned in 1933. Carlow County Council acquired the property in 2005.

It’s an impressive place …. the stone work is amazing …. it’s a pity there’s only a shell on the inside.

I tried to find some info on the net about the Duckett family but failed to find anything of consequence.

The Duckett family motto was “Spectemur agendo – Let us be judged by our actions.”

I wonder what actions they took during their 300 year occupation of Duckett’s Grove?

Good or bad? Anyone care to enlighten me?

I wonder if this is anything to go by?

While in Carlow we visted Brownshill Portal Tomb which has a capstone weighing about 150 tonnes probably making it the heaviest capstone in Europe.

You can learn more about Portal Tombs/Dolmens here!

Wouldn’t it tug at your heart strings?

Senators today made history as they sat for almost 22 hours in order to pass emergency legislation to stabilise the banking sector.

Canteen staff in Leinster House also worked through the night to supply beverages and sandwiches to politicians toiling in the national interest.

The visitors’ bar stayed open until 2am and the private Oireachtas members’ bar called time at 4am.

Senators sat for a total of 21 hours and 40 minutes – an all-time record – until the complex Credit Institutions Protection Bill (2008) was passed after 8am today.

Seanad leader Donie Cassidy said Senators didn’t mind that the bar facilities closed midway through their debate.

“We were heading into the early morning at that stage and members were thinking about breakfast more than anything,” he explained.

There was an average 80% attendance rate among the 60 Senators throughout the debate.

“People talk about the need for Oireachtas reform but this was the Oireachtas doing its job in a very efficient and responsible manner,” said Mr Cassidy.

“When the Oireachtas needed to serve the urgent needs of the people in a crisis situation, we weren’t found wanting.

“Senators knew history was being made and they rose to the occasion.

“It was the first time that the Seanad began a bill after midnight and debated it right through the night until it was passed.”

The last time that refreshments flowed so late in Leinster House was during the debate on the Beef Tribunal in the early 1990s.

One weary bar worker said this morning: “We knew yesterday afternoon that things would run late so whoever could work late was asked to stay on.”

Another canteen employee said: “I’m here ten years and I never remember us staying open through the night before.”

Staff starting the morning shift were amazed to see politicians already lingering at tables with cups of tea and coffee.

Under the Oireachtas rules, the canteen and bars must stay open a full hour after business in the Dáil concludes.

Counts for Seanad elections every five years sometimes also run into the early hours but this is not seen as official parliamentary business.

I guess that means they’ll need a big pay rise now and an extension of their holidays.

Poor devils … they must be exhausted …

Ringmahon House in Cork City has been restored to its former glory with the help of Dunnes Stores.

Margaret Heffernan and Frank Dunne funded the restoration of their former home.

They spent upwards of €2 million in bringing the 19th century home back to habitable condition.

The property, which was also home to the famous Murphy family who established Irish Distillers, will be use for community purposes.

Cork City Council will own the property but it will be managed by SHARE.

SHARE is a housing charity for the elderly. They do great work.

The ribbon has been cut and it’s all systems go.

Well done Dunnes Stores ….. they needn’t have bothered … but they did.

(I tried to find an image of the House but failed … you’ll just have to take my word for it …. it’s an imposing structure and nice to see it rise from the ashes)