The Poet's Rest

We cycled over to Inniskeen today from Felda. It was a gorgeous Spring day, blue skies, dry and a little bit chilly. We got off the main road almost immediately and didn't hit it again except for a few miles on the 'Blayney Road. These little roads in Ireland are a pleasure to cycle 95% of the time. The other 5% is dogs and hills but I'll take my chances. So we went over the Marlbog Road to Dunmahon Cross, on to Milltown Cross, right for Walterstown Cross, cross the N52 for Fane Valley, Corderry and Louth Village.

At Louth Village the strong group left us for Killanny and we turned right for Channonrock. When I say we, I mean 4 of us. There were 8 or 9 in the other group and I was glad to see them go, although I am very fond of them. The loveliness of the land and the scenery, and the presence of it all, was a gift on this frosty spring morning. Field after field was ploughed and ready for the spring sowing (guesswork - we don't do arable farming in Galway). We came up the 3 little hills from the Fane Valley and turned for Louth at Corderry fruit farm. Left Louth by the ruins of that old Abbey on the road to Inniskeen. It's such a quiet 2 miles from there to Channonrock, cross the Carrick Road and another lovely couple of miles to Inniskeen.

The river Fane is with you here to, on your right hand side, and as you come nearer there seems to be an old Mill on the river, in good repair. There's one last hill before the drop down to our favourite café, the Poet's Rest, beside the Kavanagh Centre. The riverside walk is across from it and it looks just lovely, but we were dying for coffee and warmth. Plus we don't often get to the café before the strong group so we went in and ordered. Everyone likes the coffee here and I often wondered how we put up with machine coffee from filling stations and supermarkets. There is no dear doubt (love that Dundalk expression) that the women have had a very elevating influence on the whole scheme of things.

To this day I still remember the old Cuchulainn warrior, Sean, looking at us in total disgust when we flopped down on the wall in Carlingford to eat our bananas. He never got off his bike but put one foot on the ground,  "Will ye be much longer" he said before we got half way down our bananas. Then he took off for the Long Woman's Grave when he could stick it no more. Ah yes, I miss those days! Anyhow to get back to Inniskeen, the lads came in the door about 10 minutes after us. Not bad considering they went to Killanny, Essexford and the café, while we went straight from Louth. There must be something in fresh air because the craic was 90, and the good vibes were a tonic. If I could bottle it I'd make a fortune.

Kavanagh's Grave

Ploughshare in front

Meself and Una decided to go into the graveyard to look for Kavanagh's grave while the rest were having their coffee. It was easy to find - it was the simplest grave in the place. A small wooden cross with P Kavanagh written on it and 1904 to 1967 as his dates. It was covered with slabs which were a causeway on a nearby stream and they added to the simplicity. The effect, in the middle of all the fine headstones, was strangely moving.

O stony grey soil of Monaghan

The laugh from my love you thieved;

You took the gay child of my passion 

And gave me your clod-conceived. 

When we got back to the cafe the posse was getting restless. We had run out of time so Blackstaff was for another day. We went straight to Finnegan's Cross and turned left for Annaghvacky. The strong group quickly dropped us, thank God, because I was losing the run of myself and suffering. Johan shouted, Pat we've dropped someone and I was so glad to go back and wait. Colm was with me, and he's always good company. When we got to HBX, we had a wee consultation and decided to take in Roche Castle, Una, from Banbridge had heard of it but never seen it. We stopped at the top of the hill before the drop, the best vantage point, and on a day like this it was superb. You could see every blade of grass leading up to those magnificent walls. Off down the hills again and on to Skyhill, where I suggested we might do a spin to Creggan and Cross soon, And then finally that lovely Armagh road, which slopes all the way into Dundalk. A lovely Spring day and a lovely cycle, thank God.

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Comment by brendan woods on March 24, 2014 at 5:17am

JUST WISH I WAS ABLE TO DO THAT CYCLE RUN 

Comment by brendan woods on March 24, 2014 at 5:23am

My father was born in co louth dundalk area out by Saint Bridgets Stream ,Monascreebe area it was

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