Newcastle West Walks

04/11/2022

‼️‼️ MISSING ‼️ ‼️

Missing in Knockaderry area , Newcastle West, Co. Limerick

27/09/2022

Today is
If you’re booking a guide to see make sure to book a qualified guide
ATGI - Approved Tourist Guides Ireland

See www.Tourguides.ie for more

Since 1980, the United Nations World Tourism Organization has celebrated World Tourism Day as international observances on September 27.
This date was chosen as on that day in 1970, the Statutes of the UNWTO were adopted.
The adoption of these Statutes is considered a milestone in global tourism.
The purpose of this day is to raise awareness on the role of tourism within the international community and to demonstrate how it affects social, cultural, political and economic values worldwide.
At its Twelfth Session in Istanbul, Turkey, in October 1997, the UNWTO General Assembly decided to designate a host country each year to act as the Organization's partner in the celebration of World Tourism Day.

At its Fifteenth Session in Beijing, China, in October 2003, the Assembly decided the following geographic order to be followed for World Tourism Day celebrations:
2006 in Europe; 2007 in South Asia; 2008 in the Americas; 2009 in Africa and 2011 in the Middle East, and so on.

The official World Tourism Day celebration will be held in Bali, Indonesia, on 27 September, highlighting the shift towards tourism being recognized as a crucial pillar of development.

https://www.unwto.org/world-tourism-day-2022/join/

11/08/2022

Vote for Ballingarry!!!

Vote for your favourite area, which is BALLINGARRY, by highlighting the circle beside your preferred group’s name below
Then click VOTE NOW to complete your voting.
Voting closes at midnight on Thursday with the winner announced the next morning (Friday) on Limerick Today with Joe Nash
Thank you for your entry, we'll be in touch with winners directly.

Vote now for your favourite group!

05/08/2022

Limerick is buzzing ‼️‼️‼️

Limerick is fully behind heritage week and you will have the chance to explore the amazing heritage around Limerick.

Below is just a small selection of events:

13th August
Comhrá, Ceol agus Stair at Collins’ Well in Bruff
A free guided tour of Ballingarry graveyard and the Monckton vault
Knockfierna Heritage Society Walking Tour
14th August
Askeaton Ballysteen River and Estuary Community Workshops
15th August
Ballyhoura Outdoor Classroom Wildlife Tour
16th August
Meditation at the Binn Liosín in Bruff
Painting in the Park in Bruff
In a World of our Own, from the Cradle to the Grave in Askeaton
17th August
Cladh na Leac - Tracing Lough Gur's Ancient Pathway
Discover the Biodiversity of the Mahore River in Hospitaal
18th August
Genealogy Workshop In Fitzgerald Centre Bruff
Bruff/Grange/Meanus National School Roll Books - Old BGM School Roll Books open for viewing
Discover the Biodiversity of The Glen River in Charleville
19th August
Lough Gur Nature Day
An evening of song and story in Lough Gur
A Way with Words: An evening of Song, Poetry, and Stories by Lough Gur side
20th August
Kids’ Treasure Hunt starts from Fitzgerald Centre in Bruff
An evening with Dan Cooke talking about the birds of the area in Fitzgerald Centre
21st August
Medieval Kilmallock Walking Tour
Askeaton Ballysteen River and Estuary Community Workshops

Every day
Glenquin castle is open every day during heritage week
Newcastle west Desmond Hall is open for free guided tours every day during heritage week
Dysert Aonghasa is open every day during heritage week
Askeaton castle is open for free guided tours every day during heritage week
Adare’s Desmond castle is open for guided tours every day during heritage week

15th to 19th August Guided Tour of the Book of Kells in Knockainey
15th to 19th August The Sculptural Imagination of Seanie Barron in Askeaton

Check the website for more details

https://www.heritageweek.ie/event-listings

05/05/2022

Please note that Askeaton Castle and The Franciscan Friary have a new phone number: (085) 801 3385

The previous phone number is no longer working.

Open Daily from 11 April – 2 November 2022

Free Admission
Tours at 10:00, 11:30, 13:30 & 15:00

Askeaton Castle,
Office of Public Works,
Askeaton, Co Limerick

In the very heart of this County Limerick town stand the impressive remains of a medieval fortress. Askeaton Castle dates from 1199, when William de Burgo built it on a rock in the River Deel.

Over the centuries, the castle proved itself key to the history of Munster. It was the power base of the earls of Desmond after 1348. In 1579 it held out against the English general Sir Nicholas Malby, an incident that helped spark the second Desmond Rebellion.

The banqueting hall is one of the finest medieval secular buildings in Ireland. The tower is partly ruined, but some fine windows and an exquisite medieval fireplace have remained.

The early eighteenth-century building nearby was used as a Hellfire Club. These clubs were rumoured to be dens of excess in which wealthy gentlemen indulged in drink, mock ritual and other nefarious activities.

The Franciscan friary of Askeaton lies by the river Deel, to the north of the village of Askeaton, Co. Limerick and the impressive castle of the Earls of Desmond, which stands on a rocky island in the centre of the town. The friary was founded either in 1389 by Gerald Fitzgerald (1335-98), 3rd earl of Desmond and Lord Justice of Ireland, or in 1420 by James Fitzgerald Fitzgerald (c.1380–1462), 7th earl of Desmond. The extensive remains of the friary and its surroundings represent an imposing medieval architectural landscape that was probably planned intentionally in the early fifteenth century. The friary’s cloister is intact and an image of St Francis is carved into the cloister arcade to remind the Franciscan friars of their patron saint as they went to and from Divine Office.

11/04/2022

ENHANCEMENT works are to take place at a popular Limerick tourist attraction.

The Office of Public Works (OPW) is planning a series of works at Desmond Castle in Newcastle West, which re-opened last Thursday for the summer season.

New signage and flagpoles are planned for the medieval castle, while consultants have been appointed to progress the long-term project of roofing the Halla Mór.

The OPW Minister and local TD Patrick O'Donovan was on his home turf in Newcastle West this week, where he had a tour of the castle ahead of its summer opening.

"Visitors can not only enjoy free entrance for guided tours of the medieval castle with one of the most impressive surviving banqueting halls in Ireland, but can also look forward to resting afterwards in the courtyard on additional seating that will be installed in the course of the 2022 season," he said.

ENHANCEMENT works are to take place at a popular Limerick tourist attraction. The Office of Public Works (OPW) is planning a series of works at Desmond Castle in Newcastle West, which re-opened last Thursday for the summer season. New signage and flagpoles are planned for the medieval castle, while....

03/03/2022

ALL for UKRAINE 🇺🇦
Ballingarry and Granagh for Ukraine ♥️🇺🇦

Fri, 4th Mar
Grace & Gerry are holding a bucket collection at O'Gormans in Granagh
www.facebook.com/OGormansfoodstoregranagh/

Sat, 5th Mar
bucket collection in O'Gradys in Ballingarry

www.facebook.com/SparBallingarry/

The money donated will be spend in local shops to purchase Essentials, so you are also supporting local shops 👍

Churchgate collection will be held in Granagh on March 20th for Ukraine 🇺🇦

Please show your solidarity with Ukraine 🇺🇦 in their darkest hour of need.

20/10/2021

Something really exciting is happening this month‼️🎃
🔜
As people all over the Gaelic world celebrate Samhain and the end of the harvest season we will celebrate the beginning of winter and the start of a new season here in

The West Limerick Harvest Festival will bring some of your favourite destinations together and they will deliver the authentic taste of West Limerick.
🎃🎃🎃

On Friday the 22nd will celebrate at
The 23rd the Greenwood at will show off all the vegetarian delights combining Middle Eastern flavours with Irish and Local harvests
The 24th Chris Starr of and Tom Sparling work with botanist Teresa Storey of will deliver an exciting taste of local and foraged food
The 29th and 30th will see more Halloween fun at and
The 30th will have Mary’s Organic Garden Harvest Festival at the and cocktail night
We finish the festival in Newcastle West and Ballingarry on the 31st with a celebrity judged apple tart contest at the and a spooky family day in Ballingarry where will work together with and Ballingarry heritage to deliver some spooky tours for the entire family and Knockfierna Heritage Society will organise a bonfire on the highest hill of West Limerick to celebrate the Gaelic festival.

Contact us if you want to know more.
🎃🧛‍♀️☠️🧚🏿‍♀️👻👹🧜🏿🤖☠️
.ie .ie

13/10/2021

This Friday the 15th I’ll be sleeping outside to raise money for Focus Ireland

On Friday 15th October, I am giving one night to Shine A Night Light on homelessness in Ireland.

Across Ireland, 925 families including 2,193 children are currently without a home.
By participating in Shine A Light Night, I am raising vital funds to help the most vulnerable people in our communities.

In 2020, support for Shine A Light Night allowed Focus Ireland to move 883 families out of homelessness.

Help me help them by donating to my virtual sleep-out in aid of Shine A Light Night 2021.

I'm raising vital funds for Focus Ireland.

22/09/2021

Experience Éigse ‼️‼️
🔜

The Michael Hartnett Literary & Arts Festival 📚📖

📍Newcastle West
Co. Limerick
AND online 🖥

🗓 Thurs 30th September to Sat 2nd October.

17/09/2021

Experience Éigse Michael Hartnett Literary & Arts Festival, in Newcastle West, Co. Limerick–and online–Thurs 30th September to Sat 2nd October.

The Éigse Michael Hartnet Literary & Arts Festival 2020 will take place in Newcastle West from Thursday 1st - Saturday 3rd October 2020.

01/09/2021

18/08/2021

Best of Luck to our hurlers in the All Ireland final.
The two best teams in Ireland fight it out for Hurling’s biggest honour.
Cork won’t be easy to beat, but I have full trust in Limerick to do it!

Up the Treaty! 💚💚💚

13/08/2021

Of all the days to stay in bed, Friday the 13th is surely the best. It’s the title of a popular (if increasingly corny) horror movie series; it’s associated with bad luck and it’s generally thought to be a good time not to take any serious risks.

Even if you try to escape it, you might fail, as happened to New Yorker Daz Baxter. On Friday 13th in 1976, he decided to just stay in bed for the day, only to be killed when the floor of his apartment block collapsed under him. There’s even a term for the terror the day evokes: Paraskevidekatriaphobia was coined by the psychotherapist Donald Dossey, a specialist in phobias, to describe an intense and irrational fear of the date.

12/08/2021

Unfortunately there is always one Friday 13th in a year, and sometimes there are as many as three. Today is one of them - and another comes in July. But no matter how many times the masked killer Jason Voorhees from Friday the 13th returns to haunt our screens, this fear is in our own minds rather than any basis in science.

09/08/2021

Franz Moritz Graf von Lacy (English: Francis Maurice de Lacy; Russian: Борис Петрович Ласси, tr. Boris Petrovich Lassi; 21 October 1725 – 24 November 1801) was a -born military leader, he was the son of Count Peter von Lacy and was a famous Austrian field marshal

He served during the reign of and was a close friend to Joseph II, , becoming one of the latter's advisers.
Lacy was made a Count of the Holy Roman Empire.

His father, Count Peter von Lacy, was a Field Marshal who belonged to the branch of the family and had followed into exile after the of 1688.

Count Peter von Lacy (or Pierce de Lacy of ) (1678–1751) was a son Peter de Lacy of Killeedy, who was a son of John de Lacy of , Limerick and of Maria Courtenay of .

Franz Moritz was born in , and was educated in for a military career, and entered the Austrian service. He served in and the during the , was twice wounded, and by the end of the war was a lieutenant-colonel. At the age of twenty-five he became full colonel and chief of an infantry regiment.

The were the principal employers of in Central Europe.
The multinational nature of the empire meant that gifted foreigners were always welcome and had opportunities not available in other Eastern and Central European countries.

By one estimation, over 100 Irishmen were field marshals, generals, or admirals in the , with a corresponding number of men holding commissions in the lower ranks.

05/08/2021

Gleann an Choim which is Irish for Glen of the Shelter and is located in the village of Killeedy, County Limerick. It is one of the finest tower houses to survive from the 16th century and is open to the public during the summer months.
Gleann an Choim was a fortified dwelling, for the protection against raids and invaders, more correctly described as a Tower House. It is a square, crenelated, six storey limestone tower house built over four floors and has been partly repaired and re-roofed.

The castle has had restoration works carried out and is in a good state of repair.

05/08/2021

Sir William Courtenay (June 1553 – 24 June 1630) of Powderham in Devon was a prominent member of the Devonshire gentry. He was Sheriff of Devon in 1579–80 and received the rare honour of having been three times elected MP for the prestigious county seat (Devon) in 1584, 1589 and 1601.

He was the only son and heir of Sir William Courtenay (c. 1529 – 1557) of Powderham, MP for Plympton Erle in 1555, by Elizabeth, daughter of John Paulet, 2nd Marquess of Wi******er.
His sister Jane married Sir Nicholas Parker.
After his father's death, his mother subsequently married Sir Henry Ughtred, son of Sir Anthony Ughtred and his second wife, Elizabeth Seymour, sister to Jane, third consort of Henry VIII.

In 1557 at the age of 4 he succeeded his father. He trained as a lawyer in the Middle Temple.
He was knighted on 25 March 1576, served as Sheriff of Devon for 1579–80 and was also involved in the Munster Plantation in Ireland in the 1580s, being granted Desmond Hall and Castle in Newcastle West. Sir William was elected as a Member of Parliament for Devon in 1584, 1589 and 1601.
In 1831 he was recognised by a retrospective decision of the House of Lords as having been de jure 3rd Earl of Devon.

He married three times:

First marriage
He married firstly, around 18 January 1573, Elizabeth Manners, a daughter of Henry Manners, 2nd Earl of Rutland, and by her had seven sons and three daughters:

- Sir William Courtenay, (died 1603), eldest son and heir apparent, knighted 1599, died without progeny and predeceased his father.

- Francis Courtenay, (1576 – 3 Jun 1638), of Powderham, MP, 2nd but eldest surviving son and heir. In 1831 he was recognised retrospectively as having been de jure 4th Earl of Devon.

- Thomas Courtenay

- Sir George Oughtred Courtenay (born c. 1580–85), 1st Baronet of Newcastle, Limerick, married by 1616, Catherine, daughter of Francis Berkeley of Askeaton, Limerick, and by her had three sons:

- Sir William Courtenay (born c. 1616), 2nd Baronet

- Francis Courtenay (born c. 1617)
- Morris Courtenay
- John Courtenay
- Alexander Courtenay
- Edward Courtenay
- Margaret Courtenay, eldest daughter, whose mural monument with kneeling effigy survives in St Mary Magdalene's Church, Richmond, Surrey. She married firstly Sir Warwick Hele (1568-1626) of Wembury in Devon, MP, secondly Sir John Chudleigh (born 1584), knighted by King Charles I 22 Sept 1625, 3rd son of John Chudleigh (1565-1589) of Ashton, Devon, and younger brother of Sir George Chudleigh, 1st Baronet (d.1656).
- Bridget Courtenay
- Elizabeth Courtenay, 3rd daughter, who married Sir William Wrey, 1st Baronet of Tawstock in Devon. Her father's arms survive, impaled by Wrey, on the monument of her father-in-law John Wrey (d.1597) in Tawstock Church.