Sun Shine Down on the Quay St Mullins R95XY93 South County Carlow

Now didn't I tell Ya the Sun would shine today Down on the Quay St Mullins R95XY93 South County

Barrow River towpath

What a wonderful amenity on our door step waiting for new surface accessible to everyone is our goal

Ahh She came to call on us Kathryn Thomas

Ahh there's that grand girl Kathryn Thomas and she cycled all the way to St Mullins off the beaten track. The Mullichain Cafe is open for Takeaway 11am 6pm 7 days a week South County Carlow

The Great St Mullins Mullein

The Mullein Cures No37

Verbascum thapsus),

“So, you don’t know what a Mullein is, shame on you!” well they say it originated in St Mullins along with The Mullicháins long long ago in the mists of time. Walking down the hill from the monasteries in St Mullins over the summer you will see the Mullein along the road and in the fields beyond standing proudly.

The Mullein is a tall staff with a yellow flower that grows in sandy areas along the side of the road. The first year the plant grows beautiful velvety green leaves and stays close to the ground. The second year it shoots like a rocket to form a staff of bright yellow flowers six-foot-high you will see it from June to August. Sometimes it is called Aaron’s Rod. Flannel Worth, Poor Man’s Blanket because of its soft leaves which were also put into shoes to keep your feet warm. The Mullein was also known as “Hags Taper” because the superstitious Irish believed that witches used the wicks for their lamps and candles when casting spells.  

Every year when the flowers are gone and the rods dry out all you have to do is bang the rod off the wall and spread the seeds for next year, it’s a great bit of Craic (fun). Isn’t it great all the entertainment we have down in the Mystic Valley of St Mullins?

The Great Mullein features among the Irish folk medicine records down through the centuries with cures from consumption to tuberculosis, as a cough suppressant and for sore throats. Its Antiviral properties have been reported to work against herpes and influenza. It also cures inflammation of the eyes, heals wounds, cures asthma and Bronchitis. Sure, it would nearly put the pharmacy’s and miracle workers out of business and poor old St Moling would be demoted, no need for miracles anymore.

Now with all these herbal teas on the go Mullein tea isn’t getting a look in, I would suggest that our tea tasters try slurping the Mullein brew  with its wonderful aromatic flavour .The Mullein leaves make a great cup of Tea, sure haven’t we been using it for centuries until the tea bag arrived and Lyons and Barry’s tea took over .When the Irish go abroad all they can dream of is a proper cup of tea and that’s not English Breakfast tea .The Mullein is also used as a flavouring agent in alcoholic drinks, now there is one for the cocktail makers.

The Irish would smoke anything from turf to leaves of the Mullein plant that were dried and put in a clay pipe and smoked like tobacco. Smoking dried Mullein leaves was an Irish pastime with no health warnings given. Now the arrival of that American Tobacco brought from the new world by Sir Walter Raleigh took over and ruined the health of world. As a young fella I remember seeing an advertisement for Craven A cigarettes “for a real cough, smoke Craven A “.

This plant's leaves are food for the distinctive mullein moth caterpillar and the seed heads are wintering habitat for ladybirds all wrapped up and cosy.

  Country People in Ireland believed that carrying a mullein preserved the wearer from enchantments and witchcraft as well as the curses from the neighbours. 

The dry staff was soaked in tar and used as a torch right up to 1930s when party campaigners were out hustling for votes in the election and they needed protection from the local witches and the opposition.

Now the next time your out walking with your pal you can be the authority on Mulleinism, great new word for the dictionary. 

Author Martin O’Brien

Time out

Come on Down to the Quay St Mullins R95XY93 South County Carlow Sit by the river, Time out! The Mullichain Cafe is open for Takeaway 11am 6pm 7 days a week See you there

The Columban way

Great New Signage for the Columban Way !

Starts and Finishes in St Mullins South County Carlow R95XY93

The Mad Sweeney

#kingsprintskilkenny Fantastic illustration of The Mad Sweeney, taken in by St Moling. They say he still fly's through the Sky over St Mullins. Prints available from Kevin at Kings prints Kilkenny

Cherry Blossoms

Great painting of The Cherry Blossoms on the Quay St Mullins R95XY93 South County Carlow by Jamie Dunne Artist

They came to call on us

They came to call on us 

It all starts and finishes in St Mullins whether its canoeing cycling, or walking this little village is a bit of Magic.

 How do the great populous find this hidden Gem when the great cry is “where on earth is St Mullins”? Maybe the Corona Virus has made us look closer to what is on our own door step, the hidden gems of Carlow that we never left the motor way to explore are coming to life.

 What a great facility and nere a boat or plane to get to it, it’s free, its magic, with unbelievable history. You can walk through the Mists of time where the Firbolg, the Tuatha de Danann, Vikings and Normans passed long ago.

 Its only when you leave the car behind and head off up on the river /canal path that you realise you have stepped into a different world. Leave the hills and rough terrain to the eager ones, this path is for pure pleasure, a place to unwind stroll, amble or sit. Just take in the silence and tranquillity that surrounds you. 

The Great RTE Radio man Sean O’Rourke’s description of the Mystical valley is apt “It’s like walking into a Constable painting” 

No pressure, no distance needs to be covered it’s your time to convene with nature. OH yeah cyclists and walkers will pass you by, sweat pouring, all in a hurry but then you are back to your own little bit of tranquillity.

It brings out the Irish in us we are back to saying “hello” “what a day” recognising that other people exist, with your feet tripping where draught horses trod slowly plodding along, barge in tow, no hurry all day to get there.

The Barrow River path is one of Ireland's most scenic long-distance trails just a place to ramble away from 21st century Ireland. The track along the Barrow starts at St Mullins and winds its way 115 km to lowtown in County Kildare or as we used to say, “70 miles” pre kilometre days. It’s like the pound of butter, we knew how it felt the weight of it, the feel of it, and it’s the same with miles. The path takes in the villages of St Mullins, Graiguenamanagh, Goresbridge, Bagnelstown, Leighlinbridge, Carlow, Athy, Monasterevin, Lowtown.

 Gay Byrne of the Late Late show found his way and described his walk to St Mullins as the “Best day of my life “Now when he was here it didn’t seem like that; he was in a bad mood but the following day on the newspaper he revealed all. The gang with him would only walk one way and he was looking forward to soaking up the Barrow river and St Mullins but his townie friends were always in a hurry.

 Historian Mary Mulvihill made a wonderful documentary with “Tracks and Trails “all along the Barrow River to St Mullins.

 Manchan Mcgann, our International travel writer, who has travelled the world from Timbuktu to the Kalahari found us in St Mullins and wrote a glowing review in his travel article “Never been there you will never forget it”.

 Nationwide and their camera crew sought us out and they gave the nation a peek into this little world of Myth and legend with Mary Kennedy and Ann Cassin, two fine women they are.

We even had a chat with Gordon Brown, Prime minister of England, sitting on the quay and he was dying for a chat, no politics just chat. The secret service nearly had a canary with these wild Irish men getting a little too close for comfort but sure we ignored them.

 Mary Robinson our first women President and her husband Nick were here, a great lady. She graciously had photos taken with the girls from the Mullicháin Café. Now if the president can find this gem so can the rest of you.

Who else but Joe Duffy RTE, the man that gets Ireland to spill its souls on the radio daily, succumbed to the charms of the sleepy valley “Have you ever heard of St Mullins my favourite place in Ireland “says Joe “?

Another Joe (Kenda) that famous Homicide detective from the series on television who solved an amazing number of murders, found his way to the valley, believe it or not he heard about us in the USA.

Ray Darcy’s wife is a native and sure poor auld Ray has to give us a mention on the big radio every now and then or he could never go home.

The Gordan Bennett rally a great bunch of eccentrics and their fabulous vintage cars came all the way down the Barrow River tow path for smoke salmon and Irish dancing and what a day was had by all.

Dereck Davis the great fisher man and broadcaster did a wonderful documentary from Graiguenamanagh to St Mullins. Along the way he spoke to the lock men, fisher men, canoeists and had a great auld time. He tucked into the scones and coffee as he chuckled through the interview, hell of a nice guy.

River Dance creators came to see us Moya Doherty and John Mc Colgan, Wow! did they change Ireland, Myself and the missus were in Chicago when River dance was part of the Eurovision. It would make the hair stand on your head; the place went wild. Michael Flatley’s Mum came from just up the parish in Dranagh, sure no wonder he could dance like one of the little people, they look after their own. The Flatley’s still have a house up in the hills, it’s the draw of the Blackstairs that keeps bringing them back.

 Ahh and the star of “Bracken”, “The Usual Suspects” and many more movies, Gabriel Byrne of acting fame, found his way, and didn’t we let him have his photo taken with us sure he was delighted 

A bunch of lads arrived on the quay in the middle of the week sure I thought they were a local hurling team on a training session,” Who are you lot with I asked innocently”? “The Dublin football team says your man” “Junior says I “,” Senior says your man with a laugh”, I Must be getting old, sure I thought they were teenagers.

But where would we be without our famous dancing prop forward Tadhg Furlong from New Ross, what a hero taking on the best and coming out smiling, he had his picture taken with the girls at The Mullicháin Café and made their day.

Now it’s hard to keep up with all our famous visitors so let me apologise to the many that didn’t get a mention. Someone said the Kardasians and Matt Damon were here but it’s hard to get around for a chat with everyone, we do our best.

So, when people say where is St Mullins? Never heard of it! That’s only because we are trying to keep the Mystic Valley to ourselves.

Author Martin OBrien

The World at War

St Mullins Top of the agenda at Carlow County Council

Time out

Weather Hotting up Greeeat time to Visit The Mullichain Cafe R95XY93 South County Carlow Open 11am - 6pm 7 days a week See you there

Takeaway Menu Down at the Mullichain Cafe R95XY93

A Summers Day in April

What a smashing Sunday morning Down on the Quay St Mullins R95XY93 The Mullichain Cafe is open for Takeaway 11am - 6pm 7 days a week See you there!

St Mullins welcomes the first Cherry Blossoms 2021

The Mullichain Cafe is open for Takeaway 11am - 6pm 7 days a week See you Down on the Quay St Mullins R95XY93 South County Carlow 

Completion of life-changing Green way held up by publics horror of "Other people" Irish Independent

The Church of the Cows

Teampall Na B( The Church of the Cows) No 30

Like any good story in Irish Folk lore there is a good bit of skulduggery and sure it has to be true as it was written down in the Book of Leinster”Lebor Laignech” in 1160 AD by the Monks and they wouldn’t make it up Would they? The Book of Leinster is now kept in Trinity College in Dublin. Teampall Na Bo is a small church just outside the village of St Mullins and it was built in thanks giving to St Moling who managed get the lads of Ossary (Kilkenny, St Mullins) out of a long-standing Tax or payback for misdeeds. The Story goes that the king of Leinster a fellow called Eochaid married one of the daughters of the High King (Tuathal Techtmar) her name was Fithir, but when he got home his wise men told him that he had got the second best of the two sisters. So, what did he do but lock up Fithir his wife in the dungeon and go back and tell the King that she died and didn’t he take her sister home with him? Now that’s a right bit of stuff for you not into the love bit at all. Well when the two sisters saw one another didn’t the two of them die with shame. Now when the High King got the news of his daughter’s death, he lost it, was apoplectic and he assembled his army from the provinces of Munster, Ulster and Connacht and marched on Ossory, beheading Eochaid in revenge. Under Brehon law a blood price had to be paid for the lives of the two princes so he put a tax on Ossary until the end of time, such was his rage. Every year they had to cough up 5,000 Cows, sheep, hogs, 5000 pieces of silver, cloaks and so on in what was known as the Borumean tribute. Sure the kingdom after many years was impoverished, they were close to starvation having to give all their produce away. This is where St Moling stepped in, didn’t he cod the High King into letting them off the tax and handed out a few miracles or curses so the Kings army couldn’t follow him back home, no flies on this fellow. I did say Saint; well Irish saints were different to what you might call saintly types. The Local built a church on one of the hills out of St Mullins in thanks giving to the St Moling for getting them off the hookit was called Teampall Na Bo (the church of the cows”) Later on, when the church became less Christian baby’s that weren’t baptised were not allowed into the proper burial ground or graveyard beside the Abbeys in St Mullins. The good priests with their little rules banished the dead children to Teampeall Na Bo because their souls were black with original sin, that’s a sin that you didn’t commit but it’s there anyway, can you believe it?

Not a Happy place but well worth a visit to remind ourselves how good we have it today and say a prayer for all the Baby’s buried beneath.

Author Martin O’Brien

St Moling visits Cheltenham

Isn't this what we have been saying for years Cheltenham would never get off the ground without St Moling. Come on the Saints R95XY93

Let's Hope April 5th sees The Mullichain Cafe open

The Saints 300 can you believe it?

St Moling No 28

Did you know there are 300 or more Irish saints because we said so, it was only when Rome got involved that rules and verifiable miracles became a must. Every town and parish has a saint sure supporting the next parishes Saint is like a Cork man supporting the Dublin football team,its just not on.

St Moling was eighty-two when he died AD 696 according to the “Annals of the four Masters “and was buried in his own monastery in St Mullins, Teach Moling “The House of Moling”. We have this pal from Cavan and the cheek of her trying to claim that St Moling is buried up in Cavan, what some people will do to claim a Saint. Sure, we all know he is buried up above in our grave yard by his own monastery with the Men of 1798, Chieftains, Generals and the Mad Sweeney. The width and the breath of the country they have wells called after the man sure he must have been a great fellow to travel. Where he got the time, I don’t know and he building a mill race all by himself with a shovel, no tractors or JCB’S in them times. For seven long years he toiled all the way from Glynn, he refused to wash or drink until it was finished, some man some whiff! Moling had to be making up for some very Big Black sin and all the local lads dying to give him a hand. He is credited with introducing rye into Ireland and was way ahead of the Normans who were the real milling experts.

St Moling descended from the race of Cathair Mor of the Leinster men and the High Kings of Ireland nothing less. He was born in Hy-Kinsellagh which is County Carlow and Wexford today and an Angel came down from Heaven when he was just a babby and blessed him so he would become a Christian monk. St Moling is linked with the character Suibhne Geilt also known as the mad Sweeney who was speared by Mongan the pig herder to the Abbeys of St Moling and he was buried up beside the great man himself. Another crowd of Kerry men are claiming he was born in Sliabh Luachra it’s like the Irish claiming that every American presidents Great grandad came from their village, Lordi Lord.

He set up a monastery in Ross Broc (Badger Wood) in the 7t century which is now called St Mullins just above the River Barrow in South County Carlow in a place called Aghacainidh (Kennedys Field) During Molings time the people of Kilkenny and South Carlow owed allegiance to the King of Leinster. The locals got tired of the king and his taxes so they rebelled which wasn’t a good idea because he came down with his army and devastated the area taking all their herds of cattle and livestock. The king imposed huge taxes taking hundreds of cattle each year and impoverished the poor auld peasants so they could barely live. St Moling went to see the King and made a deal with him, well not really a deal he pulled the wool over the kings’ eyes but the king was powerless as Moling had supernatural powers. All the goods were returned to the locals of St Mullins and Kilkenny (Ossory) who built a church in St Mullins to commemorate this event and it was called Thomple na-bo (The Church of the Cows). In the bad times of the Catholic Church children who were not baptised were buried in the grounds of this church as the church would not let them into the proper grave yard,can you believe that for Christianity 

Moling was also the Bishop of Glendalough and Ferns, he was associated with myths fables, curses and cures and people came in their thousands to ask for his help in keeping the plague of 14th century away from their villages.

Author Martin O’Brien

Danny Brennan Watercolours

Smashing Water colour by Danny Brennan Wexford 

The Lime kilns of St Mullins

The Lime Kilns of St Mullins No 26

Did you ever wonder what those funny little stone bee hive like structures were by the side of the river or up back lanes? It is said quietly by locals in St Mullins that The Mullichains built the kilns to melt their gold when making their magical gold coins but they didn’t mind the locals using the kilns to make lime.

Lime Kilns have been used in Ireland from the time of the Celts to turn limestone into powder. Lime had a lot of uses such as a fertilizer; lime mortar for building and disinfectant to keep away disease. The farmers spread the lime dust on the fields as a fertiliser and to break up the soil and sweeten the grass. The Normans were the real lads for making use of lime for Building. They used lime mortar to build their towers and castles, that’s why the French lad’s buildings are still standing. Lime mortar didn’t crack like cement as it is constantly resetting itself, a living breathing substance. The Ancient Egyptians were the first to use lime mortar and weren’t they the smart lads when it came to building Pyramids. 

Lime made buildings were waterproof, Lime killed off infection and made the thatched cottages look nice and bright. Whatever was going on in Carlow there are Lime Kilns up every back lane and boreen (small winding lane) especially in the parish of St Mullins, maybe they were smoking it? Lime is great for killing off ants and crawling insects and slugs. When Chickens are laying, they love a bit of lime to harden up their egg shells and its a great man for rooting cabbage plants.

My Uncle Jim had a small thatched cottage with the bare essentials of furniture and little or no possessions I remember the two chairs and the table out in the yard so he could lime wash the whole inside of the house to disinfect it for the coming year as they dreaded getting Tuberculosis which had been rampant in Ireland. 

The Lime Kiln was built shaped like an egg with a big chamber in the middle, a hole at the bottom to light the fire, leave in the air and take out the lime that’s called the eye. They would fill the chamber from the top with layers of wood and turf or coal whatever they had that would burn and then layers of lime stones as big as your fist. A bit of flint set the fire going, it would take about four days to fully burn and all that time some poor young fellow had to keep an eye that the fire kept burning day and night. Walk up the Barrow River from St Mullins until you hear the roar of the weir and there on your right-hand side is a lime kiln, I wonder is your man still keeping guard on the flame?

Lime has many uses

o to prevent foot rot in livestock (often found in heaps at field gates)

o as a medicine

o for removing the hair from hides in leather making

o in cesspits

o slug and snail repellent

o killing ants and other unwanted insects

o as a frost protection for stored potatoes or ‘slits’

o to disinfect walls

o to deter disease on fruit trees

o as a worm drench for pigs

o as rooting powder for cabbage plants

o given to poultry that were producing eggs to strengthen the egg-shells

Morning Mists

The Sun burning its way through the Mists in Mystical St Mullins South County Carlow

Holiday in Ireland

 

Submitted Sunday Independent

It’s a Great Little Country -Experience It No 25

Just messing about on the river

I was one of that gang that spent the whole year planning the summer holiday out of Ireland guaranteed sunshine, late nights, the wild life. Year after year we headed off to Spain or France never giving Ireland a thought as the idea of spending two weeks freezing on a beach with ham sandwiches was just not going to happen. My parents loved to go for the Sunday drive to Bray or up the Dublin Mountains with the flask and the sandwiches we were piled into the Volkswagen Beetle, no question of opting out and then down came the rain.

Then I discovered down river canoeing and did the same with my kids as my Dad did with us “We are going canoeing “but unlike me they took to it like ducks to water .Ireland opened up for us we went down some amazing rivers got a look into the old wealth of Ireland from the river side, camped, stayed in B&B’s, visited villages that we never knew existed. We had the gear on wet suits and shower cover, all our clothes were sealed in a barrel and so were the Hamlet cigars and the grub. In the early days we listened to the weather forecast until we learned that it didn’t matter as it seldom rains in Ireland for very long and we were well protected. Our favourite run was down The Barrow river to St Mullins which has a tow path used by the draught horse to pull the river barges in times gone by. We met fisher men and farmer’s, walkers and cyclists all dying for a chat, “Where did you start out? Where are you going?” none of them had ever been down the river and you could see the wonder, the dream in their eyes yes one day I will get in a canoe. The Barrow river tow path from Graiguenamanagh to St Mullins is one of the Wonders of the World passing through lush green farmland, water thundering over weirs, Herons squealing past and all for free. Passing by lime kilns, locks, weirs and arriving in a land that was ravaged by the Vikings and there still sits proudly on the top of the Hill a Norman Motte and Baily. This is a cyclists and walker’s paradise off road cutting through stunning scenery. Now I think we as a Nation have embraced the wonderful country that we have and the little gems which have for so many years been neglected and turned into backwaters. It is great to see all the Mums and Dads arriving at The Mullicháin Café glowing from their day by the river and the kids full of stories about their adventure, Bicycles line the walls, dogs lapping from water bowels Ahh! But still wanting to know” Is there Wi-FI here?”

 

Martin O’Brien

St Mullins Co Carlow

Review of the Mullichain Cafe

Review of The Mullichain Cafe via mobile

Magical  Tom F

The leprechaun is said to be a solitary creature, whose principal occupation is making and mending shoes, and who enjoys practical jokes and banter. According to William Butler Yeats, the great wealth of these fairies comes from the "treasure-crocks, buried of old in war-time", which they have uncovered (at the end of an elusive rainbow) and appropriated. Over the years leprechauns have evolved and adapted with variations founds in different parts of Ireland. One of the most significant evolutionary presence in Ireland is the infamous MULLICHAIN still a practical joker, still mischievous and still dressed in green (albeit polo shirts) and can be found settled in The picturesque village of St Mullins County Carlow. They no longer make shoes but welcome the weary travelers and walkers to their den now commonly referred to as the MULLICHAIN CAFE. Disguised within the walls of an old mill serving great food with a loud Mullichain welcome. The Chief of the legendary Mullichains Martin O’Brien and the Mullichain clan of Emer and Mark occupy this great establishment amongst antiquities from the fabled Mullichain clan. The menu contains good food with weird names, the Glynn, The Drummond, the Newtown named after the many Mullichain outposts dotted through the Barrow Vally. 

Inside filled with laughter and banter as the Chief Of the Mullichains entertains the unwitting guests as they sip great coffee, Barry’s Tea or fine Wine. A sublime experience. Outside one will hear the singing birds with at times a sound of what appears more fitting to the Jurassic era. Some Say it just a heron but no. It’s far more than a big grey bird it’s the chant of the Mullichain warrior. The MULLICHAIN CAFE - not an experience it’s an adventure. Visit it

First Daffs 2021

First Daffs up Down on the Quay St Mullins South County Carlow R95XY93 

Ireland's Crazy Horse

 

Ireland’s Crazy Horse   No 24

Art MacMorrough

Crazy Horse was the chieftain that killed General Custard at the battle of Little Big Horn, another guy fighting for his homelands.

Art kept the English out of his territory and like Crazy Horse at the Battle of little big Horn he out foxed his enemy the invading English.The native Irish began to regain some of their former territories from the English in the 14^th century this was primarily due to Art Mac Morrough Kavanagh(1357-1417), who became King of Leinster in 1377.  Art claimed to be a direct descendent of Diarmaid Mac Morrough(Who brought the Normans into Ireland) through some illegitimate son and therefore his right  to the kinship of  the Leinster .No DNA then.!

Art was credited as the man that gave most trouble during the reign of Richard II (from 1377 to 1399) . He married the daughter of Maurice Fitzgerald fourth Earl of Kildare; where- upon the English authorities seized the lady’s vast estates, in as much as she had violated the Statute of Kilkenny by marrying a Mere Irishman. In addition to this, his black rent-eighty marks a year-was for some reason stopped, soon after the accession of Richard II. (Black rent, rent paid by the English to the local King for land they occupied) Exasperated by these proceedings, he devastated and burned many districts in the counties of Wexford, Kilkenny, Carlow, and Kildare; till the Dublin council were at last forced to pay him his Black rent, no messing with this lad.

Meantime Ireland had been going from bad to worse; the Irish kicking back all over the place and at last the king Richard II resolved to come over himself with an overwhelming- force, hoping thereby to overawe the whole country into submission. He made great preparations for this expedition; and on the 2nd of October, 1394, attended by many of the English nobles, he landed at Waterford with an army of 34,000 men, the largest force ever yet brought to the shores of Ireland this guy wasn’t taking any chances with the mad Irish.

As soon as Mac Morrough heard of this, far from showing any signs of fear, he swept down on New Ross, then a flourishing English settlement strongly walled, burned the town, and brought away a vast quantity of booty.  When the king and his army marched north from Waterford to Dublin, he harassed them on the way after his usual fashion, attacking them from the woods and bogs killing the poor auld Kings soldiers in great numbers.

The Irish chiefs however saw that submission was inevitable as they did not have the armies of the English and they were not a united force. At a place called Ballygorry, near Carlow, Mowbray Earl of Nottingham received the submission of several of the southern chiefs amongst them MacMorrough, (The most dreaded of all)

In a letter to the Duke of York, the English Regent King Richard II describes the Irish people as of three classes-Irish savages or enemies; Irish rebels (Colonists in rebellion); and English subjects;

But this magnificent and expensive expedition produced no useful result whatever. As for the sub- mission and reconciliation of the Irish Chiefs, it was all pure sham. They did not look upon King Richard as their lawful sovereign he was another chancer king from across the water and as to the promises, since they had been extorted by force, they did not consider themselves bound to keep them.

Art was poisoned 1417 at New Ross. He was buried at St. Mullins, South County Carlow; you can visit his tombstone at the rear of the Abbeys

Author Martin O’Brien

The Mullichain Cafe Gang

Himalayan Balsam St Mullins

 

Himalayan Balsam on The Barrow River No 23

Himalayan Balsam! Ok! Ok! it’s an invasive species but sure what isn’t these days between Asian clams in the river Barrow and Japanese knot weed up the road, Grey squirrels in Bahana Wood, bussard’s in the sky and this last couple of years we hear the mating Tap Tap of the Woody Wood pecker. As the name suggests Himalayan Balsam comes from Himalayas and was brought into the country in the 1830s. Many of these plants like Rhododendron were brought into the wealthy estates to adorn their private gardens and have since gone wild, like the natives. Who brought in the Rabbits was it those dastardly Normans? and the grey squirrel they say he was brought into Ireland as present in for a Big house wedding in County Longford. As far back as 1789 the British were bringing plants back from the South Pacific on ships like the Bounty captained by William Bligh, he got his come uppance when the crew mutinied. The crew of the Bounty threw all his breadfruit plants over board and went off into the sunset with their women from Tahiti.

St Mullins is a very international spot buried in the Mystical Barrow River Valley. When you walk up river in the summer in St Mullins there is a beautiful display of pink flowers adding great colour which is just stunning and it’s been there as long as anyone can remember .The wise men say it arrived in Ireland in 1830’s .The Locals say it arrived with wheat from Manitoba and Saskatchewan in Canada when Odlum’s the millers were importing grain, but does  it really matter .It has all kind of names Himalayan Balsam, Indian Balsam, Jumping Jack ,Policeman’s Helmet and of course the botanical name” Impatiens Glandulifera” and it has a second or is it third cousin called Busy Lissie, everyone is related around here.

Now the Himalayan Balsam is loved by the Bee keepers because it flowers late and is a wonderful source of nectar for the bees allowing them to make a very rich honey. It is wonderful to watch the Bees moving from plant to plant oblivious that anyone is watching.

The flowers can be used in salads as an edible flower decoration and frozen in ice cubes for summer drinks giving great colour and the hollow stalks can be used as straws, now there is one for saving the environment no more plastic and definitely biodegradable. We have become accustomed to buying everything in the supermarket and our knowledge of the food and plants around us is fast disappearing.

The children can have great fun with the seed pods if they hold them gently and close their hand the warmth of their hand with make them explode great fun and it doesn’t cost a penny. In March the back water is full of Frog spawn turning into tadpoles as the days become warmer in April. Over the summer little frogs can be seen jumping about in the shallow taters behind the Indian Balsam. There are so many birds and animals on the river Barrow for the youngsters to enjoy, water hens and ducks, tree creepers, cormorants, otters they are all there. Amongst the Balsam the Yellow Iris or Flag stand proudly above the Water Lilly’s. Just sit on the bank and be patient, “No programme No agenda, No iPhone.”

The Himalayan Balsam turns St Mullins and the Barrow River into a sea of pink for the summer, its Mystical.

Freney The Robber

FRENEY THE ROBBER NO 22

Just to be clear the idea of a Dick Turpin or a Robin hood or our man Freney being good guys is pure myth. They were scurrilous thief’s that have been glorified in the story books. In the 18th century the only way to get around was on horseback or in your horse drawn carriage. These were dangerous times no mobile phone to call the garda and no patrol cars to track the robbers down and definitely no CCTV .In Ireland many of these highway men were given shelter by the locals as they saw the law men as hench men of the British occupiers .Carlow and Kilkenny had  James Freney the robber who in the end wrote his own book about his escapades .He was born in a place called Ballyduff outside Inistioge where his parents worked on a local landlords estate .He was well educated and given every opportunity by the landlords wife who had a soft spot for him,  but he wasn’t interested. He was a feckless type of character who was into anything but work, gambling horse racing women were his preference. He used the church tower in St Mullins to hide out where he could see the red coats coming from all directions. He ended up getting married to Alice Phelan the house maid from the house where he was reared, was it for love or maybe it was for his wife’s dowery which allowed him to open up his own pub in Waterford. But sure, he couldn’t agree with anyone and as work wasn’t his thing the venture failed.

Freney was now in debt after the pub went bust so he joined up with a well know robber John Reddy of the kelly Mount gang.  Starting his career as a thief and highway man in 1740s, he was infamous for his treat when he stopped a carriage brandishing his pistols “hand over your valuables or I’ll blow your brains out “. now he never carried out his treat and was said to behave as a gentleman in very many ways. His gang of robbers took off into the night breaking into the houses of the wealthy his reign of terror lasted about four or five years. Freney was a clever thief and evaded capture for many years robbing houses, coaches anywhere a bit of wealth was showing Freney sniffed it out. He had the reputation of being a fair man in that he didn’t steal from the poor, just the well healed but sure the poor of Ireland had nothing to steal.It is interesting how these fiends like Freney gained the reputation for being nice to the poor folklore has a lot to answer for. he loved the old estate houses plenty of gold plate and silver. many a time he was chased by the red coats and buried his haul around Brandon hill so he wouldn’t be caught with it. There is a stone chair on the tow path between St Mullins and Graignamanagh where he is reputed to have sat looking up at Brandon trying to remember where he had buried the loot.

 As I mentioned before the church tower in St Mullins was one of Freneys favourite hiding places as he could see all the surrounding lands and make his escape sometimes across the Barrow River he is said to have been gallant towards women and would never rob one. If caught Freney faced the hang man as the British penal laws in Ireland showed no mercy well unless you betrayed your fellow gang members which is what our brave hero did all his pals were hanged, what a pal he was. He survived into old age and was one of the few Irish highwaymen men to avoid the noose. Freney did a deal with the chief justice that allowed him to emigrate, it seems that the authorities were afraid to hang him for fear that he would become a folk hero and incite further local violence.

local land marks with Freneys name attached to them are still there today, Freneys chair Freneys rock, Freneys well and also his autobiography “The life and adventures of Mr James Freney”

BOLD CAPTAIN FRENEY

 One morning as, I being free from care,

I rode abroad to take the air,

'Twas my fortune for to spy

A jolly Quaker riding by;

CHORUS: And it's oh, bold Captain Freney!

Oh, bold Freney, oh!

Said the Quaker—"I'm very glad

That I have met with such a lad;

There is a robber on the way,

Bold Captain Freney, I hear them say."

 "Captain Freney I disregard,

Although about me I carry my charge;*

Because I being so cunning and cute,

It's where I hide it's within my boot."

. Says the Quaker—"It is a friend

His secret unto me would lend;

I'll tell you now where my gold does lie—

I have it sewed beneath my thigh."

As we rode down towards Thomastown,

Bold Freney bid me to 'light down.

"Kind sir, your breeches you must resign;

Come, quick, strip off, and put on mine,

[CHORUS:] For I am bold Captain Freney," &c.

 Says the Quaker, "I did not think

That you'd play me such a roguish trick

As my breeches I must resign,

I think you are no friend of mine."

 As we rode a little on the way,

We met a tailor dressed most gay;

I boldly bid him for to stand,

Thinking he was some gentleman.

 Upon his pockets I laid hold—

The first thing I got was a purse of gold;

The next thing I found, which did me surprise,

Was a needle, thimble, and chalk likewise.

 "Your dirty trifle I disdain."

With that I returned him his gold again.

"I'll rob no tailor if I can—

I'd rather ten times rob a man."**

 It's time for me to look about;

There's a proclamation just gone out;

There's fifty pounds bid on my head,

To bring me in alive or dead.

Author Unknown

Go on let me in!

I'll be Gooood Please let me in! It was the Other fella!

The Irish Draught Horse 3

The  Irish Draught Horses of St Mullins No 21

The Irish canal transport system depended on the Irish Draught horse to pull large loads of merchandise all across the country. The term “work horse” really did apply to these lad’s with their calm and reliable nature they just plodded along taking on all kinds of tasks. Most small farms had their draught horse as he was a jack of all trades. He pulled the plough through the fields and the hay cocks into the hay barn at harvest. Pulling was his task in life the cart with the family to mass on Sunday and dad to the pub of an evening. They provided manure to help the potatoes grow as that was the stable diet of the Irish peasant and most of the Irish were peasants with the English being the ruling class. 

 In St Mullins and all along the inland water ways he was the king of transport the lad that everyone relied from 1760 on until the arrival of the Bolinder diesel engine 1920 he was the power of river transport.

The Draught horses had their own station and forge in St Mullins and plenty to eat in the surrounding fields they pulled the barges as far as Graiguenamanagh. When there wasn’t a barge coming the other way, they were walked back at a leisurely pace by some young fellow who wasn’t at school. What a wonderful pace of life, a time to dream. 

The Steam tug usually towed three wooden barges up from the port of  Newross to St Mullins and depending on the load one or two horses were hitched up for the tow .There is a wonderful clip from Pathe News on Utube called “Turf cutting Ireland “that shows how the horse leans on the rope attached to the barge and once it’s on the move there is little strain. They also worked the mill farm and provided transport to the nearest village and town making deliveries of flour and feed for farm animals. On one of the uprights in the Mullicháin Café we have saved one of the horse shoes which was found when the Old forge was being renovated and a Mighty foot he had.

Irish Draught Horses were bred as a working horse on Irish farms they were economical, surviving on grass and gorse, and on any boiled turnips, oats and bran left over from cattle feed. Due to the small size of farm holdings in Ireland at the time most farmers could not afford to keep more than one horse and as a result Irish breeder developed an adaptable draught horse capable of carrying out all of the work on the farm as well as being used for riding, hunting and driving. Consequently, the breed developed to be extremely versatile and intelligent with an excellent temperament and willing nature. The breed originated from the Irish Hobby horse, a small ambling horse with many similarities to the primitive Garrano and Sorraia horses of Northern Spain and Portugal. The Irish domesticated the horse as far back as 2000 BC so the archaeologists tell us and sure who are we “mere mortals” to argue.

Their use in the Great War by the British military led to large losses, eight million horses, donkeys and mules died between 1914-1918 and many were Irish. The British made compulsory purchases of Irish draught horse taking so many as to nearly wipe out the breed. The mechanization of the 20th century saw a decline in draught horse’s traditional use as farm and carriage horses and where nearly every farm had its own horse now it is the exception.

I can remember on my uncles Jonnies farm in Ballyknockane near Clonmel sitting on top of the hay cock as it was pulled by Paddy that was their horse across 3 fields to the hay barn where a gang of men forked all the hay up by hand. That was the time when farm workers moved from farm to farm taking in the harvest and sitting down at lunch time to big plates of spuds and hairy bacon. Getting up on Paddy’s back was a great treat for city kids you could fit a gang of kids on his back it was so wide and riding off for miles to the Anner river that’s in Co Tipperary for a swim, no parental supervision great days and still alive to tell the tale  

Mr Steins swept the roads delivered coal to our door and manure for my dad’s roses and spuds. His horse just made his way down the road when Mr Steins gave a whistle, he moved another six feet and when he reached the village of Clondalkin the horse ambled across the road to the horse trough for a drink and when he was ready ambled back into position no traffic to worry about and of course horses had the right of way then.

Would love to a see a revival of the Draught Horse on the farms.

The Mullichain

Warrior or The Other Fella ?

The Mullicháin   No 20

The Mullicháin is a Mystical character who controls the wheels of life and time in the Mystical Valley of Ross Broc, (St Mullins), a powerful warrior, a magical being, who has been spoken of down through the centuries. Where he came from no one Knows, is he an ancient Celtic God? Is he one person? What we do know is that those who have crossed him regretted their lack of belief in his existence. He often appears at the dusk , a large muscular warrior surveying his kingdom as he wafts like a cloud through the Sky, you can feel his presence ,his power .He also takes the shape of the old man sitting on a  stone wall smoking his pipe and will pass the time of day with you but can just disappear in a blink .There have been reports of the same man in the pub telling tales of old even playing 30(cards) with the local  lads and when he is no longer there no one comments they all know who he is but just carry on playing as if he was never in their presence .The visitor wants to see evidence of the Mullicháins  existence before they will believe ,however they accept that there are otters in the river or foxes in the forest though they have never seen any of the animals of the wild in the flesh.

So yes, we can show him as the old man walking up the hill or sitting on the wall but what about the warrior who has kept the invaders from the Mystical Valley through tricks and magic that baffles all. Armies have vanished in this valley the Viking’s and Norman’s avoided the place like the plague never recording what happened to their men for fear of the Mullicháin. The Normans learned the hard way to believe The Mullicháin was there but never saw him.

The Mullicháin knows everyone and what they are up to who the relations are, the secret service is not at the races when it comes to these lads all-seeing all-knowing observers of mankind. Often across the fields you can see him walking after a few cows blending into the landscape minded by no one and it is a brave man that will try to investigate who he is .There is an understanding in the country in leaving well enough alone, we know who he is leave it at that accept the existence of the Mullicháin  .The outsider will get no help from the local folk ,pushing his nose into country business interfering with what their fathers and his father before him just know to be the real world beyond the understanding of the towns people whose minds have lost touch with the other world .Unlike the Irish Fairies which are in abundance all around Ireland our man is absolutely unique to this Mystical valley where what are considered strange goings on in other places are the norm here. Moling the saint settled here and you would wonder how the lads tolerated this pious fellow well when you hear what the saint was up to putting curses on the locals and pulling the wool over the eye of the king of Leinster you will see how he fitted right in.

It is not by chance that the village of St Mullins never developed into a major town, situated in a very strategic position controlling the river this valley should have been a thriving town. Ohh!!! Yes they tried, the Vikings snuck up the river under the morning mists with muffled oars silently crossing the Scar with vicious intent. But trying to sneak into St Mullins is just not going to happen with every pass guarded and the rivers patrolled by the raven, rook, swallow and swift .The Mullichain is a shape shifter capable of being any animal or person that he desires his real form is a massive 8 foot warrior who can decapitate any foe with a sweep of his hurl .The invaders never had a chance, the annals tell us of a number of battles where hundreds of heads were left behind ,what they omit to tell us that they were Viking heads and that the fear of the Gods was sent through their clans. The Mullicháins protect their Valley and the lands beyond with fearsome power but sometimes by just putting the wind up the invaders like they did with the Normans.

Well after defeating the Viking lads in Wexford and Waterford Strong Bow the leader of the Normans invaders sent his men down to St Mullins where they found this Mound overlooking the river and taught it would be grand and handy to turn it into a Motte and Baily. That’s a kind of IKEA self-assembly fort on top of a mound of earth and stone. There was no resistance from the locals sure they were only waiting for the fun to Start no one in their right mind would think of setting up camp on the entrance to the underworld of the Mullicháins.  Knights disappeared, horses went raving mad, The Dulachán (headless horseman) Rode by every night and soldiers just dropped dead, not a mark on them. Now wouldn’t that put the wind up you? The Little people turned their milk sour and brought a plague of mice on their food your man The Mullicháin has some powerful pals. When reinforcements were sent for, they were met by the greatest knight of them all the Mullicháin himself. The English had a shot at taking over St Mullins they built a Star fort on the hill of Choolhune and The Bald castle down over the quay in St Mullins you might ask where are they now? “Tá siad imithe hiomlán anois “ they are totally gone . 

 So, like all the rest of them they high tailed it out of the valley and St Mullins remains a peaceful and Mystical Valley.

The Pot of Gold

Ahh Always knew The Pot of Gold was hidden in St Mullins The land of The Mullichain

Diarmaid Mc Morough

 

Diarmaid McMorough  No 19

 

This man deserves a page all to himself he is probably the most notorious villain in our history, a megalomaniac, wife stealer, betrayer, untrustworthy just not the kind of guy you would want as a pal. Irish History gives great notoriety to Cromwell another murderous invader from across the water or what about Trevelyan who starved us to death.1847. The difference, McMorough was one of our own chieftains who would do anything to hold on to power, our tyrant, our Mussolini, our Hitler! When we read history or historical type stories that claim to be history, however they tend to white wash the distant past making history the thing of legend. The other Irish chieftains had enough of Dermott’s ways marched on his territory and sent him on the run. Diarmaid made his way to England to plead with Henry11 to help him get his kingdom back. Henry 11 was a French Norman and he was off in France fighting his own battles to keep his kingdom. But Diarmaid got hold of another Norman called Strongbow and promised him the divil including his daughter Aoife in marriage. Sure, Strongbow was delighted gathered his gang together including a shower of Welsh archers and so the invasion of Ireland began

. Giraldus Combrensis an English cleric who visited Ireland in 1169 with Strongbow’s invading army recorded (And he a holy man wouldn’t tell a lie)” Dermot was a man who liked to be feared by all than loved by any a tyrant to his own subjects, hated by strangers, his hand was against every man, and every man’s hand against him”

Diarmaid was a great man for chopping off heads and even the Normans who were a rough lot of mercenaries were shocked at his barbarity dancing on the heads of his defeated enemy.

According to the four masters Diarmaid died of an insufferable disease and he became putrid while living. Nasty! This was all revenge By God and the saints for his nasty ways. Man, they knew how to get you even in the afterlife.

Great stuff! no forgiveness he went the same rotten way as Cromwell but that lad was dug up and hung drawn and quartered after he was dead, lovely carry on. Diarmaids daughter Aoife went on to Marry Strongbow and they are buried in Christ church cathedral in Dublin, down in the basement. You can see their stone caskets.

Diarmaid died about 1 May 1171 and was buried in Ferns Cathedral, where his grave can be seen in the outside graveyard.

A year later Strongbow claimed the kingship of Leinster his daughter with Aoife married William Marshall 11 ex89 and as sole heir to her father’s land and title she made her husband one of the richest men in the kingdom, didn’t he do well.

You just can’t beat the money gang and on it goes

Canal Closures

Changing Times as the Irish canal system is abandoned. Horses pulled barges along the canal paths from 1760 all the way from St Mullins

.Today the tow paths have become recreational areas for Cyclists and walkers .