From Cashel, Connemara to An Hoa, Vietnam

I was up on Cashel Hill on Sunday to check on a Raven nest to see if was in use this year. It's a fairly easy climb being only 310 metres high. No sign of the Ravens up there this year unfortunately. Some great views from the top though.

Raven eyrie, no one at home this year however.

Twelve Ben Mountain range looking North from Cashel Hill.

Maumturk Mountains looking NE from Cashel Hill.

Cashel Bay & Lehanagh North looking South from Cashel Hill.

Cloonisle/Blackhaven Bay with Errisbeg in the background, looking to the SW of Cashel Hill.

Glenturkan Lough, also called The Shamrock Lakes on account of its distinctive shape.

Old pre-Famine track running across the bog just to the south of the hill coming from the graveyard and onto Lettershinna.





Small island on a nearby bog lough. Note the Hooded Crow nest in the Birch to the right. Might make a good Merlin nest next year if the Hoodies vacate it.

 

Tobar Chonaill/Saint Connall's Holy Well. There are dozen of holy wells in Connemara. Although called "holy" most in fact pre-date the arrival of Christianity here by centuries if not millennia. Most of these "pagan" sites were taken over by Christianity to make the conversion of the Irish population that bit easier.

I came across this headstone in the back of the small graveyard at the base of the hill. Cashel native Lance Corporal "Petie" Nee was killed in action aged only 22 during the Vietnam War while serving in the 2nd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment USMC.



This newer headstone was paid for by Vietnam veterans and was erected only last year. More details here
http://connemarajournal.ie/marines-join-nee-family-to-honour-petie/

Wood Anemone

Wood Sorrell

Dog Violets