Mullaghdun graveyard and church in Cleenish
Travels in the Borderlands: An Blaic/Blacklion to Belcoo and back, Cavan and Fermanagh, Ireland - 22nd August 2019
This whole trip marks Nosher's first time crossing the border into Northern Ireland, and despite not having been there at the time, as a child of the 1970s and 80s it's hard not to recall the Troubles. Which is why it's all the more surprising how the border really isn't there anymore, save for the automatic change from mph to km/h on the satnav and the occasional reminder of the same on speed-limit signs. However, that more than anything seems to bring home just how much of a big deal the whole Brexit shambles is, because to lose that - with towns and villages literally a stone's throw away facing the thought of finding themselves with border checkpoints to deal with again - really is a big deal. Anyway, this trip around the borderlands of Cavan to Fermanagh came about after the trip down from Derry via Enniskillen, where a particularly good derelict house is spotted with an actual tree growing out of its front window. However, time pressures of having to be somewhere else for a particular thing to occur - twice - mean a special trip is required in order to actually visit it, the other border places, and sites of quintessential Irish rural dereliction on the way back to Manorhamilton. After all of that, we host a mass dinner for the whole tribe, and then it's time to go home.
next album: The Gislingham Silver Band at Walsham Le Willows, Suffolk - 26th August 2019
previous album: Florence Court and a Postcard from Sligo, Fermanagh and Sligo, Ireland - 21st August 2019
An epic derelict house on the A4 Sligo Road
The house is largely consumed by foliage
There's a tree growing out of the upstairs window
Inside the derelict house
Wires dangle through a hole in the ceiling
A shed in the garden is taken over by plants
The derelict petrol station at Carrigan Brothers
Lough Macnean Lower
Anti-Brexit sign in Belcoo
The Oak Tree Café in Belcoo
The house and cars are split across the border
An old dude walks between Belcoo and Blacklion
Two pink ladies walk along the Belcoo River
The only border is the speed-limit sign
The Customs House Restaurant
Another anti-Brexit poster in Belcoo
Amusing cow sculptures for sale
Keegan's Auctioneers in Blacklion
The Noel Keegan offices, under let by Noel Keegan
Blacklion High Street
The semi-derelict Fitz-Patrick's in An Blaic
An old dude hangs around on the street corner
Another house with a chimney tree
Derelict outhouses
Lough Macnean Upper
Some children are actually swimming in the rain
Stones with a poetic message
An umbrella in the rain
Brockagh National School near Glenfarne
Echoes of the school lives that once were
National School plaque, Brockagh 1885
The misty hills near Glenfarne
A lane with grass up the middle and 'go mall'
Round the back of the derelict school
Another visit to the legendary Rainbow Ballroom
Derelict hut outside Glenfarne
Another derelict house in Glenfarne
The closed-down Ketty's Bar and Lounge
The closed-down Keany's B&B and lounge bar
A peppermint-green house
The closed Keany's Lounge and Bar, established 1850
The petrol station in Glenfarne
The clan in the kitchen of Number 2 W8
There's a mingling in the kitchen
The children hang around like teenagers
Louise digs in
Baby Ra-ra has some pasta
It's time to eat
Fred scoops Rachel up and hauls her around
Nosher and Ra-ra
The family massive
Harry concentrates on getting his coat on
A family photo is assembled
Fred and Fern take it seriously with vampire teeth
Nosher's even in this one, thanks to a timer
Harry with a strawberry-lace moustache
Fred takes some more photos
Rachel puts her hand up
An aerial view
Fred gets some snaps of Ra-ra
Fred shows something on the phone
There's a bit of guitar action
The W8 lounge
There's a load of Italian bikers at Dublin Port
We're at the head of a pretty big queue of cars
On the fast ferry
The ferry opens its doors at Holyhead
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Mullaghdun graveyard and church in Cleenish
Mullaghdun graveyard and church in Cleenish
An epic derelict house on the A4 Sligo Road
The house is largely consumed by foliage
There's a tree growing out of the upstairs window
Inside the derelict house
Wires dangle through a hole in the ceiling
A shed in the garden is taken over by plants
The derelict petrol station at Carrigan Brothers
Lough Macnean Lower
Anti-Brexit sign in Belcoo
The Oak Tree Café in Belcoo
The house and cars are split across the border
An old dude walks between Belcoo and Blacklion
Two pink ladies walk along the Belcoo River
The only border is the speed-limit sign
The Customs House Restaurant
Another anti-Brexit poster in Belcoo
Amusing cow sculptures for sale
Keegan's Auctioneers in Blacklion
The Noel Keegan offices, under let by Noel Keegan
Blacklion High Street
The semi-derelict Fitz-Patrick's in An Blaic
An old dude hangs around on the street corner
Another house with a chimney tree
Derelict outhouses
Lough Macnean Upper
Some children are actually swimming in the rain
Stones with a poetic message
An umbrella in the rain
Brockagh National School near Glenfarne
Echoes of the school lives that once were
National School plaque, Brockagh 1885
The misty hills near Glenfarne
A lane with grass up the middle and 'go mall'
Round the back of the derelict school
Another visit to the legendary Rainbow Ballroom
Derelict hut outside Glenfarne
Another derelict house in Glenfarne
The closed-down Ketty's Bar and Lounge
The closed-down Keany's B&B and lounge bar
A peppermint-green house
The closed Keany's Lounge and Bar, established 1850
The petrol station in Glenfarne
The clan in the kitchen of Number 2 W8
There's a mingling in the kitchen
The children hang around like teenagers
Louise digs in
Baby Ra-ra has some pasta
It's time to eat
Fred scoops Rachel up and hauls her around
Nosher and Ra-ra
The family massive
Harry concentrates on getting his coat on
A family photo is assembled
Fred and Fern take it seriously with vampire teeth
Nosher's even in this one, thanks to a timer
Harry with a strawberry-lace moustache
Fred takes some more photos
Rachel puts her hand up
An aerial view
Fred gets some snaps of Ra-ra
Fred shows something on the phone
There's a bit of guitar action
The W8 lounge
There's a load of Italian bikers at Dublin Port
We're at the head of a pretty big queue of cars
On the fast ferry
The ferry opens its doors at Holyhead