IAOI 05 – Rosscarbery

Whilst we were high up in the hills at Drombeg Stone Circle we spotted, in the low distance, what looked like the remains of an old monastery or stately home. Being the adventurous sorts that we are we decided to point the car in the right general direction and see if we could get a closer look. It took us a few wrong turns but eventually we passed it, close on the right and found the next place to stop. We were greeted by a very nice young hippy-type bloke with his dog who said he was house-sitting for a friend and said that he went up to the old ruins quite a lot, espeically at night. We didn’t inquire further, as to why.

We walked along the country lane and heard the frequent sound of shotgun rounds, most likely from a bird-scaring device than a firearm. I however found this disconcerting and commented “Ade, that gunfire is getting closer” to which Adrian swiftly retorted “Yes, Terry, that’s becasue we are walking towards it!”

Following the road back we made our way to what turned out to be Coppinger’s Court. Dating back to 1614, it appears to have had quite a colourful past but now seemed only to be the home to beasts of the field, climbing vines and crows. We climbed over an old gate and took some photos, we wandered round and looked in awe at the stateliness of the place; a building the Bronte Sisters wold have drooled over, but soon decided that the bull-pen, electric fences, fresh manure and very heavy hoof prints meant that the gate was probably there to keep things in, rather than out, and left.