A trip out of Westport

Doonbeg #6 - story to follow
photo by Aidan Bradley

We drove down to Co Clare to visit with our PP (parish priest, as he would be known in Ireland) Fr John Morrissey and his sister on Friday.  He's on his annual "three Sunday" vacation and, as always, he went to his childhood home, Clooraclare.  It's a small farming town not far from the golfing mecca of Lahinch, the popular seaside town of Kilkee, and the top-ten tourist attraction, the Cliffs of Moher.  We drove through the worst weather of our stay - heavy driving rain and high winds.  Since it's a three hour drive, it just wasn't a pleasant experience at all.  But, in stark contrast, when we arrived at their home, we were greeted with extraordinary good-old-fashioned warm Irish hospitality.  Father John, his brother Fr Martin (a missionary in South Africa), and his sister Pauline built the house back in 1996 (along with a since deceased brother) and it is filled with family memorabilia - pictures, newspaper articles, awards, religious pictures and statues, etc. - it's kinda like a residential version of an Irish pub.  Not a empty shelf or wall, coffee table or countertop - quite warm and welcoming and charming.  We were shown to our bedroom where every creature comfort had been considered, and provided.

Then we were off for a spin around his old stomping grounds.  We visited the GAA pitch (Frs. John and Martin were local football stars), we drove through the town, stopped at a few businesses (all were thrilled to see John), had lunch at Kilrush Golf Club, and ended up on a stunning scenic drive on the Coast Road out on Loop Head.  It's a 30 plus km drive along a cliffside peninsula which is split between the River Shannon and the Atlantic Ocean.  I'll return for the drive on a fine day, but there was a special character to our drive on this stormy day.  I got out of the car a few times, but found myself very reluctant to go as close to the cliff edges as I would've liked.  Several gusts carried me a few feet against my will, and I thought the prudent course was to return to the car.  A number of gushing streams made their way to the cliff's edge only to have the water blown back from the precipice.  Not a drop made it over.  It looked like geysers were shooting out of the ground.  Very cool.

So now I need to say this, "For what shall it profit a man, if he gain a dinner at Doonbeg, and suffer the loss of his soul."  Huh, you say?  Well, the wonderful seaside Doonbeg Golf Course became, a few years ago, the Trump International Golf Links and Hotel.  And, of course, he picked it up for pennies on the dollar during the Great Recession.

Yes, gentle readers.  I had dinner at a Trump resort.  You have evidence of that in the picture that follows.

But, he got not a penny from me.  Fr. John had booked the dinner and insisted it was his treat.  As he stated, "I wanted you to see the place."  BTW, I'm sure he shares much of my view of Trump.  After all, he spent much of his life as a missionary - in Korea and Fiji - before coming to South Florida to continue his ministry (among true heathens).  He's kind and caring and has the Irish sense of fairness and charity.  So, I'm glad to say I didn't give Trump a penny.  But, as I walked out on the first tee, I found myself thinking, "Now if John would only spring for the greens fees..."

1st hole at Doonbeg
photo from internet

Left to right, strangely bloated Yank, Fr. John Morrissey, Milseain, and John's sister Pauline

From the Beach Road on Loop Head in Co Clare.
I've "borrowed" these photos from the internet.
I didn't bring my camera because of the lashing rain and
gale force winds.

The Little Ark Church

The Little Ark of Kilbaha (courtesy of the Co Clare library)

In the year 1839 the present parishes of Kilballyowen and Moyarta in West Clare were one, and were called after Carrigaholt which was the central village. The population was only 8,000 and many people were dying from Cholera. In that year a priest by the name of Fr. Michael Meehan was sent to help the dying victims and to give them the Last Sacrament. There was no church in the parish than because landlords would not permit their land to be used for a site. The priests used make-shift tents to say Mass in, but these proved useless in bad weather.

It is unsure how Fr. Meehan came up with the idea, but in 1852, he announced a plan to build a wooden box that would have four wheels and in this he planned to say Mass. It is thought he got the idea from a Bathing Box on the beach in Killkee. The timber was ordered from Limerick and a local carpenter, Owen Collins, was employed to build what was to become known as the little ark. After building the wooden structure, he then covered it in tarred canvas. There were two windows which ran along the length of both sides and at the front door. Inside, at the far end of the door was a low altar on which a statue of the Sacred Heart stood, and above the altar there was a crucifix. When it was finally ready for use it was brought down to the beach in Kilbaha. The beach was a type of no-mans land meaning that no-one was breaking the law by using that area. However, despite this Father Meehan was prosecuted for placing a nuisance at the crossroads of Kilbaha. The case was tried and dismissed. There by the sea for five years, Mass was celebrated and religious instruction given. People were married there and children baptised. Around the little ark on Sundays, in mud and soaking rain, in the burning heat of summer and through the frost of winter, the people gathered. The strange Mass house soon began the attract attention and visitors arrived and went away shocked and amazed - shocked at the fact that a quarter of a century after passing of Emancipation, the Catholics of west Clare, because of landlord bigotry, could not get a site for a church. Amazed at the lengths the people went to practice their religion. A site was finally granted in late 1856 by Fr. Meehan refused it for the reason that it was on a bog. Pressure was put on the landlord and a new site was granted. The first stone was laid on the 12th of July 1857 at Moneen, a mile from the site where the ark stood. The church of Our Lady, Star of the Sea was dedicated on the 10th of October 1858. At first the ark was brought to the site and was used until the church was ready. It was later placed inside the church doors to the left, until the present building to the house was added. On the day of the dedication of the church, Mass was celebrated in the Ark and a crowd of three thousand people attended the ceremony. Fr. Meehan died on the 24th of January 1878 after spending his last remaining years working in the parish. On Saturday the 26th his remains were brought from Kilrush to Carrigaholt and to Kilbaha by horsedrawn hearse. The coffin was taken out and brought to the spot where the ark had stood on the shore. On Tuesday February 1st 1878 his body was interred where it remains today, within feet of the ark. The ark is still preserved in the church at Moneen today.

These beautiful flowers from Padraic and Marion's garden grace our kitchen