This graffiti is almost 500 years old & was etched on a wall in the Tower of London by an Irish prisoner. Silken Thomas spent all of 1536 awaiting a death sentence so had time on his hands. Signed THOMAS FITZG, his message to posterity was a stoical one…. ‘AS IT IS: TAKE’

More publicity shy than his Scottish cousin, the Kilkee Sea Monster has made only one documented appearance. It was in Oct 1871, when a group of British tourists were down upon the Rocks. A massive creature arose from the water and glared at them. Since then… not a dickie bird!

The Burren is chocabloc with ruins from every era. Some are just 19th C sheep pens, others go back to the Iron, Bronze & even Stone Age. So numerous, only a fraction are well known. On Sunday, I came across this Stone Circle (1000 BC?) near Fanore. The slanted tree points East 😀

Domestic servants at Dromoland in 1873. Butler, footman, house boy & a hierarchy of maids, mostly born in England. It was a requirement they be ‘clean in their person’ & Protestant. Workers on the estate farm however, & the lowest class of servant- skivvies, were Catholic. 😀

The O’Briens of Dromoland in 1880. Ellen (née White) & Edward Donough, with children Donough, Moira, Clare, Eileen & (perched top right) Maud. They were aged 5, 4, 3, 2 and 1 (O’Brien had already four children from his 1st marriage and this 2nd union was blessed with ten…😀)

Introducing... a new T Shirt featuring Newmarket in 1703! Showing the oldest map of the village, when it was quite tiny but nonetheless had some industry in the form of two Mills. T Shirt will be launched this Sunday at the Newmarket On Fergus Show where I will have a stall.

Available in all sizes and 3 colours, I'll have a full range of other designs celebrating the History of County Clare. Also available books and posters. T Shirt costs 25 euro and can be ordered for free local delivery from [email protected] or 086 8035319. Please like & share

This weekend: Experience Ireland's ancient crafts and trades at the Culture & Crafts Fair in #Craggaunowen, Co. #Clare! Enjoy craft demos, live music and storytelling at the medieval castle, open-air museum & surrounding woodlands. More info: shorturl.at/n0KQb #IrishCrafts

Tomorrow, Sun 22Sep, Bunratty Castle & Folk Park will host its annual “Traditional Harvest Day”, offering visitors the opportunity to view Ireland’s largest private collection of vintage farm machinery: shorturl.at/3cWa1 #Bunratty #Clare #VintageFarmMachinery #IrishHeritage

On the shaft of the high cross at Dysert O’Dea in #Clare is a large-scale carving of a bishop in high relief wearing a long robe & conical mitre – a type of hat worn by bishops, reflecting a Continental tradition adopted in Ireland mainly during the 11th & 12th centuries. 🧵