It is with Knightly honour that we are empowered to have great knowledge from within & without. With such knowledge comes power, a power that is naturally produced & requires no additional influences to achieve great things. Power is not about the control of others, it is about harnessing the inner strength & full understanding of one's purpose in this particular existence, such truth that can only be realised at a knightly level11th July 2021: Day thirteen and very last day of this epic quest!
Packing up a car in the pouring rain, always makes leaving an area, that much more sad and poignant and it certainly was a wet old day that greeted us as we left our digs for the very last time. But of course we still had a full day of questing and travelling ahead of us before boarding the night time ferry from Belfast back to England and home. So, very much lots still to look forward to! The rain had made everything look very bright and fresh and green, although i swear the green in Ireland is a much more vibrant green than in the uk!
https://www.gloine.ie/search/building/3300/devenish
St Molaise Church: Devenish Parish Monea. County Fermanagh: Happily the church was opened and in use when we arrived and we were able to enter inside and to take photos, especially of the windows. The church is in an extremely pretty setting with rolling hills and mountains behind it and a lovely spacious and very green graveyard. The church tower is dated 1787, the architect being Sir Thomas Drew, 1889-90. The church is limestone ashlar with red sandstone windows, quoins, string-courses and chimney. The fifteenth-century traceried window with carved foliate details and font are from from Devenish Abbey. The church has some stunning stained glass windows.
There are some interesting windows here, a very ancient font and some interesting plaques <click to enlarge>
St Molaise: One of the windows depicts St Molaise, so i endevoured to find out who he was. One century after St. Patrick’s death and paralleling the growth of monasticism in Ireland in the sixth century, St. Molaise (whose death is recorded in the Annals of Ulster in both 563 and 570 A.D.), founded a monastery on Devenish Island. The story is told that St. Molaise, resting from his labors, listened spellbound to bird song that was the Holy Spirit communicating. The reverie lasted a hundred years, and then St. Molaise looked around after the interval and the monastery had been built. The early Irish Christians’ belief in the supernatural had deep roots in the Celtic religion, and early saints were regarded as a more of powerful druid. Other stories attributable to St. Molaise give him a magical rather than spiritual or moral authority. Legends claim that during a snow storm on a visit to Tara, St. Molaise’s tent alone was free from snow. “The most excellent fire of divine love in him made the snows to melt.”
This stained glass portrait of St. Molaise in the church was created in 1968. The window is within a stone window frame over 450 years old originally from St. Mary’s Priory on Devenish Island. September 12th is the feast day for St. Molaise.
https://www.holyisle.org/the-island/history/
Another wonderfully scenic journey took us on to our next destination…
Mountcharles Pier: on the Wild Atlantic Way: Mountcharles Pier and the village of Mountcharles is located between Donegal Town and Killybegs in the south of County Donegal and is a Wild Atlantic Way Discovery Point. The area was originally known as Tamhnach ant Salainn (meaning “The salt mountain field”). This refers to a salt mine in the area. It was renamed Mount Charles by the local 17th century landlord Charles Conyngham after himself. Charles Conyngham was a direct ancestor of the current Lord Henry Mountcharles of Slane Castle in County Meath famous for it’s music festivals. Many of the local buildings date from the 17th century with one building in the village known as the Olde Market House built in 1676. The pier is a tranquil spot with good views and we can certainly testify to that fact. It was a gorgeous spot, big open skies with a totally unspoilt vista, giving us a well earned place of peace. The sunlight and actual light was very clear and calming and so photogenic; infact a very calming place of peace and beauty to be truly savoured…
Grail Bloodline Connections:
- ‘The beginning of an ending…..’
So once more on the road again, through Ireland’s many vibrant towns and villages, stopping for lunch along the way, our next stop being the amazing and revealing St Nicholas Church in Carrickfergus and what a gem of information that would prove to be.
St Nicholas Church in Carrickfergus: Carrickfergus (from Irish: Carraig Fhearghais meaning ‘Fergus’ rock”) is a large town in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It sits on the north shore of Belfast Lough, 11 miles from Belfast and had a population of 27,998 at the 2011 census. It is County Antrim’s oldest town and one of the oldest towns in Ireland. Carrickfergus Castle was built in the late 12th century at the behest of Anglo-Norman Knight John de Courcy, whom played a very significant role in the towns history. The town is said to take its name from Fergus Mor (Fergus the Great), the legendary king of Dal Riata. According to one tale, his ship ran aground on a rock by the shore, which became known as ‘Carraig Fhearghais’, the rock of Fergus. Throughout the course of The Troubles, there was a reasonably large parmilitary presence in the town, namely the Ulster Volunteer Force and Ulster Defence Asociation.
St Nicholas Church and graveyard plus a beautifully painted building nearby..
Read much more here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carrickfergus
The church stands in the centre of Carickfergus and was built 1182 AD. It was commisioned by Anglo-Norman knight John de Courcy whos castle is just a short way away. It is believed that an earlier religious building was originally on this site attached to St Mary’s Abbey. St Nicholas, at over 800 years old has had an interesting and tumultous past. The original design was cruxiform in shape and constructed on Cistercian lines. It had Norman arches opening up on the side asles. In 1306 the church was enlarged by Robert de Mercer, resulting in the chancel being twice as long as the nave. After the reformation he church changed from catholic to church of Ireland and was not only the spiritual centre of the town but also the mayor’s courtroom. In 1568 the church was repaired by Henry Sidney, however attacks on the town in the 1570’s sadly left St Nicholas roofless and semi-derelict. But in 1614 the master mason Thomas Papps was employed to rebuild the church.
There were so many very ancient and symbolic artifacts within the church and we were very lucky to meet the very kind verger (?) and to have the church unlocked for us. The energies there were very strong indeed, which was no surprise given what a powerful and significant site the chuch was built upon (Craft-wise) <click to enlarge>
Read much more about the church here:
https://shapedbyseaandstone.com/attraction/saint-nicholas-church-carrickfergus
The Book of Kells: There is also of course a big connection here, on times path, to the town of Kells that we visited earlier on, on this quest. Kells in County Meath, and the monastic site with it’s round tower is from where the Book of Kells takes it ‘s name, from the monks of the monastry there. But sadly the Book of Kells is no longer there in Kells, it’s real home and currently resides in Dublin. St Columba Tower is at Kells and the Book of Kells is also known as the Book of Columba. The monks there were said to have a metaphysical connection to G-d, in the form of a portal reached via the tower… and a connection here to the ‘Last King of Tara’ and the ‘First Christian King’ (maybe one and the same?)
Amazingly on our last day, in St Nicholas Church here in Carrickfergus; a church of extremely high and potent energies, we came across this beautiful manuscript. A most wonderful copy of the Book of Kells, not many copies were actually produced so how amazing to see it here! Sadly there were lights right above it but i did my best in the way of photography.The church was full of very ancient and relevant symbolism which i am yet to fully digest.
St Columba Tower at Kells, where the monks created the Book of Kells
One of the rare copies of the Book of Kells silently residing in St Nicholas Church, Carrickfergus
An amazing find and a fitting end to a most wonderfull and amazing quest, where knowledge was sought and found, where companionship became stronger and where the physical and mataphysical combined as one….
Glenoe Waterfall. Lairn. County Antrim: So as this quest was drawing to its close, two more beautiful sites still awaited us. Glenco waterfall turned out to be truly stunning sight, with the clearest of water and deep green folaige, nature at its best and with connections also to the Knights Templars and their rites, a truly mesmerising peaceful place, imbued with amazing energies still.
Glenoe or Gleno (from Irish: Gleann Ó, meaning ‘Glen of the mass or lump’) is a hamlet in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It is halfway between Larne and Carickfergus. In the 2001 Census, it had a population of 87 people. Glenoe Waterfall, owned by the National Trust, is located near the village. St. Columbas Church of Ireland, is located at the top of the village, nearby the Orange Hall and Young Farmer’s Hall. The village is home to an Orange Lodge and a Royal Black Preceptory.
One of N.I. lesser known ‘hidden treasures’, Gleno is a truly magnificent 30 foot waterfall nestling in the glens of Antrim. This was a bit of a surprise visit for us at the end of a busy day, making our way towards the night ferry from Belfast. It was a lovely stop to admire the view and to drink in the energies there. It is a very quite spot, blink and you would miss it, one of the hidden secrets of our lands. There was a small car park, near a short wooded walk up to the waterfall; one can hear the water before one actually sees it. A couple of elderly gentlemen were sitting on the far side, with maybe a flask of tea between them, but apart form that we only saw another couple the whole time we were there, so plenty of time to relax and take it all in.
A tranquil wander on our last day….
https://whatsonni.com/attractions/glenoe-waterfall
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glenoe
James Chaine Memorial Tower. Larne: With the sun getting ready to set we arrived in Larne for our last stop of the day – the James Chaine Memorial Tower alongside the harbour, it is a memorial to James Chaine, a former Member of Parliment for Antrim, who died in 1885. It is a cylindrical stone tower lighthouse with a conical roof, situated on the west side of entrance to Larne Lough. It is reminiscent of the Irish Round Towers of the past. It is know locally as ‘the pencil’ and is built of Irish granite. It is in a lovely setting beside the sea, although i could imagine the seas pounding those tall granite walls in wintertime.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaine_Memorial
https://plex.page/James_Chaine
A fitting end then to a lovely day and a most wonderful quest. So many very special memories to take home. We really enjoyed Ireland, nay fell in love with the counrty, the vast spaces, the clean air, the coastline and mountains, the wonderful light and amazing ‘greens’. But above all Ireland is a land of contrasts, the old sitting side by side with the new. Ireland has a sense of place, identity and purpose and is deffinitely not going to give up its past, in more ways than one, holding on tightly to it’s secrets and comradeship. There is a lot in Ireland, in the places we passed through, that alluded to ‘the troubles’ and in many communities one can sense a feeling of solidarity even to this day, and hints of times gone by are all around, only just kept hidden… I guess each community has a different tale to tell and many miles yet to travel.
From Larne, showing some of the ‘contrasts’ to Belfast and the ferry home to England!
‘The Keeper of Scrolls’ 1st December 2021
<moon.willow@ntlworld.com>
So with speed and purpose destiny awaits us on another Grail Quest….
Quest 33: Eire the Great: Coming Soon!
