Teacher Aboard Logs

Ireland: The Country and the Schools

Situated eight miles down the Ilen river from Skibbereen, the small village of Baltimore, Ireland, lies nestled at one edge of Baltimore Harbor. The village has a full time population of just over two hundred. Located in County Cork, Ireland, the beautiful harbor attracts sailors and sport divers and has been growing over the last few years.

The Baltimore Beacon marks the harbor's entrance. It was given the nickname "Lot's Wife" after the biblical story of the woman turned into a pillar of salt!

While I was on the cliff side, I noticed the cattle grazing on the far edge of a precipice. With all the grass in the area, they gathered in the most unlikely place to feed!

Besides the Beacon, the town has two other noticeable structures. One is St. Matthew's Church of Ireland. This Irish Catholic church is the main site of worship for the town. As in many old towns, the church sits right on the main road amidst the cluster of houses.

Probably the most interesting structure, located right on the main corner in the town, is the ruin of an 17th century castle that was the original seat of the O'Driscoll clan. The castle has been privately purchased and will be restored.

After visiting so many major cities and capitals, I found myself drawn to this tiny village more than anywhere else we've been. One reason was the outpouring of goodwill and friendship from the residents. We had standing invitations for free rooms with showers (thanks, Kieron Walsh!), dinners (thanks, Chez Youen!), and parties!

Captain Jan Miles accepted an Irish Flag at a dinner given by Youen Jacob in honor of our visit. Both Pride of Baltimore and Pride of Baltimore II have visited this quaint village before and established wonderful relationships between the captains, crews, and residents of the village.

During our first full day onshore, Andy (remember Cookie?!) and I were driven to Skibbereen by the grocery store owner to purchase provisions for the boat. Mr. Fields showed us how goods came and went through his business.

The Country!

That night while making some new friends, we were offered a tour of the local area for the next day. This turned out to be my best day in Ireland! Saturday morning, the dinghy took 3rd Mate Pamela and me to the dock to meet Gerald O'Flynn. Gerald ushered us into his car and set off down the road toward our first stop, a "defense dune."

In ancient times (4000-5000 years ago), a moat-like trench was dug around the house with the soil stacked on the inside, forming a dune. The dune would stand some 12-15 feet with only one exit, making it easy to defend. The Romans used a similar tactic in battles by making rings of soldiers facing outward from a central point.

From there we began a drive around the countryside. We stopped now and then for photos of some incredible scenery. Everywhere we looked there were cliffs or beautiful bays.

Our next stop was in Castlehaven Parish where we visited the Church Of St. Barrahane. This parish began in 1199 and the church that now stands was constructed in 1872. It is made of stones from Horse Island, and the organ was built and installed in 1872.

There are 52 steps up to the church, one for each Sunday of the year. This church looks somewhat unassuming from the outside but has incredible links to the past. Mounted against the wall just inside was a huge oar which seemed odd until we read its plaque. It's from the S.S. Lusitania, an English passenger liner sunk by a German Uboat in 1915. This incident was one of the causes of World War I. The ship was sunk just outside the harbor. The oar stands there in memory of the many drowned passengers and crew who were brought into the harbor.

For me, the stained glass windows crafted by Harry Clarke were the most striking objects in the church. This particular window depicts St. Louis (Louis IX, King of France) on the left. Over his head are the poor men who used to feed at his table. In the right half, we see St. Martin of Tours, patron of soldiers. Legend says that he met a poor beggar asking for clothing, so he cut his cloak in two with his sword and gave half to the beggar who kneels in the foreground. Looking at these windows was like having a spyglass into the past!

Around the corner we stopped to see the harbor and its old boat building house. Notice the high tide marks? The boats would be built and then floated out at high tide!

Go to Part 2 of the October 2, 2000 Log