Car and Driver West of Ireland

Corcomroe Cistercian Abbey in county Clare

This old Abbey was built in the late 1200's and is one of many such churches which were finally abandoned during or post Cromwellian times. They were like mini universities where clerical students were educated and then sent out into the world to spread the gospel. Once they had been abandoned people started to use the grounds, and indeed the inside of the churches, to bury their dead in as it was seen as sacred ground. This particular one is just inside the Clare border outside Kinvara and is well worth a visit. The original buildings were much larger than what remains but the foundations of most of the original structures are still to be seen. There are many graves inside the church, some dating back hundreds of years. One of the O'Brien clan, the family who were benefactors of this Abbey, is buried inside and his tomb can still be seen along with his effigy. The cemetery surrounding this abbey is still in use up to this day.

Our weather continues to be really lovely and i cannot remember a nicer month of March myself. We have had superb sunshine and extraordinarily moderate temperatures for this time of the year. Our clocks go forward at the weekend and we can expect now that we have the worst of the wintry weather behind us for another year. I cannot think of a nicer place to be than Ireland when the weather is good, but it is still a great place to be even when it rains. if it did not rain then we would have to do without the green fields, the wonderful flowers and shrubs, and the clean air. April looks like being a busy month for me and the forecast for tourism in Ireland for the year ahead is good. Once it starts for me i will be kept going right into the Autumn, and sometimes even beyond. It is not easy but i look forward always to making many new friends.
Maybe you will be one of them.