DUNCANNON FORT & BEACH

We continued our trip across the River Barrow from Passage East. We stopped at Duncannon Beach to stretch our legs and take in the sight of Duncannon Fort.

Duncannon Fort is located in a strategic position on a Hook Peninsula in the eastern part of Waterford Harbour, giving access to Ireland’s Three Sisters: the River Barrow, River Nore and River Suir. Queen Elizabeth I built the star fort between 1587–88. Its purpose was to defend Waterford from possible invasion by the Spanish Armada.

Hook Peninsula is the “hook” in “By hook or by crook.” Hook and Crook are the names of headlands on either side of a bay by Waterford, Ireland. Hook Head and Crooke are on opposite sides of the Waterford channel. Cromwell (born 1599, died 1658) is reputed to have said that Waterford would fall ‘by Hook or by Crooke’, that is, by a landing of his army at one of those two places during the siege of the town in 1649/50.

Duncannon Fort saw major military action during the Irish Confederate Wars. Commanded by the Royalist governor Laurence Esmonde, 1st Baron Esmonde, it was besieged and captured by Irish Catholic Confederation forces under Thomas Preston, 1st Viscount Tara in January–March 1645. Oliver Cromwell failed to retake Duncannon in 1649, but it surrendered in 1650 after a blockade led by Henry Ireton.
~Wikipedia

After leaving Bealick Mill on the River Larney, we continued to make our way east. We spied a ruin in the distance west of Cahir pm N22.

Carrigaphooca Castle

Tipperary is arguably Ireland’s most scenic and varied inland county. It is also the largest inland county and shares its border with eight neighbours—more than any other county in Ireland. These are Waterford, Cork, Limerick, Clare, Galway, Offaly, Laois and Kilkenny.
A ring of mountains and hills follow the county border with wide flat valleys between them. Sometimes referred to as the ‘Tipperary Plain’ most of this area is better known as ‘The Golden Vale’—one of the most fertile areas in Europe. This is also the valley of the river Suir and its tributaries.

Tipperary’s largest mountains surround Cahir in the south of the county, making for spectacular scenery with impressive cloud formations, sunrises and sunsets. This, along with a wealth of antiquities, which include some of the largest monastic ruins in the country, makes the area a haven for sightseeing and photography.
~http://www.visitcahir.ie/

Cahir Town

Cahir is a town in County Tipperary, Ireland. The town is best known for its castle and the Swiss Cottage. We were not aware of the cottage unfortunately and didn’t seek it out. It is two kilometers from the town; we didn’t happen across it.

We were able to get a good look at the town from the defensive walls of the Cahir Castle. The colorful pubs and other stone building lined the streets. We spent the majority of our time wandering the castle grounds. We did take a brief walk about the town center.

Cahir Castle & Keep grounds

Once the stronghold of the powerful Butler family, the castle retains its impressive keep, tower and much of its original defensive structure. It is one of Ireland’s largest and best preserved castles. It is situated on a rocky island on the River Suir.

Read more about the siege of Cahir Castle in 1599.

This 12th-century river island fortress was very impressive and interesting to tour. The baby goslings where a hit as the crowd looked on as they dropped from the foliage where they nested along the wall into the cast moat.